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By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.

The 2007 Llano Yellowjackets made short work of the Luling Eagles last Thursday night in Bi-District by a record score of 47 to 12, played at Bob Shelton Stadium in Hays County.

The 47 points is the most scored by a Yellowjacket State play-off team. Also, the Jackets tied a school record. This was their third year in a row of making it to the second round of the State Play-offs.The years of 1996, ’97 and 1998 was the last time this feat was accomplished.
Senior Lance Dickey played his best game as a Yellowjacket, beginning with making the opening kick- off tackle. Then he and his fellow defenders held the Eagles to minus one yard on the first series.
The Jackets set the pace. Off tackle to Dickey for 8. Up the middle for senior Ty Thurman for 17 yards. There were nine more by Dickey, 3 for Ty, 6 more by Ty, 6 more by Dickey, 9 for Ty, and then 11 by Dickey. Three yards and a touchdown by Ty. Nine plays, 5 first downs, and devastating blocking from Senior center Dusty Lockhart, senior Michael Anderson, senior Jared Francis, senior Robert Ivey, senior Seth
Hensley, and super junior Andrew Ratliff. Tate McWhorter, Michael Reeve, and Royce Haines had hard dominating blocks. This offensive line controlled the tempo of the entire game…dominated it
from start to finish. Over 400 yards rushing, 2 pass completions on two throws.

This team came to win. Not just to play. There was a little time where the Jackets let the fans have a bit of worry though. The Eagles soared back, and on the second play of the second series, scored on a 28 yard pass/ run. Now the score was 7 to 6 Llano. But, just give the ball to Lance and Ty, and 5 plays later, the Jackets hHad a 14 to 6 lead after Dickey’s extra point kick was good.
The Jacket defense also took control and forced a fumble on the next series. And the Offense scored again early in the second quarter. It was 21 to 6…with Dickey from 4 yards out. Great blocks from Anderson and Lockhart. Blocking downfield also was excellent. Walker Woolman, Wes Regmund, and Seth Simpson were key play makers. Brady Vestal and Sam Whitaker had good blocks during the game.

The defense played lights out football. The Eagles ended the first half with less than 40 yards of offense in the half. Two of 11 passing with two interceptions by Dickey at his cornerback position. Kyle Frizell, Tye Siegenthaler, Wes, junior linebacker Logan Davis, and Nathan Dudley had great nights of football. Senior Sam Whitaker had several big hits and big sacks. This might have been his best game.

Junior Todd Tribble over the past four weeks has come on very strong in Llano’s secondary. And while I tend to overlook seniors Cody Fietz and Seth Simpson, and junior Taylor Maddox, mainly due to their playing very sound football in the secondary. The threesome make few mistakes. Great mental concentration by these three players. You have to be smart and tough to play in Llano’s secondary.

When senior Ty Thurman went down with a leg injury early in the second quarter, senior Austin Freeman came in and did a super job with super effort. One hundred yards rushing in a partial game this senior stepped up big time. You don’t have to worry about Austin being ready, regardless of where he is needed. His own early season injuries may have helped him see there is little reason to waste a
missed opportunity. He really has come through for this team.

The best part of this game was Llano was hungry, and the Jackets kept coming at the Eagles. Junior Kyle Leyendecker at linebacker had a good night. Junior Corey Wunderlich has improved each week, both on offense and on the defensive line. # 1 on your program and # 1 in your heart Jordan Ashabranner played hard and ran hard , including one 19 yard run for a first down. Ethan Moore ran hard on several carries. And not to forget our quarterback, junior Trey Brooks. I had Trey with two
scrambles for 21 yards. But his pin-point passing on a roll out to hit Walker for a key 17 yard gain was a superb , athletic play.

So what is happening next? I really think Llano is just now peaking. This team hit on all cylinders Thursday night. The opportunity to be only the second team in school history to go three deep into the play-offs is now just in front of this team’s noses. To make it to the third round of the State play-offs is something most of ex-Jackets only dreamed of being a part of. This 2007 Jacket team can sit beside that great 1973 team if they take care of business Saturday night, at the Alamodome, in San Antonio.

Llano has played Devine only once, in 1999, winning that game by a score of 35 to 27. Devine has one of the best running backs in South Texas. Their quarterback from last year returns after leading his team
to a 9-2 record as a junior. He threw for over 1200 yards. This year his numbers are similar.

The team that wins this game will be:

#1…the team that puts the outside distractions aside for three hours. That means by not acting like this is the first time you have been to the city! Playing in the Alamodome is a privilege for any high school team. If playing in one of the great venues is a distraction and keeps one from staying focused, that team will have many small problems. The small penalties, the turnovers are not small in a big game like Area. Those distractions lose football games. Win this
game, and get a guilded tour of the Alamodome… after the game!

#2…Let the offensive lineman win this game for the offense, and the defensive lineman for the defense. These two group of unheralded
players can win this game for the Jackets. Every moving part must be in sync with the other. But our great running game needs these men to play their guts out. Our secondary, while vastly improved over the last month, must get a pass rush from the down lineman in order that throws into the secondary are not accurate.

#3….Llano plays like they did against Lulling, and Bandera, and Kerrville. Playing every down of every quarter, so that by the fourth quarter, Devine is fighting from behind, and they are tired. Llano has been in better condition than most teams it has played this season. Beating Devine will take all Llano can muster to beat this strong team. Beating them in every quarter is a must.

I’ve been hinting at this all year, but I really feel Llano will be playing in game 13. I felt weird back in September thinking this team might be “this special.” But this team has shown me they are elite. Regardless of how I feel about the Jackets, Llano can prove to all that they belonged in the Texas Football Magazine as a top 25 team. Because after Saturday night, Llano will be only one of 16 teams left in Div.II, 3AAA in Texas. That, folks, is pretty elite.

Llano 34 Devine 18

There will be a special edition of Play To Win, Friday, November 23rd.