Nov. 3, 2008
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Play To Win
By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.
Llano 20 Wimberley 14
We spoke of the perfect storm last week. It happened in ways that no one could have foreseen. Playing perfect defense on the first play of the game may have in it a strategy known by many, and misunderstood by some. But, as frustrating as that was, I knew at that moment that the play would get the attention of our players. I wondered where the heck was Logan Davis and Reagan Friedrich, our senior linebackers? Where was Estivan and Todd Tribble and Taylor Maddox? I was more worried about the next play, not the last. Where would these guys be in the fourth quarter? That was my selfish concern. But not to worry. These key players all showed up and played when it counted.
I was not so full of confidence, but as Llano took the kickoff after the 69 yard run by the Texans, and drove 8 plays to the 19 yardline of Wimberley, I had all the confidence that a fan needs. It was fourth down and one, and Llano was doing what it always does...driving the football down the opponents’ throat. Senior Jordan Ashabranner had 2 runs for 7 yards. Clayton Maples rips off a 37 yard run. Estivan had two carries for 11 more. And then the slip. It has not happened all season. Aviles, the man averaging over 10 yards a carry, takes the flip out toss from quarterback Trey Brooks, and out from under him fly his feet. This, the man who shames the Boroxs’ 20 mule team mules. Oh my goodness, certainly this is not a strange omen telling Llano this was just not their night. But, not to worry.
Wimberley now has the ball. My biggest worry…will that freshman running back that the program says weighs 200 pounds but really weighs 275 pounds now go 76 yards for another TD and put the Jackets down 14 to 0? No! Llano’s defense showed up just in time. Three plays, minus 5 yards, and a punt. Llano’s next offensive try was not much better… 10 yards and then a punt. Llano’s defense is back on the field. Five plays, 18 yards, and Llano holds again.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, Llano’s version of Dennis Smith, junior Clayton Maples goes 62 yards and the score is 7 to 7. Just like that! Now it really is up to the defense to play harder. Friedrich and Kayden Gass seem to be in on every tackle. Davis and Corey Wunderlich show the reasons they are great seniors. Seth Graham and Jeffery McLerran are making stops. Senior Royce Haines is a force inside and Smith is making few yards. Still, this is Wimberley. This is the team that beat Burnet. Burnet hammered the Jackets. So, just at the end of the Half, the Texans scored after a 10 play drive. The score is 14 to 7. Llano has got to know now, that they could play with this team. And statistics do not lie. After Wimberley’s first play of 69 yards, the Texans managed 128 yards on 27 plays, forcing two punts and holding on a fourth down try. Senior Ty Compton, Taylor, and Tribble and Walker Woolman were playing their best football. And no one plays safety better than senior Trey Brooks. Brooks does not always play safety. He moves around and often lines up on the best receiver available. He is the team’s best tackler, and while he has his mistakes, it is rare when he is out of position.
The Jacket offense ended the night with over 300 yards rushing. Maples, Ashabranner, Brooks, Aviles, and Davis carry the pigskin. Senior Andrew Ratliff, Forrest Hoerster, Gass, Haines, McWhorter, Woolman, Greg Duke, Ethan Compton, Travis, Josh, Larry Johnson, and Corey carry the the load. Few folks know what they do. They make this offense work. I hesitate to say too much. Many have been playing on the best running game team over the past three years in the history of Llano High School. What else needs to be said? They can play with anyone.
If you missed it last week, I said we needed a pass rush. We got it against a very good team with a very good offensive line. You can start with seniors Corey and Royce and big Josh Gammill. But sophomore Travis Lawrence and Tate McWhorter had great games against better athletes. Charlie Durham and Dustin Reid had super games. Great hustle and heart. And the secondary was not waiting for the catch. Senior super quarterback Barron Scudder hit only 11 of 25 passes, which is very winning football. Seniors Taylor Maddox, Compton, Tribble, juniors Russell Weihs, Graham, Brandon Reid and Gass all played huge roles in beating this very good passing team. Llano has allowed 20 points now over the past three weeks. Llano has won all three games.
To say the rest is history, but that takes the fun part away. Llano came back the second half and the defense allowed 105 yards on 35 plays. Llano held Wimberley four times on fourth down. When Llano went ahead with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter, Scudder completed 3 passes out of 9 and Llano had an 18 yard sack. Coach Yeager said it best after the game. “Our kids have great heart”. They sure did Coach. Llano wanted this game more than the Texans. And with the score at 14 to 14, Llano faced third and 7, the Jackets had to make a call that would decide the game. Ashabranner was on the sidelines with an iced ankle. Everyone in the stands knew it would go to Maples (he already had 160 yards rushing), or Estivan. But Llano runs a sweep and senior Logan Davis takes it to the house. 40 yards and no one touched the big senior! Llano wins one of the biggest regular season games ever. Not to be too dramatic, but Wimberley was ranked 25 spots above the Jackets. Even Coach Yeager said that this may have been his biggest win as a Jacket Coach. (He now has 31 in four years). But, he could have a bigger one to consider after this Friday night.
WEEK 10 Liberty Hill
The 7-2 Yellowjackets travel this week to the Liberty Hill Panthers’ den to play a team that has won two straight State Championships, and has a 33 game winning streak. They take no mercy on anyone. They beat most everyone handily, and usually are up by 30 to 40 points at halftime. Make no mistake about it, these guys are good.
But someday, someone will beat the Panthers. Liberty Hill will not win every game until the end of time. It will take a team that has little to lose except its pride. It will take a team that is reasonably healthy and can play all four quarters. It will take a team that has been tested before and looks forward to the challenge rather than “dreading it”. It will take a team that plays sound running football, and can stop the run on defense. It will take a team that is like Liberty Hill, in that a team with not so many stars but many contributors. It will be a team like Llano. A team with a lot of heart, and something to prove. Someone like Llano.