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Cavs win Battle of the Lakes

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

The Battle of the Lakes played out like a true rivalry between two great teams as Westlake and Lake Travis traded blows in a heavyweight bout that went down to the wire. In the end, the Cavaliers came out barely ahead in a 26-25 triumph Friday at Cavalier Stadium in Lakeway, TX

“We would answer, then they would answer,” said Lake Travis senior quarterback Hudson Card. “Those are the games that we look forward to. Being a rivalry and a one-point game, it’s crazy. I’m just happy with the way we fought and came out victorious.”

Card passed, ran, caught and kicked his team to victory in an all-around performance for the ages. He completed 20-of-31 passes for 224 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against a Westlake defense that wasn’t making it easy on him. 

He also led the Cavs in rushing, caught a key third-down pass on Lake Travis’s game-winning touchdown drive, and pinned a punt inside the five, which was followed by a game-changing safety.

The play everyone will remember, however, is the go-ahead touchdown pass to Grayson Sandlin. Facing 2nd & goal from the 9, Card threw a fade on an option route to the 6-foor-4 Sandlin, and Sandlin (11 catches, 99 yards) came down with it even as Westlake all-district cornerback Leo Lowin was all over him.

“I just knew the way he was playing me all game, I knew Hudson would put it where I needed it. That’s all it took,” Sandlin said. “It’s incredible… It’s the best feeling in the world, honestly.”

After getting dominated in the trenches last year, Lake Travis matched Westlake’s physicality and shut down the Chaps’ offense in a first half that had few fireworks beside a 30-yard touchdown pass from Card to senior Kyle Eaves (five catches, 89 yards, two touchdowns). Card rolled right, got the entire Chap defense to move with him, and then launched a ball downfield to a wide-open Eaves on the opposite side of the field.

“We just installed a lot of stuff early in the week to stop their run and it was working,” said senior Lake Travis linebacker Maui Traveino. “They told us to be physical and do that and it was working… Last year we definitely were not being physical enough and this year the seniors really stepped up.”

Westlake made some key halftime adjustments, however, and opened the second half with back-to-back touchdown marches to take a 17-10 lead. The Cavs picked back up some momentum when Raleigh Erwin and Trey Wright met at the quarterback on a zero blitz for a safety. Eaves got behind the Westlake defense on a play-action pass the next possession to put Lake Travis back ahead 19-17.

The Chaps got a third second-half touchdown when sophomore Cade Klubnik hit senior Jackson Coker over the middle for a 20-yard score, but with all the chips on the table in the final minutes, came up short on a 43-yard field goal.

“We finished the half with a lot of momentum and then they took the third quarter and owned it,” said Lake Travis coach Hank Carter. “In the fourth quarter we got it going a little bit and luckily were able to finish with the win.”

TEXAS-OU Preview

Written by Cody Daniels on . Posted in UT FOOTBALL.

Once again, the Red River Showdown is set to make for some can’t-miss football.  

This largely remains true each season, even as Texas wandered through the college football wilderness throughout much of the last decade. But what was once last has since been found — that much was beginning to become apparent last season, and the result was Texas taking home the Golden Hat following a 48-45 instant classic win over Oklahoma. 

Now that Texas has returned to the national stage, which the Sooners have never left,  it would be safe to expect much of the same this time around. 

On pace to meet with each program ranked among the top-15 for the first time since 2012, Texas and Oklahoma each boast high-octane offenses orchestrated by Heisman-caliber quarterbacks in Sam Ehlinger and Jalen Hurts. While the matter is purely one of opinion, one could argue that, for the first time since the Colt McCoy era, it’s the Longhorns who feature the more elite field general, though Ehlinger and Hurts each fit the description. 

To that end, going hand-in-hand with their elite talent behind center is a bevy of tremendous options at wideout. 

Oklahoma’s pass-catching corps is arguably the better of the two units, featuring a future NFL talent in CeeDee Lamb, sophomore Charleston Rambo, and Jadon Haselwood, the top-ranked wide receiver prospect in the 2019 class. But Texas, too, features much of the same in terms of skill and upside. Senior Collin Johnson, also a first-round NFL-caliber talent, leads the Longhorns in that regard, while speedy senior Devin Duvernay is enjoying a breakout season in the slot where Lil’Jordan Humphrey was last season. The notable addition to that bunch is sophomore Brennan Eagles, who’s emerged as a big-play threat on the outside. 

Beyond that, the offenses are rather different in regards to the offensive line and running back positions. After replacing four of five starters, the Sooners front five has looked the part early, but it is still early. Texas’ starting line, on the other hand, is expected to prove to be the most formidable the program has enjoyed in some time, led by left tackle Samuel Cosmi and center Zach Shackelford. Meanwhile, Oklahoma boasts a three-headed monster at running back in Trey Sermon, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Kennedy Brooks, while Texas is simply searching for health and quality depth after injuries forced the Horns to move two true freshmen — quarterback Roschon Johnson and linebacker David Gbenda — to the position at the front end of the season. 

This collection of talent considered — some proven and some still proving itself — much like last season’s showdown, which produced 93 total points between the two teams, it’s safe to expect some offensive fireworks at the Texas State Fair. 

That’s, of course, less than ideal news for the two defenses.

Unlike the offenses they’ll be tasked with at least attempted to limit — Oklahoma nor Texas will be stopped entirely — the defenses aren’t exactly among the nation’s upper echelon. 

Last season, the Sooners were among the worst in the entire country defensively, and actually ranked dead last (130th) in passing defense, but first-year coordinator Alex Grinch returns all five starters in the secondary and eight overall, including linebacker and Big 12 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Kenneth Murray. 

Thus far, the early returns have been encouraging and indicate that Oklahoma’s defense will prove to be an improved bunch this season. 

Texas, on the other hand, lost eight of its starters after last season, and that inexperience has been evident throughout the early portion of the season, especially in the secondary, though the Horns do feature a tremendously talented tandem at safety in senior Brandon Jones and sophomore Caden Sterns. 

Both the Longhorns and Sooners do present a bit of experience at key positions and no shortage of sheer talent, whether raw or otherwise, but these two units are quite simply going to be overmatched on Oct. 12. 

If the season plays out as projected, what takes place in Dallas in mid-October may very well see the winner solidify itself as the team to beat in the Big 12. Of course, the Longhorns outlasted the Sooners last season before the two met again in Arlington, that time with a conference championship at stake, and Oklahoma got the upper hand the second time around. 

But that doesn’t mean that Texas and Oklahoma won’t each approach this year’s Red River Showdown as an absolute must-win. Along with bragging rights and the Golden Hat, pole position in the Big 12 will be at stake, and quite likely, only the winner’s College Football Playoff hopes will remain alive by that evening.  

Vipers edge out Dragons

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Round Rock proved a worthy challenger for Vandegrift’s District 13-6A throne, but the defending league champs got a stellar game out of senior quarterback Dru Dawson and made a couple key defensive stops in the final frame to maintain their supremacy with a 32-25 win Friday at Monroe Stadium in Austin.

“We needed this,” said Vandegrift coach Drew Sanders. “This is good development for us, and I told the guys all week that this is going to be a playoff atmosphere. This is going to be like a 4th round 6A playoff game, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Dawson completed 17-of-20 passes for 275 yards with four touchdowns and an interception while adding 69 yards with his legs in by far his best game of the year. He also made a pair of big plays on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive to push the Vipers ahead for good.

After a 19-3 mid-game run allowed Round Rock to take a slim one-point lead, Dawson heaved a deep ball in stride to junior wide receiver Taylor Dumar for a 39-yard gain to the 15. Three plays later, he scrambled around to give his guys extra time to shake free and found senior tight end Brady Middleton wide open in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown. 

“His improvement just continues to go up, and up, and up,” Sanders said. “He was so accurate tonight. He made one bad throw the whole night, really. Other than that, when he couldn’t throw it, he took off and ran. He had several nice runs for us, too. And then on the sideline when we had a little of that lull… I heard him over to the side talking to his guys and encouraging them, and that’s just what I need from my senior quarterback.”

Round Rock rolled up 348 rushing yards and 23 first downs, by far the most Vandegrift had given up in either category all season. But the Vipers succeeded in their game plan to take senior wide receiver Collin Sullivan out of the game. The Division I signee (Purdue) finished with just one catch for nine yards (albeit, a touchdown).

“We were not going to allow them to big-play us,” Sanders said. “We were going to bleed a slow death and our philosophy worked.”

After retaking the lead with Dawson’s fourth quarter heroics, Vandegrift’s defense stepped up on consecutive possessions with a three-and-out and a fourth-down stop in the red zone. 

“We’ve been in kind of an odd front the last several games. We had to go back at key points in our game and go back to our even front on defense, made some adjustments there and stopped them,” Sanders said. “A critical stop that we had that we needed, was because we went back to something we’ve been doing for years. We just haven’t done it much this year.

“It was nice to see us be able to adjust and do it immediately. Our kids, I always tell them, their secret weapon is how smart they are, and they were able to really adjust to what we were doing and make plays. It’s hard for a defense, when you stop everybody all year long, and you come against an offense like this, that is scoring on you, it’s hard for you to not get down on yourself, and those guys found a way to rally, keep themselves mentally pumped up, and find a way to win.”

The offense proceeded to run the final 5:21 off the clock with some bruising runs by junior running back Bowen Lewis (24 carries, 118 yards, 47-yard TD reception), a fantastic catch on a deep ball by senior wide receiver Trey Mongauzy (7 catches, 132 yards, TD, 32 yards rushing) and pivotal seven-yard run on third down by Dawson.

“Round Rock is going to have a great rest of their year. Hopefully, we do, too,” Sanders said. “To be able to win a third or fourth round 6A playoff game, like what tonight was, that just speaks volumes to our kids, coaches and everybody else.”

Texans enter October 2-2

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NFL FOOTBALL.

If the Houston Texans were a roller coaster, they would get sued for whiplash every other week.

After four uneven weeks, the Texans stand at 2-2 despite a flurry of trades made in the off-season deigned to harness Houston’s championship window. Former top pick Jadeveon Clowney was dealt to Seattle for a pair of players and a draft pick, while OT Laremy Tunsil and WR Kenny Stills were brought in from Miami for two players and two picks. 

The Texans bounced back from an opening-week loss to the Saints by edging the Jaguars 13-12 at home, and fans had to think that Houston had some momentum going when it beat the Chargers 27-20 on the road.

But on Sunday, the Texans came crashing back down to earth against former Houston Cougar Kyle Allen this past Sunday during a frustrating 16-10 setback against a middle-of-the-road Carolina team.

In past years, a record around .500 would be little cause for concern. After all, Houston plays in the AFC South, which is the AFC’s longest-running joke now that Cleveland isn’t terrible anymore.

However, Jacksonville appears to have found a living, breathing, functional quarterback in Gardner Minshew, aka “Uncle Rico.” Minshew spent the 2018 season slinging the ball for Mike Leach at Washington State, and he’s brought some moxie with him to South Florida.

The Texans have more then enough talent to rise to the top of the division once again, but it’s more than a little alarming that Houston has consistently looked mediocre under Bill O’Brien. Perhaps a coaching change is in store soon. 

Some Texans fans would say the sooner that happens, the better.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though — in fact, far from it. Houston still has certified superstars in QB Deshaun Watson, WR DeAndre Hopkins and DE J.J. Watt. There are also plenty of complimentary pieces, including WRs Will Fuller, Stills and Keke Coutee and RBs Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson.

The Texans have the potential to be explosive on offense, but the play-calling and personnel management could definitely use some more imagination.

Defensively, Houston has been able to create six total takeaways thus far, which ranks them tied for 11th in the NFL. However, the Texans are 17th in terms of yardage allowed.

That means Houston had better hope the turnovers keep coming. 

There’s still plenty of time for things to gel, but it’s hard to trust O’Brien and his staff at this point. The outcome of the season could very well be riding on how far Watson can drag the team by himself.

NBA Preview: Texas teams

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in NBA.

As the calendar turns toward October, a new NBA season lies on the horizon.

The landscape of the entire league has shifted thanks to Kawhi Leonard’s departure from Toronto and subsequent arrival in Los Angeles with Paul George. Of course, that’s not the only shakeup that has basketball fans patiently awaiting the arrival of the 2019-20 campaign.

The three Texas teams all look loaded for a run at the playoffs — and perhaps even more. Here’s a quick look at all three, beginning with the biggest burning question for each Western Conference Southwest Division squad.

Houston Rockets

Can James Harden and Russell Westbrook really coexist in the backcourt? 

This will be one of the most interesting sagas of the entire season. But if the duo can find a way to merge their strengths and properly share the lone basketball on the floor, then this could be the year that Houston finally earns a berth in The Finals come next June.

Houston still has plenty of firepower alongside the tandem, as SG Eric Gordon, SF P.J. Tucker and PF/C Clint Capela are expected to round out the starting five. The Rockets also made an under-the-radar move this offseason by bringing back 3-point marksman Ryan Anderson following a subpar year in Phoenix.

San Antonio Spurs 

Is Dejounte Murray 100 percent healthy? 

The young point guard out of the University of Washington developed into a Third Team All-NBA defender in a short amount of time before suffering a torn ACL during last year’s preseason. Derrick White stepped up in a big way to fill the PG role, and a potential Murray-White combo has Spurs fans salivating.

Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan returns for his second season in San Antonio, and former Longhorn LaMarcus Aldridge is also back in the starting five, as is veteran small forward Rudy Gay. Guard Bryn Forbes could take on a starting role until Gregg Popovich gets his rotation worked out.

Spurs fans also can’t wait to see second-year pro Lonnie Walker get some minutes after he lost a large portion of his rookie season to a torn meniscus. 

Dallas Mavericks 

Can Kristaps Porzingis realize his potential? 

The “Unicorn” had his moments in New York prior to a torn ACL and is now in Dallas alongside the 2018-19 Rookie of the Year — point guard Luka Doncic. The Mavericks were thrilled when Doncic fell to them in the 2018 draft and he had an incredible debut season, averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. Adding Porzingis to the mix is a scary proposition for the future.

Dallas is expected to also start PF/C Dwight Powell, SG Delon Wright and SF Justin Jackson. Expect the Mavericks to continue to search for a third star to pair with Doncic and Porzingis.  Just send the bill to Mark Cuban. He can afford it.

Cavs smash Maroons 63-0

Written by River Tompkins on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Everywhere you look in Cavalier Stadium six silver stars appear, each one representing a State Championship. Lake Travis came into the season looking to add their seventh star. To do this head coach Hank Carter says they will take it one game at a time. With their sights set on another championship the Lake Travis Cavaliers faced off against the Austin High Maroons in the third divisional game of the season.

The eruption from the Lake Travis tunnel could be heard and felt. The entire team was inside the iconic helmet tunnel jumping and shooting with a ferocity that would intimidate any opponent. After coming off a tough loss against Westlake, Austin High had another uphill battle against the Lake Travis Cavaliers. Ultimately Lake Travis walked away with a shutout victory winning 63-0 over the Austin High Maroons. Offensively Lake Travis dominated this game in both the ground and air totaling 770 yards.

Lake Travis had the ball to start the game, looking to seize the momentum early the Cav’s quickly picked up a first down. It got harder from there as Lake Travis would throw three straight in-completions resulting in the punter taking the field on 4th down.

Austin matched Lake Travis’ drive by picking up a first down but eventually stalling out. After Quarterback Charles Wright had quick-kicked the ball Austin had started winning the field position battle as they almost put Lake Travis on their own 1-yard line.

Despite bad starting field position Lake Travis placed together a steady drive working their way downfield. After the first three plays of the drive were runs; senior quarterback Hudson Card came back with a 17-yard strike off the RPO to Kyle Eaves setting Hudson Card up for another big throw down the right sideline. Running Back Marcelo Alanis capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to put the first points on the board.

Following another punt from Austin, Lake Travis put together another methodical drive downfield, including a big 26-yard pass from Hudson Card to Grayson Sandlin. The drive was capped off with a 15-yard touchdown run by Wesley Erving.

One thing that worked all day for Lake Travis was the quarterback roll out. Numerous times the Lake Travis offensive line allowed opposing defensive linemen inward to the pocket while Hudson Card rolled out and delivered a perfect throw for a big gain. This was the go-to concept for Lake Travis as they primarily pulled it out on key 3rd downs.

On Austin’s third offensive possession they drove downfield, including a big 15+ yard run by running back Grayson Davis as well as a wide receiver screen to captain Colby Kalbacher to pick up a first down. Austin had finally gotten past the halfway point and now they were on the Lake Travis 31 yard line. With the end-zone in site, Austin’s center mishandled the ball leading to a fumble and recovery by Lake Travis. This ended the drive and put Lake Travis in yet another good spot to score.

For the rest of the half, Austin was not able to pass midfield but Lake Travis was able to score touchdowns including a 20-yard touchdown pass from Hudson Card to senior receiver Grayson Sandlin, a 15-yard touchdown pass on a roll out to Kyle Eaves and their biggest play of the half when wide receiver Grayson Sandlin broke a short slant for a 50-yard touchdown, his third so far. It was safe to say that the Lake Travis passing attack could not be stopped as they totaled 499 yards through the air. Despite all of this scoring Austin’s defense did come big on a forced and recovered fumble to stop Lake Travis.

Going into halftime Austin needed to improve their big play ability. Something that they had been great at all year was haunting them throughout the first half. One of the reasons that they often stalled out near midfield was they were not able to generate big plays. This was the deciding factor in the game. If Austin was able to generate more big plays they would have found themselves in closer competition.

Offensively, the second half was not much better for Austin as they once again stalled near midfield allowing Lake Travis to start chewing clock. Lake Travis hit a big 52-yard passing touchdown on just their 3rd play of the half, on this one Hudson Card connected with Kyle Eaves essentially putting the game away.

Lake Travis slowed their offense down as they put second string quarterback Nate Yarnell in. They also slowed down the tempo trying to run the clock out and claim another victory. The Cavaliers are now 3-0 in district play and 4-1 in the regular season.

Coach Hank Carter had this to say when asked which player he thought had a breakout game, “That’s a good question – I think several, Grayson Sandlin made an awesome run after the catch, this is something we have been working on with him and wanting to see him do. I also think Weston Stephens had a great game as well as Gary Gordon.”

Lake Travis walked away with another win, once again they look like divisional favorites. Lake Travis has a favorable matchup against the Lehman Lobos next Friday and then what we are all waiting for, the Battle Of The Lakes! Lake Travis vs Westlake on Oct 11th. Austin has a must-win matchup with Del Valle this Thursday that could determine the playoff contenders.

Vipers beat Raiders

Written by Steven Ryan on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

This story has been written before, and will likely be written again. Vandegrift’s mighty defense went up against a high-scoring offense, and like it usually does in these situations, shut it down. The Vipers used a solid game plan, maximum effort and near-flawless execution to keep Vista Ridge (4-1) off the scoreboard for the first two-and-a-half quarters in a 31-12 win Friday at John Gupton Stadium in Leander, TX.

“We knew we’d be depending on our defense tonight,” said Vandegrift coach Drew Sanders. “We felt it was strength versus strength because they came in averaging over 40 points a game and for us to do what we did tonight, shut them out in the first half really I thought set a tone to our guys. We had a great week of work. We didn’t play particularly well last week in a win over Hendrickson and everybody kind of got down on us. I think the kids took that personal, came out and played really well tonight.”

The outcome might’ve been different if not for some costly mistakes by the Rangers. Vista Ridge marched down the field on its opening drive before Vandegrift stiffened up right before the goal line. Facing 4th & goal from the 1, the Rangers surprised the Vipers with a perfectly drawn up pass play. The execution fell short, however, as the wide receiver dropped a ball that hit him right in the numbers. On the ensuing possession, Vandegrift punched the reeling Rangers right in the mouth with junior running back Bowen Lewis (23 carries, 170 yards, 1 TD) breaking loose for a 48-yard score.

“We worked all week on our train check,” Sanders said, “which is the adjustment to their big, heavy set, and we executed it to perfection, and so I was really pleased to see that. It was first & goal from the 1, and it just shows a lot of guts on our defense to, first of all, do what you’re coached to do and then stop them four downs in a row. Huge credit to our defense, just unbelievable heart.”

The Rangers also had two back-breaking mistakes on special teams and a pair of lost fumbles, while Vandegrift played a clean game with zero turnovers and only two penalties. Vista Ridge had a deep snap sail over its punters head to set-up a five-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Ryan Sheppard to open the second quarter. 

“That’s kind of what our defense does, it makes plays, and then our offense is opportunistic, and it’s also very specific and organized, and they do a great job of making the plays count,” Sanders said. “We’re not a super explosive offense, but we’re a very efficient offense that gets things done and it’s a recipe for winning ball games… I don’t know how people view us, but I think as I look at my own team I see us as a team that plays really sound, fundamental football. We don’t make many mistakes. We play good defense, we play efficient offense, we play solid special teams, and I think we’re a tough out for anybody we play.”

A lost fumble later in the period gave the Vipers another short field, which they took advantage of as senior quarterback Dru Dawson (8-for-13, 82 pass yards, 2 TDs, 48 rush yards) hooked up with senior wide receiver Trey Mongauzy for a 14-yard score. Vista Ridge opened the second half with another botched punt snap. The Vipers scored three plays later with Dawson finding Mongauzy (3 catches, 46 yards, 2 TDs) again to make it 31-0 and send the more casual fans scrambling to their cars.

“We get a great week of work in. We trust our coach’s game plan. They work really hard to put a great game plan in and we stay locked into the game. Good things happen when we stay locked in,” said senior defensive end Matthew Graham. “We (the defensive line) are not the biggest, but we play really hard, we believe in each other, we believe in our D-line coach, who’s an awesome guy, and we’re relentless. We always find a way.”

Rodney Vincent Vista Ridge Head Coach Talk with us on The Friday Night Countdown before facing the Vipers Defense.

Astros World Series or Bust

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in MLB.

By Tucker Stephenson

With the type of lineup and pitching rotation that they possess, it would make sense for the Houston Astros to start buying champagne in bulk.

The Astros closed the month of September as the first team in the majors to win 100 games and have already clinched the American League West division crown — their third in a row. But those are mere appetizers for manager A.J. Hinch’s squad. 

The main course is yet to come.

Expectations are sky high in Houston, which just became the sixth franchise all-time to post three consecutive 100-win seasons. The Astros have everything a team could want in a batting order — power, speed, discipline and plenty of depth. Houston also has one of the most complete pitching staffs in Major League Baseball. 

An already stacked group of hitters gained outfielder Michael Brantley in the off-season, and he’s rewarded the front office by batting .315 with an .881 OPS through Sept. 23.

Then there are the old reliables — Jose Altuve, George Springer, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa. All four have become household names nationwide and are as dangerous as ever, and when combined with Yuil Gurriel’s production, those five Astros could combine for 170 home runs this season. 

Houston Astros’ George Springer, right, celebrates his two-run home run off Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Jose Rodriguez with Michael Brantley during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) Houston Astros’ George Springer, right, celebrates his two-run home run off Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Jose Rodriguez with Michael Brantley during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

The Astros also have a few young guns in Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker and Myles Straw. Alvarez appears to be a superstar in the making with his unreal power, while Tucker and Straw have been able to add a little speed and situational hitting. 

The signing of former St. Louis Cardinal infielder Aledmys Diaz was also key, as the utility player helped the team stay afloat when Altuve and Correa were out with injuries earlier in the season. 

Houston’s pitching depth is almost as ridiculous as its batting order.

The rotation includes certified aces Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke, plus two solid hurlers in Brad Peacock and Collin McHugh. Framber Valdez was also added to the mix in August after being called up from Triple-A Fresno.

Verlander and Cole both have ERAs under 3.00 and are on pace to strike out over 600 batters combined in the regular season alone. The only real question mark at the moment is lefty Wade Miley, whose late-season slump could leave him out of the postseason rotation. 

Former Toronto Blue Jay Roberto Osuna has also settled nicely into the closer’s role after a few rocky moments last season stemming from an off-the-field incident.

Last year, the Astros simply ran into a better team that was firing on all cylinders — the Boston Red Sox. This season, the MLB’s most fully-loaded freight train appears to be departing from Houston, although the Yankees could be a potential roadblock. 

But the Astros have that covered as well if it comes down to a grueling seven-game series. Houston can lean on its core group that has been there before, including Hinch.

The expectation level has been set. Now it’s World Series or bust. 

Austin Makes Valiant Effort, Westlake Continues Winning Streak

Written by River Tompkins on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Friday night, a decades-long hometown rivalry was rekindled as the Austin High Maroons took on the Westlake Chaparrals. The student sections were jammed packed with loyal fans who tirelessly cheered on their team. The unyielding support compelled both teams to play with more energy and vigor. This game was one for the books and even broke records as Westlake’s senior wide receiver Mason Mangum became the all time receiving leader in Westlake football history. 

Westlake came into this game with 32 consecutive winning seasons as well as  a 21-2 record against Austin High dating back to 1994 and were the favorites in this matchup. Though the odds were against them, Austin High looked to put up a fight and turn the tides.Ultimately it was not enough as Westlake overpowered Austin winning 63-8 and pushing the all time record to 22-2. Putting Westlake in a comfortable 5-0 position, they look like division favorites this year. 

Austin High received the ball to start the game, coming off a good win against Lehman they looked to carry the momentum onward. Westlake quickly shut that down forcing the Maroons backward into a 4th & 20. The Maroons came out in punt formation. Westlake surged through the left side of the formation allowing senior wide receiver Ryan Lindley and junior defensive back Lucas Miruer to get a hand on the ball ultimately blocking the punt.

Starting on Austin’s 10-yard line senior quarterback Kirkland Michaux scored on Westlake’s first play from scrimmage. Kirkland ran the ball in on a 10 yard quarterback keeper putting the first points on the board. In this game Kirkland was one of four quarterbacks who played for Westlake Highschool.

Austin jumped out to a better start on their second drive after picking up a first down, however they were soon confronted by a problem that lingered throughout the game. Pass protection. Austin simply could not handle Westlake’s pass rush as quarterback Charles Wright was in constant duress. On that drive, Charles was sacked by senior defensive end Bobby Duncum to ultimately end the drive.

Starting on Austin’s 44, Westlake hoped to repeat their last drive that ended in a touchdown. This time Austin’s defense was a little bit stiffer as they forced Westlake into multiple third downs. Stoping the Westlake offense on the last two downs, Austin forced them into a 3rd & 2 situation from about the 16. Needing the first down, Westlake running back Grey Nakfoor took it straight up the middle resulting in Westlake’s second touchdown.

This game was truly a battle in the trenches. It was decided by which team was going to be more aggressive upfront and put the other team in a bad situation. At times Austin High was able to do that, but ultimately Westlake won the battle in the trenches. Their offensive line provided clean pockets as well as running lanes. This was the true defining factor of the game.

Throughout the first half Austin was not able to sustain any drives giving Westlake multiple opportunities to score. Westlake did just that, scoring over 40 points in the first half, including a 29-yard touchdown pass from Kirkland Michaux to Mason Mangum and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Kirkland to Ryan Lindley. After a sack by Austin High’s Abrion Boudreaux, Westlake quarterback Drew Willoughby threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Jaden Greathouse. 

Heading into halftime Austin needed to change something, while Westlake was focused on preserving their lead. Westlake took their foot off the pedal in the second half as they ran a slower-paced offense and were more conservative. On the flip side, Austin came out firing hoping for redemption or just something to build on. 

Austin’s offense and defense played much better in the second half, though it was not enough to reclaim the lead, it was a valiant effort. 

After having multiple drives that stalled out on 4th down, Austin needed to make a play and they did just that. Set up nicely by a PI call Austin hiked the ball from Westlake’s 26 yard line. On the right sideline senior wide receiver Colby Kalbacher went deep on a fade route with a money pass from Charles Wright. Austin had scored their first touchdown. Austin went on to get the two point conversion. This meant that Austin scored more points against Westlake than any other team this season. 

Offensively, Westlake quieted down but Austin High middle linebacker Everett Butler did not. Butler went sideline to sideline making tackles and blocking passes. Butler was the highlight of the Austin High defense, along with defensive lineman Abrion Boudreaux.

That was not say that Westlake did not make defensive plays in their own right, as demonstrated by senior free safety Sage Luther’s interception to set the Chaps up in great field position.

Westlake’s offense was looking to run the clock out when all of the sudden Chaps running back Zane Minors burst through the middle of the field for a 76-yard touchdown run, he took off and never stopped.

“Great early field position and good pass rush”, is what Westlake head coach Todd Dodge attributed to this victory over Austin High.
When asked what area of the team he is most focused on improving, Dodge said, “I’m most looking forward to improving our running game on offense.”

“I will continue to use all three QB’s. Together they lead the greater Austin area in passing yards, TD passes and completion percentage. Stats aren’t important but production is. They have all been productive”, Dodge answered when questioned about his multi-quarterback strategy.

It was a great game played in historic House Park. Westlake, heavily favored coming in, came out with a win but the Maroons put up a good fight. The Maroons have another tough matchup against the Lake Travis Cavaliers this week while Westlake has a favorable matchup against the Lehman Lobos.

Austin High defeats Lehman 38-14

Written by River Tompkins on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

In Kyle Texas, the story of the Lehman’s homecoming will not have a happy ending. In a game played under a harvest moon, the Friday night lights shined bright as the 1-1 Lehman Lobos face the 1-1 Austin High Maroons in the district opener. Within minutes the crowds at the Bob Shelton Stadium were quieted as the Maroons began their assault and ultimately beat the Lobos 38-14.


The Austin Maroons received the kick and the game was on. Austin High assembled a methodical drive repeatedly picking up first downs. An explosive carry by senior running back Grayson Davis earned them 23-yards. Just outside of the red zone, junior quarterback Charles Wright connected with junior wide receiver Nick Anderson for a 21-yard touchdown.  


Lehman’s offense was looking to tie up the game, however, Austin’s defense had a different idea. Lehman quarterback Logan Travis dropped back to pass, little did he know defensive back Holdan O’kelley was waiting. Holdan jumped the route intercepting the ball and brought it to the house.  
The score was 14-0 Austin High and the Lobos needed to score. The Lobos drove downfield putting together a 20 play drive in which they ran the ball 18 times. This was a run-first Lehman offense. After 19 plays they had a 4th and goal about two yards out. Down by 14 points Head Coach, Bruce Salmon opted to go for it. Running back Kanui Guidry ran up the middle only to be met by hard-hitting linebacker Everett Butler who made the 4th down stop.


Austin was in a dangerous position so close to their endzone. Charles Wright dropped back, seeing the Nickel Blitz he quickly threw the out route but the ball was tipped by Davian Gil. With the pass wobbly, junior defensive back Roy Mallet seized the opportunity and snatched the ball out of the air for a Pick 6.


Trying to shake off the Pick 6, Austin High put together a nice drive. The drive was highlighted by Nick Anderson’s 41-yard reception which ultimately set them up for a field goal once they stalled out. The Lobos offense was set up in excellent field position after freshman Jayden Brown Returned the kickoff all the way to Austin’s 18. From there the Lobos pounded the rock until they were on the Maroons 2-yard line. With the end-zone in sight, Logan Travis fumbled the ball on a hand-off to be picked up by Austin OLB Andrew Mosser who returned it to Austin’s 39. This play was an accurate description of how the rest of the game went.
After Austin stalled out again Lehman came back with a big play of their own. Senior running back Keyshaun Williams had been a workhorse all game in this run-heavy offense. It finally paid off, from Austin’s 39 Keyshaun broke the run wide open scoring from 39 yards out. After this run, both teams stalled on their drives leading to half time with the score AHS 17 – LHS 7.
Lehman received the ball to start the second half and was soon faced with what killed them in the first half, fumbles. Still on their side of the field, Austin High Defensive Coordinator Bernard Riley sent OLB pressure and it got home. Senior OLB John Colunga hit the quarterback and knocked the ball out. It was a team effort to recover the ball as 3 Austin Maroons dove on the ball immediately. 

The Linebackers don’t get all the fun, is what Maroon’s junior corner-back Ben Woodhouse was thinking as he was dialed up on a blitz. Woodhouse hit home stripping the quarterback and recovering the fumble putting the offense in a great position. 


Up until this point The Austin High offense had not been able to move since their first drive even with the great field position provided by the defense. On one of their longest drives of the game, the Maroons put together a 15 play drive topping it off with a 5-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Colby Kalbacher. This sparked the offense and they never took their foot off the petal. 


After the defense forced another fumble, yes another fumble, it was apparent Lehman was not able to hang on to the ball. It only took one play for Charles Wright to find Nick Anderson for a 54-yard touchdown. After Austin’s defense made another stop Austin’s offense made another electric play as Grayson Davis broke a 52-yard touchdown run to officially seal the game. 


When asked about the numerous forced turnovers by his defense, Defensive Coordinator Bernard Riley had this to say, “ITS ALL ABOUT THE BALL! Getting the football back trumps everything. Takeaways controlled the ball game.”

  • Quarterback Charles Wright finished the game with 252 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception
  • Running back Grayson Davis rushed 11 times for 82 and a touchdown
  • Wide receiver Nick Anderson caught 7 of his 12 targets for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • Wide receiver Colby Kalbacher caught 5 of his 10 targets for 43 yards and a touchdown
  • Wide receiver Drew Morgan caught 4 of his 6 targets for 26 yards

“The Westlake game will come down to our guys doing their job and getting takeaways just like last week”, said coach Riley of their upcoming second divisional game against Westlake.
It was a very impressive performance by Austin High, especially the defense and their ability to force turnovers. After watching some of Austin’s practices I could see the emphasis they put on forcing fumbles as well as tackling, it paid off. This was a big win for Austin, not only was it a district match but it showed that their defense can also win games. The question is how will they fare against the 4-0 Westlake Chaparrals in the second divisional game of the season.