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Northshore Mustangs victorious over Duncanville.

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

A rematch. A battle. A fight. This is the 2019 Texas UIL Football State Championships at AT&T stadium in Arlington. Two teams would face off in front of 47,818 fans, winner take all including the title best 6A DI football team in Texas, the pressure was on. The North Shore Mustangs took on the Duncanville Panthers in a match up to remember. This time just a year ago these teams went head-to-head in the state championship with North Shore throwing a Hail Mary in the final seconds to win the game. If there were any doubts of who the dominant team is, North Shore erased them when they won 31-17 over the Panthers.

Up to this point, both teams had taken on tough advisories with Duncanville stampeding through Southlake Carrol and Rock Wall while North Shore sailed past Lake Travis and Katy. Combined the teams had a point differential of 1054 points.

Duncanville received to start the game, as a redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Parson would lead the Panthers out in his first-ever start, filling in for the injured Ja’quinden Jackson who was out with a torn ACL. The Panthers immediately asserted the running game as junior running back Rodrick Daniels cut up the defense for a 16-yard gain. The freshman quarterback would not keep up as Parson’s next two passes were incomplete forcing a Panthers punt.


The Panthers made a field goal in the dying seconds of the first half tying the game up 17-17. Both teams needed to step it up in the passing game. To this point North Shore only had 27 passing yards and if you took the giant 62-yard pass away from Duncaville they had 29 passing yards. Yes running wins games but you need to be able to pick up the 3rd and longs.

Coming out of halftime it was anybody’s game, both teams still fighting for the crown of best team in Texas and both doing it without their biggest offensive play makers. The Panthers would fold under the pressure straight out of the gate as their punter fumbled the snap, than recovered it and fumbled again. North Shore recovered at Duncanville’s 20-yard line.

After Mustang reciter Syncere Green made 14-yard on a catch Rodger Hagan would capitalize with a 1-yard running touchdown. Roger Hagan took it upon himself to pick up the slack with Zachary Evans out, through the first three quarters Hagan had 87-yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Duncanville followed with yet another slip up as freshman quarterback Chris Parson tried to fight for more yardage but ended up putting the ball on the turf. Luckily for them North Shore was unable to do anything with the ball just giving it right back. The Panthers would come so close once again but every time they would fall just short. A pivotal moment on 4th&1 the Panthers were stuffed on the goaline turning the ball over to the Mustangs.

North Shore knowing it would be a slug-out did the same thing asserting their ground game with four straight runs amassing a total of 27-yards. Dual threat quarterback Demetrius Davis would than scramble out of the backfield following his blockers and using pure athleticism to earn him a 30-yard touchdown run.



“We’ve been running the ball the last couple weeks really well, so that was the game plan – to make sure we came out and got the run game going”, said North Shore offensive coordinator Willie Gaston.

Duncanville would not change its ways, they were committed to the ground game and it would stay that way. The Panthers would run the ball six times for 28-yards relaxing any nerves the young quarterback had. Parson would than find Rodrick Daniels on a flat route, after an electric juke he burst up field for 11-yards setting up Daniels for his own 25-yard TD run to tie the game up.

If you did not get the sense already you will get it now, this was a ground and pound game. By halftime both teams were over 100-yards rushing while both attempted under 10 passes. North Shore would march down field aided by an offsides penalty on 4th down, they gradually moved downfield thanks to their running game, North Shore would than settle for a field goal.

Duncanville would get the ball and as they had all season they would be electric. Starting with a 23-yard run by Roderick Daniels who was leapfrogging over defenders. Than a spectacular catch by Marquelan Crowell who mossed the defender on a 34-yard gain. The drive would be capped off by a 6-yard quarterback keeper.

North Shore running back Roger Hagan scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. All the while fans were noticing the absence of 5-star running back Zachary Evans who was nowhere to be seen. North Shore head coach Jon Kay would not go in to detail on reports that Evans had been held out due to disciplinary reasons and would not play in the game.



“We talked about in our staff meeting about just kind of some third quarter woes that we’ve had here recently and I think a lot of the fingers get pointed to the defensive side but the reality is we’ve had huge special teams errors that have put us in bad positions we’ve had turnovers on offense that have put us in bad positions so it was a collective discussion about what we can be doing better coming out of the third quarter and you know we met long and hard on that as a staff to try and make some adjustments which you know I give credit to our coaches the fact that, you know, here we are heading into our second state championship game and, they’re still searching for ways to improve and take the next step,” said North Shore head coach John Kay when asked about his goal line stop.

“Again I think that leadership spills over into our kids. Our defense has been much maligned lately, all of a sudden people feel like North Shore forgot how to play defense because we’ve been playing some explosive offenses. In situational football sometimes you step back and allow some things to happen, knowing that you know, what difference does it make if you win by seven or if you win by 57 when you’re talking about the postseason, that’s just the nature of the beast.

“To see those kids come out in the second half, and shut out an offense, like Duncanville. The kid [Ja’quinden Jackson] is phenomenal, they’re dripping with talent and they’re extremely well coached. For these kids to come together and make those adjustments and execute on the largest stage, I think, all the credit goes to them and coaches,” said John Kay.


At this point in the second half both teams were having trouble holding onto the ball as North Shore was once again forced to fumble giving the Panthers yet another chance to intrude on their one score lead. Duncanville had seemingly no offense whatsoever as they were forced to punt again.

This time the Panthers would not be let off the hook as Davis found receiver Charles King wide open in the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown to give the Mustangs a two score lead. The Panthers would try to comeback but all attempts were futile as North Shore’s defense was just too dominant.   

The Mustangs claimed a clear victory with a win of 31-17 in a game decided by turnovers. A win that also marked the start of a dynasty. North Shore has won two state championships in a row and will bring star quarterback Demtrius Davis back for his senior year as the Mustangs look to make it a three-peat.

Wimberley QB Cooper McCollum

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Not many folks outside the halls of Wimberley High School thought the Texans would end up playing for a Class 4A Division II championship this season.

But senior quarterback Cooper McCollum has been confident in his team’s ability all season. In fact, the signal caller has been planning on a special 2019 campaign since before Wimberley sewed up a spot in the playoffs.

“We actually had to turn in goals for our team — we had to turn in three goals — and one of mine was to be the leader of a team that’s remembered,” McCollum said in mid-October. “We don’t want to be a team people forget. We want to get our name written in stone up on the state champs wall so when they walk in, they see our name first and they know we mean business.”

McCollum has since raised his game to a new level while helping the Texans’ offense become even more unstoppable. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior came into the state title game having already accounted for over 4,000 yards of total offense and 61 touchdowns.

They key for McCollum and the Texans has been balance. Not only can McCollum torch an opposing defense with his arm, but he’s shown the ability to keep plays alive with his feet until his wide receivers gain separation down the field.

McCollum has plenty of weaponry at his disposal, as Wimberley’s receiving corps is made up of seven players who have collected 10 or more receptions. The leader of the pack is junior Christian Marshall, who has used his 6-foot-3 frame to haul in 61 passes for 1,282 yards and 18 TDs prior to the state championship matchup against Pleasant Grove.

Juniors Josh Limely (628 yards, 11 TDs) and Jaxon Watts (692 yards, seven TDs) are also prime targets, as is senior Kolby Goforth (287 yards, TD).

Wimberley also has a solid running back in Moses Wray, who excels at getting the tough yards that help set up the Texans’ play-action passing game. Wray’s 1,223 yards and 15 scores force defenses to stay honest when attempting to game plan for Wimberley.

Of course, it hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole way for McCollum and the Texans. The quarterback was forced to leave Wimberley’s 42-14 loss to Navarro with an injury that he sustained with his team holding a two-touchdown lead.

However, that type of adversity has only led to bigger and better performances down the line. Since the postseason began, McCollum has thrown for 1,320 yards and 19 TDs, including five each in back-to-back weeks against Navarro and Silsbee.

The Texans punished Navarro 42-12 in their playoff rematch, and it looked as though McCollum was going to lead another rout in the state semifinals against Silsbee. As it turned out, Wimberley needed all five of his scores versus the Tigers, as Silsbee made a late comeback to pull within six in the fourth quarter.

The Texans once held a 49-16 lead in that game, but McCollum never showed any panic. Instead, he did what he does best — get the ball in the hands of his playmakers on the outside as Wimberley prevailed 56-43 to punch its ticket back to state for the first time since 2011.

“I wasn’t scared,” McCollum said. “I know who we are, and I knew we’d execute when it mattered the most.”

North Shore too much for Cavs 2nd year in a row.

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

The final score didn’t come close to telling the whole story of Galena Park North Shore’s 49-38 win against Lake Travis Saturday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the Class 6A Div. I State Semifinal in Round Rock, TX. A year after getting run off the field by the same team in the same round of the playoffs, Lake Travis scored 35 second-half points to give North Shore a legit scare before falling valiantly in the end.

The Cavs return to the field in the second half and despite being down 28-3 made a valiant effort to come back but, Galena Park North Shore’s 49-38 win against Lake Travis was too much for the Cavs Saturday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the Class 6A Div. I State Semifinal in Round Rock, TX

“What a great response by our kids,” said Lake Travis coach Hank Carter. “Football coaches get up there and they talk about being resilient and mentally tough, and I think a lot of people that don’t get it would say that’s just a bunch of coach speak. But this is what it’s about. The way our kids came together and our coaching staff got together with the kids at halftime, made some adjustments, and we fought and clawed. We at least made them nervous and that’s more than we did a year ago. They’re a great team. They’re very well-coached. They’re extremely talented, and they’re very deserving of the victory. But I’m very proud with how our kids responded.”

The big mystery at the start of the game concerned North Shore senior running back Zach Evans, who was nowhere to be seen at kickoff. The 5-star prospect who is almost universally considered the No. 1 tailback in the country was taking the SAT and didn’t check in until the final minute of the first half. Once he finally got on the field, he showed exactly why he’s sought after by almost every major college football program in the country by rushing for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries

His absence, however, wasn’t much of an issue for North Shore’s offense in the first half. Instead of giving it to Davis, the Mustangs handed the ball off to senior Roger Hagan, who rumbled for 117 yards on 22 totes. Junior quarterback Demetrius Davis was also dialed in. He finished with 234 total yards (125 passing, 109 rushing) and four total touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) as North Shore built a 28-3 halftime lead.

“They went to the bullpen and brought out a guy (Hagan) throwing 105 miles an hour,” Carter said. “The Evans kid is tremendous and everyone obviously knows about him. I think, to me, though, the guy that makes them unique and special is their quarterback. He runs the ball as good as any running back that I’ve seen and he’s making great decisions with the football and he’s throwing it on the money. Coach Kay does an excellent job with his team and they played like champions tonight.”

Lake Travis never found a way to truly stop North Shore’s ground game as the Mustangs rushed for just a shade under 400 yards, but the Cavs’ offense got into a groove in the second half and almost sparked an incredible comeback. After throwing for just 26 yards on the first half, senior quarterback Hudson Card left it all out on the field after the break and finished with 357 total yards (290 passing, 67 rushing) and three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing). 

His determination shined on Lake Travis’s final two drives. With the Cavs trailing by 25 in the fourth quarter, Card broke off an electric 28-yard scoring run where he fought through arm tackles, reversed the field against one of the fastest defenses in the state, and successfully dove for the pylon as a Mustang play tried dragging him down. On the next possession, he made eyes almost pop out of their sockets as he seemed wrapped up by the North Shore pass rush, only to break free, tip-toe the sideline, and complete a 26-yard pass that set up a three-yard touchdown run by Weston Stephens.

“Early on I think they were getting a little bit of pressure on us so we’re probably holding on to the ball for just a little bit longer than we needed to,” Carter said. “They were covering us well. Again, credit to North Shore. But he settled in, made some great plays. I told him on the one that he scored there, ‘oh man, I guess you still can run.’ And he’s doing all that on probably about 50 percent of how his foot oughta work.”

Lake Travis also recovered an onside kick and forced two second-half turnovers to keep hope alive. The first turnover was a leaping interception by sophomore defensive back DJ Johnson, who went up and snagged a hard pass in zone coverage that Davis thought he could get over him. There was also a fumble out of the end zone. And, of course, senior wide receiver Kyle Eaves, who did as much as anybody to keep the Cavs alive with eight catches for 155 yards and a touchdown.

Lampasas Badgers Head Coach Troy Rogers

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Texas Sports Monthly got the opportunity to catch up with Lampasas head coach Troy Rogers during the Badgers’ outstanding 2019 campaign. Rogers discussed his team’s high-octane offense, underrated defense and the excitement that has swept through the entire Lampasas community this season.

Q: Coach, you arrived at Lampasas prior to the 2016 season from Galena Park North Shore to take over your alma mater’s football program. Did you see this type of success coming with the group of young talent that was thrown into the mix as freshmen and sophomores?

A: Well, we knew if we just kept getting better that we had some talent coming through. We don’t ever talk about expectations like that, but we knew we had a talented group and these kids have been playing well. 

Q: What has the excitement level been like within the community of Lampasas this year, especially in recent weeks during the playoff run?

A: It’s been great. Lampasas always support their high school. They love the Badgers, and win or lose, they’re going to support them. It’s just been a long time since they had winning football to get excited about, and getting to play into December is really exciting for our community and they’ve really come out to support us. It’s a good thing.

Q: Junior quarterback Ace Whitehead and wide receivers Jaylon Porter and Cameron Everts have had outstanding seasons. How has your team’s passing attack been able to grow into such a potent part of Badger football?

A: I think it starts with the quarterback. He does such a great job of making decisions and delivering the ball to the guys who need it. Our O-line is probably the unsung heroes because they’ve been giving him time, and our run game has been really effective as well. We try to be as balanced as possible to keep people off guard, but I think what’s kind of set us apart is Ace and our receivers — Cameron Everts, Jaylon Porter, Mike Murray, Brenton Webb. (Ace) spreads the ball around really well and we’ve been able to throw it down the field, and that’s something that’s not real easy to do. Dinking and dunking is also a part of our game, but when you have the ability to throw the vertical or the post effectively, it really changes things.

Q: Who are some of the other players who have helped build this team into a district championship ball club and a state semifinalist?

A: I think one of the things that gets overshadowed sometimes is our defense, which has been playing really well. They’ve helped us out plenty of times, and I think one of the things we do well is play complimentary football. I know last week against Liberty Hill we had two takeaways and then offensively we were able to turn those into points. That’s what you’re trying to do. If you’re going to get a takeaway, which our defense prides itself on, then the offense has got to compliment that and turn it into points. We’ve done that fairly well all year.

Q: It’s always tough to play an opponent twice, especially when you won the first matchup by a wide margin. Did you expect Liberty Hill to be more competitive after you guys defeated them 52-10 during district play? (The Badgers won the rematch 49-34.

A: Even the first time we played them, we told the guys, ‘Hey, this is going to be the best team we’ve seen.’ Regardless of what their record was at that time, that’s still a team that’s coming off of a state final appearance. The thing about being a state finalist is you get to practice football for a lot longer than anyone else. They had a lot of guys on their roster who have played a lot of football and I knew it would click. They were still finding their rhythm with some new pieces of the puzzle and hit their stride. We knew that it was going to be a battle in the playoffs.

Q: Any time a team makes it into mid-December in the playoffs, it’s not by accident. What are the challenges awaiting against Carthage in the state semifinals?

A: It’s just a storied program. Anybody that follows Texas high school football knows about the Carthage Bulldogs. They’re a year removed from winning back-to-back state championships. Liberty Hill beat them last year in the semifinals and I think in three years, that’s the only loss that they’ve had. They’re a team that knows how to win, and it’s exciting for us to get an opportunity to go play those guys. When I got hired here back four years ago, I said, ‘If you want to be the best, you’re going to have to beat the best.’ Carthage is one of the best in the state, so we’ll have our hands full, but our guys will be ready to get after it.

Westlake Advances to Semi-Final Round defeats Brandeis 42-14

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

Eight teams entered the Texas high school 6A Division II Regional playoffs, only four teams emerged with a shot at the state championship. The Alamodome was where the Westlake Chaparrals took on the Brandeis Broncos in what turned out to be a one-sided affair as the Chaps dominated in a 42-14 win over the Broncos and took their next step towards a ring.

Westlake received the ball to start the game, hoping to repeat last year’s victory in which they over powered Brandeis 26-0. It was a shaky start for Westlake after quarterback Kirkland Michaux’s first pass was nearly intercepted. On third down receiver Jackson Coker threw the ball on a reverse play to Mason Mangum who dropped it, luckily for them, Ryan Lindley was in the right place at the right time as he caught the tip for a 33-yard gain. Kirkland Michaux threw a fade to 6’4″ freshman Jaden Greathouse who elevated over the defender to make an epic 21-yard touchdown grab.

Unlike Westlake, Brandeis was looking to change the result of last year’s game, starting with an explosive kick return the Broncos would be positioned at Westlake’s 34-yard line. After six moderate gains and a holding penalty, the Broncos were on the 18-yard line. Star running back Corion Holmes was lined up at tight end and for good reason, as Holmes sneaked past the defense finding himself wide open in the end zone for the touchdown.

Westlake would get the ball back and look just as dominant. Brandeis may have them in a 3rd & long but Kirkland Michaux and company would always find a way to move the chains. A great example is 3rd & 14 in which Michaux found Jackson Coker for 16-yards to keep the drive moving. The Chaps would than find themselves on the 1-yard line and the call was obvious, quarterback keeper, Kirkland Michaux powered his way in for Westlake’s second touchdown.   

After an Austin Mcclendon sack Brandeis would be forced to punt the ball away to the dangerous Chaps offense. Kirkland Michaux was getting it done on the ground as he rushed for 49-yards at this point. He was basically a human bowling ball knocking over the Broncos like pins. The Chaps offense would not get a strike or a spare that drive in fact they had a gutter ball as they missed the field goal.

The next Westlake possession was similar to the second and dissimilar to the third. Jaden Greathouse would once again make his presence felt with an 18-yard catch, in the first two-quarters Greathouse had four catches for 55-yards and a touchdown. This helped set up Kirkland Michaux for yet another 1-yard touchdown run moving the lead to 21-7.

Heading into halftime Westlake’s offense was looking good and in my opinion had one standout, Jackson Coker. Coker is essentially playing the Taysom Hill (Saints quarterback) role on this team. Coker totaled 109-yards throwing, running and receiving the ball. One player the Chaps needed to get involved was junior running back Zane Minors who had four carries up until this point for 18-yards.

Brandeis would get the ball to start the second half and they were looking for any glimmer of offense they could find. Junior quarterback Jordan Battles sparked that with a 36-yard run that would be put to waste as Brandeis missed the field goal. Westlake now in possession took my advice and feed the beast in Zane Minors.

Minors would get the first four touches on the drive and earn 17-yards. Much like Brandeis, Westlake would not be able to put up any points after turning the ball over. With reinvigorated energy Brandeis was fired up, so was Westlake’s Bobby Duncan as he would strip Battles of the ball and Taevin Brown would recover for Westlake.

Westlake would later go onto run the score as well as stat lines. With a 20-yard pass to Ryan Lindley, an 11-yard touchdown run by Zane Minors, a 22-yard touchdown throw from Michaux to Greathouse, a 6-yard touchdown run by Zane Minors and just for fun an interception by Westlake safety Sage Luther.

Kirkland Michaux (who would be taken out later in the game) threw for 153-yards and a touchdown while completing 17/24 passes, Michaux also added 50-yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Zane Minors would rush for 66-yards on 13 carries. Ryan Lindley had 93-receiving yards, Jaden Greathouse totaled 93-yards.

In the end, Westlake played very well on both sides of the ball. They will face a formidable opponent in the State Semi-finals round that has been somewhat challenging in recent years. Westlake will look to change that narrative as they face the winner of the upcoming Katy Taylor/Cy Creek game next Saturday in Waco.

Wimberley advance to State Quarter- Finals

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

During the Texans’ 42-14 loss to district rival Navarro in late October, quarterback Cooper McCollum was relegated to the sideline with an injury that took all of the air out of Wimberley’s proverbial balloon.

In the rematch, McCollum showcased what he was capable of doing in four full quarters of action.

The Texans (11-3) flipped the script on Navarro at the Alamodome in San Antonio, as McCollum was nearly perfect while directing a 42-12 rout in the Class 4A Division II state quarterfinals. The senior signal caller tossed five touchdown passes to lead an early onslaught that buried previously-unbeaten Panthers (13-1) from the outset.

“We jumped out on them early and then just kind of kept them at arm’s length and made them chase us all night, which is something that they don’t like to do,” Wimberley head coach Doug Warren said.

McCollum exited the first meeting against Navarro with the Texans holding a 14-0 lead, but the Panthers used a string of 42 unanswered points to run away with the victory. Navarro later sewed up the District 13-4A-II championship.

However, Wimberley looked nothing like an underdog in the Region IV-4A-II title game and was able to light up the scoreboard early and often. 

McCollum took to the air and found Christian Marshall for touchdown strikes of 21 and 31 yards in the opening stanza, but the senior quarterback wasn’t done there. He added a 6-yard TD toss to Josh Limely to close out a dominant 21-0 first quarter for the Texans.

“It was just us taking advantage of opportunities,” Warren said. “We’ve thrown the ball fairly well all season and the first time against those guys we lost (McCollum) to injury, so that kind of changed the complexion of the game a little bit. It was just a matter of us executing our offense to its potential.”

Wimberley quarterback Cooper McCollum looks for a receiver as teammate Moses Wray (5) blocks Navarro’s Brian Holmes (82). 

Navarro stopped the bleeding when Johnny Alegria tallied an 11-yard rushing score prior to halftime, but the Texans’ defense held strong throughout the third period to protect a 21-7 lead.

Marshall then threw a TD pass of his own late in the quarter, as he found Jaxon Watts on a 13-yard pass play that helped put Wimberley up by 21 once again. The Panthers answered with a short TD run by Alegria, but McCollum put the finishing touches on the triumph in the final seven minutes of the game.

McCollum capped a scoring drive with a 1-yard TD plunge and then hit Limely on a 56-yard scoring toss that put the exclamation point on the Texans’ blowout win. 

McCollum finished the contest 18 of 22 passing for 221 yards and five scores in addition to 26 yards and a TD on the ground. Running back Moses Wray added 93 yards on 15 carries, while Marshall and Limely each hauled in a pair of scores.

“We knew if we played a complete game we’d have a great chance to advance on, and so that confidence level was there,” Warren said. “They just kept feeding off of it.”

Wimberley has now advanced to the state semifinals and will meet Silsbee for the right to play for a state championship at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. 

Warren said the Tigers (9-3) will be yet another tough opponent for his battled-tested Texans.

“They’re going to be the best football team we’ve played up to this point and we wouldn’t expect anything less in a state semifinal,” Warren said. “Very athletic, and so they do provide challenges for you just because of team speed and their size up front. It’ll be a tough matchup for us, there’s no doubt.”

High School Football: A Texas Tradition

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

A former South Texas sports editor who had recently moved to the Lone Star State from Arizona stepped into the press box on an idyllic Friday night and sat awestruck as the scene overwhelmed him.

Both sides of the bleachers were packed to the gills, and marching bands in full regalia took their designated place in the stands as cheerleaders, twirlers and dance team members spilled onto the field in single file.

Members of the student spirit crew exchanged gifts at midfield prior to the coin toss, but even before the kickoff, it was clear the young man was busy taking in every aspect of the scene unfolding below. 

“I guess Texas high school football is everything they say it is,” he remarked.

More reports came in from him over the coming months as he got a true taste of the state’s passion for all things gridiron-related. It was enough to realize that something most writers and fans take for granted is truly extraordinary.

And it wasn’t even the playoffs yet.

Yes, it’s that magical time of year when the match-ups become even more meaningful. Legends are born in the postseason, and if your team is lucky enough to capture a state championship, a small piece of immortality comes along with it.

Perhaps Liberty Hill head coach Jeff Walker said it best when he remarked, “Teams to remember play in December.”

Besides doing his best Dr. Seuss impersonation, Walker knows what it takes to run the gauntlet known as the playoffs. So does Lake Travis’ Hank Carter, for that matter.

Those coaches know that the postseason has its own mystique, and that no opponent is to be taken lightly. Since the format expanded to take four teams per district, there have been some memorable upsets every season. It’s unavoidable given the fact that 692 do-or-die games are played during the span of one postseason.

Just last season, Richardson Pearce, a 36-point underdog, took down Cedar Hill in the first round.

Forget March Madness. These are the real bracket busters.

As the final few Austin-area teams continue their march toward glory, the weather will turn colder and the smack talk on message boards throughout the state with undoubtedly heat up. It’s like Christmas come early, except without the cheap gift from your least favorite aunt.

So no matter how your favorite college or pro team is faring at the moment, keep an eye on the biggest ongoing tournament in the state. Who knows? The next Vince Young, Baker Mayfield or Drew Brees could very well be on their way to AT&T Stadium to compete for one of the state’s biggest prizes.

LT Cavs won the State Title in December of 2016 at AT&T Stadium. Photo Texas Sports Monthly

When the smoke has finally cleared, a dozen teams will remain standing. When the postseason began, that number was 704.

So good luck to those still attempting to hoist a state championship trophy in Arlington. And to those who have already moved on to the next sport?It’s only eight more months until two-a-days arrive.

Manor knocks out Cedar Park in close playoff win.

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

The conditions were harsh, the stakes were high but the will to win was even stronger as a Round Three Regional Playoff game took place in the foggy and damp P-field Stadium between the Manor Mustangs and the Cedar Park Timberwolves. The Wolves were highly favored coming into the game but the Mustangs put that aside and pushed right through them for a 17-14 nail-biter victory.

Cedar Park received the ball to start the game, and came out firing. Junior quarterback Ryder Hernandez completed three passes all to Josh Cameron for 14, 7, and 23-yards. In the dangerous conditions, Hernandez bobbled and fumbled the snap leading to a Manor Mustang recovery.

The Mustangs were determined to do the opposite of Cedar Park as they worked the ground-and-pound game with three consecutive runs. Manor ran themselves straight into a 3 & out and were forced to punt. Luckily for them, they got the ball right back as the Timberwolves receiver Gunner Abseck coughed the ball up for another turnover.

After both teams punted the ball Manor was in possession. Junior running back Lavonte Benford found a seam and exploited it for a whopping 52-yard run placing Manor on Cedar Park’s 23-yard line. The Mustangs than found themselves in a 4&13 situation, choosing not to kick the 42-yard field goal, Manor went for it on 4th down and somewhat predictably did not get it.

Coach Mitchell celebrates with his team after the 17-14 win over district rival Cedar Park.

“Well, we just have to keep working hard, we need to throw the ball better”, said Manor head coach Jimmie Mitchell.

After Manor missed a field goal from 42-yards out the Timberwolves were on the attack. Cedar park mounted a strong drive in which they ran it nine times successfully. Running back Jonathan Stockwell lead the pack with explosive runs of 16 and 18 yard carries. Cedar Park would cap the drive off with a 14-yard flip pass to Jordan Cameron for the first score of the game.

Heading into halftime Cedar Park was in the lead but neither team felt satisfied or comfortable with their position. For Manor it was about getting Tahj Brooks going, the Mustangs were a power run offense and they needed to act like it. Brooks had only six carries and 6-yards going into halftime. For Cedar Park, it was simply about holding onto the ball. The last drive looked great but they could not afford to turn the ball over anymore.

“We had to start running the ball with Tahj Brooks he is our star running back and he didn’t do much in the first half, so we needed to get him going and we did. We put him [Tajh Brooks] at quarterback, we put him at running back, we put him everywhere”, said Jimmie Mitchell.

Manor followed the advice and immediately started using Brooks. Brooks was lined up all over the place at quarterback, running back and occasionally receiver, no matter where he was he was touching the ball. On their first drive, Brooks carried the ball nine times for 62-yards as well as a touchdown to tie the game up.

Manor’s defense would then stand strong forcing a Cedar Park punt. Mustang quarterback Matt Hill tried to dance in the pocket but could not avoid big-boy Ben Bell who sacked, striped, recovered and ran the ball in for a Cedar Park TD. Manor would immediately go back to what worked for them in Tajh Brooks who had 29 touches and 145-yards from scrimmage. 16-yards away from the endzone Manor employed a little bit of trickery as running back Che Nwabuko threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Carl Chester.

At this point in the game the energy was high, both teams fighting to stay alive. Once again the Cedar Park offense was unable to get anything going handing the ball over to what was becoming a well-oiled machine in the Mustang offense. Manor once again would drive down the field with ease but fall just short this time. On 4th down quarterback, Matt Hill overthrew his receiver who would have had a walk-in touchdown, giving Cedar Park the ball.

The game was getting down to the wire as Cedar Park was progressing their way downfield. They then found themselves 23-yards away from the endzone in a 4&3 situation. They could risk the field goal at 40-yards or go for it. Head coach Carl Abseck kept the offense on, Ryder hiked it and was immediately brought down in the backfield for a loss.

It was all or nothing, the Mustangs had to get downfield and score. Surprisingly it was not Tahj Brooks that carried them downfield, but Matt Hill who had only completed six passes coming into this drive. He would string together three completions for 10,10 and 20-yards to get the Mustangs in field goal range just like that. It was all up to kicker Yael Sanchez, with the crowd roaring behind him and everything on the line he hit it perfectly through the uprights clinching the win for Manor and sending them to the 4th round of Texas High School Playoffs.

Mustangs advance to the Regional Round at the Alamodome Saturday Dec 7th to face the Shadow Creek Sharks in the 4th round of the State Tournament.

The Mustangs will head onto the quarterfinals where they will square up against Shadow Creek who is fresh off a 35-31 win over Foster. It should be an exciting one as both of these teams have the ability to go all the way.

Cavs defeat Madison 49-21

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

Lake Travis has been San Antonio Madison’s bugaboo for some time now. That proved to be the case again on Friday when the Cavaliers knocked the Mavericks out of the playoff for the fourth straight year with a 49-21 victory at Rattler Stadium in San Marcos, TX.

With star quarterback Hudson Card still on the shelf from the foot injury he suffered against Westlake, Lake Travis leaned on junior running back Weston Stephens, who paced the offense with 20 carries for 165 yards and three touchdowns. It was the fourth time in five games he’s hit the century mark in rushing after doing it zero times before. He also had five catches for 61 yards.

Junior quarterback Nate Yarnell was 19-of-25 for 239 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. With 1:41 left in the half and Lake Travis leading only 14-7, Yarnell engineered a perfect two-minute drill. He completed five-of-six passes to march the Cavaliers 58 yards on nine plays, the last a four-yard touchdown toss to senior Grayson Sandlin (six receptions, 78 yards) with 15 seconds left on the clock.

Lake Travis’s defense had the Mavericks’ attack completely out of sorts until the fourth quarter. Madison scored on only one of its first nine possessions, and that scoring drive was aided by two 15-yard face-mask penalties and culminated with a strange touchdown pass on a broken play. 

Maui Trevino makes a tackle in the the 3rd Quarter at Rattlers Stadium against the Madison Maverick’s in a decisive win for the Div I 6-A Area Playoff. Cavs will face Weslaco next week in San Antonio likely the Alamodome on Friday Nov 29th at 1pm.

With the score 35-7 late in the third quarter, senior linebacker Maui Trevino intercepted a pass and returned it to Madison’s 12. Three plays later, Lake Travis gave one of their big guys some love as senior guard Andrew Salem (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) rumbled four yards for touchdown to effectively ice the game.

Lake Travis face S.A. Madison in Area Round

Written by Tucker Stephenson on . Posted in HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

AUSTIN — It’s common knowledge that Lake Travis spent the latter portion of the season trying to work through an injury to starting quarterback Hudson Card.

Thankfully for the Cavaliers, senior middle linebacker Maui Trevino is still there to command the other side of the ball. 

Head coach Hank Carter’s team kicked off the 2019 postseason by stifling Smithson Valley 21-3 at home on Friday, Nov. 15 in Austin. In that game, Lake Travis surrendered an early field goal to the Rangers but absolutely clamped down on the visitors for the remaining three quarters.

Trevino was in the middle of the action all night and helped slow Smithson Valley’s not-so-secret weapon — senior running back/wide receiver Greg Eggleston, who came into the contest averaging 11.7 yards per touch.

The Cavs limited the Rangers’ X-factor to just 15 yards on 12 carries, while Trevino piled on 10 total tackles to bring his team-leading season total to 91 prior to Lake Travis’ second-round matchup with San Antonio Madison.

“Maui is the leader of our defense,” Carter said.  “He’s a three-year starter and embodies everything you want from  a middle linebacker. He’s smart, tough, instinctive and is a great tackler. I’m proud of the player that he’s become and he’s a huge part of our success this season.”

Of course, there were still plenty of eyes fixed on Lake Travis junior Nate Yarnell, who took over for Card during the week leading up to the Del Valle game. Yarnell went 3-0 in the last three weeks of District 25-6A competition, but it was unknown if the playoffs would prove to be a stumbling block.

However, the 6-foot-6 junior stood tall when it counted and helped turn the tide with a pair of touchdown drives in the second quarter. The first was capped by a 34-yard strike to Grayson Sandlin, while the second was an 81-yard march that saw Yarnell cover the final few feet on a 1-yard run.

“Nate did a lot of good things,” Carter said. “He made some big throws and runs when we needed them. He’ll continue to improve as he gets more games under his belt.”

The offense was also given a boost by running back Weston Stephens, who churned out 160 yards on 27 carries to help the Cavs keep the chains moving. 

Defensively, Trevino received additional support from defensive back D.J. Johnson and defensive end Trey Sofia. Johnson shadowed Eggleston all night, while Sofia caused a key fumble to help preserve the Cavaliers’ 14-3 halftime edge.

All of those players will be instrumental as the postseason rolls on. 

Lake Travis faces a matchup with Madison in the second round and will look to slow the Mavericks’ one-two punch of quarterback Michael Garza (1,801 total yards, 23 TDs) and running back Darien Gill (1,131 yards, 10 TDs).

Garrett Wilson’s three second-quarter touchdowns helped Lake Travis pull away from San Antonio Madison last year for a 56-35 win in the 2018 Class 6A Division I Area playoff game.

There’s also hope that Card could return at some point down the line if the Cavs can keep on advancing. His prognosis, which initially stated that his injury required season-ending surgery, was changed to a four- to six-week timetable days after the Westlake game. It’s not known if Card will be healthy enough to get back on the field before he makes the move to the University of Texas, but even if he’s unable to return in 2019, Trevino and the defense will be ready for whatever comes their way.