Lake Travis Romps, Setting Up Rematch with Cedar Park

By Sam Bohmfalk

Lake Travis had no problem finding the end zone against Victoria East.

For an eight-minute stretch of time between the third and fourth quarters, Victoria East showed why it was a playoff team. For the other 40 minutes, it was all Lake Travis.

As the final horn sounded, Victoria East was left to ponder a season that no one saw coming, while Lake Travis was already gearing up for a rematch with district foe Cedar Park.

Things started off on the wrong foot for Victoria East, as they muffed the opening kickoff, giving Lake Travis a short field to work with. The 26-yard drive would end with quarterback Michael Brewer rushing it in from 4 yards out, his first of three on the day.

Much like in the Cedar Park-Weslaco East game, the opposition would hit right back. For Victoria East, it was Jonathan Garner who took the ball 75-yards to pay dirt, tying the game at 7.

But the next 15 minutes for Victoria East were, in a word, hell. Colin Lagasse caught sandwiched two touchdown catches around a Brewer 7-yarder and a Dannon Cavil 17-yard run as Lake Travis took a 35-7 halftime lead.

Victoria East was plagued by a bevy of mistakes after their first touchdown, including a fumble and penalties that derailed drives. Quarterback Ervin Yates tried to right the ship, especially after Garner left the game with an injury, but he didn’t have the ability to carry the team.

Looking deflated as the third quarter started, the Titans quickly surrendered two more touchdown runs as the Cavaliers pulled their starters.

For eight minutes, Victoria East looked like a team that belonged as Yates connected on a 74-yard touchdown to Steve Martinez and two separate 9-yarders to pull the Titans within 21 with 7 minutes remaining. The ensuing onside kick just eluded the Titans, who didn’t have enough left in the tank to stop Lake Travis from scoring twice more.

The win by Lake Travis sets up a fourth round matchup with district rival Cedar Park, a team to whom the Cavaliers fell earlier this year, 35-21.

Timberwolves Trounce Wildcats, 48-7

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click the visualization to see how Cedar Park spread the ball around against Weslaco East

The stat sheet may show that Brian Hogan has been Cedar Park’s most important player this season, and maybe he has. But don’t let that fool you, because the Timberwolves have had more balance than any other team in the state all year long.

With Hogan nursing a knee injury on the sideline, coach Chris Ross called not on one player, but the team to step up. And step up they did.

How’s this for balance? Nine different players had at least three rush attempts for the Timberwolves, which had success on the ground all day, running for 393 yards on 49 carries.

That, combined with Cedar Park’s always-stingy defense, was more than enough as the Timberwolves romped, 48-7.

In last week’s 28-23 closer-than-it-should-be victory, Cedar Park fumbled six times; against Weslaco East, Cedar Park didn’t seem to want to relinquish the pigskin. Ryan Roberts’ 39-yard fumble return just before halftime was the figurative nail in the coffin for Weslaco East, as the Timberwolves took a 35-7 lead into half.

Cedar Park didn’t do anything fancy to get to that point. Ethan Fry scored the first of his three touchdowns early in the first quarter to put Cedar Park up. The lead was only brief though, as Weslaco East marched down the field before Aaron Munguia ran one in from 23-yards out. It was the only sustained offense for the Wildcats on the night.

While Cedar Park seemed content to change running backs every two plays, Weslaco East was a one-trick pony. Bobby Gonzalez, Weslaco East’s star running back, got his yards—138 of them—but he didn’t have enough help around him to move the chains consistently.

Sandwiched between Fry’s first two touchdowns for the Timberwolves, were scores from Efren Collier and Michael Watterfield. Watterfield was the Timberwolves’ leading rusher on the night, springing for a season-high 124 yards on just 12 carries.

The win by Cedar Park sets up a re-match with district foe Lake Travis. In a week 10 match-up, the Timberwolves handed the three-time defending state champions their first loss since 2007, 35-21.

Regional Round Preview: Cedar Park vs. Weslaco East

By Sam Bohmfalk

Saturday November 28, 4 p.m., Alamodome

Click to see how Bobby Gonzalez has faired against the competition this year

Over the last five years, the state of Texas became enamored with the spread offense passing game. These two teams, however, buck the trend, as they combined to only average 19 passes per game.

Weslaco East relies on the legs of senior Bobby Gonzalez. Whereas most running backs aim to gain 100 yards per game, Gonzalez sets a goal at averaging 200. And he accomplished that goal nine times this year, and thus has over 2,600 yards rushing this season. The Wildcats will depend heavily on Gonzalez, as quarterback John Arevalo has just 155 yards passing over the last four games combined, throwing no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Unfortunately for Weslaco East, stopping the run is Cedar Park’s specialty. In last week’s area round game against Smithson Valley, the Timberwolves held the Rangers’ running backs to 34 yards on 22 carries. Smithson Valley had limited success through the air, but was given short fields to work with due to Cedar Park’s inability to hold on to the ball.

While Gonzalez guns for 200 yards per game, the Timberwolves tend to give up less than 100 yards rushing per game. The last opponent to break 100 on Cedar Park was Dripping Springs, and they had to grind out 33 carries on the ground at 3.8 yards per carry to do that.

The Timberwolves offense is heavily dependant on the run itself, with quarterback Brian Hogan proving to be somewhat of a dual threat. Hogan left last week’s game against Smithson Valley, and his status for this week’s game is up in the air. If he cannot go, the onus will most likely fall on Matt Posey.

Cedar Park will attempt to grind this game out on the ground, using their rusher-by-committee that has seen eight different players rush for over 170 yards this season.

Series: Neither team has ever made it this far, and the two teams have never played.

Prediction: Weslaco East’s defense has proven time and time again that they are able to stop the pass, but Cedar Park’s downhill running approach will be too much. Cedar Park 40, Weslaco East 21

Regional Round Preview: Lake Travis vs. Victoria East

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click to see who the rushing and receiving threats at Victoria East.

Saturday, November 27, 12:00 p.m., Alamodome

One hails from a program that started booking hotel rooms at the state championship site before the season begins. He hails from a program that is developing a lineage of sorts within the college football quarterbacking ranks.

The other hails from a small town two hours southwest of Houston. He plays for a program that is in its first year of existence.

And yet both of them will gather at the Alamodome Saturday, with eerily similar numbers. One has thrown for 2090 yards, the other for 2189. One has thrown for 22 touchdowns, the other just 20. Both lead their teams in rushing.

Michael Brewer, of Lake Travis, and Ervin Yates, of Victoria East, will square off in a game that no one would have expected to happen at the beginning of the season.

The three-time defending state champion Cavaliers have barely scooted by in their first two playoff games, winning each by just a touchdown. Now they’ll face off against a team that seems to have caught fire at the right time, averaging 58 points a game thus far in the playoffs. Maybe most impressive about their 54 points last week, was the fact that they turned the ball over four times.

Turning the ball was not a problem for Lake Travis last week, as they defeated Kerrville Tivy 48-42. Any turnover might have been enough for Tivy quarterback Johnny Manziel to swing the game, but he wasn’t given that opportunity. Brewer rebounded from a tough bi-district game against McCallum to combine for 440 total yards, having a hand in four of the Cavaliers’ touchdowns.

A week after dealing with Manziel, Lake Travis will once again have its hands full with an athletic quarterback in Ervin Yates. Unlike Manziel, Yates has a cast of characters who can step up and carry the load when needed. Running backs Roderick Warren and Jonathan Garner split carries, and each went for over 1000 yards this season. In last week’s game against Veterans Memorial, Garner ran for a season-high 217 yards and two touchdowns as Victoria East rolled 54-40.

Series: The two teams have never met.

Prediction: Lake Travis has too much experience and strength. They prevail in another close one, 35-31.

Cedar Park Stumbles On; Vista Ridge, Marble Falls Fall

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click to see how area quarterbacks stacked up.

Cedar Park 28, Smithson Valley 23

The Cedar Park Timberwolves rumbled, bumbled and fumbled their way into the third round, beating Smithson Valley 28-23 in a game in which the Timberwolves almost beat themselves. As they’ve done all year, the Cedar Park defense made the opposing offense look inept. Smithson Valley completed just 40% of its passes and rushed for only 34 points, but managed to stay in the game thanks to a Timberwolves rushing game that was all to happy to put the ball on the ground.

The Timberwolves exhibited a ground-it-out approach from the get-go—rushing 51 times on the night—but put the ball on the ground six times, losing three of those. The Timberwolves’ problems started late in the second quarter, when quarterback Brian Hogan injured his knee on a 1-yard touchdown run. Matt Posey, who had attempted just 16 passes all season, calmed the offense down and led it to 14 second-half points, just enough to overcome the Rangers.

San Antonio Alamo Heights 52, Vista Ridge 24

Alamo Heights scored 28 unanswered over a 12-minute span over the third and fourth quarters to turn a close 24-17 game into a route. Mules’ quarterback Steven Elder had his best game of the year, completing a remarkable 25 of 28 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Down 31-17 in the fourth, Vista Ridge had three consecutive drives end in interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns as they fell to the Alamo Heights Mules, 52-24.

Boerne Champion 42, Marble Falls 28

When Marble Falls stacked the box against the Travis Rebels in their bi-district game, the Rebels were not able to take advantage through the air. Boerne Champion is no Travis, however. Quarterback John Free completed just seven passes, but three went for touchdowns including two in the last three minutes of the second quarter that re-established the Chargers’ 14-point lead, one that the Mustangs could not overcome for a second time.

The Mustangs made the game much closer than many thought it would be, considering the Chargers’ 24-point victory early in the season that was hardly close.  In this game, the Zed Woerner to David Morgan connection was working, but it was not enough for Marble Falls to overcome their foes from Boerne.

Brewer bests Manziel as Lake Travis Edges Tivy, 48-42

By Sam Bohmfalk

If it was possible to out-Manziel Kerrville Tivy quarterback Johnny Manziel, Lake Travis quarterback Michael Brewer did it. The Cavaliers’ senior quarterback passed for 248 yards, but it was his 192 rushing yards that propelled Lake Travis to a 48-42 victory over Tivy.

None of the drives was more important than the 19-play drive at the end of the fourth quarter that ran out the clock. On that drive, Brewer steadily moved the Cavaliers down the field, depriving Manziel of a chance to win the game.

And win the game he just might have. Manziel was largely unstoppable on the night, accounting for all but 15 of the Fighting Antlers’ yards. Manziel got Tivy on the board early, marching the team down the field before finding Sean Kibbett from 31-yards out.

Brewer responded in style, capping off a drive with a 1-yard plunge to tie the game and then leading the Cavaliers on a second first-quarter scoring drive that ended in a Michael Pojman 1-yard run. The lead was one that Lake Travis would not relinquish for the rest of the game.

It looked as if the two offenses were going to match each other touchdown-for-touchdown. The Cavaliers got the last laugh of the second quarter, however, returning a kickoff 100-yards to pay dirt, giving them a 42-28 halftime lead.

Manziel immediately brought the game closer, scoring his first of two rushing touchdowns on the night from 6-yards out.

The Fighting Antlers’ defense—to use the old adage—bent but did not break in the second half, holding Lake Travis to two fourth quarter field goals. Unfortunately, the defense bent a little too much on the last drive, and was unable to give Manziel a shot to defeat Brewer.

The two senior quarterbacks haven’t seen the last of each other, as they’re soon-to-be Big XII rivals, with Manziel having a verbal commitment to Texas A&M and Brewer to Texas Tech.

Area Round Preview: Boerne Champion vs. Marble Falls

By Sam Bohmfalk

Boerne Champion (left) and Marble Falls (right) Offensive Production.  Click to enlarge.

When Marble Falls wins, they win big, as evidenced by their 28-point margin of victory in wins.  Conversely, when they lose they do it in a big way, generally finishing 24 points behind the opposing team.  Such was the case in week 4 when they fell to their area opponent Boerne Champion, 31-7.

In that game, Champion quarterback John Free bested Marble Falls’ Zed Woerner, completing an impressive 68% of his passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 42 yards on the ground.  Woerner, on the other hand, struggled to an 11-22 line with 128 yards, losing 31 yards on 16 rushes.

Thus far this season, Champion has relied on its offense to outscore the opponent, which is not a bad bet with a quarterback like Free.  On the season, Free threw for over 2,100 yards with an 8 : 1 touchdown to interception ratio, while adding 19 more touchdowns on the ground.  Free has been adept at spreading the ball around, with three separate receivers having at least 400 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The onus will be on the Mustangs’ defense to stop the dual threat Free and his many weapons.   Last week, Marble Falls jumped out to a quick 26-0 lead, effectively shutting down the Crockett rushing game and forcing them to go through the air.  If Marble Falls wants a different result from their week 4 game, they’ll want to force the Chargers to become one dimensional.

Prediction: Different week, same result.  Woerner should have a little more success against a Chargers defense that has struggled of late, but John Free and Boerne Champion will simply be too much.  Boerne Champion 42, Marble Falls 14

Area Round Preview: Alamo Heights vs. Vista Ridge

By Sam Bohmfalk

Alamo Heights Mules (left)  and  Vista Ridge Rangers (right) Touchdown Leaders

Vista Ridge bucked a trend last week, playing in its second consecutive blowout as they beat the Travis Rebels, 41-6. For the most part, the Rangers have kept games close, playing six games within ten points.

The Rangers’ offense runs through running back Chris Showels, who opened up the scoring in last week’s game with an 80-yard touchdown run. The question is not will Vista Ridge will run the ball but instead, can Alamo Heights stop it? The Rangers spread the carries around last week with seven different players receiving between two and eight carries en route to 298 rushing yards. Medina Valley had success running the ball against Alamo Heights last week, picking up 210 yards but putting the ball on the ground four times.

The Alamo Heights offense prides itself on ball control. Quarterback Steven Elder threw just two interceptions against 21 touchdowns this season, while completing just 58% of his passes.

The Mules rely on two running backs to move the ball down the field: William Thompson and Andy Brooks. Thompson is the every down back, who grinds it out to the tune of 4.8 yards per carry. Brooks is the big play back, who scored 13 touchdowns this season while averaging 7.1 yads per carry.

Vista Ridge held a potent Travis running game to just 128 yards on 38 carries, forcing them to go through the air on a windy, rainy night. If Alamo Heights is forced to rely on the ground game, Vista Ridge has a good chance at pulling the minor upset.

Series: The two teams have never played.

Prediction: This game will be close, because that’s how Vista Ridge plays. Alamo Heights will be too much though, winning a 35-24 grinder.

Area Round Preview: Cedar Park vs. Smithson Valley

By Sam Bohmfalk

Cedar Park warms up before a game. Photo by 50%chanceofrain.

LBJ quarterback Darius Collins proved that there are some holes to be found in the Cedar Park defense, as he rolled up 330 yards and a touchdown in last week’s game. The Timberwolves’ offense proved though, that it really doesn’t matter.

Cedar Park turned a 14-14 game into a laugher, riding the legs of quarterback Brian Hogan who finished with 299 yards and four touchdowns on the night. It was all part of a Cedar Park effort that saw the Timberwolves rack up 521 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.

Points might be hard for Cedar Park to come by this week, as they are opposed by a Smithson Valley team that hasn’t allowed an offensive touchdown in five games, a span in which an interception return by Lockhart is the only blemish on a string of goose eggs. The Rangers held five of their eleven opponents under 100 rushing yards, a feat that may be hard to accomplish against the run-heavy Timberwolves.

The Rangers are a rush-first team themselves, with over 64% of their offense coming on the ground. They are led by running backs Lach Labanna and Lawrence Mattison, who have combined for 1905 yards and 31 touchdowns this season. The offensive gameplan is reminiscent of one from an earlier age, as both teams use the run to set up the pass. Quarterback Parker McKenzie may need to play like he did against Uvalde (11-12, 177 yards, TD) as the Cedar Park defense has proven to be adept at stopping the run this season.

Series: The two teams have never played.

Prediction: Cedar Park’s defense may be just as good as Smithson Valley’s, but I think their offense is what sets them apart. Cedar Park 27, Smithson Valley 21

Area Round Preview: Lake Travis vs. Kerrville Tivy

By Sam Bohmfalk

Click the graphic to see Kerrville Tivy’s offensive breakdown by player.

Lake Travis’ come-from-behind victory over bi-district foe McCallum last week was in many ways similar to a regular season victory they had in week 4.  That win, 37-33, was against area opponent Kerrville Tivy.

In that September 17 affair, Tivy jumped out to a 19-0 lead thanks to two rushing touchdowns and a passing score by workhorse quarterback Johnny Manziel.  However, just as they did against McCallum, the Cavaliers’ defense sured-up some of its holes and managed to hold the opponent scoreless in the 4th quarter—with both games including a late goal line stand—while picking up a 4th quarter touchdown that proved to be the difference maker.

Although this will be the teams’ second meeting of the season, Lake Travis will have star quarterback Michael Brewer on the field for this matchup.  He will have to be better than he was in last week’s bi-district game in which he struggled mightily, completing just five passes.  His fill-in in week 4, Colin Lagasse, threw four touchdown passes against Tivy, but his biggest contribution in that game was a goal line interception with just over two minutes remaining that effectively sealed the result.

This matchup will hinge on which of the soon-to-be Big XII quarterbacks comes through in the end: the A&M commit Manziel, or the Tech-commit Brewer.  Brewer comes in cold, while Manziel accounted for all seven touchdowns in last week’s 49-21 victory over Hays.

Series tied, 2-2
2000: Kerrville Tivy 13, Lake Travis 10

2001: Kerrville Tivy 54, Lake Travis 0

2007 (Area): Lake Travis 45, Kerrville Tivy 29

2010: Lake Travis 36, Kerrville Tivy 33

Prediction: Lake Travis knew what to expect last week against McCallum, and struggled.  They know what’s coming this week, but I think Tivy quarterback Johnny Manziel is going to show the magic that has put him in the running for the Texas 4A Player of the Year.  Kerrville Tivy 34, Lake Travis 31