Lake Travis Stymies McCallum at Goal Line for 28-20 Win

By Sam Bohmfalk

McCallum fans may have to wait awhile before they find another Michael Sorrells. Photo by aaronisnotcool.

He was a decoy for much of the game, but when it came down to a 4th and goal from the 2, everyone in the stadium knew who was getting the ball. Needing a score and a two-point conversion to tie the game, quarterback Colton Lusson handed the ball to star running back Michael Sorrells who was stopped short of the goal line. The stand allowed Lake Travis to run out the clock, escaping House Park with a 28-20 win.

The Knights attacked early, jumping to a 10-0 lead after one quarter, in large part due to the legs of Lusson and his 43-yard run. Lusson finished with 103 yards on the night, more than in any regular season game.

Equally impressive was Cavaliers’ quarterback Michael Brewer. The dual threat quarterback, who was pressured on just about every pass, finished with three touchdowns and 125 rushing yards of his own. His pass to Tanner Gillette early in the fourth quarter proved to be last blow for a McCallum team that many thought would be blown out.

Cedar Park 70, LBJ 20

The Jaguars were just the third team all year to break double digits on the Cedar Park defense. Unfortunately, Brian Hogan and co. combined for 521 yards rushing in an effort that simply overwhelmed the Jaguars’ defense. Cedar Park outscored LBJ 56-6 in the last three quarters en route to a 50-point victory.

Marble Falls 53, Crockett 21

Austin Sparks set the tone for Marble Falls early, taking a rush down the sideline, reversing the field, and then going up the middle for a touchdown. The Crockett defense, which seemed to have all the right answers against Travis last week, couldn’t do much of anything to stop the Mustangs who rolled 53-21.

Vista Ridge 41, Travis 6

Vista Ridge’s penchant for the big play reared its head early as the Rangers struck early in the first on a Chris Showels 80-yard run and once again early in the second quarter on Jaylen Harris’ 88-yard touchdown reception. After getting behind early, Travis had to rely on the aerial game—a problem on such a rainy, windy night. The Rangers defense has an answer for just about everything the Rebels tried, holding them to a season low 6 points en route to a five touchdown victory.

Bi-District Preview: Vista Ridge vs. Travis

By Sam Bohmfalk

Vista Ridge fans will be out en force for the game against Travis. Photo by 50%Chanceofrain.

Friday, 7:30 p.m., Nelson Field

The Vista Ridge Rangers matched their win total from their first four seasons combined as they improved on last year’s 1-9 campaign by going 8-2 this season. The Rangers played most of their games close this year, with seven of their 10 games being played within 10 points. In those affairs, the Rangers went 6-1.

The Rangers will have to deal with a diverse Travis attack that suffered its worst offensive output at the hands of Crockett last week. In the game, quarterbacks Jonathon Sterling and Adam Solis were held to a combined 45 yards, while running back CJ Herrera missed his second straight game.

The Vista Ridge Rangers have been a new team ever since Blake Estes took the helm. The dual threat quarterback was the Rangers’ leading rusher over the last six games, and pitched in 289 yard and 211 yard passing performances against Vandergrift and Cedar Park. The Rebels haven’t played against many dual threat quarterbacks this season, but they looked vulnerable against LBJ’s Darius Collins (137 passing, 85 rushing).

The key for Travis will be holding onto the ball. In losses against Lampassas and LBJ, the Rebels turned the ball over a combined seven times.

The only common opponent the two teams played was McCallum. The Rangers drubbed the Knights 31-6, while the Rebels handed the Knights their only district loss, 36-33.

Prediction: Vista Ridge 28, Travis 20

Bi-District Preview: McCallum vs. Lake Travis

By Sam Bohmfalk

Colin Lagasse picks up some yards. Photo by jrandallc.

Thursday, 7 p.m., House Park

Lake Travis lost two games this season the first time since 2006 when they went 4-7.  This year, the three-time defending state champions enter the playoffs at 8-2, good enough for in 25-4A.  The always-prolific Cavaliers passing game has been at it again this season under the direction of senior slinger Michael Brewer, who threw for 1821 yards and 15 touchdowns in just seven games.  Brewer struggled in the Cavaliers’ loss to Cedar Park last week, throwing 3 interceptions as Lake Travis fell by 14.

The task of stopping Brewer falls on a McCallum defense that has played solidly against the pass for most of the year.  However in the Knights’ only district loss to Travis, the Rebels’ backup quarterback Adam Solis picked apart the McCallum defense to the tune of 13-17 for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Lake Travis may turn to the run to open up the pass, as they should have an obvious advantage in the trenches.

Knights’ running back Michael Sorrells will be a handful for the Lake Travis defense.  The FBS recruit managed 1,500 yards against a district slate in which he was often pulled after just one half of action.   Sorrells managed over 100 yards in every game this year except his last, when he was held to just eight carries.  It’s no secret who McCallum will be leaning on as they try to unseat the defending champs.

Flashback (2000): A 37-7 week 2 victory over McCallum was the Cavaliers’ first of the season, and put them on the right track as they rolled to a 5-5 record and earned the school’s first playoff birth.  A bi-district victory over Pflugerville put Lake Travis in the second round where they fell to New Braunfels, 28-25.

All time Series: McCallum leads 3-1

2003: McCallum 35, Lake Travis 20

2002: McCallum 38, Lake Travis 6

2001: McCallum 28, Lake Travis 15

2000: Lake Travis 37, McCallum 7

Prediction: Lake Travis 42, McCallum, 14

Crockett Shocks Travis; McCallum District Champ

McCallum coaches will be busy drawing up schemes against the Knights' first round opponent, Lake Travis. Photo courtesy of aaronisnotcool.

Quarterback Paul Wagner connected with tight end Dylon Fleming from eight yards out with just 1:35 to go as the Crockett Cougars upset the Travis Rebels, 10-7.  The catch was Fleming’s first career touchdown and surprising on a night where the Cougars struggled to move the ball through the air.

The Crockett victory means the Cougars will represent District 26-4A as the Division II #1 seed, while Travis falls to the second seed.

The game-winning touchdown came after Travis had taken the lead earlier in the fourth quarter on a John Hernandez two-yard plunge.   The touchdown drive constituted most of Travis’ offense on the chilly Thursday night.

Travis quarterbacks Jonathan Sterling and Adam Solis struggled for much of the game, managing to go just 8-17 for 45 yards.  Wagner wasn’t much better for the Cougars, but came through when it mattered most.  Coach John Waugh said the reason Crockett threw was because they thought Travis would be expecting Wager to run.  And for most of the game, he had, amassing 86 yards on 26 rushes.

The win means the Cougars kick off their playoff campaign against District 25-4A fourth seed Marble Falls (5-5) on Thursday at Mustang Stadium in Marble Falls.  The Rebels’ first game will be Friday against Cedar Park Vista Ridge (8-2), at a site to be determined.

McCallum 55, Lanier 30

With a game against three-time defending state champion Lake Travis looming, the McCallum Knights limited the carries of star running back Michael Sorrells.  The running game still proved to be the Knights’ bread and butter, as they picked up 386 yards on the ground en route to a 55-30 victory over Lanier.  This win, combined with Travis’ loss to Crockett, means McCallum is the district champ–despite an equal record with LBJ–by virtue of their victory over the Jaguars in week 8.

LBJ 51, Reagan 14

It took just 34 seconds for LBJ to separate itself as the better team from its bitter rival, Reagan.  With Iowa State-commit Jaquarias Daniels sitting the game out, the Raiders never had a chance of keeping this one close.  LBJ had four different players rush for touchdowns and two others throw for scores as they took a 48-6 halftime lead.

LBJ will be opposed by Cedar Park (9-1) in bi-district action at a site and time to be determined.

Poll: Which 26-4A player will have the most collegiate success?

Since they were built, the AISD schools now zoned into District 26-4A have had a strong tradition of producing good college players. Chris Houston and Bruce Scholtz have shown that 26-4A talent can extend beyond college and to the NFL.  Now it’s time for you to peer into the magic 8-ball, and decide which District 26-4A alumnus or soon-to-be alumnus will end up with the best college career.  I’ve narrowed the choices down to four: LBJ alumni Kerry Hyder (2009) and DJ Johnson (2009), and soon-to-be college freshman Jaquarias Daniels (2011) and Michael Sorrells (2011).

McCallum Win Creates Three-way Tie Atop 26-4A

By Sam Bohmfalk

McCallum 55, LBJ 41

Don’t be surprised if Michael Sorrells soon garners a few more offers from D-I schools.  Already with scholarship promises in hand from Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State and Tulsa, Sorrells dismantled the LBJ defense scoring six touchdowns in leading the McCallum Knights to a 55-41 victory over the LBJ Jaguars.  The win creates a virtual three-way tie between one-loss teams LBJ, McCallum and Travis.

Held to just 58 first-half yards, Sorrells put the Knights on his shoulders in the third quarter as he bullied his way into the end zone three times, scoring on runs of 3, 7, and 44 yards turning a 21-13 Knights deficit into a 41-28 lead heading into the fourth.  The change of quarter did nothing to stop Sorrells, who quickly added his fifth touchdown of the game to push the McCallum lead to 20.

LBJ wasn’t about to lie down, however, and Trey Porter’s second touchdown run pulled the Jaguars within 13.  After a defensive stop, the Jaguars struck again as quarterback Darius Collins found Emiliano Espinoza from 45-yards out to pull LBJ within 7.

Collins, who finished 22-36 for 293 yards and three touchdowns, was hoping for a chance to tie the game, but McCallum’s Sorrells proved to be too much.  The 6-3, 200-pounder scored his sixth touchdown from 7-yards out to ice the game and send the district title picture into disarray.

Elsewhere around 26-4A

Crockett 28, Reagan 6

Crockett’s 240 rushing yards controlled the clock, but it was quarterback Paul Wagner’s arm that won the game for the Cougars.  Wagner threw for touchdowns of 23 and 28 yards in the second half as the Cougars scored 21 unanswered to knock the Raiders out of the playoff chase, 28-6.

Lanier 41, Eastside 14

The Lanier Vikings remained in a tie for fourth-place in District, as they drubbed the Eastside Rams 41-14.  The Rams’ last game is next week against Travis, although the team is guaranteed to remain in the district cellar by virtue of their record.

District 26-4A Week 8 Preview

By Sam Bohmfalk

Crockett (1-6, 1-2) vs. Reagan (1-6, 1-2)

The Reagan Raiders enter this game riding high off a 51-20 victory over Eastside.  The win against the Rams snapped the Raiders’ 19-game losing streak.  The Raiders were led by all-everything Jaquarias Daniels, who threw touchdown passes of 15 and 23 yards, rushed 55 yards for a score, returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown, and returned a fumble on a two-point conversion 100 yards for two points.  The Crockett Cougars enter having fallen last week 43-16 to district leaders LBJ.  Quarterback Paul Wagner led the Cougars offense with an efficient line of 17-28 for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Crockett’s defense struggled to stop LBJ, allowing over 500 yards while forcing the Jaguars to punt just once.  Both teams need this win if they want a shot at grabbing the last playoff spot in 26-4A.

Prediction: Crockett 38, Reagan 12

LBJ (4-4, 4-0) vs. McCallum (3-4, 2-1)

The McCallum Knights are the last real challenge for an LBJ Jaguars team that is looking to run the table in district play.  The Jaguars had no trouble last week in their 43-16 victory over Crockett.   McCallum’s defense will have to find a way to stop LBJ quarterback Darius Collins, who has lit up district opponents, completing 74% of his passes in four games, for 574 yards and 7 touchdowns.  A win by McCallum would put the Knights in position to repeat as district champions.  The Knights are led by the district’s leading rusher, Michael Sorrells, who has amassed 1086 yards and 13 touchdowns on just 130 carries.

Prediction: LBJ 42, McCallum 27

Lanier (2-5, 1-2) vs. Eastside (1-7, 0-4)

The Lanier Vikings and Eastside Rams each enter this game as teams that would put a dictionary definition of the word defense to shame.  Lanier fell to the Travis Rebels last week, 51-14, due in large part to the fact that the Rebels amassed 438 rushing yards.  On the other side, the Eastside Rams fell victim to Reagan last week, giving up 51 points—the least they’ve allowed in a district game to date.   The Rams pass defense, which has been suspect all year, will have to find a way to stop Vikings quarter back K’Len Britton if they want to win.  Britton, who has thrown for 1,091 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year, was held in check against Travis completing just 10 of 21 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Prediction: Lanier 56, Eastside 13