Llano 14 - Liberty Hill 63
Llano 27 - Blanco 13
Llano 10 - Early 13
Llano 19 - Commanche 0
Llano 41 - Vista Ridge 20
Llano 34 - Comfort 20
Llano 48 - Ingram 27
Llano 24 - Brady 26
Llano 35 - Bandera 26
Llano 17 - Wimberly 42

Play to Win Archives

2003

2004

LISD Football Records

Play To Win

By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.

The Fighting Llano Yellowjackets beat a very good football team in undefeated Ingram Friday night by the score of 48-27. There are always highlights in every game. This game had a season full of huge plays that could make a highlight film burn the projector up.

The game was basically even at halftime. The score was 21-21, and each team had about 250 yards of offense. The second half Llano took over the game, and offensively had its best outing imaginable. Especially when you consider Llano did not complete a pass. And Llano never punted. Only threw two passes and completed one to Ingram. The Jackets 525 yards rushing will send me to the record books this week, but I can assure it has to be very close.

What thrilled the heart was Llano had five running backs that anyone would love to have. And on some of the Jacket drives, all five carried the football. In the pass, and maybe even going back years, plays would be sent in by tackles and tight ends, or H-backs. Anyone, but not the starting backfield! While gutsy and less glamorous than his stall mates, Shane Pope carried 26 times for 207 yards, but even he had to come out of the game to allow junior Josh Yocum 10 carries and 166 yards, including a 46-yard run in the first quarter, and followed that with a 63 yard run in the fourth quarter. Shane did not come out of the game on one play. Third down, backed up on our own 10.777 yard line ….89 yards. Great run, great help from senior Davis Willmann running interference, then dropping back and keeping the wolves off Shane’s backside…. Shane was a little tired with 1:30 left in the game, and he stopped and rested a moment as he crossed the 50, but resumed his journey and scored.

Then there is this new guy who wants the football, and all Sean Fortney does on his first varsity carry is go 44 yards, breaking tackles and stuff like he’s James Grantham or something. Oh, yes, then they let sophomore Lance Dickey carry some, and in first down from our 30-yard line, Lance goes 70 yards for a TD. Junior Branden Long gets to play, and has an 18 yard romp. I’ve likely left out some star, but one remarkable play by Yocum. I guess you had to have been there, but…third down from Ingram’s’ four yard line, Josh sweeps right, and after four steps, unless he has superman speed, he will not make the corner. And while Josh gives no hint of cutting up or even cutting back his speed drops to 7 miles per hour, and as soon as he does, all three Warriors, who have an angle, close in. The moment they committed to making the tackle for a loss, Josh, with superman speed, hits the corner. Wonderful talent on a great run.

Why did this display of talent all of a sudden come to fruitation this week? I think because this offensive line has started to get very sound. Junior Jonathan Hill at center, senior Brent Wooten, 285 pound senior Tyler Hoerster, junior Zack Lanford, junior Neil Stripling, seniors Daniel Warren and Justin Fry, sophomores Michael Anderson and Robert Ivey, and senior Kyle Miiller…. all have matured and made this a running football team that without their hard work that goes little noticed, yet has this football team at 5-1 and playing this week with a chance to take the lead in 27AAA. These lineman have become very good. Our running backs all have wonderful natural talent. Our lineman have to work on every single play, or they will get beat. When they get beat, our running backs get very average.
One other offensive player gets little notice. Quarterback Jordan Leverett…he dose what every football newscaster says what it means to be a great football quarterback. He makes few mistakes, and he does not get you beat with his mistakes. He handles the football on every play. Very sound player.

Our defense. The quarterback for the Warriors was just great. What a player. Still fighting to the end. And Llano kept trying to stay with him, but few will. Yet I saw all night long…. no one slowed down. In fact it looked like our defensive players looked forward to the next snap to see if they could stop J.T. Aspra. When gang tackling, and much pursuit, the defense prevailed, but much effort. Few played better than linebackers Andy Virdell and Davis Willmann. Few played better than Patrick Bigger, Long, Kyle Miiller, and senior Grant Morgan. Junior Chris Severance had a great game, as did T.J. Bunell and Jordan Clayton at cornerbacks. David Lindley had a very strong game. Craig Miller and Robert Schendel along with Robert Coffee had their moments, all good with hustle. And Garrett Thompson leads a strong special team unit. And if I have not said this before Lance Dickey makes a pretty good safety. Highlight films are made off his 95-yard interception run for a backbreaking TD.

What I am trying to say, is Llano showed up to play. They recognized a “must win situation” of having to win that first district game. An undefeated Ingram team knew the same. The Warriors fought like players on death row. That is where they are today. Llano is now playing one of the top teams in Texas in Liberty Hill.

Llano has always matched up well with the Liberty Hill Panthers. Llano played them great for two quarters last year as the Semi-finalist to be team out played Llano badly in the fourth quarter. This year, Llano is better. We all can hardly wait. But, wait we will, as the new Llano Yellowjacket take their heart and souls to Liberty Hill and takes that next step up, to being District 27 AAA Champions.

Llano 28…Liberty Hill 26