I have an old saying,”when you score 58 points, you should win.”  Lampasas had the same old saying, but theirs said “when you score 57 points, you should win”.  At 10:30 PM Friday night they adjusted their saying to mimic mine!  It takes 58 points sometimes.  And to quote my favorite quotee, Art Dlugach,” boy oh boy, did it ever”!

   The Over-time win was big, in that Llano kept fighting.  Kid no one, the game was not always played well.  Our defense was at times “bad”.  Only the Badgers’ was worse.   Still, to win when it would have been easier to let up just for a moment.  But in this game, letting up for one play was not an option, if winning meant everything to you.  Llano wanted to win badly.  As did Lampasas.  But despite the Jackets playing their worst game defensively this season,  Llano kept coming back.  While Llano lead  until 5:58 in the last quarter,  it was always going to be close.  Even when Llano took a 16-0 lead early in the first quarter, something did not feel right.  At that moment I open my program and counted that Lampasas had 33 seniors!  I knew this game was not over.  The Badgers were not throwing in the towel at this point.  And senior Steven Jazdyk continued to pound and run over Jacket defenders.  I have to give credit, his heart was as big as anyone I have seen in recent years as he drug his body up after each carry.  Llano gave Jazdyk no quarter.

   While giving up 57 points is something you worry about, effort was not.  I watched Tristan Lynch and his effort.  Junior Lance Reven played so hard.  Senior Captain Caleb Penny had a strong game.  And senior Ryan Mansell is playing at an all-district level.  Love the play of senior Eli Tiffin, playing hard every down.

   I saw Jordan Blackmon having a great game.  Justin Long had good effort.  And I still love our secondary.  Mason Ladd….Tommy Yelvington, Kralen Dickerson, and Sawyer Stiles are good football players.   I thought Kralen’s interception in the third quarter might be a deal breaker for the Badgers.  But the Badgers just decided to only throw three more pass the remainder of the game.  Their running game was just fine from that point on, averaging 12 yards per carry over the final period and over-time.

   Give credit to the Lampasas Coaches. Going for two in over-time was the right call.  Llano had yet to stop this very strong running game.  I would have made the same call.  Just forgot that Llano still had some spunk in their pants.  Great last play of the game by Llano.

  Senior Layton Rabb threw for over 300 yards.  Senior Carter Tatsch had about 110 yards rushing, with a 7 yard average.  The offensive line must get credit for those two stats.  But the eleven plays that Llano lost yardage, or only gained one yard in critical spots is worrisome.

   Game balls go to Jacket receivers.  Carter caught 2 for 38 yards.  Kralen one for 9 yards.  Senior speedster Chance Ware 2 catches for 110 yards and a TD.  And junior Jalen Bauman has taken his game to the next level.  I love the change in his attitude.  The seriousness of his approach to playing.  You see the change in the way he carries himself, and catching the ball with his hands is going to the next level.  Five catches for 92 yards.  Great game.   But senior Issac Hutto is already at that next level.  The go to man for Rabb,  Issac’s five catches and the TD catch over the cornerback in over-time was just plain special.  Beautiful pass and catch.

   Special notice to Mason Ladd and his kick-off returns…6 for 128 yards.  Kept Llano in good field position.

   Gatesville is next.  Llano will beat Gatesville. Llano will want this game more.  Llano’s 23 seniors will want this game more. Llano’s defense will want to show and prove they are better than 57 points.  Llano by 21.