The Llano Yellowjackets beat the San Angelo Lake View Chiefs Friday night 41-21 to cap off a 4-1 pre-district schedule.  The visiting Chiefs were down 31-7 at halftime and the Jackets finished with a 3-0 record playing on their home field.

Llano has this week off…open date….so thought I would throw out a few observations…this week…and next week,  take a look at some impressive stats.  Sometimes I have a hard time talking about stats.  Being an individual thing, not a team thing…But…exceptions being:  Jackets averaging 41 points a game.  Nice….Defense allowing 20 points…very good…but District becomes a different animal.

Start with Braxton Vickers…our senior quarterback has been nothing but solid.  All catagories are running well ahead of school records.  Best part of his passing game is for the most part, has 9 receivers that are capable…very capable.  Some dropped passes…but over-all…think Quincy Prince, Donaven Arrellano, John Roberts, Jared Beasley, Jacob Bubenik, Justin Yocum, Randall Murray can all be game changers.

Vickers had pass completions of 14, 35, 69, 29,and 55 yards Friday night.  But most impressive is Vickers 67 completions this season. Have averaged over 18 yards per catch.  Very impressive and exciting number.

Love that Donaven Arrellano is making the running game important.  Over 500 yards in five games.  Makes the passing game go.

And due to the success of both running game and passing game, the offensive line is playing very good.  Seniors Heath Godfrey, Jose Villa, Lewis McTighe, and Edgardo Resendiz are playing solid football.  All can run block…look strong….they are getting better each week. Juniors Dalton Enberg, Luke Hicks, and sophomore Matthew Whitley are all solid. So proud of this group.

Defense has a new star every week.  So Many.  But will mention just two for now.  Senior Jacob Cruz is my biggest  surprise.  A great bookend to monster Jansen Morris  on the defensive line.  Jacob makes big plays after big plays and jumps up and lines up again.  Great energy.

I have to say something about Justin Yocum.  Might say he was not too happy with a couple of plays he had Friday night.  Not to rub it in, but a fumble in the first quarter on a running play,and then another fumble on the kick off in third quarter.  I watched closely Justin the whole game.  His body language told me much.  It was not “oh poor me”.  Justin is a two year starter, and me thinks his heart is very large.  I watched as he searched for an opportunity to “Make it up” to his team.  Waiting for that special moment.

Late in the fourth quarter, Lake View was driving again.  No one wanted the Chiefs to score again.  Starting on their 20 yard line, down the  field the Chiefs marched.  One first down.  4 more yards.  Two first downs.  6 more yards.  Another first down and now on the 5o yard line.  Chiefs quarterback throws to the near sidelines.  And out of no where to be seen, Justin steps in front of the pass and down the sidelines he flies.  I do not think I have ever seen a Yellowjackets run so fast. It was a blurr…Quincy or Jared or Aaron would have had no chance to catch Justin flying down the sideline to the end zone. Only a cheap helmet tackle by the Chiefs defender stopped Justin.  It looked like Justin had his head taken off.  But, no he jumped up and”his point was made”.  A great play, to end the threat.  “Had I been the Llano Head Coach”….I would have lined up with the few seconds left in the game, and made Lake View pay for such a cheap play.  I would have tried to score again.

Head Coach Matt Green lined up his offense…and took a knee to end the game.  A class act, by a class guy.  Thank you Coach Green and your great staff, for being who you are.

Oh…back to Justin…great players…make great plays.