The season is here! The long wait since the early days of last December is over. Llano opens the season in August for the second year in a row. Last year Llano traveled to Lytle. This year the Pirates visit Jacket Stadium with kick off at 7 PM Friday night.

The hopes are high in Jacket land. Plenty of starters return from last seasons 12-2 season. Lineman may lead the way. On offense look for 6 feet 2, 240 pound Cason Stephenson. Zach Driskel and James Greenwood are starters from last season. Senior Cooper Scott at 264 pounds will see action. A solid Ethen Griego returns. On defense we will be looking forward to New Comer of the Year last season was Cole Kennedy at defensive end. Cody Greenwood returns as does junior Mario Hernandez who was a solid nose guard last year. Scott Henderson, Lane Wesson, Hayden Bigger, will be playing lots of snaps on both offense and defense. Logan Robinson, Nick Light and Cameron Smith will be fighting for playing time, all juniors. I really expect the lineman on both sides of the ball to take the lead for the Jackets early in the season.

While the skill positions are strong now, expect new faces here and there. Certainly Llano’s Konrad Zwicke won’t be missed. The 245 pound All District tight end is just as good of a blocker as he is a receiver. Wide receivers Cash Lynch and Graham Prokop are proven players with speed. Where there may be question marks is at running back.

Few players are tougher than Jose Sillas, who is a standout on both sides of the line. Expect him to get lots of carries this season. And players with speed and moves fight over more playing time. Senior Brady Kelly, senior Brayton Shaw, senior Niko Arms, senior River Thomison, senior Isaiah Aguilar, and senior Austin Humphries all could try to replace the 1,600 rushing yards that Trey Mote churned out last season. James Greenwood who had about 300 yards last season may get the most looks early.

Expect the secondary to be good. Returning starters Humphries, JD Friday, and Nico to play alot. Newcomers Grayson Lille and Josiah Wood played great in the Brady scrimmage at the safety position. Look for Emerson Pool and Diego Flores to see time.

Returning junior quarterback Luke Davis has 19 starts at quarterback. Senior Grayson Lille has impressed in practice and scrimmages, especially with long passes. Expect both to see the field Friday night against Lytle.

This, like last year…will take a few quarters to find out who they are. The expectations are as high as they have ever been. But expectations don’t win games. The 2025 Yellow Jackets will have their own personalities. Players knowing what they can do, and knowing what the player next to them can do. It is going to be a fun season. Lytle will be coming to Llano to prove last season was a fluke. The Jackets will have to prove to themselves, last season was not an accident. It was what was expected.

Llano 35 Lytle 14