If there was any question about the Llano Yellowjackets being “ready” for the season opener last Friday night…put that aside. The 55-14 score did not tell the entire story. They broke and tied records, had three interceptions, two fumble recoveries…and lots of Jackets got to play.

Junior Luke Davis, starting his 20th game as starting quarterback broke for 30 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Luke threw to junior Cash Lynch, one of his 6 receptions of the night. Lytle then had the football…and senior JD Friday intercepted and got the Jackets back to the 48 yard line.

Senior Jose Sillas ran for 26 yards. Austin Humphries picked up 6. Sillas again for 6. Luke for 9 more. And then Luke in for the TD. Senior Francisco Parravano kicked the extra point, the first of 7 extra points for Francisco.

The Jacket defense held Lytle to minus 6 yards on their next possession. Senior Grayson Lille from his safety position lead the defense. Junior Nick Light in the line made a stop for a loss. And Lytle punted. Lytle would punt five times in the game. And with the five turnovers, there was little room for the Pirates to show much offense. The Jacket defensive line with junior Cole Kennedy, Scott Henderson, Logan Robinson, and junior Mario Hernandez along with Light were outstanding. Playing a three man front against 5 blockers all night long, and our three outplayed their five play after play.

After the Lytle punt, Brayton Shaw ran for three. Luke picked up 14 more. A pass to senior tight end Konrad Zwicke for 7 more down to the 10 yard line. Luke then hit Cash and the TD….Cash caught 3 TD passes from Luke to tie the school record for TD catches in a game. Something of note: Jackson Dillard in 2022 against Burnet…Case Kuykendall in 2019, Ned Butler in 1976 against San Saba, Larry Clutter in the 1970s’, Issac Hutto in about 2012, and Michael White, Johnny Baskin and Ryan Willmann…all had three TD catches. Pretty elite company.

Junior Emerson Pool picked off the next Lytle pass. And it set up the Jackets on the 44 yard line. Senior Brayton Shaw ran for 12 yards and a first down. Brayton would finish the night with 7 carries and 99 yards, the best game of his career. Luke dropped back and hit senior Graham Prokop for the TD. Fran kicked good.

The Jacket defense held again. JD had a strong stop. Jose was in on several stops from his linebacker position. And Austin Humphries has deadly at the corner back position. It took Llano four plays to score. Brayton had two runs for 31 yards. Jose had his best run of 31 yards. And Luke found Graham for the TD pass and catch of 9 yards. The score was 28-7 with 10:07 in the second quarter.

Again…Three plays and a punt….Grayson and junior Cody Greenwood made the stops. Senior Niko Arms at cornerback played great. As did junior Jason Cherry. This defense is coming together.

Llano was not finished. Next series….Brayton for 30 yards on three carries. A 22 yard pass to Cash. and final 29 yards to Cash for the TD…# 3.

The Jackets got a lot of practice in on Kick offs. Isaiah Aguilar was the most aggressive getting down field to cover. Great effort….but senior River Thomison too was remarkable covering….And junior Eva Gomez….and junior Josiah Wood….with effort like these players put in on special teams…Llano is not going to be out hustled this year…great effort by all.

Lytle had a 7 play drive working at the end of the first half. Greenwood, Pool, Austin, Grayson, Kennedy, Cherry, JD, Josiah, and Mario were fighting strong as the clock wound down…and the fumble…and Jose runs in..scoops it up and in for the TD…41-7 halftime.

But… for one game… found a running attack. Earlier this month I mentioned that Llano needed to find our next “Mote”. Last season he was sitting on the bench when Brayton got the season ending injury. Mote comes in and runs for over 1,600 yards. Between Brayton, Jose, senior Brady Kelly, and Isaiah, Llano has a running attack…Oh, yea…This guy River Thomison….had 7 carries and 73 yards….all ran great…..maybe a committee….Quarterbacks Luke and Grayson had another 50 yards rushing. Total of 309 yards rushing…9.1 yards per carry.

Llano will need all of those yards this Friday night. Comanche beat Llano last season…soundly. They are in one of the toughest District 3AAA in the state…with Jim Ned and Sweetwater. They return 9 offensive players and 8 defensive players from last year. They believe they are loaded. They are not afraid of the Jackets. Comanche is not Lytle.

Llano waited last year til after the Comanche game to understand that getting better meant getting better every week….practice was the key…getting better….needs to start this year before the Comanche game.

Two last notes….The Jacket offense had 489 yards last Friday night. 489 yards will be hard to duplicate every week. You’ve read the star players names from last week…but always remember…those guys down there in the dirt and mud make things work. They have few statsisics…But Luke had time the throw,,,Brayton and Jose and River had blockers…..it is hard to notice these guys but I will try to get there names in the articles as we go along….but when you have 489 yards of offense…centers, guards, tackles and tight ends are blocking….seniors James Greenwood, Ethan Griego, Zach Driskel, Cason Stephenson, Xander Cruz, Cooper Scott, Lane Wesson, Hayden Bigger, Konrad…Juniors Cherry, Mario Hernandez, Scott Henderson, Dylan Smith, Cameron Smith, and Nick Light….these were the studs last Friday night.

A moment to reflect. When I started writing Play To Win in 1973, Ken Gray was the Head Coach…his first year as head coach. John Baskin had been the head coach at San Saba. Three years before Baskin had taken the Armadillos to the State Quarterfinals. Two years later, the brillant school board of San Saba fired Baskin. Baskin’s college roommate at Howard Payne University was Ken Gray. Gray hired John as his offensive coordinator for the start of the 1973 season. Llano went to the quarterfinals that year.

In three years that Gray was head coach, Llano won district two years, and lost only one district game. Ken Gray then took the offensive line coaching job with the Cincinnati Bengals. John Baskin was hired as the new head coach for Llano.

John coached in Llano 8 seasons. He had a 48-22 record with a 68% winning percentage. Second all time only to our present Head Coach, Matt Green. John won the district championship in 1976, and took the Jackets to play offs in 1981. He was fired after the 1983 season. He continued to coach until he retired. He Coached mainly in the San Antonio area. His son “Johnny B” as most of us knew him, recently retired from coaching. ‘Johnny B is in the LHS Hall of Fame, one of the greatest recievers of all time, and a State Champion in the 800 meters in track.

Coach John Baskin passed away this past weekend. He was a wonderful Coach. Added so much to the legacy of being a Yellow Jacket. He will be missed…and remembered.

Llano 35 Comanche 28