The Ducks shot just 33 percent from the field and were unable to keep pace with Bastrop’s scoring.

Taylor trailed 9-4 early in the first quarter before sophomore guard Johnny Guzman hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 9-7. Bastrop answered with an 8-2 run into the second quarter to extend its lead to 17-12, despite a 3-pointer from senior guard Kadrien Deary.

The Bears continued to pull away, building a 42-25 halftime lead and extending it to 54-31 by the end of the third quarter. Taylor struggled to find consistency on both ends of the floor as Bastrop maintained control throughout the second half.

Junior forward Landon Coulter led the Ducks with 13 points, while senior guard Braylen Rivers added 11 points on 71 percent shooting. Taylor will return to action at the Giddings Tournament on Monday, Dec. 29, following the holiday break.

DISTRICT SUPERLATIVES CO- DISTRICT COACH OF THE YEAR

• Eli Reinhart

first-year head coach

OVERALL DISTRICT MVP

• Jaiden Fields

wide receiver junior

FIRST TEAM

• Kaden Stefek

quarterback senior

• Keilan Chavies

running back senior

• Jayden Mack

offensive lineman junior

• Brayden Daniels

linebacker senior

• Hunter Fredette,

defensive back junior

• Dylan Owens

utility player junior

SECOND TEAM

• Kellen Littles

offensive lineman sophmore

• Carlos Sorto

defensive back senior

HONORABLE MENTION

• Alaeddin Mustafa

offensive lineman

senior

• Jayden Marin

linebacker senior

• Wardell White

defensive back junior

• Michael Blaylark

defensive back junior

The 14 All-District selections highlight a balanced roster and a strong team effort, capping a successful season for the Hippos under Reihart’s leadership in District 25-6A.

basketball team opened the Navarro Tournament with a strong 2-0 showing on Thursday, Dec. 11, earning a 68-51 win over Hallettsville and a 53-42 victory over Geronimo Navarro.

HALLETTSVILLE

Sophomore guard Markell Fitzgerald powered the Ducks in their opening game, scoring 28 points on 12-of-23 shooting in a 68-51 win over the Brahmas.

Fitzgerald set the tone early, knocking down a 3-pointer for a 3-0 lead before sparking an 8-2 run with a fast-break layup that pushed the advantage to 11-2.

Taylor continued its first-quarter dominance with an 11-0 stretch as its defense held Hallettsville scoreless, building a commanding 22-2 lead.

The Brahmas battled back in the second quarter, trimming the margin to 28-15, but a steal and breakaway finish from Fitzgerald pushed the lead back to 32-15.

Hallettsville later cut the deficit to 47-38 in the third, but Kadrien Deary answered with a 3-pointer to halt the momentum and extend the lead to 50-38. Fitzgerald added another triple and Deary followed with a layup to help Taylor pull away for good at 55-38.

Deary finished with eight points, while senior guard Braylon Rivers delivered an efficient 20 points on 10-of-13 shooting. The Ducks shot 48% from the floor.

NAVARRO

Fitzgerald again led the Ducks in their second game, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting in a 53-42 win over Navarro.

Taylor jumped out to a 7-0 lead following a Fitzgerald 3-pointer and grabbed its first double-digit advantage, 15-5, on a fast-break finish from Rivers. The Ducks kept control with a 10-5 run to take a 25-10 lead in the second quarter.

Navarro mounted a push in the third, cutting the deficit to 27-19, but defensive stops from Rivers and freshman Elijah Efenkhena helped Taylor maintain a comfortable margin.

The Ducks closed the quarter on a key run to go up 41-29 and held steady the rest of the way.

Rivers and junior forward Landon Coulter each scored 11 points, and Taylor shot 35% from the field. The Ducks improved to 8-3 overall and will wrap up tournament play this weekend before returning home to face Bastrop at 6:30 p.m. at Taylor High School.

VOLLEYBALL FIRST TEAM

• Sr. Leah Altman

Setter

• Jr. Demi Dahlberg

Outside Hitter/ Defensive Specialist

SECOND TEAM

• Sr. Adi Flores

Middle Hitter

HONORABLE MENTION

• Sr. Sydney Zimmerhanzel

Outside Hitter

• Sr. Mercy Barta

Middle Hitter

FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

• Soph. Ridge Lossen

Cornerback

SECOND TEAM

• Sr. Steven Reyes

Cornerback

• Fresh. Anthony Britten

Defensive End

• Sr. Jose Hengst

Linebacker

• Sr. Steven Reyes

Running Back

• Soph. Joseph Barta

Tight End

• Sr. Mikal Rethlake

Center

Thrall came out firing, opening the night with a decisive 19–5 run. The Tigerettes applied steady defensive pressure early, forcing turnovers that led to fast-break points and immediate momentum.

Granger responded with more energy in the second quarter, settling into its offense and outscoring Thrall 12–11 in the period.

Despite the improvement, the Lady Lions still trailed 30–17 at halftime.

The Tigerettes regained full command coming out of the break. Their defense tightened once again, creating several transition opportunities that helped Thrall stretch its lead. By the end of the third quarter, the Tigerettes held a comfortable 51–29 advantage.

Thrall maintained its composure down the stretch, protecting the lead and closing out the 21-point win with steady play on both ends of the court.

With the victory, the Tigerettes improved to 3–3 on the season, while the Lady Lions fell to 1–5.

Both teams will now head into Thanksgiving break before returning to action on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The Tigerettes will host Riesel at 6:15 p.m., while the Lady Lions will travel to Burton for a 5 p.m. tipoff.

The first is to play each game for 32 minutes – fittingly, high school basketball games are played with four eight-minute quarters.

The second is to be ready for Dec. 16 – the District 27-2A opener at Holland.

While some might say looking ahead to district play goes against the mantra of taking things one game at a time, Cotten also thrives on looking at the “big picture.” Although Granger is 1-5 going into Tuesday’s nondistrict matchup at Burton, Cotten had a reason for drawing up a strong nondistrict schedule.

“I scheduled tough nondistrict games and I would challenge anyone else to play the schedule that I put together,” he said. “A lot of people asked me why I did this. I did this because of what happened last year against Weimar. We weren’t ready and that was on me. As a coach, I’ve got to get them ready. When we get to the playoffs, we’re going to be ready because our nondistrict schedule is going to make us ready.

We’re going to come out of this tougher and wiser. I will go strength of schedule against anyone in our district.”

A year ago, Granger won a district championship for the first time in 25 years. Cotten isn’t resting on the laurels of last year, though.

“I told the girls they have an ‘X’ marked on them now,” he said.

“Everyone’s gunning for them. They’re going to get everyone else’s best shot.”

The biggest concerns for Cotten are youth and numbers. The Lady Lions suit up nine players.

“We’re young. We had two players graduate who were three-year starters. We’re also ‘young’ in the aspect of familiarity with the basketball court,” Cotten said. “Everybody with the exception of my post are new starters. We are having growing pains, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. If you look at our past three years, we’re slow starters. Our girls come straight out of volleyball. We’re growing.”

Senior Abi Crouch is the lone returning starter, while fellow senior Victoria Castillo is the power forward, and juniors Navaeh Campos, Brooklyn Gaswint and Jasmine Leamer are guards. Rounding out the roster are senior Alexi Montagnino, junior Kennedy Gattis, and sophomores Natalie Corona and Rylinn Hamby. “Jasmine (our point guard) has gotten better every game,” Cotten said. “I told her, ‘you’re the quarterback, you have to lead.’ I threw her into the fire this year and we’re going to keep her in that fire.”

While youth and depth are concerns, there are team strengths for Granger, too. Cotten believes his strength and conditioning program and resiliency are things the Lady Lions can lean on.

“Granger girls are resilient. Every year, something has happened where someone has had to step up and put the team on their back,” Cotten said. “Our biggest strength is athleticism. Our girls play multiple sports. They bought into what we do.

I want the weight room and conditioning to be the difference makers.”

In order to repeat as district champions and to make a deep playoff run, Cotten said his team has to do a few things.

“We have to sweat and stay together,” he said. “I have Dec. 16 circled on my calendar.

The nondistrict games are glorified practices.

I tell my girls to look at the big picture. Our girls don’t quit and they’re not scoreboard watchers. The game isn’t over with us until we play 32 minutes.”

Cotten won’t shy away from those expectations.

Sophomore guard Markell Fitzgerald led the Ducks on both ends of the floor, shooting 10-for-16 and finishing with a game-high 22 points.

He also pulled down 10 rebounds, recording the first double-double of the season.

Taylor set the tone early, racing out to a 24–4 lead in the first quarter and building on it with a 28–9 second-quarter run to take a commanding 52–13 advantage at halftime. The Ducks maintained control throughout, pushing the pace and overwhelming Smithville with strong defense and efficient shooting.

Head coach Stephen Gibson was able to empty the bench in the second half, giving several reserves valuable earlyseason minutes as the team continues to shape its rotation. Taylor closed the night with a 27–20 run to seal the win.

Senior guard Kadrien Dreary added to the scoring surge, going 7-for-9 from the field for 18 points, while senior Braylen Rivers contributed 11 points on an efficient 5-for-7 shooting performance.

As a team, Taylor shot 57% from the floor, showcasing sharp execution in its first outing of the year.

The Ducks kept rolling after the opener, defeating Caldwell 73–46 on Monday, Nov. 24. Following the Thanksgiving break, Taylor returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when it travels to Giddings for a 7:45 p.m. tipoff.

The game opened back and forth, with the teams tied at 9 before senior guard Malachi Hilby knocked down a three-pointer to give Hutto a 12-9 lead with 2:36 left in the first quarter. Copperas Cove tied the game at 14, but Hilby responded again, converting a fast-break layup to put the Hippos back in front 16-14 with 1:20 remaining.

The Bulldogs regained the lead at 27-25 early in the second quarter, but Hilby continued his strong night with another three-pointer to swing the advantage back to Hutto at 28-27. The Hippos built their largest lead moments later, stretching the margin to 34-29 on a transition layup by Brian Caldwell with 3:30 left in the half.

Momentum shifted shortly after, as Copperas Cove closed the half and opened the third quarter on a decisive 17-4 run, taking a 46-38 lead that Hutto was unable to erase.

The Bulldogs pushed the margin to 60-43 late in the third as the Hippos struggled to find consistent offense.

Caldwell and Nicholas Valdez added late baskets to trim the deficit to 68-52, but Copperas Cove maintained control down the stretch to secure the double-digit win.

Hilby once again led the way for Hutto and continues to be a bright spot early in the season. The Hippos will look to bounce back Friday when they face Hendrickson.

Senior setter and outside hitter Peyton Wamble earned firstteam honors after leading the Lady Ducks in kills and service aces. Senior libero McKenna Watson was named to the second team and finished the year with a team-high 333 digs.

Senior setter Libby Urbis also earned a second-team selection, ranking among Taylor’s top blockers and providing steady play at the net.

Elena Martinez, Caroline Tate and Avery Paulson were each recognized with honorable mention selections for their contributions throughout the season.

first win. The Lady Ducks battled throughout the night and kept the game within one possession for much of the second half. Trailing by three in the closing seconds, Taylor set up a final look from beyond the arc, but a turnover by senior guard Audriana Alderete on the wing ended the possession and allowed the Bumblebees to drain the remaining time.

Despite the loss, the Lady Ducks received steady production from Alderete and senior forward Tianna Candee.

Alderete provided consistent scoring on the perimeter, while Candee controlled the paint and delivered key defensive stops to keep Taylor within striking distance. Both players helped fuel a late push that cut the deficit to a single basket before Academy held firm in the final minute.

Taylor continues to show improvement as its young roster settles into the early-season schedule. The Lady Ducks looked to regroup and capture their first win when they faced Rouse on Friday.

The opening period played out as a fastpaced shootout, with both teams trading baskets before Thrall took a 19-14 lead into the second quarter. From there, the Tigerettes took full control. Thrall’s defense allowed just one point in the second quarter while its offense put up 16, stretching the lead to 35-15 at halftime.

Thrall continued to dictate the pace in the third quarter, outscoring Llano 16-8 to widen the margin even further.

The Tigerettes closed out the night with a 15-3 run in the fourth, sealing a one-sided, allaround performance.

The win moved the Tigerettes to 2-0, and their veteran-heavy roster has shown strong early-season form.

Thrall will look to keep the momentum going with matchups against La Grange and Granger over the weekend.

56-49 to Vista Ridge Granger girls' basketball fell

43-23 to Mart

Liberty Hill

Hutto faced its toughest test of the young season against Liberty Hill, which used its pace and depth to control the game from the opening tip. The Panthers pushed the tempo, scored in transition and consistently found clean looks, making it difficult for the Lady Hippos to keep up defensively.

Despite the loss, Hutto continued to get productive outings from senior forward Taylor Hicks and senior forward Victoria Escobedo. Both anchored the offense and provided energy inside, giving the Lady Hippos a reliable foundation as they navigate their non-district slate.

Although the final score was decisive, the matchup gave Hutto valuable experience against one of Central Texas’ premier girls basketball programs — a test that should benefit the team heading into district play.

Rouse Tournament

The Lady Hippos quickly bounced back, showcasing resilience with a 2-0 start on the opening day of the Rouse Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 13.

Hutto rolled to a 68-45 win over Servio before closing the day with a dominant 65-34 victory over Abilene.

Hicks and Escobedo again led the charge, continuing their strong early-season form and setting the tone on both ends of the court.

Hutto’s improved ball movement and pressure defense also stood out, signaling growth as the team settles into its rhythm.

The Lady Hippos will continue tournament play over the weekend before turning their attention to district competition.

Hutto is set to open district play on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Vista Ridge High School.

Leander

Taylor opened the year with a 49-31 loss to Leander on Friday, Nov.

7, as the Lady Ducks’ offense never found a consistent footing. After falling behind 9-3 in the first quarter, Taylor clawed back to within 12-10 in the second following a fast-break layup from senior forward Tianna Candee.

Senior guard Aubriana Alderete knocked down multiple 3-pointers to keep the Ducks competitive, but Leander pulled away in the second half and built a 35-19 lead in the third quarter. Taylor was unable to recover and dropped its season opener.

Killeen

Taylor showed improvement offensively but fell 58-48 to Killeen on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Alderete once again led the scoring effort with several makes from beyond the arc.

The Lady Ducks trailed 19-11 early, but Candee’s 3-pointer trimmed the deficit to 19-14. A scoring drought followed, allowing Killeen to rattle off a 9-0 run and take a 28-14 lead late in the second quarter.

Taylor responded with fast-break baskets to stay within striking distance and cut the margin to 30-26 early in the third. The Ducks entered the fourth down 40-36, but Killeen closed the game with an 11-2 run to pull away for good.

Rouse Tournament

The Lady Ducks dropped both games on the opening day of the Rouse Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 13, falling to Round Rock 45-25 and Boerne Champion 66-36.

Taylor continues to work through earlyseason growing pains on offense but is gaining valuable experience against high-level competition. The Lady Ducks resume tournament play over the weekend before returning home to face Little River Academy on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 6:15 p.m.

14, at 7:30 p.m. at Lions Stadium in Lockhart.

The Ducks enter the postseason coming off a 34-16 victory over Travis, while the Hawks defeated Pleasanton, 17-13.

Taylor will look to win its first playoff game since the 201617 postseason, when it defeated Burnet, 42-6.

The Ducks are led by sophomore quarterback Johnny Guzman, who has thrown for 1,371 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. Freshman Elijah Afekhena has emerged as his top target, recording 94 yards and two scores against Travis.

Guzman saw limited playing time in last week’s win for undisclosed reasons, making his status a key storyline heading into Friday’s matchup.

On the ground, Taylor boasts a strong rushing attack led by junior running back Eric Walker, who averages more than 102 yards per game and has scored 11 touchdowns. Walker was pivotal in the win over Travis, rushing for 114 yards and two scores. The Ducks will likely need another big performance from him if they hope to end their playoff drought.

Defensively, Taylor will be tested by a Canyon Lake offense that averages more than 40 points per game. The Hawks are led by quarterback Jason Wheeler, who has thrown for 2,300 yards and 23 touchdowns. His top target, junior wide receiver Peyton King, has 832 receiving yards on the year.

The Hawks also feature a productive rushing duo in Gram Simpson and Chris Brown, who have combined for more than 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Canyon Lake’s defense is coming off one of its strongest outings of the season after holding Pleasanton to just 13 points.

For Taylor, establishing the run early and limiting big plays defensively will be key if the Ducks hope to advance past the bi-district round for the first time in nearly a decade.

Taylor (5-5) will face Canyon Lake at 7 p.m. Friday at Lockhart High School. The Ducks are the runners-up of District 13-4A-Division I.

Hutto (8-2) hosts Austin Bowie at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Class 6A-Division I state playoffs. The Hippos are co-district champions of 25-6A.

Granger (10-0) faces D'Hanis at 7 p.m. Friday at Seguin High School. The Lions are the champions of 13-2A-Division II.

Taylor (5-5) will face Canyon Lake at 7 p.m. Friday at Lockhart High School. The Ducks are the runners-up of District 13-4A-Division I.

Hutto (8-2) hosts Austin Bowie at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Class 6A-Division I state playoffs. The Hippos are co-district champions of 25-6A.

Granger (10-0) faces D'Hanis at 7 p.m. Friday at Seguin High School. The Lions are the champions of 13-2A-Division II.

This comes after a historic season where it finished 19-9 overall and 9-1 in district, which was good enough for the district championship.

Senior setter Kary Rogers was named the overall MVP of the district, while sophomore libero Rylinn Hamby received defensive MVP honors.

Senior middle blocker Abigail Couch and junior outside hitter Brooklyn Gaswint were named to the first team.

The Lady Lions had two players selected to the second team: junior setter Riley Fudge and senior middle blocker Krista Hutka.

Senior defensive specialist Izzy Tavernier was an honorable mention.

Granger defeated Mumford 3-0 in the bi-district round of the playoffs before falling 3-1 to Shiner to cap off its successful season.

First time since 2018

HUTTO — In a game that lived up to the hype, the Hutto Hippos fought off McNeil in a 52-49 shootout Friday night to clinch a share of their first district championship since 2018 — accomplishing the feat in head coach Eli Reinhart’s first season at the helm.

“It’s been a great year,” Reinhart said. “Our kids have been awesome and have really accepted the challenge to turn this thing around. We are excited about this opportunity and have made the most of it.”

The Hippos (8-2, 7-1 district) capped a statement regular season under Reinhart, earning the crown behind a dominant performance from senior running back Keilan Chavies, who rushed for 280 yards and a touchdown to power the offense.

Chavies set the tone early with a 45-yard scoring run on the opening drive to give Hutto a 7-0 lead. McNeil responded with a touchdown of its own, but the Hippos continued to push the pace.

Junior receiver Dylan Owens found the end zone on an end-around to make it 14-7, and later caught a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Kaden Stefek to put Hutto back in front 21-14 midway through the second quarter.

The Hippos built a two-score cushion when Stefek hit junior Jaiden Fields for a 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown, stretching the lead to 28-14. A late field goal before halftime gave Hutto a 31-21 advantage.

McNeil opened the second half with momentum after recovering a Hutto fumble at midfield and turning it into points to make it 31-28. From there, the game turned into a fireworks show, as the teams traded touchdowns nearly every possession.

Fields hauled in his second touchdown of the night from 7 yards out to make it 38-35, and Owens continued his huge night with another rushing score late in the third quarter to give the Hippos a 45-35 lead.

Hutto’s defense delivered a critical fourth-down stop near its own 40-yard line, but the Hippos were stopped at the Mavericks’ 3-yard line on the ensuing possession.

Stefek suffered a right ankle injury on that drive but later returned with it wrapped, leading the Hippos’ final scoring drive.

McNeil responded with a 97-yard drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to pull within 45-42 with 5:00 left. Chavies and the Hippo offense answered with a drive that chewed up the clock, capped by Owens’ fourth touchdown of the night — a 2-yard jet sweep that made it 52-42 with 1:57 remaining.

McNeil found the end zone once more with 1:11 left, but Hutto recovered the onside kick, and the district championship celebration was on at Hutto Memorial Stadium.

“It is an amazing environment here, and it was rocking tonight,” Reinhart said.

“I know it will be rocking again next week, so it truly is a home-field advantage. It’s really great to have a home playoff game and for our kids to experience it.”

The Hippos will now host Bowie in the opening round of the playoffs on Friday, Nov.

14.

Freshman wide receiver Elijah Afekhena continued his breakout season with two touchdown catches.

Afekhena opened the scoring on a 40-yard screen pass to make it 7-0. The Ducks' defense then forced a fumble on a sack at the Rebels' 24-yard line as freshman quarterback Jeremiah Caldwell replaced sophomore Johnny Guzman for undisclosed reasons.

Taylor was unable to capitalize on the short field, turning the ball over on downs.

The Ducks also failed to score on their next drive, fumbling in the red zone and giving the Rebels possession at their own 19-yard line.

Special teams swung momentum back in Taylor’s favor when the Ducks blocked a punt, taking over at the Travis 23-yard line. This time, junior running back Eric Walker powered in a 23-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0.

Travis responded with a long drive capped by a field goal before halftime, cutting the lead to 14-3. The Rebels struck again on the opening kickoff of the second half, narrowing the deficit to 14-10.

Taylor answered quickly as the defense scooped up a fumble and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-10.

Travis drove downfield once more, scoring to cut the lead to 21-16 after a failed two-point conversion.

Walker responded with a 25-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 28-16. The Rebels drove into Ducks territory late, but the defense forced a key fourth-down stop.

Caldwell then connected with Afekhena in the back of the end zone to seal the win.

The victory does not affect Taylor’s postseason path, as the Ducks will face Canyon Lake on Friday, Nov. 14.

However, it gives the team momentum heading into playoff action.

The Ducks (4-5, 4-1 district) are coming off a 49-14 loss to Austin LBJ, while Travis (4-5, 2-3 district) defeated Northeast Early College 52-7 last week.

Taylor will look to bounce back from its first district loss of the season, led by sophomore quarterback Johnny Guzman, who has thrown for 1,312 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 393 rushing yards and five scores.

His top targets

have been freshman

wide receiver Elijah Afenkhena and senior Zavier Stokes.

Afenkhena leads the team with 495 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, while Stokes has contributed 236 yards and four scores.

Junior running back Eric Walker anchors the ground game with 915 yards and nine touchdowns, and junior Landon Coulter has added four rushing scores.

The Ducks will face a Rebels defense that has struggled at times this season but is coming off its two best performances, allowing just 14 combined points in those games.

Taylor should still be able to move the ball effectively, as the Ducks are averaging more than 50 points per game this season.

Defensively, Taylor will look to regroup after allowing 49 points to the Jaguars last week. The Rebels’ offense poses a challenge, having scored more than 110 points over the past two games.

To close out the season on a high note, the Ducks will need to slow down Travis’ offensive momentum and capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Regardless of Friday’s outcome, Taylor will finish second in district play behind Austin LBJ and will face Canyon Lake in the first round of the playoffs. The time and location of that game have yet to be determined.

The win marked a strong postseason start for the Lady Lions, who showed resilience and composure in one of their toughest matches of the season.

Granger came out strong in the opening set, taking a 25-20 win behind steady serving and solid defense.

Mumford responded in the second set, evening the match with a 25-20 victory of its own. The Mustangs then carried that momentum into the third, dominating 25-13 to take a 2-1 lead.

With their season on the line, the Lady Lions regrouped and found their rhythm again in the fourth set.

Senior leadership and clutch plays at the net helped Granger edge out a 25-22 win to force a decisive fifth set.

Riding that energy, the Lady Lions took control early in the final frame and never looked back, closing out the match 15-9 to secure the series victory.

With the win, Granger advances to the area round of the playoffs, where they will face Shiner. The time and location of the matchup will be announced at a later date.

But at the start of the second set, Teague turned the tables. The Lady Lions scored the first five points of the second set and never really lost their grip on that momentum, which they used to win the next three sets and claim a 3-1 victory at Mumford High School.

The scores were 18-25, 25-19, 25-15, 25-21. Teague (22-8) won its first playoff match since 2014 and will face either West or Scurry-Rosser in the area round next week.

Thrall finished the season 19-21. The Tigerettes have reached the postseason every year since 2008.

In the opening set, Thrall benefitted from six kills and an ace from Brynn Leschber. Nevaeh Irvin and Brenna Tucek also recorded two kills each in the opening set.

The Lady Lions used two Tigerette errors, a kill from Laynee Morrow and a pair of aces from Nevaeh Coaster to build a 5-0 lead in the second set. Thrall tried to rally behind seven kills and an ace from Leschber, but Teague middle blocker Kameryn Thompson recorded four kills, two blocks and an ace to keep the Lady Lion on top.

The Tigerettes took a 2-0 lead in the third set before the Lady Lions bounced back. Thompson recorded four kills, a block and an ace to help Teague claim the win and move within a set of victory.

Thrall never led in the fourth set, but kept it close behind seven kills from Leschber, two kills and an ace from Tucek, and a kill and two aces from Irvin. But seven kills from Thompson were too much to overcome.

Leschber led the Tigerettes with 28 kills. Thursday’s match was the final high school volleyball match for Irvin, Leschber, Kinley Hoffman, Riley Luton and Abby Rodriguez.

The difference involved multiple Taylor penalties and multiple chunk plays from an LBJ offense that was only stopped on four of its drives.

Following the loss, Taylor head coach Earven Flowers said, “[LBJ] was struggling stopping our offense, and we had opportunities to make plays, but defensively, we can’t give up big plays.”

Taylor started the game off efficiently. The Ducks’ first drive went 12 plays, took up over half of the first quarter and resulted in a rushing touchdown for junior running back Eric Walker.

LBJ responded in three plays with a 67-yard touchdown pass from House to senior wide receiver Louis Hickman.

The Ducks continued to establish the run before surprising the Jaguars with pass from sophomore quarterback Johnny Guzman to freshman wide receiver Elijah Afenkhena on a jump ball.

It took LBJ seven plays to tie it back up after six consecutive rushes with Murray II and finally a 28-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the drive.

LBJ recovered the following kickoff that Taylor failed to field, putting them at the Taylor 21-yard line. The Jaguars took the game over from there and went on to add 21 more points before halftime.

Coming out of halftime down three scores, the Taylor defense showed signs of a comeback after stopping the Jaguar defense twice. The explosiveness of LBJ flourished after that, leading to their dominance.

Regarding the defensive struggles, Flowers said, “That’s something we got to adjust as coaches, and find ways to put our guys in better position and get it corrected for the future and get it corrected before the playoffs.”

Despite a hot start running the ball for Taylor, the LBJ defense never made it easy the rest of the contest and forced the Ducks to throw the ball more than they would have liked. Guzman threw three fourth quarter interceptions, making a comeback insurmountable.

Next up the Ducks will finish the season on the road against Travis (4-5, 2-3) next Friday at Burger Stadium.

Looking ahead to the regular season finale, Flowers said the key to going into playoff with a win is simple.

“Execute and make plays when it’s time they make your play. Travis will be a pretty solid team, and we just can’t make those mistakes that we did tonight,” Flowers said.

Junior defensive back Hunter Frenette sealed the win with an interception in the final 38 seconds, securing a postseason spot for the Hippos.

Hutto fell behind 10-0 early in the second quarter after turning the ball over on downs and allowing the Rangers to capitalize with a touchdown and a field goal.

The Hippos finally got on the board when senior running back Keilan Chavies scored on a 19-yard run, set up by a long kickoff return and a face mask penalty that gave Hutto a short field.

Vista Ridge continued to control the game on the ground and extended its lead to 17-7 with 5:23 left in the first half. The Rangers added a late field goal to make it 20-7, and a Hutto drive just before halftime ended with a goal-line interception.

The Hippos came out energized in the second half as quarterback Kaden Stefek connected with Chavies for an 18-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 20-14. Vista Ridge responded with another long scoring drive to make it 27-14, but Hutto refused to go away.

Stefek found the end zone himself on a 3-yard run to make it 27-21, though the Rangers answered again to extend their lead to 34-21 with 11:55 remaining.

Hutto then mounted its comeback, scoring 14 unanswered points. Stefek connected with junior wide receiver Jaiden Fields for touchdown passes of 6 and 15 yards to give the Hippos their first lead, 35-34, with 6:50 left in the game.

Stefek finished with 263 total yards and four touchdowns. Fields led all receivers with 170 yards and two scores, while Chavies totaled 70 yards and two touchdowns.

Vista Ridge had one final chance to rally, but Frenette’s interception sealed the win as Hutto celebrated its return to the postseason.

The Hippos will look to clinch a share of the district championship when they host McNeil on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m.

Instead, the Tigers scored the next two touchdowns, forced two second-half fumbles and, after a Wes Smileyto- Reed Crabb 10-yard scoring strike early in the fourth quarter, found themselves down by only two touchdowns.

The game was within reach if everything went their way. But the Comfort Bobcats drove 71 yards in four minutes, scoring on a 10-yard run to move the scoreboard to 57-35 with just 3:30 left in the game.

A final Thrall score, C.J. Kelm’s 2-yard TD brought the Tigers within 14 points again, but with only 1:33 left to play. The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Comfort, which ran out the clock for the 57-43 win.

“It was a big game.

Obviously, you just want to win. It doesn't matter if you win 2-0 or 52-0, you just want to win,” Vanacek said after the contest.

“We had some self-inflicted wounds that gave us some fits throughout the game, and that was unfortunate,” the coach added.

Three Tigers — Kelm, Smiley and Mason Rodriguez — each tallied two scores on the night to pace the offense. The defense couldn’t stop the Bobcat attack in the first half, as Comfort scored every time it touched the ball in running away to a 36-7 lead. The Bobcats ran for 552 yards and had a pair of 100-yard rushers in Gabriel Gonzales (14 carries, 193 yards, two touchdowns) and Carter Pape (15 carries, 159 yards, TD). This marked the second week in a row that Thrall lost to an opponent who did not complete a pass as Blanco ran for more than 450 yards in a 49-3 rout of the Tigers Oct. 17.

Despite the rough first half, Rodriguez’s scores put the Tigers back in the hunt. He scored on an 8-yard run with just 19 seconds left in the first half, then produced the first touchdown of the second half, trimming the Comfort lead to two scores, at 36-22.

But the Tigers would get no closer, trading scores the rest of the way en route to the 57-43 final.

“You look at every game this year; we beat Lexington in the second half, Blanco’s the only game since week two we didn’t win the second half,” Vanacek said.

“Unfortunately, that last four or five minutes of the second quarter is something we haven’t been able to master.”

Kelm (16 carries, 92 yards, two TDs), Smiley (21 carries, 84 yards, TD) and Rodriguez (10 carries, 51 yards, two TDs) led the Thrall rushing attack. Smiley also completed 16 of 27 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.

Logan Heselmeyer led the Tigers in receiving with six catches for 113 yards. Crabb (three catches, 33 yards, TD) and Jack Gustafson (four catches, 33 yards) also had multiple catches.

The loss drops Thrall to 2-7, 0-3 in District 13-3A DII, with only one game left, a home game Friday with the Rogers Eagles, who are 5-3, 1-1 in district. If the Tigers defeat the Eagles by 15 points or more and both Rogers and Comfort lose out, Thrall would be involved in a three-way tie with those teams.

The district tiebreaker is 15 points margin of victory. Rogers defeated Comfort, 39-6, Oct. 17, which gives the Eagles the 15-point maximum.

The Bobcats defeated the Tigers by 14, which means Thrall clinches a playoff spot in the event of a three-way tie if it beats Rogers by 15 or more. Comfort faces Lexington this week and Blanco the next, while Rogers battles Lexington in two weeks.

In a surprise move, freshman quarterback Jeremiah Caldwell got the start in the first quarter before sophomore Johnny Guzman took over in the second.

The Ducks’ defense set the tone early, forcing a three-and-out to open the game. Caldwell put Taylor on the board with a 40-yard touchdown run on a read option, followed by a successful two-point conversion as Landon Coulter ran on a screen pass to make it 8-0.

Taylor’s defense continued to dominate the line of scrimmage, keeping Eastside behind the chains and forcing another quick punt.

Caldwell then showed off his arm with a strike to junior wideout Zavier Stokes in the back of the end zone, extending the lead to 16-0 after another successful twopoint try. Eastside finally broke through with a 40-yard rushing touchdown on a misdirection double handoff, set up by a 25-yard completion that moved the Panthers into Taylor territory. The Ducks answered quickly with another touchdown to make it 22-6, though they failed on the twopoint attempt.

That score ended the first quarter, as Guzman entered the game after sitting out the opening period for unknown reasons.

Guzman immediately made his presence felt by breaking off a 25-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 29-6. On the next possession, he connected with freshman wide receiver Elijah Afenkenka for another touchdown, pushing the lead to 36-6.

Guzman later exited with what appeared to be an ankle injury before halftime and did not return. Eastside capitalized on a busted pass coverage with a 50-yard touchdown on a slant route just before the break, trimming the lead to 36-12.

Caldwell returned under center to open the second half but threw an interception early in the third quarter. The Panthers then mounted a lengthy drive, chewing nearly eight minutes off the clock, but came up empty after the Ducks came through with a fourth-down stop inside their own 20.

Junior running back Eric Walker sealed the game late with a pair of long runs, including a 40-yard touchdown to close the scoring.

Walker led the team in rushing with more than 100 yards and a touchdown.

The Ducks improved to 4-4 overall and 4-0 in district play. Taylor will look to stay perfect in district competition when it hosts fellow unbeaten Austin LBJ on Friday, Oct. 31, at Taylor High School.

The Granger Lions varsity football team defeated the Iola Bulldogs, 56-14, during its homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 17. Senior running back Caleb Hobratsch led the way with more than 200 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Granger continued its dominant district run in its first game at its brandnew stadium, which was completed before the season but had been unplayable due to water line issues that forced the Lions to use their old field.

Despite the excitement of the homecoming crowd and new surroundings, Iola nearly played spoiler early. The Bulldogs leaned on their run game and a few timely big plays through the air to grab a 14-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Granger struck first with an early touchdown before Iola answered to tie the game. The Lions regained the lead when senior quarterback Wyatt Rochner capped the drive with an 8-yard rushing touchdown, set up by a 50-yard kick return that placed the ball at the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line. A failed two-point conversion left the score at 13-7.

Iola responded with a 2-yard rushing touchdown after a long pass play set up the shortyardage score, giving the Bulldogs their only lead of the night at 14-13. But the advantage didn’t last long, as Hobratsch broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.

Granger added a successful two-point conversion to make it 21-14.

From there, the Lions’ defense took control. A fourth-down stop gave Granger prime field position at the Iola 38-yard line, and Rochner connected with multiple receivers on the ensuing drive to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Hobratsch—his second of the night—extending the lead to 28-14. Granger’s defense forced another turnover on downs, and Hobratsch delivered the highlight of the game, hurdling a defender on his way to a 43-yard touchdown run that made it 35-14.

He added another score before halftime, sending the Lions into the break with a 42-14 advantage.

Hobratsch stayed hot in the second half, breaking loose for his fifth touchdown of the night late in the third quarter to push the lead to 49-14.

Rochner capped the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 70-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Caleb Tucker.

Rochner finished with three total touchdowns, making an impact both through the air and on the ground in another efficient performance.

The Lions (7-0, 4-0 in district) will remain at home next week to take on Somerville on Friday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m.