2017 - Lake Travis vs Converse Judson

A recap of the second round play-off game between Lake Travis and Converse Judson and I shine the barbecue spotlight on Micklethwait Craft Meats.  Here's my video from this adventure:

For this game, I went to Darrel K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, the home of the Longhorns.  This grand old stadium has witnessed many great football games.  This day it was the site of a second round play-off game between the Lake TravisCavaliers and the Converse Judson Rockets.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous: temperature in the high 70s, blue skies, not much wind.  A great day for football.This is the kind of game that makes the play-offs so much fun. . .

This is the kind of game that makes the play-offs so much fun. . .

These two teams are both perennial powers of Texas high school football.  Lake Travis is the only Texas school to win 5 state championships in a row, doing that from 2007 to 2011.  Hank Carter was the head coach for the last of those two in 2010 and 2011.  He coached his third championship team and Lake Travis' sixth state championship when the Cavaliers won last year.  

Converse Judson can also boast of their six state championships, the last coming in 2002.  Sean McAuliffe is a graduate of Judson and has been the head coach of the Rockets since 2014.  He is looking for his first state title.  

The Cavs and Rockets know each other well.  Judson was the only team to beat Lake Travis in 2016 as the Cavs claimed their sixth championship.  The Rockets won again this year in a rout in the season opener.  It’s awful hard to beat the same team three times in a row, especially twice in the same season.  Let’s add in the pressure of the play-offs just for fun.  One team moves on, the other goes home.  Cavaliers and Rockets. . .  It should be a good one.

I also had some real good barbecue I want to show you. . .

The Barbecue

OK, let’s see now. . .  Play-off game in Austin at DKR.  Lots of super barbecue places in town, but I should find a joint close to the stadium.  I haven’t been to Micklethwait’s in a long time.  They made the Texas Monthly Top 50 list last June and are near the UT campus.  Sounds good, let’s give ‘em a try.

Micklethwait’s Craft Meats is located at 1309 Rosewood Avenue, east of I-35 and just off 11^th Street.  They have been serving barbecue out of a trailer at this location for several years now.  They have upgraded their spot with shade canopies since my last visit.

I ordered my standard half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  I found a place to sit at one of the picnic tables.  The brisket was outstanding: great outer bark, deep smoky flavor.  The thick slices were so tender they easily cut with a plastic fork.  The ribs were some of the best I’ve eaten.  Served warm, the meat was juicy and tender.  It bit easily from the bone and had a great smoky taste.  The barbecue was served with crunchy, homemade pickles, sliced red onions, and a side of sauce.  The sauce had a touch of mustard and a nice sweet flavor that went well with the meat.

The staff at Micklethwait’s was very friendly and good to chat with, but part of my fun is getting a chance to talk with some of the other patrons while standing in line.  This time around I met a wonderful family from Texas that now lives in South Carolina.  They were here to enjoy some classic Texas barbecue.  We enjoyed swapping tales of great barbecue eaten and football games seen.  Great way to spend time on a beautiful afternoon in Austin.

Micklethwait’s Craft Meats smokes some great barbecue and their spot on the Texas Monthly list is very well deserved.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Judson had two long drives into Lake Travis territory to start the game and came away with no points.  On their second drive, quarterback Matthew Baldwin threw to Hudson Card who outraced the defense for a 55 yard touchdown to give the Cavs an early 7-0 lead.  The Rockets answered with a 31 yard field goal to make it 7-3.

           Matthew Baldwin throws to Hudson Card for a 55 yard touchdown

The Cavs stormed back, capping off a drive with a 15 yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson to extend the lead to 14-3.

Then it was time for the Julon Williams show.  He ran a quarterback draw 72 yards for a touchdown.  A fumble by the Cavs was recovered in the end zone by Baldwin to give Judson a safety.  After the free kick, Williams ran 9 yards for a touchdown and Judson took the lead at 19-14.  A pass by Baldwin was intercepted on the Cavs 35.  Williams threw to a receiver diving into the end zone to push the lead to 26-14. Cameron Dicker connected on a 48 yard field goal late in the second quarter and the teams went to half time with the score 26-17.

     Julon Williams goes 72 yards on a quarterback draw for a Judson touchdown

The teams traded scoring passes early in the third quarter.  Baldwin connected with Garrett Wilson for a 73 yard touchdown.  The two point conversion made the score 26-25.  Julon Williams threw a 42 yard touchdown pass to Kishaun Fisher to push the lead to 33-25.

The Cavs returned the kick-off to midfield.  On third down, running back Kyle Wakefield hurdled over a tackler to get a critical first down.  Baldwin threw to Garrett Wilson for a 6 yard touchdown.  The try for two failed leaving the score 33-31.

      Garrett Wislon scores one of his four touchdowns on the day

After Lake Travis missed a 46 yard field goal, Julon Williams’ threw deep, but his pass was intercepted by Nathan Parodi.  The Cavs scored on an option pitch to Hudson Card.  Baldwin threw to Card for the two point conversion to make the score 39-33 midway through the fourth quarter.

The Rockets were forced to punt on their next possession.  The snap sailed over the punter’s head, giving the Cavs first and goal.  Garrett Wilson scored from five yards out.  Another two point try moved the Cavs to a 47-33 lead with 5:18 left to play.

The Rockets only needed two minutes to go 75 yards, with Julon Williams running the last 9 yards for a touchdown.  The extra point was blocked, leaving the Cavs ahead by eight at 47-39 with 3:15 in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets must get the ball back if they have any hopes.  Their onside kick was successful and Judson took possession at midfield.  Facing third and 19, Julon Williams pass was incomplete.  For Judson, their season came down to one play.  Williams scrambled, but was sacked by Kade Langston.  The Cavaliers ran out the clock and claimed the victory.

        Kade Langston sacks Julon Williams to seal the win for Lake Travis

Congratulations to Converse Judson for the fine season they had.  Good luck to Lake Travis as they go on the road to face Los Fresnos in third round play-off action next week.

2017 - Dripping Springs vs LBJ

Dripping Springs and LBJ in first round play-off action.  Plus a look at the barbecue served at Payne's Bar-B-Q Shak in Burnet, Texas.  Here's my video of this adventure:

I went to Kelley Reeves Athletic Complex in Round Rock to see a first round play-off game between the Dripping Springs Tigers and the LBJ Jaguars.  Galen Zimmerman has been the head coach of the Dripping Springs Tigers since 2015.  He leads a team that was undefeated on the season at 10-0 and won the 5A District 26 title.  

LBJ has a unique coaching situation.  Andrew Jackson has been the head coach of LBJ for the past five seasons, but he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  Demosesneeds Odems is an LBJ alum and serves as the on-field coach when Coach Jackson is unable to attend.  Between the two of them, the Jaguars finished third in 5A District 25 with an overall record of 7-3.

The weather for this game was absolutely gorgeous.  The temperature was in the low 80s at kick-off.  There had been a good breeze coming out of the south all day, but weather wasn't going to have much of an impact on the game.

The play-off format is very simple.  Win six games and your team puts the big hardware in the trophy case at school.  Lose any one game and your team is out.  Their season came to a screeching halt.  Dripping Springs made it to the fourth round last year, LBJ was eliminated in the first round in 2016.  Both teams hope to go further this year.  Tigers and Jaguars. . . it should be a good one.

Before we talk football, let me show you the barbecue I enjoyed previously. . .

The Barbecue

Since this was the opening weekend of the football play-offs, I thought I’d go on a quick road trip.  I talked my wife into joining me for a short drive to Burnet, Texas.  I had heard good things about Payne’s Bar-B-QShak and they made the Texas Monthly Top 50 list published this year.  This should be good.

Payne’s is located at 616 Buchanan Drive (Texas Highway 29) in Burnet in a long, low building just off the road.  When you first walk in, the dining area is to your left.  A set of picnic tables lined end to end down the middle and a long counter against the window.  To your right is the serving area.  I ordered a half a pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  My wife ordered a slice of smoked turkey and some lean brisket.  They have a variety of self service side dishes and offer a scoop of beans for free.

We found a spot at one of the picnic tables in the dining room and dug in.  The brisket was a bit dry and flaky, but was very tender with a deep smoky flavor.  The ribs were very tasty, with the tender meat easily biting from the bone.  I also enjoyed the bite of turkey I stole off my wife’s plate.  Payne’s serves a typical tomato based red sauce that was thick and savory.  It went well with the brisket and the complimentary beans went down real good.

As my wife and I ate, Robert Payne walked through the dining room, greeting and talking with people.  Super friendly and outgoing, he had a good word for everybody.  When I finished eating, he gave me a tour of his smoking shed and his pits.  He and his wife Penny opened the Bar-B-Q Shak in 2011 when he retired.  When they first opened, everybody who worked there was family: kids, grandkids, etc.  They have been in business long enough now, they’ve had to hire family friends.  Robert started off using mesquite wood, but the locals didn’t like the after taste, so he switched to using nothing but oak.  Business had been doing well and has gotten even better after the write-ups in Texas Monthly.  Had his wife not called him back to work, I might still be talking with Robert.

Robert Payne

Truly good barbecue prepared and served by super people is always a winning combination in Texas.  Payne’s Bar-B-Q Shak excels at both and has made Burnet a barbecue hot spot.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Unfortunately for LBJ, this game was affectively over by half time.  Dripping Springs got the ball for seven possessions in the first half.  They scored touchdowns on the first six.  They scored through the air: quarterback Trevor Greenman threw to Keith Mitchhart for a thirty yard touchdown to open the scoring.  After Ryland Kinnard intercepted a pass from LBJ quarterback Brian Batts, the Tigers scored on the ground as Greenman ran forty yards to make it 14-0. 

                    Trevor Greenman throws to Keith Mitchhart for the first score of the game

LBJ tried to get back in the game late in the first quarter.  Batts completed a couple of big passes to Donte Bourgeois.  The Jags scored on a three yard run by Deon Collins to make it 14-7.  After a 75 yard scoring drive by the Tigers (capped off by a 28 yard touchdown pass to Johnny Hoyle), LBJ racked up six points on a short run by Batts.  The extra point try failed, leaving the score 21-13.

Dripping Springs scored on their next three possessions: a 63 yard touchdown pass from Greenman to Hoyle, a four yard run by Jake Cox, and a 65 yard strike to Parker Alford.

               Greenman throws deep to Parker Alford for a 65 yard touchdown

Leading 42-13 late in the second quarter, the Tigers recovered a fumble for their seventh possession of the half.  Greeman was sacked by the Jaguar defense and fumbled.  But the Tiger defense made up for it.  Reed Beverly Intercepted another pass off Batts and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown.  The pick six made the half time score 49-13.

                 Reed Beverly takes a pick six 84 yards to score for Dripping Springs

The Tigers got the ball to start the third quarter.  Greenman picked up big yards on the ground, then found Mitchhart alone in the end zone for another touchdown to extend the lead to 56-13.  I started packing up my stuff. Dripping Springs got the ball back and started a drive that ended with a 32 yard field goal.  At 59-13, I headed for the exit.

LBJ would score twice in the second half to make the final score 59-29.  Their defense had no answers for the Tiger offense.  Trevor Greenman completed only 11 of 16 passes, but for five touchdowns and 249 yards.  He and Jake Cox each ran for 132 yards as the Tigers rolled up 304 on the ground (553 total yards).  Dripping Springs will play Foster in the second round.

2017 - Taylor vs Canyon Lake

A review of the district game between Taylor and Canyon Lake.  Also a look at the barbecue cooked up at Louie Mueller's Barbecue.  Here's my video of this adventure:

I went to Taylor, Texas to see the Ducks in action against their district rival Canyon Lake Hawks.  Rusty Purser has been the head coach of the Ducks since 2012.  He leads a team with a 6-3 overall record on the season, but they are undefeated in district.  Charley Drum was an assistant coach at Canyon Lake when the school first opened in 2007.  He took the head coaching job in 2012 and brings in a team with a 7-2 season record.  The Hawks are also unbeaten in district play.

It was overcast on game night, with the temperature around 62 degrees.  Not much wind, no rain in the forecast.  A great night for football.

Taylor entered this game on a three game winning streak.  Canyon Lake had won their last five in a row.  This game will decide the 4A District 14 champion.  Ducks and Hawks. . .  It should be a good one.

Before the game, I stopped off to get some barbecue. . .

The Barbecue

If I am going to be in Taylor to see football, there is only one place to eat barbecue: Louie Mueller’s, the Godfather of Texas barbecue.  According to the Google, they are open until 6 PM every night.  I called ahead Friday afternoon to see if they would still have a full compliment of brisket and ribs.  I was told they could not guarantee anything for late in the day, but I could place an order early and it would be ready when I arrived before game time.  Sounded good, so I went ahead and ordered a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs. 

Before leaving Austin to make the drive to Taylor, I got a call from Louie Mueller’s.  Someone had forgotten to cut my two pork ribs and now they were out.  They apologized for the mistake and said they would comp anything I might want as a replacement, so I just doubled up on the brisket.

When I arrived after 5 PM, three ladies were working the counter.  I introduced myself and was given a sack with my order.  I also got some tea and a bag of Fritos.  As I paid, they again apologized for the mistake and reminded me once more that my extra brisket was being comped.

The brisket was picture perfect: big thick slices, great outer bark, super tender, deep smoky flavor.  The sauce I was given was thin and watery, but it was totally unnecessary.  I could not finish all the brisket, so I took the rest home where it tasted great a day later.

After I ate, I walked back to the counter to talk with the ladies.  We said a few words, but they acted like they couldn’t care less about me.  It was near closing time, they were starting to clean things up, and they were probably tired.  I was taken aback by their attitude.  I have met so many wonderful people at different barbecue joints across Texas who are friendly and outgoing.  People who take pride in what they are cooking and want to share their love and excitement about barbecue with their patrons.  And then there were these ladies. . .

Without eating any of their ribs, I can only rate Louie Mueller’s a single Hook ‘Em.  Maybe that’s a reason to go back some time, also to see if the crew that works the lunch time rush is any friendlier.

The Game

Early in the game, neither team could sustain a drive, so they exchanged punts.  Late in the first quarter, Canyon Lake began a drive from their own 13 yard line.  Quarterback Benjamin Fulton’s pass to Tristan Chicon was short of the yardage needed, forcing another punt.  A Taylor penalty gave the Hawks a first down and new life.  Chicon picked up a huge gain on a Frog Draw. Connor Rose fumbled at the end of his run, but recovered the ball himself.  JT Greene scored from two yards out to give the Hawks an early 7-0 lead with 9:51 in the second quarter.

                      Tristan Chicon (#20) takes off on a Frog Draw for the Hawks

Deep into the second quarter, Canyon Lake started from their own 16 yard line.  Greene made a good catch to make a first down.  After a chop block penalty, the Hawks faced first and 25.  Greene ripped off 31 yards on another Frog Draw to get the first down.  But Jacob Ruff fumbled and Taylor recovered to end the threat.  The Hawks led at halftime 7-0.

Canyon Lake started the third quarter on their 13 yard line.  Tristan Chicon had another long run.  A face mask penalty gave the Hawks first and goal from the five.  Micah St. John scored from two yards out to extend the Hawks lead to 14-0.

                      Another long run by Chicon sets up a touchdown

Late in the third quarter, Taylor quarterback Ryan Gardner scrambled, then found Travis Gardner over the middle for a big gain.  On the next play, Ryan Gardner scrambled again, but this time scored on a 21 yard run.  The extra point trimmed the lead to 14-7.

                Ryan Gardner scrambles for 21 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks

The teams exchanged punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter.  Taylor took possession on the 21 yard line.  On third and four, Ryan Gardner scrambled and found Travis Gardner on the sideline.  He cut back to the middle of the field and was tackled on the 27.  Delane Hornsby ran for a 27 yard touchdown for the Ducks.  The extra point tied the game at 14.

              Travis Gardner makes the catch and sets up the tying touchdown

Benjamin Fulton connected with JT Greene for another big pass play for the Hawks.  Fulton carried the ball himself for the go ahead touchdown.  The extra point made it 21-14 with less than six minutes to play.

Taylor needed to respond, but the Canyon Lake defense forced the Ducks to go three and out.  A good punt return gave the Hawks the ball on the Ducks 47.  Canyon Lake turned to their power running game to move the ball and wind the clock.  Another one yard plunge by Micah St. John put the Hawks ahead 28-14 with only 1:47 in the game.

            Tristan Chicon gashed the Ducks defense for 170 yards on the night

Needing points fast, Fulton flung the ball deep where it was caught by Hornsby for a huge gain.  But on fourth down, Fulton’s short pass to Hornsby failed to pick up a first down.  Canyon Lake killed the clock and claimed the district title with the 28-14 win.

Ryan Gardner only completed three of the six passes he threw for the Hawks.  Their dominating run game gained 394 yards on the night and led to Canyon Lake having over 35 minutes in time of possession.  The Hawks will face Gatesville in the first round of the play-offs.

Despite the loss, Taylor also made the play-offs.  The will play China Spring in the first round.  This was the last game to be played at Taylor Memorial Field.  The stadium is 100 years old and a new stadium is being built for the Ducks.  After the game, Taylor seniors walked across the field one last time, followed by a special “Turn Out the Lights” ceremony.  

2017 - Cedar Park vs Hutto

A recap of the district game between Cedar Park and Hutto and a look at the barbecue served at Smokey J's Bar-B-Q.  Here's my video of this adventure.

I returned to Gupton Stadium in Cedar Park to see the Timberwolves in action against their 5A District 19 rival, the Hutto Hippos.  Carl Abseck’s T’wolves team is 7-1 on the season.  Their only loss coming in the first week of the season to 6A Waco Midway.  The T’wolves are perfect in district play.  Steven Van Meter leads a Hippos team that is perfect on the season at 8-1.

It was a beautiful Friday evening.  The temperature at game time was about 83 degrees.  No wind, just perfect for football.

In the three years Carl Abseck has been the head coach at Cedar Park, they have never lost a district game.  Will this be the night? 

Timberwolves and Hippos. . .  It should be a good one.

But before I talk about the game, let me mention the barbecue I had eaten earlier. . .

The Barbecue

At the intersection of US 620 and RR 2222, just behind the 7-11 store and across the street from the pharmacy, you’ll find Smokey J’s Bar-B-Q.  I had driven past this joint many times on my way to and from Lake Travis over the years.  This time I decided to stop in and give their barbecue a taste test.

I walked up to the window and breathed in the smell of barbecue cooking.  I ordered my usual half pound of brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  While they have pulled pork, Smokey J’s does not serve pork ribs.  They don’t have beef ribs either.  You can order meat by the plate or the pound, but the focus here is serving barbecue sandwiches.  But they do sell sausage and I got myself a smoked link.

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The brisket was cut thin on a meat slicer.  I could not see through it, but I do prefer my brisket to be a thicker cut.  Anyway, it was tender and tasty.  I can imagine it would go down good on a sandwich.  The sausage link was very good: nice snap when I bit into it, good chew, not a lot of fillers, and not a lot of grease squirting out of it.  Very tasty.  They serve a typical, savory tomato based sauce.  And best of all: I got decent brisket, a tasty sausage link, and a glass of ice tea for just $9.  Please note: they do not take credit cards.

Smokey J’s has a large outside area with covered picnic tables and seating.  It’s a good place to get some barbecue to go as you head to the lake or a great place where you can relax and unwind after a hard day on the lake.  They have been here for years and it’s like their prices are stuck in the 1980s.  If you’re hungry and near Lake Travis, give Smokey J’s a try.

I rate this barbecue a single Hook ‘Em!

The Game

The Hippos connected on a 27 yard field goal on their opening drive to take an early 3-0 lead.

The Timberwolves came right back.  Ryan Fiala hit Brandon Breed in stride for a 62 yard touchdown.  The extra point made it 7-3.

                               Ryan Fiala hits Brandon Breed in stride for a 62 yard touchdown                                        

Midway through the second quarter, Cedar Park drove deep into Hutto territory.  Luke Policke rumbled 13 yards to push the T’wolves lead to 14-3.

Later in the second quarter, quarterback Chase Griffin threw to Caleb Forrest for a 31 yard gain.  Pass interference gave the Hippos first and goal from the eight.  The T’wolves defense stiffened and the Hippos settled for a 25 yard field goal to make it 14-6.

On two different drives late in the first half, Hutto had a chance to intercept a Cedar Park pass, but could not hang onto the ball.  With less than a minute to go in the second quarter, Griffin found DJ Baptist for a 36 yard touchdown.  The point after failed and the teams went to the locker room with the score 14-12.

                              Chase Griffin and DJ Baptist hook up for a 36 yard touchdown

On the first play of the third quarter, Ryan Fiala found Brandon Breed behind the defense for a 56 yard touchdown.  The extra point extended the lead for Cedar Park to 21-12.  On the T’wolves next possession, another big pass to Breed and a 16 yard run by Ibri Leal set up a one yard plunge by Josh Walker to push the lead to 28-12.

Late in the third and into the fourth quarter, the T’wolves were content to run the ball and kill the clock.  That set up a play action pass from Fiala to Carson Neel good for a 29 yard touchdown.  The extra point widened the lead to 35-12.

                      Fiala fakes a handoff, then throws to Carson Neel for a 29 yard touchdown

In the fourth quarter, the Hippo offense finally got untracked.  Griffin threw long to Baptist who out raced the defense to the end zone.  On their next drive, Griffin threw to Baptist.  He made a great spin move to get free of the defenders and was pushed out of bounds on the one yard line.  Jayden Medina scored the touchdown, but the try for two failed making the final score 35-25.

                       Griffin to Baptist connection works again for a 62 yard touchdown

Cedar Park dominated this game on both sides of the ball.  Chase Griffin threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns for Hutto, but he and his receivers were harassed all night by the T’wolves defense.  The Hippos ended the game with -28 yards rushing.  The Hippos had more time of possession, but Cedar Park ran for 175 yards and passed for another 227.  Ryan Fiala completed 11 of the 17 passes he threw with three touchdowns.  With the win, Cedar Park claims the district title once again.

2017 - Hutto vs Rouse

Fun in Hutto on a Friday night.  A look at Heart of Texas Barbecue and a recap of the Hutto vs Rouse football game.

I went to Hutto Memorial Stadium where the Hippos hosted their district rival Rouse.  Steven Van Meter has been the head coach of the Hippos for five seasons.  They have a perfect 7-0 record this year.  They have been averaging over 50 points a game while allowing less than 17.  I saw the Hippos in action against Georgetown when they won on a last second field goal.  Joshua Mann has been the head coach at Rouse since the school first opened in 2008.  Prior to that, he had been an assistant coach at Cedar Park.

A cold front pushed its way through central Texas earlier in the week.  The temperature was around 53 degrees at kick-off, but fell after the sun went down.  No rain in the forecast, but a strong breeze out of the north could have an impact on the game.

This could be a trap game for Hutto.  They could be looking ahead to next week’s road game against Cedar Park that could decide the district champion.  Rouse is currently in fourth place in the district.  They need wins to keep their play-off hopes alive.  It should be a good one. . .

On a night with a beautiful Texas sunset, let me show you the barbecue I enjoyed prior to the game. . .

The Barbecue

In an open lot next to some small shops in the Hutto “downtown” area, you’ll find Heart of Texas Barbecue at 206-A Farley Street, a block north of highway US 79.  Parking in that area was at a premium on a Friday evening.  I was lucky to find an empty slot just a few spots away, so I parked the van and walked inside.  They had a big lot with several covered tables and shady trees.

I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and their “rib basket”.  While a nice lady prepared my order, I scooped up some pickles and onions from a side cooler.  They had three different kinds of sauce, so I grabbed a squeeze bottle of each and set things down on a covered table.  The brisket was very good.  It had a good outer bark and a smoky flavor.  It was tender and just a wee bit dry, but it was also late in the day.  I enjoyed it.  I got four baby back pork ribs in my rib basket.  They were tender with a rich smoky taste.  They meat had to be chewed off the bone, but it went down good.  The three different sauces weren’t all that much different.  Each was a typical red, tomato based sauce: one ever so slightly sweeter, another maybe spicier. 

It was a windy evening with the temperatures starting to drop when I ate at Heart of Texas, so I ate and cleaned up quickly.  But I imagine this would be a nice place to spend a lazy summer afternoon, enjoying the shade and a gentle breeze while eating some good barbecue. 

Heart of Texas Barbecue in Hutto – good food at very reasonable prices.  I give this barbecue a single Hook ‘Em!

The Game

The Hippos drove 70 yards on their second possession.  Quarterback Chase Griffin connected with DJ Baptist for an 11 yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0.

                                  Chase Griffin (#11) throws a touchdown to DJ Baptist (#7)

                                         

A Rouse punt hit one of the Hutto blockers.  Chux Nwabuko smartly scooped up the ball and made a good return.  Griffin found Baptist again which set up a short scoring run by Nwabuko to push the lead to 14-0.

                                   Chux Nwabuko (#1) returns a punt for big yardage

The Raiders had a decent drive going in the second quarter, but a high snap slipped through quarterback Ethan Moore’s hands for a big loss.  Griffin tossed to Baptist for a 6 yard touchdown pass to make it 21-0.  The Hippos connected on a 30 yard field goal as time expired to end the half.  They went into the locker room up 24-0.

Rouse got the ball to start the third quarter.  Trying to get back into the game, the Raiders failed to convert on fourth down and gave up the ball in their own territory.  Griffin threw to Nwabuko for a big gain to the Raiders 11.  He found Baptist open in the end zone once again for an 11 yard touchdown pass that made the score 31-0.

                                  The Griffin to Baptist connection works again for a score

The route was on, so I started packing my stuff up.  In the mean time, Rouse had to punt again and the Hippos went on another drive.  Griffin threw to Caden Beran whose dive into the end zone made it 38-0.

As I walked to my van in the parking lot, the stadium announcer called out big plays for Hutto and the home crowd cheered madly.  I glanced at the scoreboard as I drove away and saw that the Hippos had scored again to make it 45-0.  Somewhere in the fourth quarter as I drove back to Austin, Ethan Moore threw a 35 yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Poston to make the final score 45-7.

I was wrong about a couple of things around this game.  I thought Hutto might be looking ahead and could be upset.  They weren’t.  I also thought Rouse was a better team than their record showed.  They weren’t.  Oh well. . .