2018 - Wakeland vs Lone Star

I went up to Dallas for the big Texas-OU weekend.  That gave me a chance to eat barbecue at Hutchins BBQ in Frisco and see the game between Wakeland and Lone Star.  Here is my video from this adventure:

The Texas-OU game was Saturday afternoon.  I spent Friday night in Frisco.  First off, I had barbecue at Hutchins new restaurant with my brother.  Then we went to the Cowboys Star to see the Wakeland Wolverines face off against their district rival, the Lone Star Rangers.

The Barbecue

I had the pleasure of eating at Hutchins BBQ in McKinney, Texas back in August, 2017 (TP 209 – Kansas City Road Trip).  When my brother suggested we try their new restaurant in Frisco, I was all in. 

Located at 9225 Preston Road, Hutchins BBQ is in an impressive stand alone building in a small shopping center.  Several of their travelling smokers are parked out front with a huge stack of wood just behind them.  Wisps of smoke coming out of the big smokestacks filled the air with the sweet smell of barbecue cooking – ah, Texas perfume.

There was a small line of people waiting to order as we walked in.  Jose was the man behind the counter, taking orders and slicing meats.  I got my standard order of moist brisket and pork ribs.  Having been given a taste of their burnt ends in McKinney, I ordered a quarter pound of those as well.  I looked for the au jus my wife had gotten in McKinney, but missed it.  Probably right in front of me.  Oh well. . .  My brother ordered a brisket sandwich and a couple of their jalapeno poppers (big jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and brisket, wrapped in bacon, dipped in barbecue sauce, and smoked).  We got some iced tea, pickles and onions, and found a cozy spot to eat.

The barbecue was outstanding.  The thick slices were tender and juicy.  Great outer bark, deep smoky flavor.  The ribs were big and meaty, with a nice smoky flavor.  The meat was very tender and easily bit from the bone.  They had a spicy red sauce with a hint of vinegar that paired well with the meats.  My brother gave me a sample of the jalapeno poppers:  spicy, but not too hot; super tasty.  The burnt ends were a real treat.  Delicious outer crust, moist and tender.  We couldn’t finish them, so I wrapped a couple in some tin foil to sneak into the football game.  Great for a halftime snack.

While I’m not much for sides, I do like desserts.  As they do in McKinney, Hutchins Frisco offers free peach cobbler and banana pudding for people dining in.  I couldn’t resist and got a scoop of each.  The cobbler was warm, the naner puddin’ was almost as creamy as ice cream.  Both were very good.  

I had a chance to introduce myself to Jose.  I mentioned my visit to their McKinney restaurant and meeting Wayne.  Jose said he had worked at the original joint for some time and that Wayne was his manager.  Jose had only recently started working in Frisco.

When many restaurants start adding locations, they lose control of quality.  The food is not as good, the service is worse, etc.   That’s not the case with Hutchins Frisco.  The barbecue is fantastic, the service is wonderful, and the people are friendly.  Jose and the crew in Frisco are doing an outstanding job.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

The Cowboys Star is the new world headquarters for the Dallas Cowboys.  A 91 acre development, it includes office space, restaurants, practice fields, and training facilities.  It also includes the Ford Center, a 12,000 seat indoor football stadium.  Almost a miniature version of Jerry’s World where the Cowboys play.  Comfortable seats, climate controlled.  It must be great having Jerry Jones as a neighbor.

I have seen a lot of really great, exciting football games over the years.  Unfortunately, this game was not one of them.  Far from it.  

Wakeland got the ball to start the game and moved into Lone Star territory.  Quarterback Dylan Laible’s pass was picked off by Jordan Etienne to kill the drive.  Later in the first quarter, Lone Star drove into Wolverine territory, but Darius Cannon’s pass was intercepted by Kevin Rychel.

Mostly what these two teams did was punt.  A lot.

In the second quarter, the Rangers moved the ball past midfield.  The Wolverines were called for pass interference which gave Lone Star the ball on the Wakeland 20.  Darrin Smith busted up the middle to give the Rangers a 7-0 lead which they took into halftime.

In the second half, it was more of the same.  Both teams went three and out over and over again.  Lone Star got a first down on a face mask penalty, then went three and out and had to punt. 

Late in the third quarter, Lone Star picked up a first down.  Then another.  A defensive holding call gave the Rangers a first down on the Wakeland 21.  Julian Larry threw over the middle to Sam Varner for a touchdown.  The extra point made it 14-0.

Down by two scores in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines never showed any kind of urgency.  They continued to waste valuable time trying to figure out what play to run.  They never attempted any type of vertical passing attack, instead throwing short and wide.  They played as if they didn’t care to lose.  And they did, 14 to nothing.

One good to say was that this game was mercifully short, ending in about two and a half hours.  That might be a record for a regulation football game.  My brother and I walked out of the stadium hoping we might see a bit more action in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.

2018 - Elgin vs Glenn

I went to Elgin for football and barbecue.  Here is the video I made to document this adventure:

I went to Elgin to see the Wildcats in a district game against the Glenn Grizzlies.  Glenn is the newest school in the Leander school district, opening in 2016.  Rob Schoenfeld has been their head coach from the beginning.  He led a team with a 1-2 record into this game.  Jens Andersen is in his second year at the helm of Elgin.  They also had a 1-2 record entering this game.  It was 81 degrees at kickoff, with a slight chance of rain in the forecast. 

But before we get into the football game, let me tell you about the barbecue I had. . .

The Barbecue

Elgin is one of those little towns in Texas with multiple well known barbecue joints in it.  In this case Meyers and Southside.  Each has made a name for itself by the sausage they make and sell at their restaurants and in supermarkets all across the state.  For this trip, I decided to go to Southside.

Southside Market & Barbeque is located at 1212 Highway 290.  They can trace their history all the way back to 1882.  Like many barbecue joints, it started off as a meat market and only got into cooking meats and making sausage to reduce spoilage.  Their first brick and mortar location opened in 1886.  Southside has changed hands and locations several times over the years.  In 1991, owner Ernest Bracewell bought the old Security National Bank building and moved the restaurant to its current address. 

I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and some pork ribs.  I grabbed a glass of iced tea and some pickles and onions.  They had three different sauces to chose from.  I got a ladle of their original and their bold sauces and passed on the hot sauce.  Lots of people in Texas like to eat saltine crackers with their barbecue.  I am not one of them, so I skipped past the cracker bin and found a table.

The barbecue was fantastic.  The brisket was super tender, no knife required here.  Great outer bark, full of deep smoky flavor.  The ribs were big and meaty.  They had been given a peppery rub and had a nice outer crunch.  The meat was sweet and tender, easily biting from the bone.  The bold sauce was a little darker in color than the original, but I really couldn’t taste much difference between them. 

Southside has a huge parking lot and two large indoor dining rooms.  Seeing the numerous pallets of oak wood waiting for the pits, I can easily imagine the restaurant being packed with people on a Saturday night.  Really good barbecue served by nice people can do that. . .

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Elgin had a nice drive working on their first possession when Peter McFarlin’s fumble was recovered by Glenn.  The Grizzlies responded with their own drive, capped off by an eight yard run by Julian Moriss.   Drew McGuire connected with Jarvis Henderson for a big gain.  Later McGuire found Khorin Thompson in the back of the end zone for another score to put the Grizzlies up 14-0 in the first quarter.

The teams went back and forth in the second quarter.  Max Galvez slipped behind the Glenn defense and caught a 33 yard pass from Jacob Harkins for a Wildcat touchdown.  

McGuire threw to Henderson over the middle and he out ran the Wildcat defenders for a 62 yard score.  

Harkins threw long to Trey Isom, then later scored on a 15 yard run for Elgin.  Morris ripped off a 64 yard run to the Wildcats one.  A one yard dive gave Glenn a 28-14 lead.  A bad snap on a punt resulted in a safety against the Grizzlies to make it 28-16.  

Harkins arm was hit as he tried to throw and the Grizzlies recovered.  McGuire threw a dart between two defenders to Sam Martin for a 28 yard touchdown.  Glenn wen to the locker room ahead 34-16 at the half.

In the third quarter, Tyron McFarlin slipped a tackle on a short out route, then sped past the defense for a Wildcat touchdown to close the gap to 34-23. 

The Grizzlies responded with two long, time consuming drives.  Each was finished off by one yard plunges by Lamont Slade.  The second drive went 96 yards, all on the ground, and ate 6:48 off the clock.

Behind 48-23 in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats drove into the Grizzlies red zone.  Harkins pass was intercepted on the goal line by Cody Bagwell and returned to mid filed.  Glenn scored on another one yard dive to push the score to 55-23.

Each team rang up meaningless touchdowns in the fourth quarter.  Glenn won in a rout 62-29.

2018 - Round Rock vs McNeil

There were lots of fireworks when Round Rock hosted their cross town rival McNeil.  Also a look at the barbecue served at Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue in Pflugerville.  Here's my video from this adventure:

I went to Dragon Stadium in Round Rock to see the Dragons in action against their cross town rivals, the McNeil Mavericks.  It was really humid and overcast, with a threat of scattered thunderstorms in the forecast.

But before we talk about the game, let me show you the barbecue I got to eat.

The Barbecue

I had the pleasure of eating at Brotherton’s BlackIron Barbecue in Pflugerville last season (episode TP 214) and was looking for a chance to go back.  A football game in nearby Round Rock was all the excuse I needed.  Brotherton’s is located at 15608 Spring Hill Lane, suite 105.  It’s in a nondescript little shopping center off W. Pecan Street, just behind a gas station.  Be sure to pay attention while driving or you might miss it.  And you don’t want to miss it. . .

I ordered my usual moist brisket and pork ribs.  I grabbed some homemade pickles, onions, and pickled onions from a side table and got myself a big glass of iced tea.  The barbecue was just as I remembered it: outstanding.  Thick slices of moist, tender brisket with a great outer bark and a deep smoky flavor.  Tender, meaty ribs that had a gentle sweetness to them.  Oh it was good.  I sampled some of their sauce, but it really wasn’t needed.

When I was there last year, I had a chance to meet and talk with John Brotherton.  Unfortunately, he was not at the restaurant this time around.  He told me back then about the specialty sandwiches they serve (smoked brisket pastrami, kimchi, etc.) and I started to get all hungry again.  Maybe next time, I can ignore the fact that Brotherton’s is a great barbecue joint and just sample some of their specialties.  Or maybe I get something to take home. . .

Super barbecue, super people.  Brotherton’s Black Iron in Pflugerville.  I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

This game was full of fireworks.  On the third play from scrimmage, Mavericks quarterback Zane Kampfer threw long to Jordan Kerley who out ran the defense for a 72 yard touchdown.  The extra point gave McNeil an early 7-0 lead.

Round Rock answered with a long, 69 yard drive.  Marquis Brown scored on a three yard carry.  McNeil was forced to go three and out and Round Rock began another long drive.  Quarterback Ryan O’Keefe scored from six yards out to make it 14-7.

The Dragons again forced McNeil to punt.  Jordan Smart fumbled the kick and the Mavericks recovered.  As the game moved into the second quarter, Kampfer rolled to his right and found a receiver in the end zone.  The extra point tied the game at 14 all.

Round Rock began another long drive from their 37 yard line.  Facing third and eight, O’Keefe picked up a first down on a nifty run.  After a long run by Brown, O’Keefe scored from four yards out to push the score to 21-14.

The Dragons started their next drive on their 34.  O’Keefe finished the drive with a nine yard scoring run that extended the Round Rock lead to 28-14.

McNeil answered with a 72 yard drive of their own.  Jason Buechler slipped behind the defense and Kampfer hit him in stride for a 34 yard touchdown. 

The Dragons fumbled the kickoff and McNeil recovered.  Kampfer looped a pass to Kerley who took the ball to the house for a 49 yard touchdown.  The Mavericks had cut the lead to 28-26.

On second and nine, O’Keefe took off on a quarterback draw.  He wound his way through the Mavericks defense for a 49 yard score.  Round Rock went to halftime ahead 35-26.

The third quarter saw more of the same.  O’Keefe streaked down the left sideline for a 63 yard touchdown run.

Here came McNeil.  Kampfer threw a strike to Malik Gordon for a six yard touchdown.  The Mavericks ran a trick play to score the two point conversion.  That brought the Mavericks within 7 at 41-34.

Round Rock scored twice more in the third quarter on a two yard run by Smart and a fourteen yard run by Brown.  Missed extra points left the score 53-34.  With about five minutes left in the third quarter, a cold front moved through – temperatures falling and the breeze picking up.

As the game moved into the fourth quarter, Kampfer threw long down the right sideline to Gordon for a 39 yard touchdown.  The extra point made it 53-41 with 11:34 left to play.

And then the sirens went off. . .  Lightning had been detected in the immediate area, so the teams left the field and fans were ordered to evacuate the stadium.  Within a few minutes, rain started pouring down.  I sat in my minivan for about an hour and a half, hoping the game would resume.  But there was still a bit of rain falling and lots of lightning, so I headed home.  I saw that the fourth quarter was played on Saturday afternoon where Round Rock scored two more touchdowns to give them the win 67-41.

2018 - Vandegrift vs Cedar Ridge

 A look at the barbecue served at Stiles Switch BBQ and a recap of the district game between Vandegrift and Cedar Ridge.  Here's my video from this adventure:

I went to Vandegrift High School to see the Vipers in action against their district rival, the Cedar Ridge Raiders.  It was pouring down rain before game time, but no matter.  Still a great time for football and barbecue. . .

The Barbecue

I have eaten at Stiles Switch BBQ a few times before and was never very much impressed.  But it’s been a couple of years and they were named to the Texas Monthly Top 50 list in 2017.  And they added Braun Hughes, formerly with Franklin’s Barbecue, to their pit master crew a few months ago, so I figured what they hey, let’s try ‘em again.  And I’m glad that I did. . .

Stiles Switch BBQ is located at 6610 N. Lamar Boulevard, part of the Violet Crown shopping center.  This shopping center has a great little history of its own: built in 1951, Violet Crown was the fist shopping center built in Austin and it served as the production hub for the movie “Dazed and Confused”.  There’s lots of nostalgic pictures and memorabilia all around the restaurant. Pretty neat.

I ordered my usual moist brisket and pork ribs.  My wife was with me and she ordered a three meat plate with brisket, pulled pork, and turkey.  We got tea from a side table, then found a cozy spot to eat.  My brisket was phenomenal: great outer bark, super moist and tender, with a deep smoky taste.  Almost buttery and a little hint of sweetness to it.  The pork ribs were good, but a little small.  They had a peppery rub and were a little chewey, but tasted real good.  My wife enjoyed their lean brisket.  I am not much on pulled pork, but I got a bite of my wife’s and it had a nice little kick to it.  I stole a bit of her turkey and it too was tasty.

A word about their sauces. . .  Our meals came with a side of sauce that was pretty much just red water.  There were two types of sauce on the table.  One was a mustard based sauce that was basically just mustard.  The other was an mango habanero sauce that was pretty much all vinegar.  Thankfully none of the meats needed any sauce to be enjoyed.

As I said before, Stiles Switch has a lot of history and charm.  You can’t help but feel good when you walk inside and look around.  Now they have upped their game to where the barbecue is on par with the history and charm.  You feel real good when you walk out because you just ate some excellent barbecue.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

The key word for this game is “opportunities” – opportunities lost and opportunities taken advantage of. . .

The rain stopped as the game began.  Cedar Ridge took the opening kickoff and marched downfield.  Quarterback Jalen Brown threw 41 yards to a wide open Jaylen Ellis for a touchdown.  The extra point gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead.

On their first possession, Vendegrift quarterback Dru Dawson fumbled.  The Raiders recovered, but were unable to take advantage to pad their lead.  The first half ended with Cedar Ridge holding a 7-0 lead.

In the third quarter, Chris Vaughn picked up huge yardage on a screen pass.  His long run on the next play gave the Raiders first and goal from the Vipers’ five yard line.  But a fumble by Jacoryn Isaac ended the threat.  Later in the third quarter, the Raiders picked up a first down on the Vipers’ 13 yard line.  Brown’s pass on fourth down was short of the yardage needed and the Raiders turned the ball over on downs.

Dru Dawson’s pass was intercepted by Devin Taylor.  As the third quarter ended, Brown avoided the rush and threw downfield to Ellis.  Brown scored on a quarterback keeper to push the Raiders’ lead to 14-0 with 11:56 left to play.

Dawson made big plays with his legs and his arm to pick up first downs and move the Vipers downfield.  Isaiah Smallwood took a direct snap from center to score from two yards out.  The extra point made it 14-7 with 7:43 to play.

The Raiders could not move the ball and were forced to punt.  The Vipers took possession on their 40 yard line and moved downfield.  On fourth and eight, Dawson threw to Smallwood to set up first and goal from the eight.  Smallwood ran it in from there and the extra point tied the game at 14 with only 1:15 remaining in regulation.

The Raiders took a knee to kill the clock and set up overtime.  They got the ball for the first possession, but could not move.  Jalen Brown was sacked on third and fourth downs.  Cedar Ridge failed to score.

Now it was Vandegrift’s turn.  Runs by Smallwood moved the ball closer to the goal.  Tim Barney’s 33 yard field goal was good and the Vipers claimed the 17-14 overtime win. 

2018 - Taylor vs Lockhart

A look at the game played between the Taylor Ducks and the Lockhart Lions.  Plus a review of the barbecue served at Davis Grocery & Bar-B-Q in Taylor.  Here is my video from this adventure:

The 2018 football season is underway.  The Friday Night Lights are shining brightly all over Texas.  What a great time for football and barbecue. . .

I traveled to Taylor, Texas to see the Taylor Ducks in action against the Lockhart Lions.  The Ducks dropped their opening game to Robinson 41-21.  The Lions won their first game in a rout, a 54-7 win over Austin Travis.  I had been in Taylor for the last game of the 2017 season as they turned the lights off in their old stadium for the last time after 100 years of use.  This was the Ducks' second game in their new stadium.  

The Barbecue

Davis Grocery & Bar-B-Q is located in a plain white building at 400 S. Robinson Street in Taylor.  I would have driven right past it if not for the Google Maps.  There are a bunch of picnic tables out front and I poked my head around out back to check out the smokers.  Then I headed inside.

Two ladies sat alone eating when I first walked in.  One of the ladies, Ms. Marty Denman, got up from her meal and took my order.  She cut several thick slices of brisket for me.  The pork ribs were so tender some of the bones were pulling away as she cut a couple off the rack for me.  I did not complain even a little bit when she trimmed the ribs and gave me an extra couple of nibbles.  She handed me a squeeze bottle of their “Come back” sauce – so good you want to come back for more – and I found a table.  As a bonus, she gave me a big chunk of their homemade sausage to sample.

All of the barbecue had been slow cooked over mesquite wood and had a deep, smoky flavor.  The brisket had a nice smoke ring and tasted great even though it was a bit dry.  Had it been served warmer, it no doubt would have been juicier.  The pork ribs were big and meaty.  Not much chewing required.  The homemade sausage was outstanding.  It had a good snap when I bit into it and a spicy kick that was not overpowering.  Very nice.  The “Come back” sauce was rich and savory.  All the meats went down real good with a dab or two of sauce on them. 

As I ate, I had a chance to speak with Ms. Marty and watch her in action with other customers.  She is full of good humor and super friendly.  She spoke highly of the owners and pitmaster crew.  When she mentioned they serve pork steaks, I realized I need to get back here with my wife.  Her pride in the barbecue served at Davis shone through brightly.

Davis Grocery & Bar-B-Q is a true hidden gem in Taylor.  There may be larger, more famous joints in Taylor, but the barbecue served at Davis stands up with the best of them.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Taylor opened the scoring with a 54 yard touchdown pass from Cole Harms to Santiago Estrada.

Lockhart answered in the second quarter when Daequan Ellison scooted 58 yards to tie the game at 7-7.  Ellison went 52 yards to score again in the second quarter.  The point after snap was wide, but the holder caught it and scored two to make it 15-7.

In the third quarter, Ellison ripped off another long run, scoring from 43 yards out to make it 22-7.  Taylor answered with a long drive that ended in a 38 yard field goal by Ryan Hanson to cut the lead to 22-10.  After the kickoff, Jesus Aldana carried the ball 69 yards to set up another Ellison touchdown.  That pushed Lockhart’s lead to 29-10 late in the third quarter.

As the fourth quarter began, it started to rain.  Many of the Taylor faithful headed for the exits.  I dug my windbreaker out of my bag, put it on, and the rain immediately stopped.  The gentleman sitting next to me was a local farmer.  He said his fields had such large cracks in them, you could hear someone speaking Japanese.  I took my windbreaker back off and it started to rain again.  And Taylor turned the ball game around.

The Ducks ended a 56 yard drive with a two yard touchdown run.  The extra point cut Lockhart’s lead to 29-17.  After an exchange of punts, Cole Harms completed a long pass to the Lions’ two yard line.  Harms scored on a two yard keeper, but the extra point was blocked.  The Ducks were down 29-23 with only 2:29 left to play.

Needing the ball back, Taylor ran a successful onside kick.  

Harms led the Ducks downfield into the Lions’ red zone.  His jump pass to Jailen Tealer with only 14 seconds left to play tied the game at 29.  Ryan Hanson’s extra point kick was good and Taylor won the game 30-29.