2018 - Pflugerville vs Cedar Park

I enjoyed some really good barbecue at Alzer's Barbeque, then saw the district game between the Pflugerville Panthers and the Cedar Park Timberwolves.  Here's my video from this adventure:

I drove up to Cedar Park to see the Timberwolves in action against their district rival, the Pflugerville Panthers.  Pflugerville is coached by Charles Taylor, formerly the head man at McCallum.  The Panthers entered this game with a 4-5 record.  Carl Abseck has been the head coach at Cedar Park since 2015.  His team has a 5-3 record on the season.

It was a beautiful night for football.  The temperature was around 71 degrees at game time, no clouds in the sky, no mention of rain in the forecast.  I was hoping for a chance to go home dry two weeks in a row.  I was feeling giddy at the thought.

If the playoffs started now, Pflugerville would be out.  This was their last game of the regular season.  They needed a win over the T'wolves and help from somebody else to get in.  Cedar Park would be in the playoffs, but they wanted a victory to keep the momentum going.

But before I get into the game, let me talk about the barbecue I had. . .

The Barbecue

When I decided I was going to Cedar Park for football, I knew I would be heading to Alzer’s Barbeque.  I had the pleasure of eating there last year after they had been in business for just a few months (Texas Passions episode 216).  With this being a beautiful Friday evening, eating outdoors would be a joy and not a problem.

Alzer’s red food truck is still parked behind a Shell gas station at 1405 Whitestone Boulevard (FM 1431).  I parked, smelled the sweet aroma of meat smoking, and started taking a couple of pictures.  Naser spotted me, walked over, and shook my hand.  Big smile, friendly as ever.  He told his counter crew to take good care of me and they did.

Naser Alzer

I ordered a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of ribs (beef, not pork).  They loaded me up with some pickles and onions and some tea.  A nice young man brought my order over to one of the picnic tables in the shade.  I had to remind him I needed to pay for my meal, so we headed back to the register.

As it was in 2017, the barbecue at Alzer’s was fantastic.  The brisket had a nice outer bark and was full of smoky flavor.  Each bite was buttery, just melting in my mouth.  So good. . .  When people think of beef ribs, it’s often “plate short ribs”.  There’s nothing short about them, they’re the big giant brontosaurus ribs that Fred Flintstone liked.  Naser instead serves “beef back ribs” which are smaller (more like pork ribs), but also don’t sell for over $20 a pound.  These too were tender, smoky, and full of flavor.  I tried some of their sauce – a thick, red tomato based sauce that was a great compliment to the meat.   I could not finish eating my order, so I asked for some aluminum foil and a bag.  Instead Naser’s lovely wife Veronica bundled everything up for me.  Killing me with kindness.

Alzer’s Barbeque has been in business for about a year and a half now.  Super friendly people taking great pride in serving delicious barbecue.  That’s a recipe for success every time.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

It was a beautiful Friday night at Gupton Stadium, especially for Timberwolves fans.  On Pflugerville’s second possession, Noah Guerrero’s pass was intercepted by Tammer Alzer.  Alzer?  That name is familiar. . .  

Quarterback Ryder Hernandez avoided the rush and threw downfield to a waiting Brandon Breed.  Breed got a step on the Panther defender and Hernandez found him for a 26 yard touchdown.  The extra point made it 7-0.

After a strong run by Elijah Oakman, the Panthers turned the ball over on downs.  Hernandez found Breed open in the end zone for a 28 yard touchdown to extend the T’wolves lead to 14-0 with 16 seconds left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, another pass from Guerrero was intercepted, this time by Cole Hollen.  Hernandez threw to Carson Neel for a 34 yard touchdown.  The point after was no good, leaving the score 20-0.

The teams exchanged possessions in the second quarter.  After a Pflugerville punt, Cedar Park began a long drive from their 29.  They finished the drive with a three yard pass to tight end Brock Johnson.  Hernandez’s fourth touchdown pass of the first half made it 27-0.

There was more of the same in the second half.  Cedar Park scored twice in the third quarter on runs by Johnathan Stockwell and Majeston Haverda.  The Panthers scored late in the fourth quarter to make the final score 41-7.  

2018 - Glenn vs Marble Falls

Great barbecue and great people at Wingman Brothers Smokehouse, pretty good football game at Mustang Stadium.  Here's my video from this adventure.

I drove out to Marble Falls in the hill country west of Austin to see the Mustangs in action against their district rival, the Glenn Grizzlies.  Michael Birdwell is in his second season as head coach of Marble Falls.  He had been the Mustangs co-offensive coordinator prior to that.  The Mustangs entered the game with a 2-5 record.  Rob Schoenfeld is the head coach of Glenn.  They lost their first two games of the season, then reeled off five straight wins.  That includes the 62-29 rout of Elgin I saw the end of September (Texas Passions episode 312).

The weather was absolutely gorgeous: mid 70s, not a cloud in the sky, no mention of rain in the forecast.  I would not have been surprised if we were hit with an earth quake or had a volcano erupt.  I was just hoping to go home dry for a change.

But first let me take a minute to talk about the barbecue I had before the game. . .

The Barbecue

Located at 2407 North US Highway 281, I pulled into the Wingman Brothers Smokehouse just before 6:00 PM.  There were no cars in the parking lot and I feared they might have been closed.  I walked around back to where their pits are located and saw a guy talking on the phone.  He walked over and introduced himself: Cody Wing, manager and pit master.  I told him that I’d heard good things about their barbecue and was hoping to try it out.  He assured me they were indeed open, so I went inside.

Cody Wing, pit master and manager of Wingman Brothers Smokehouse

I got my usual order of moist brisket and pork ribs, grabbed some pickles and onions and a glass of iced tea, then found a table.  One bite of their brisket and I was hooked.  The outer bark was crusty, the meat moist and full of smoky flavor.  So tender you could easily cut it with a plastic fork.  The ribs had been given a peppery rub that was not too overpowering.  The meat was tender and delicious.  Yummy. . .  They had a squeeze bottle of sauce on the table.  A typical tomato based sauce that paired well with the meat. 

After I ate, I had a chance to talk with the counter staff.  Super friendly people who obviously take great pride in the barbecue they serve.  Before I left, I walked out back to find Cody.  I told him the stories I had heard were not true.  He looked at me with big eyes as I said “You’re barbecue isn’t good. It’s Great.”  He started to laugh and said they try to put a lot of love into what they are cooking.  It shines through with every bite.

Wingman counter staff

As if it isn’t already a really neat town, the great food and great people at Wingman Brothers Smokehouse is just one more reason to make the drive to Marble Falls.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Late in the first quarter, Marble Falls began a drive from their own 22 yard line.  Brock Linder made a great adjustment to catch Andrew Stripling’s pass for a big gain.  Stripling threw to Linder for another first down.  As the game moved into the second quarter, Stripling hit Linder on a post route to move the Mustangs into the Grizzlies red zone. A run up the middle by Cooper Wilson set up Stripling to score on a two yard Bush Push.  The Mustangs went to halftime leading 7-0.

The teams traded possessions and punts in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, a screen pass from Stripling to Wilson converted third and twelve into a first down.  On fourth and two, the Stripling to Wilson connection worked again to put the ball on the Grizzlies 16.  Stripling did the rest, scampering to the corner to score.  The extra point made in 14-0 with only 8:16 left to play.

After a penalty on Glenn, Marble Falls kicked off from the Grizzlies 45.  The kick sailed into the end zone, but was returned to the 16 yard line.  On first down, quarterback Drew McGuire heaved the ball downfield.  Speedy Jarvis Henderson ran under it and took it to the house.  The extra point made it 14-7 with 7:50 remaining in the game.

If the Grizzlies could get a stop, they could be right back into the game.  Instead, they shot themselves in the foot.  A roughing the passer call followed by two unsportsmanlike play penalties gave the Mustangs a first down on the Grizzlies 19.  On first and goal, Gabe Barker scored from nine yards out. The extra point was no good, leaving the score 20-7.

Any hopes the Grizzlies had of making a miracle comeback were dashed when Ethan Kanka intercepted a pass from McGuire.  The Mustangs ran out the clock to take the win 20-7.

2018 - Hutto vs Cedar Park

Barbecue from Kerlin BBQ and football in the rain in Hutto.  Here's my video of this adventure:

I went to Hutto to see the Hippos in action against their district rival, the Cedar Park Timberwolves.  Carl Abseck has been the head coach of Cedar Park for four seasons.  The T'wolves lost their first two games of the season, then ripped off five straight wins.  Brad LaPlante is in his first season as head man at Hutto.  He was their offensive coordinator under Steve Van Meter for the previous four seasons.  They entered this game with a perfect 5-0 record.

But before I talk about football, let's talk about barbecue. . .

The Barbecue

With all the rain we’ve been getting in central Texas, it was actually dry Friday afternoon.  Not being limited to a brick and mortar restaurant, I could eat outside and not be afraid of being washed away by a flash flood.  My wife went with me and we headed to KerlinBBQ.

Kerlin still serves barbecue from a food truck at 1700 East Cesar Chavez.  I had not been there since August 2016 (TP episode 3), but the nice lady in the window named Ammaliese remembered me.  I got my standard order of moist brisket and pork ribs.  While not a “normal” side dish, I got an extra quarter pound of pork belly burnt ends.  My wife ordered some brisket and pulled pork, then found us a picnic table where we could eat.

As it was the last time I visited, the barbecue was tremendous.  The brisket had a tasty outer bark and was super tender.  Moist and full of smoky flavor, my mouth doing a happy dance with each bite.  The ribs were meaty and tasted great.  The pork belly burnt ends were little flavor bombs packed with smoky goodness.  Nice little treat.  My wife enjoyed her lean brisket and pulled pork.  I do have one complaint: their sauce.  Somebody must have knocked over a fifty gallon jug of vinegar into the pot where the sauce was being made.  It was so vinegary as to be almost inedible.  Thankfully the barbecue was so good sauce was unnecessary.

As my wife and I ate, a group of people sat down at our picnic table.  Turns out they were in town to see the big Formula 1 race at the Circuit of the Americas.  They had heard about how good the barbecue is in Austin and wanted to check it out.  Great barbecue has a way of bringing people together. 

In 2016, I wrote: “ Kerlin BBQ is an undiscovered gem.  Spectacular food, friendly staff, and a comfortable atmosphere.  A great place to hang out with friends and enjoy some great BBQ.”  With so many things changing all around us so fast, it’s great to see Kerlin BBQ hasn’t changed at all.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Chux Nwabuko stands 5’6” and weighs 155 pounds dripping wet, but he plays likes he’s ten feet tall and weighs a ton.  He capped off the Hippos first drive with a 15 yard burst up the middle to give Hutto an early 7 point lead.  

And then the rain really started coming down. 

Cedar Park tied the score with a 42 yard touchdown pass from Ryder Hernandez to Carson Neel.

Hutto regained the lead at 14-7 with a 33 yard screen pass from Chase Griffin to Nwabuko.  The Hippos extended their lead to 21-7 when Hernandez was intercepted by linebacker Jacob Berry for a pick six.

On the Timberwolves next drive, Hernandez fumbled the wet football on fourth down.  Hutto recovered the ball and later scored in the second quarter on a swing pass to Nwabuko that went for 28 yards.

The T’wolves returned the ensuing kickoff to the Hutto 47.  That led to a 21 yard touchdown pass from Hernandez to Brandon Breed.  That made the score 28-14 with 11:47 left in the second quarter.

Griffin threw to DJ Baptist for a 32 yard touchdown to extend the lead to 35-14.

 

Hernandez completed a long pass to Will Udoye that put the T’wolves in the Hippos red zone.  But Cedar Park turned the ball over on downs when Hernandez’s pass was broken up in the end zone.

Hutto drove deep into Cedar Park territory.  After an interference penalty, Nwabuko scored from two yards out to push the lead to 42-14.

Late in the second quarter, Griffin teamed up with Baptist for a 55 yard gain to the T’wolves five.  Kendall Williams banged in a 24 yard field goal to give Hutto a 45-14 lead they took into halftime.

Rather than sit in the driving rain for the second half, I decided to head home where it is dry.  I later saw that Hutto won in a rout, 65-21.

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.