2018 - Tomball Memorial vs Vandegrift

Barbecue at LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue and first round playoff action between the Tomball Memorial Wildcats and the Vandegrift Vipers.  Here's the video I made of this adventure:

The first round of the playoffs is underway. . .  I went to Ed W. Monroe Stadium to see the Tomball Memorial Wildcats in action against the Vandegrift Vipers.  Sam Parker is the second year head coach of the Wildcats.  They finished second in their district with an 8-2 overall record.  Drew Sanders has been the head coach at Vandegrift since 2009.  the ended the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record and claimed the title for their district.

The weather was perfect for this game.  The temperature was in the mid 60s at kickoff and there was no threat of rain.

The format for the playoffs is very simple: win or go home.  If your team wins five games, they have a berth waiting for them at the state championships at Jerry's World.  The hunt for that championship berth started for these two teams with this game.

Before I go any further about football, let me show you the barbecue I had earlier in the day. . .

The Barbecue

For barbecue this week, I thought I would try something just a little bit different. . .  LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue.

Evan LeRoy worked for several years as the pit master at one of my favorite barbecue joints in Austin, Freedmen’s Bar (and barbecue).  He left there and partnered up with Sawyer Lewis to open their own barbecue food truck at 121 Pickle Road, just off south Congress.  Their slogan is “New school barbecue, old school service”.  They have won several awards for their barbecue and I figured it was time to give them a try.

Their food truck is parked in a really neat trailer park with other food trucks, lots of tables, shady trees, and music playing.  Their menu changes frequently.  I didn’t see my regular barbecue favorites (brisket and pork ribs) listed, so I needed some help making up my mind.  A nice young man named Travis was taking and preparing orders and was kind enough to help me figure out what to get.

I ordered a quarter pound of the smoked beef cheeks and a half pound of the barbacoa.  Travis also loaded me up with their homemade pickles.  Those were good too.  They do not serve drinks; you have to go to the Cosmic house to get those.  No worries. . .  The beef cheeks were very tender and had a deep smoky flavor.  Different from moist brisket, but still excellent.  The barbacoa was served with chopped onions, cilantro, queso fresco,  and a jalapeno salsa.  Very tasty.  The sauce they serve is also a bit out of the ordinary: ketchup, mustard, and five kinds of peppers.  An excellent compliment to the barbecue.

Smoked beef cheeks

Barbacoa

If you are looking for smoked brisket at LeRoy and Lewis, you need to wait for the weekend.  I have been told it’s worth the wait.  If you are looking for ribs and sausage, it’s best you look somewhere else.  But if you are willing to go outside your barbecue comfort zone, LeRoy and Lewis serves up some delicious smoked goodies.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Vandegrift made it look easy as the game started.  They forced Memorial to go three and out, then made a huge gain on first down on a pass from Dru Dawson to Ryan Merrifield.  Dawson finished the 41 yard drive himself to give the Vipers an early 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats had two good drives in the first quarter, but came up scoreless.  Chandler Galban threw to Jorden Gidrey for a big first down, but the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs.  On their next possession, Galban connected with Gidrey for another big gain.  The first quarter ended as Galban’s pass was intercepted by DJ Streat.

In the middle of the second quarter, Isaiah Smallwood popped through a hole and burst 50 yards to give the Vipers a 14-0 lead. 

Down two scores, the Wildcats answered back.  An option pitch from Galban to Gidrey moved the ball into the Vipers’ red zone.  Galban scored on a 19 yard quarterback keeper to make it 14-7.

After an exchange of punts, Vandegrift took possession on their 19 yard line.  Smallwood carried up the middle for big yardage, then Dawson threw deep to Merrifield.  That set up a ten yard touchdown pass to Trey Mongauzy.  The Vipers took a 21-7 lead into halftime.

Vandegrift received the third quarter kickoff and wasted no time.  Dawson connected with Mongauzy for a 44 yard touchdown as the Vipers extended the lead to 28-7.

Memorial stormed back with a 75 yard touchdown drive, capped off by a 19 yard pass from Galban to Jordan Grice to cut the score to 28-14.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were forced to punt.  Drew Nelson muffed the punt, but the Vipers recovered on their 17 yard line.  Had Memorial recovered and scored, they would have been right back in the game.  But instead, Dawson threw deep to Brendan Bennett who was wide open behind the defense.  The 70 yard touchdown sealed the deal for the Vipers at 35-14.

2018 - Bowie vs Westlake

I got to eat some really good barbecue from Whitfiled's and later saw the game between the Bowie Bulldogs and the Westlake Chaparrals.  Here's my video from this adventure.

Last night of the 2018 regular season. . .  I went to Chaparral Stadium on the campus of Westlake High School to see the Chaps play the Bowie Bulldogs.  Jeff Abels has been the head coach of Bowie for seventeen seasons.  They entered this game with a 7-2 record.  Their only losses were to Lake Travis and Hays.  Win or lose in this game, they were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.

Westlake is coached by Todd Dodge.  They entered this game with an 8-1 record and were ranked #10 in the state.  Their only loss came in week 2 at the hands of Cypress Ranch, currently ranked #9 in the state.  Win or lose this game, the Chaps would still claim the district title and a spot in the playoffs.

It was about 52 degrees at kickoff.  A strong wind out of the north kind of cut through you.  But before I say more about the football game, let me tell you about the barbecue I had earlier. . .

The Barbecue

Kasey Studdard is a big bear of a man.  There was a time when you really didn’t want to line up in front of him.  Like when he played in the offensive line for the Longhorns (he blocked for that quarterback guy, Vince somebody or other) or later when he played in the NFL for the Houston Texans.  But now Kasey is serving up barbecue and lots of smiles, so lining up in front of him is way more fun than it used to be.

Kasey, chef Josh Watkins, and Scott Fogel are the team behind Whitfield’s, a new barbecue joint located at the corner of Brodie and Davis Lanes in south Austin.  When I ate at Snow’s BBQ back in July (TP episode 307), their pit master Clay gave me a glowing recommendation for Whitfield’s.  Now I was going to get to try it for myself.

I ordered my usual moist brisket and pork ribs.  My wife ordered some brisket, pulled pork, and their beef fat fried potatoes.  Everything came with homemade pickles and pickled onions.  Even with the sun shining, the temperature was in the low fifties and the breeze cut right through you.  If the shade cover could be turned ninety degrees, it could block the wind instead of being a tunnel.  So my wife and I headed back home to eat.  Everything smelled so good it made the drive up Mo-Pac seem even longer.

The barbecue was excellent.  The brisket had a delicious, peppery bark.  The meat was tender and moist, with a deep smoky flavor.  The ribs were juicy and tasty, but I had to work just a bit to get the meat off the bone.  I am not much for pulled pork, but I stole a bite from my wife and it too was very good.  The sauce we took home had a nice spicy kick to it that paired well with the meats.  The taters were also very tasty.

Since we ate at home, I didn’t get a chance to circle back and tell the guys at Whitfield’s how much I enjoyed their cooking.  Of course, they will probably figure that out when they see me back in line in the near future, ordering a bunch of their outstanding barbecue.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

The Westlake defense started the scoring when Bowie quarterback Evan Mallett fumbled and linebacker William Robertson scooped up the ball for a touchdown.  The extra point made it 7-0.  

After a Bowie punt, Chap quarterback Taylor Anderson threw deep to a wide open Penny Baker.  The point after pushed the Westlake lead to 14-0.

Bowie started a drive from their 26 yard line.  Elijah Higgins picked up good yardage on a run up the middle.  Higgins threw to Kyle Carter for a big gain to midfield.  Terance Durst took a handoff and ran down the left sideline for another big chunk of yardage.  But the Bulldogs drive stalled and their 42 yard field goal attempt was no good.

Westlake answered quickly.  Anderson threw deep to Mason Mangum for a 47 yard gain.  Anderson capped off the drive with a 12 yard touchdown run.  The Chaps went to half time ahead 21-0.

In the fourth quarter, the Anderson to Mangum connection worked again for a 32 yard touchdown.  Westlake inserted their second and third teamers into the game.  They scored a late touchdown to make the final score 35-0.

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.