2017 - Cedar Park vs Georgetown

Alzer's BBQ is a small place, but their barbecue has a great big taste.  Cedar Park and Georgetown are two big teams and their game was great.  Here's my video from this adventure. . .

I went to Gupton Stadium in Cedar Park to see the Timberwolves tangle with their 5A district 19 rival, the Georgetown Eagles.  Carl Abseck is in his third year as head coach at Cedar Park.  In his first season, they went undefeated and won the state championship.  In 2016, they reeled off another 12 straight wins before their first loss under Coach Asbeck in the third round of the play-offs.  They come into this game with a 5-1 record in 2017.  Jason Dean and the Eagles enter this game with a 6-1 record.  Their only loss was to Hutto when the Hippos kicked a last second field goal in the third week of the season.

It was 77 degrees at game time.  there had been some rain in the Austin area on Friday morning, but that quit and the afternoon turned out nice, with a slight breeze coming out of the south.

But first let me tell you about the barbecue I had prior to the game. . .

The Barbecue

I needed to find a new barbecue joint in the Cedar Park area, so I checked on the Google and discovered Alzer’s BBQ.  I looked at their web site and saw that they are located at 1405 Whitestone Blvd (FM 1431).  Just to be sure, I called them early in the day and confirmed they would be open for dinner.  A couple of hours before game time, I headed to Cedar Park.

I found their red trailer parked behind a Shell gas station.  I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  They do not smoke pork ribs, so I got a couple of beef ribs instead.  While my order was being readied, I walked over to the smoking shed and met Naser.  A very friendly guy, he was happy to show me his pits.  He popped the top and showed me some huge turkey legs on one pit and a set of briskets on the other.  The oak smoke billowing out of the cookers sure smelled good.

Naser Alzer

A nice young man brought out my order and sat it down on one of the covered picnic tables.  The brisket was fantastic.  Great outer bark, deep smoky flavor.  The best word to describe it is buttery, so tender you don’t really need to chew it.  Instead of the huge dinosaur ribs smoked by many joints, the beef ribs served at Alzer’s were smaller and not as meaty.  They were tasty, but you had to work to get the meet off the bone.  It dawned on me that Naser and his family might come from an ethnic tradition where the people do not cook or eat pork and thus the beef ribs.  My order came with a big squeeze bottle of thick red sauce that was a nice addition to the meat.

Delicious brisket

Short beef ribs

Quail and lamb chop

Naser’s lovely wife Veronica treated me to a sample of something extra special you don’t normally see at Texas bbq joints: smoked quail and lamb chops.  The quail was tender and tasty, with a nice spicy kick.  The lamb chop was incredible: very tender with a rich, smoky flavor.  Oh my goodness. . .

Alzer’s has only been open for about five months and they are serving up some incredible barbecue.  I can’t wait to see just how good this barbecue will be when these guys get a little more experience and figure out what they are doing.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

The Game

Georgetown took the opening kick-off and began a long drive into Cedar Park territory.  Quarterback Cooper Bell scrambled for big yardage.  Caden Leggett took a direct snap and burst through a hole for a four yard touchdown to give the Eagles an early 7-0 lead.

                                        Caden Leggett scores from 4 yards out

The Timberwolves responded with a long drive of their own.  Quarterback Mak Sexton found Payden Sawicki for a first and goal from the four yard line.  On fourth down, Sexton scored from 1 yard out.  The game was stopped for several minutes as Sexton was doctored on.  He was taken from the field on a stretcher and given a standing ovation.  We learned later that he had broken his left leg and his season was over.

                                  Mak Sexton is given a standing ovation as he is carted off

Later in the first quarter, the T’wolves quarterback Ryan Fiala mishandled the snap, giving the Eagles a safety.  After the free kick. Bell found Leggett over the middle for a 49 yard touchdown.  The extra point try failed, leaving the score at 15-7.

                                Cooper Bell connects with Leggett for 49 yard touchdown

In the second quarter, the T’wolves fourth down punt was blocked and trickled out of the end zone.  The Eagles were awarded another safety, giving them a ten point lead at 17-7.

Georgetown took the free kick and marched downfield.  Bell threw a strike to a receiver on a post pattern good for a 19 yard touchdown.  The extra point made the score 24-7.

With less than a minute before half time, Fiala’s third down pass was intercepted on the Timberwolves 28.  Bell’s pass to Nic Crombie moved the ball to the 8.  The Eagles 23 yard field goal was good and they took a 27-7 lead into half time.

Cedar Park came out hot to start the third quarter.  Fiala connected with Brandon Breed on a five yard touchdown to cut the lead to 27-14.

                                 Ryan Fiala throws to Brandon Breed for a 5 yard touchdown

Neither team could sustain a drive and they exchanged punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter.  Facing third and 8, Bell hurried a pass.  It was intercepted by Cole Hollen and returned 78 yards for a touchdown.  The pick six cut the lead to 27-21. 

                                Cole Hollen's pick six cuts the Eagles lead to 27-21

Late in the fourth quarter, Cedar Park had to punt from deep in their end of the field.  Brant McDonald boomed a 69 yard kick that was downed on the Georgetown 1 yard line.  Ahead by six, the Eagles needed to make a couple of first downs to eat up the clock and claim victory.  On third and 2, Eric Anderson was tackled for no gain.  Kicking into the wind, the Eagles’ punt travelled only 12 yards, giving the T’wolves the ball on the 21.  With just 37 seconds left in the game, Fiala found Drew McDaniel on the goal line for a 3 yard touchdown.  The extra point was good and Cedar Park had their first lead of the game, 28-27.

                               Timberwolves sack Cooper Bell to preserve the 28-27 win

Georgetown tried to move into field goal range, but Cooper Bell was sacked as time expired preserving the 1 point win for Cedar Park.

I am expecting a phone call from the Georgetown coaching staff asking that I quit seeing their games or at least leave them early.  Their two losses on the season came in the closing seconds of games I have attended.  Then again, I could get a call from Cedar Park.  With Mak Sexton lost for the season, they will need quarterback help.  The Timberwolves overcame three interceptions off Ryan Fiala to squeak out the one point win.  It helped that their defense pitched a shut out in the second half.  

2017 - Flower Mound Marcus vs Hebron

A  look at the barbecue served Fatt Dady's Backyard BBQ in Desoto and a recap of the district game between the Flower Mound Marcus Marauders and the Hebron Hawks.  

My video from this adventure:

I was in the Dallas – Ft. Worth area for the Red River Rivalry, the big Texas/OU slug fest, so I went to Marauder Stadium on the campus of Flower Mound Marcus where the Marauders hosted their District 5 rivals, the Hebron Hawks.  Kevin Atkinson is in his first year as head coach of the Marauders.  He is a former assistant coach at Marcus and was the head coach at Denton from 2012 to 2016 where he led them into the play-offs each of the last two seasons.  Brian Brazil has been the head coach of Hebron since the school opened in 1999.  He and the Hawks celebrated their 100^th victory in a win over Plano on 27 Sep 2017.  The Hawks ended the 2016 season in the second round of the play-offs when they were eliminated by Duncanville.

It was around 90 degrees att the start of the game, with a few high clouds and a gentle breeze coming out of the south.  Weather would not be a factor in this game.

These teams entered this game with identical 4-1 records on the season and are both 2-0 in district play.  Euless held the top spot in the district with a 3-0 record.  Both of these teams wanted to keep close to Euless as district play unfolds.  It should be a good one. . .

But before we look at the game, let's look at the barbecue I had earlier. . .

The Barbecue

I met my brother at Fatt Dady’s Backyard BBQ in DeSoto.  According to the Google, they are located at 809 Raintree Lane just off Belt Line and Polk, but in reality they are next door to the Grand Cuts hair styling salon at 1019 E. Belt Line.  No matter. . .

Fatt Dady’s is a one man operation and all food is served to go with a big, happy smile.  A variety of tables stand near the serving window.  One had a set of dominoes laying on it.  We knew better than to mess with that, so we left those to the professionals.  We moved a different table under an umbrella to get out of the sun. 

Between the two of us, my brother and I ordered a pound of moist brisket and a pound of pork ribs.  The meat is slow smoked over a combination of oak, hickory, and pecan and had a slightly sweeter taste than what I usually get in Austin.  The brisket did not have much of an outer bark, but it was very tender and moist, with a nice smoky flavor.  We were served a couple of ribs and the rest rib tips. The ribs were meaty, with the meat easily biting from the bone.  They did not appear to have been given a dry rub before cooking, but were still flavorful and juicy.  We were given two kinds of red sauce, regular and spicy that had just a little extra kick to it.

Fatt Dady’s is a no frills kind of joint that would easily flunk the “Nana test” (my dearly departed mother-in-law would never stop here), but the barbecue was good and the prices were way lower than the premium places.  I’d go back to Fatt Dady’s again, maybe even sharpen up my domino skills before hand.

This barbecue was good and I’ll rate it a single Hook ‘Em.

The Game

Hebron avoided big trouble on the opening kick-off when the bouncing ball hit receiver David Leonty and bounded into the end zone.  He had the quick wits to grab the ball and return it to the 18 yard line and avoid a safety.  The Hawks began a long, methodical drive into Marauder territory.  The Hawks again sidestepped trouble when quarterback Clayton Tune fell on the ball to prevent a turnover.  Jaren Mitchell scored from three yards out to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead.

                                     David Leonty avoids trouble on the opening kick-off

Marcus responded with a drive of their own.  Quarterback Xavier Maxwell scrambled for good yardage to the Hawks five.  Justin Dinka swept around left end for the 5 yard score to knot the game at 7-7.

                                 Xavier Maxwell (#15) scrambles for a big marauder gain

The Hawks used their running game and passing attack to move into Marauder territory.  The drive stalled and they settled for a 40 yard field goal to push the lead to 10-7.

A big kick-off return by Blake Covin set the Marauders up at midfield.  A pass from Rasheed Noel to Covin gained big yardage and set up the tying 30 yard field goal to make it 10-10 with 6:34 to play in the second quarter.

                                        Blake Colvin (#11) makes big kick-off return

Another big kick-off return, this time by Jatyn Taylor, gave Hebron the ball deep in Marcus territory.  A 38 yard field goal gave the hawks a 13-10 lead which they took into the locker room at half time.

In the third quarter, Maxwell’s pass was intercepted on the Marauder 46.  Taylor carried the ball up the middle for a 17 yard touchdown run.  The extra point try was no good, leaving the score 19-10.

                                        Jatyn Taylor (#1) scores from 17 yards out

After a shanked punt by Marcus, Hebron began a drive from mid field.  Tune threw deep into the end zone and Trejan Bridges made a diving catch for a 14 yard touchdown.  The extra point pushed the Hawks lead to 26-10.

                                     Trejan Bridges (#7) makes a diving TD catch

The Marauders could not generate any offense in the second half and were repeatedly forced to punt.  Jaren Mitchell scored again from 3 yards out midway through the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.  The Hawks took home the victory 33-10.

2017 - Cedar Ridge vs Hendrickson

A  look at the barbecue served Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue in Pflugerville and a recap of the district game between the Cedar Ridge Raiders and the Hendrickson Hawks.  

My video from this adventure:

I went to the Palace on Parmer, the Kelley Reeves Athletic Complex in Round Rock to see the Cedar Ridge Raiders in action in a district game against the Hendrickson Hawks.  Sam Robinson is in his first season at the helm of Cedar Ridge.  He was their defensive coordinator last year when they claimed their first district title.  Their only loss in 2016 was in overtime to Klein Collins in the second round of the play-offs.

Chip Killian leads the Hendrickson Hawks.  They missed the play-offs in 2016, but reached the second round of the play-offs the previous two years.  

Autumn has fallen on Texas.  It had been raining for a few days before the game, but there was no rain in the forecast for this night.  The temperature was around 72 degrees, with a slight breeze.

Cedar Ridge enters this game with a 3-1 record and is tied with Stony Point for first place in the district.  Henderson trails Cedar Ridge by one game in district play even with a 2-2 record on the season: two loses at home and two wins on the road.  They were the visiting team this night and were hoping there road win magic would continue.  

Raiders vs Hawks, it should be a good one.  Before I describe the game, let me describe the barbecue I ate earlier. . .

The Barbecue

Tucked into a small strip shopping center off W. Pecan Street in Pflugerville, you will find Brotherton’s Black Iron Barbecue at 15608 Spring Hill Lane, suite 105.  There were a few cars in the parking lot when I arrived around dinner time.  There wasn’t much of a line when I walked in and I was greeted warmly as I walked up to the cash register.

I got my standard half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  As my order was being prepared, I helped myself to the homemade pickles and pickled onions from a side serving table and grabbed a squeeze bottle of barbecue sauce.  The brisket was outstanding.  Thick slices that were tender and moist, with a great outer bark and a deep smoky flavor.  The ribs were meaty with a nice outer char.  The meat easily bit from the bone and tasted great.  They served a typical red sauce, kind of sweet and not too spicy, that went well with the meat.

After I ate, I had a chance to meet and talk with John Brotherton.  He’s a gregarious guy with a big smile.  While he had not prepared my order, he knew exactly what I had eaten.  I complimented him on how good the barbecue was and he was very appreciative of my patronage.  He told me they try to prepare as much as they can in-house from fresh ingredients, including the kimchi and brisket pastrami used on some of their specialty sandwiches.  John talked about his passion for barbecue.  He has travelled around Texas and has already sampled thirty of the spots on the 2017 Texas Monthly Top 50 list that was published only last June.  All this while still running his own business.  I might have found someone who loves barbecue even more than I do.

John Brotherton

If you want really good Texas barbecue in Pflugerville in a warm, friendly place, you need to go by Brotherton’s Black IronBarbecue.  I need to go back there myself and sample some of those sandwiches John described.

The Game

Early in the first quarter, Cedar Ridge fumbled a punt and Hendrickson recovered.  Two plays later, the Hawks returned the favor.  A poor hand-off exchange between quarterback Blaine Barker and running back James Hester led to a fumble.  The loose ball was picked up by Stephen Berman and ran back for an apparent 65 yard touchdown.  A block in the back penalty gave the Raiders the ball on the Hawks 11.  Simi Bakare carried to the 1 and the Raiders scored on the next play to make it 7-0.

                                                          Stephen Berman's fumble return

Khayree Somerville fielded the kick-off on his seven yard line, found a crease in the coverage, and ran down the sideline for a thrilling 93 yard touchdown.  The extra point tied the game at 7 all with 9:04 to play in the first quarter.

                                                   Khayree Somerville takes it to the house

                                                         
The Raiders began their next drive from their 20.  Cash Rugely picked up 23 yards on a jet sweep, then quarterback Ezekiel Coss lofted the ball to Jaylen Ellis on a post pattern for a 36 yard touchdown.  The extra point gave the Raiders a 14-7 lead.

The Hawks could not move the ball and were forced to punt.  It sailed 60 yards and was downed on the Cedar Ridge two yard line.  After picking up a first down, the Raiders were forced to punt.  The kick was blocked by Curley Young and ran back for a touchdown by Anthony McKeel.  The first quarter ended with the score tied at 14.

                                 
                                                      Hawks score on blocked punt return

Hendrickson was again forced to punt and their special teams once again downed it on the Raiders 2 yard line.  Coss connected with Ellis over the middle for a 50 yard gain to the Hawks 31.  Bakare broke through a big hole opened by his line and out ran the defense for a 31 yard touchdown to cap a 98 yard drive.  The Raiders were once again up by 7 at 21-14.

                                               Simi Bakare runs 31 yards for a touchdown

The Hawks managed first down on their next series, but Barker’s third down pass was intercepted and returned to the 25.  The Raiders got creative.  Rugely threw a pass to Joseluis Berlanga on a reverse for a touchdown.  That made the score 28-14 with 9:42 to play in the second quarter.

Neither team could sustain a drive and they exchanged punts for the remainder of the second quarter and well into the third quarter.

With just 0:16 to play in the third quarter, the Raiders connected on a 58 yard scoring bomb, but the play was negated by a holding penalty.  Facing third down and 21, Coss was hit as he threw. His pass was picked off by Clifton Styles and returned 41 yards for a touchdown to end the third quarter.  Instead of being ahead by 21, the Raiders lead had been cut to 28-21.

                                                       Clifton Styles scores on a pick six

The Raiders fumbled the ensuing kick-off and the Hawks recovered on the 36.  Blaine Barker connected with Jacob Lee for a critical first down on the 17.  Gage Mahoney was all alone in the corner of the end zone, but Barker’s third down pass hung in the air too long allowing the defense to recover and break up the pass.  On fourth and goal from the 8, Barker threw a dart to Lee for a touchdown to make it 28-27.  The extra point would tie the game, but the holder dropped the snap.  Trey Williams picked up the bouncing ball and scored giving the Raiders two points.  Instead of being tied at 28, the Raiders led 30-27 with only 9:00 left to play.

                                                        Raiders return failed extra point

The Raiders began their next series on their 33.  Coss threw to Caden Hinistroza for a big gain to the Hawks 12.  Bakare carried to the 5 on a toss sweep, then scored on the same play to make it 37-27 at the 6:48 mark in the fourth quarter.

Hendrickson picked up a first down on their next possession, but Stephen Berman once again made a huge defensive play.  He blew up an attempted reverse, picked up the fumble, and rambled to the 7 to give the Raiders first and goal.  Cedar Ridge moved backwards for three plays, but on fourth down Coss threw to a wide open Jaylen Ellis for a touchdown.  The extra point was missed, leaving the score 43-27.

Any hopes Hendrickson had of making a last minute comeback were dashed by two late interceptions.  Cedar Ridge claimed the victory 43-27.

Hendrickson will need more offense than what they showed this night.  Twenty-one of their points came off plays by the special teams or defense.  Their anemic offense could not sustain drives and contributed only six points and that had been set up by a fumbled kick-off.  Cedar Ridge scored 14 points off turn overs from the two big plays made by Stephen Berman. The Raiders let the Hawks get back in the game at the end of the third quarter, but their strong fourth quarter sealed the win. 

2017 - Cibolo vs Smithson Valley

A recap of the district game between the Cibolo Steele Knights and the Smithson Valley Rangers.  Also a look at the barbecue served 2M Smokehouse in San Antonio.

My video from this adventure:

I went to Lenhoff Stadium in Cibolo, Texas, just north of San Antonio to see the Cibolo Steele Knights in action against their district rivals the SmithsonValley Rangers.  David Saenz is the first year coach of the Knights.  He had served as the co-defensive coordinator since 2012 before being promoted.  Cibolo only lost two games in 2016: the first to eventual state champion Lake Travis in a thrilling overtime game in week two and their second to De Soto in the 6A Division 2 state championship game up at Jerry’s World.

Smithson Valley is coached by Larry Hill. He has led the Rangers for the past 25 seasons and picked up his 250^th win last week with a victory over Round Rock.  They finished 2016 with an 8-3 overall record.  Their season came to an end in the second round of the play-offs when they lost to eventual state champion Lake Travis.

The Knights enter this game at 1-2.  They need a win to pick up momentum for district play.  The Rangers have a perfect 3-0 record in 2017.  They lost to Cibolo last year and are looking to turn that around.  It should be a good one. . .

But before we talk about football, let me show the barbecue I enjoyed earlier in the day.

The Barbecue

2M Smokehouse is located at 2731 S. WW White Road in San Antonio, on the southeast side of town.  They opened their doors in 2016 and made the Texas Monthly Top 50 list just a year later.  This is some barbecue I needed to try.

There were several cars and trucks in the parking lot when my wife and I arrived around 11:30 AM, but there wasn’t much of a line for barbecue.  My moist brisket was served up in thick slices and could best be described as buttery.  Tasty outer bark and a deep smoky flavor.  The meat was so tender it was easily cut with a plastic fork.  Chewing was almost optional.  The pork ribs were big and meaty.  The meat easily bit from the bone and had a smoky, sweet flavor to it.  My wife ordered lean brisket and turkey which were both excellent.

2M did not have barbecue sauce, but instead what they called syrup, thick and red with a sweet and not spicy taste.  I liked it, but those people who prefer a tangier sauce might not.  The homemade pickles were also very good.  I even have to comment on their selection of Stubborn Soda.  The root beer was fantastic.

Briskets on the pit

The counter staff was super friendly and warm, greeting every customer with a smile.  Joe was doing the cutting and was great to talk with.  When I finished eating, I knocked on the door of their smoking shed and was warmly greeted by Esaul, their pit master.  He was excited to show me their big pit and let me take a peek inside where the smoking magic happens.  Next to the shed was a stack of oak wood they use for smoking all their meats.

Esaul the pitmaster

Joe the cutter

The name 2M is in honor of Esaul’s and Joe’s grandparents: Ignacio Marquez and Joe J Melig, Jr. On their website, they talk about their love of family and their love of cooking.  It was obvious from how good the barbecue was that they are poring a lot of love into what they are doing.  Their spot on the Top 50 list is very well deserved.

2M Smokehouse – great barbecue served by great people.  I give this barbecue my highest rating – two Hook ‘Ems! 

The Game

Cibolo took the opening kick-off and used their punishing ground game to move the ball downfield into Smithson Valley territory.  Brenden Brady piled up big yardage running behind his huge offensive line.  He scored from 1 yard out to give the Knights an early 7-0 lead.

The Knights forced the Rangers to go three and out. Brady burst through the Ranger defense for a 51 yard gain.  Onyx Smith’s pass on second down was intercepted by Jacob Johnson, denying the Knights a chance to go up by 14. 

Brenden Brady (#25) runs for 51 yard gain

The Rangers began their own long drive.  On third and 15, quarterback Levi Williams scrambled for 10 to close the first quarter.  They gambled on fourth and 5.  Williams pass to Diego Cervantes was good for first and goal from the 1.  Williams kept the ball for the touchdown.  The extra point was no good, leaving the score 7-6 with11:33 to play in the second quarter.

Levi Williams (#13) rolls out on fourth and 5

The Knights returned the ensuing kick-off to the 45 and kept moving the chains downfield with their ground attack.  Brady scored from 12 yards out to push the lead to 14-6.

As the clock wound down before halftime, the Rangers moved the ball.  A face mask penalty at the end of a run by Williams gave them a big first down.  Facing third and 9, Williams avoided the rush and passed to Mason Pierce for a first down on the one. Williams scored from there.  The extra point kick was good making the score 14-13 with just 18 seconds left before halftime.

The kick-off bounced in front of the Cibolo receiver.  He wasn’t quick enough to the ball and Smithson Valley recovered.  Williams found a receiver open in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.  In a span of five seconds, the Rangers scored 13 points to take a 20-14 lead into the locker room.

Kick-off bounces in front of Cibolo receiver

The Rangers got the ball to start the third quarter.  Williams was sacked for a loss of 12 on first down.  On second and 22, Williams connected with Ricky Rios for a 49 yard catch and run to the Knights 9 yard line.  Pierce carried the ball for a 7 yard touchdown.  The two point conversion failed leaving the score 26-14.

Ricky Rios (#11) gains 49 yards on catch and run

Only down by 12, the Knights used their ground game to move to midfield.  A bad handoff exchange between Smith and Brady led to a fumble recovery by CJ Kuehler giving the Rangers the ball on the 48.  Smithson Valley never threw a pass as they marched downfield and ate up clock.  Pierce scored again on a 14 yard run to push the score to 33-14. 

Mason Pierce (#19) carries 14 yards for a touchdown

The teams traded scores in the fourth quarter to make the final 43-20 for the Rangers, but the game was decided in the third quarter.  Down by double digits, Cibolo could not use their powerful running attack and were forced to pass.  The Knights defense was pretty much gassed in the second half and unable to get the stops they needed.  The Rangers took advantage of Cibolo miscues and scored 20 points off turn overs. 

There is still a lot football to play this season, but Cibolo needs to turn things around fast.  Next week they face undefeated Converse Judson which is ranked #5 in Texas.  The Rangers won’t play Converse until November in a game that could decide the district champion.