Week 9: Marble Falls

Mustangs in 2008: 4-6, 1-5

Last year’s game: Lake Travis 54, Marble Falls 14

Garrett Gilbert secured another spot in the Texas high school record books with six touchdown passes, passing Colt McCoy’s 116 for second place on the career touchdown list with 119. The win capped Lake Travis’ fifth straight district title, and three straight undefeated district titles.

Scouting Report

The Cavs are staring down the barrel of a sixth straight district title, and the fourth straight undefeated title.

But where the program is now is very different than where it was six years ago, and the district title just doesn’t mean what it used to.

“It loses its luster some,” Lake Travis head coach Chad Morris said. “We don’t talk about it a lot, but we do make it a goal every year and make sure the kids know it’s important. Don’t get me wrong. We’ll have the shirts ready if it happens. But it’s a check in the box for us. That’s our motto this week. Check off another box from our list of goals.”

The message is that district championships are important, but they should be just a part of a greater process. They should be routine. With the status Lake Travis has gained as a football power, it’s hard to argue with that logic.

But that doesn’t make this week one to overlook. Marble Falls is coming to Lake Travis, and the Mustangs have a lot to play for. If they win, they still have a shot at the playoffs with a tiebreaker. They are monumental underdogs, and they know it, but it adds something to the game that normally isn’t there.

And the Mustangs aren’t hard up for talented players. They’ve got a few, namely, sophomore quarterback Zed Woerner, who is making a name for himself already.

Marble Falls is coming off a big upset over Hendrickson, and it was spearheaded by Woerner, who has been in the top three in passing all season, alongside Killeen’s Michael Cummings and Lake Travis’ Michael Brewer.

“Obviously, [Woerner]’s a coaches son and brought up in the system and they feature him,” Morris said. “This is a team that will throw it more than they run it, which is a great test for our secondary.”

And it will be the final home game for a number of seniors that have been an integral part of the varsity program for three years.

“It’s going to be really special for these guys,” Morris said. “We hate to see them go, even though it’s inevitable. It’s a great group of kids that has bought into our system from day one and that means so much to us.”

Who to watch this week

Lake Travis: Lake Travis defensive backs

The Cavs haven’t faced an average passing attack since a 56-31 win over Killeen. It should be a good warm-up for the playoffs.

Marble Falls: Zed Woerner, QB

Woerner, a sophomore, has been great considering the circumstances and Marble Falls’ perennial place in the lower half of the district. He’s been right there with Killeen’s Michael Cummings for second place in the district in passing yards all season.

Inside the numbers

Date            Opponent            Time/Score

Aug. 30            at Westwood            W, 55-31

Sept. 4            Westlake        W, 42-21

Sept. 10            at Cedar Park            W, 54-17

Sept. 18            at Boerne W, 52-0

Sept. 25            at Killeen*            W, 56-31

Oct. 2  Hutto*            W, 57-16

Oct. 9  at Lampasas*            W, 38-7

Oct. 16            Hendrickson* W, 58-15

Oct. 30 at Dripping Springs*            W, 52-0

Nov. 6 Marble Falls*  7:30

* – District 25-4A Game

District 25-4A Standings

Team   District            Overall

Lake Travis            5-0            9-0

Killeen 4-1            7-2

Hendrickson            3-2            6-3

Lampasas            2-3            3-6

Hutto   2-3            5-4

Marble Falls            2-3            6-4

Dripping Springs            0-6            2-8

This week’s Games

Killeen @ Hendrickson, Lampasas @ Hutto, Marble Falls @ Lake Travis, Dripping Springs – Open

LTHS Statistical Leaders

Rushing            No            YDS            TD            AVG

Andy Erickson            60            566            12            9.43

Michael Brewer 52            311            11            5.98

Michael Pojman            50            195            2            3.90

Passing            C            A            I            YDS            TD

Michael Brewer 166            222            1            2,919            28

Receiving            No.            YDS            TD            AVG

Conner Floyd            45            886            8            19.68

Andy Erickson            38            890            6            23.42

Griffin Gilbert            28            306            4            10.93

Tanner Gillette            24            480            4            20.00

Tackles            No.            TFL            SCK            HURR

Quinton Crow            100            2            1.5            1

Austin Williams            90            2            0            0

Ian Lazarus            74            2            1.0            3

Trevor Gillette            66            8            1.0            4

Hunter Akers            61            0            0            0