Week 8: Rouse

Raiders in 2009: Played subvarsity only
Last year: Rouse, like Vandegrift, is just getting its varsity program off the ground with its inaugural 2010 season. Last year, the Raiders split games with the Vipers, making it difficult to gauge which program would emerge with the better first year. Rouse is winless, while Vandegrift has notched three wins.

Scouting Report

Friday night’s match up is completely unfair for Rouse (0-7, 0-4).

The first-year varsity program has struggled mightily, and has compounded things by taking on a tougher schedule than fellow first-year program Vandegrift. Fortunately, the Raiders will have a chance to settle the score with the Vipers in their season finale. Unfortunately, they’re a bit like a minnow in a shark tank this week against Lake Travis.

Lake Travis (6-1, 3-0) has no interest in taking opponents lightly, though.
“It’s kind of the same outlook we have going into most weeks: let’s stop what our opponent does best and let’s concentrate on us and doing what we do best,” Lake Travis head coach Hank Carter said.

Looking at the record, it wouldn’t appear that Rouse does much well, but Carter disagreed.

“Rouse is obviously a young team, similar to Vandegrift, and they run a spread offense with an athletic quarterback [Tai Gadison] who can run,” he said. “They can throw it a bit, too. They threw one up and over Cedar Park’s best corner last week for a score, so they’ve got some kids with some ability.”

Lake Travis still has plenty to improve upon, especially after a week where quarterback Michael Brewer and his receiving corps struggled to get a rhythm at times.

“I think he’s getting back in the fold still,” Carter said of Brewer. “There are a couple passes I’m sure he’d like to have back, but it takes time to get your timing and comfort back with your receivers. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at. It’s not always on him, and to be honest, there were certainly a couple throws where we had receivers run the wrong routes. It goes both ways. But the focus for the week is cleaning up the penalties and picking up our offensive tempo even more.”

Improving is the key.

“We’ve been harping all week about building on what we’ve done so far. Let’s keep making that climb,” Carter said.

The entire varsity may get a chance to keep making the climb Friday night, but it’s a welcome break with just two weeks until Cedar Park, and then the playoffs right after that.

Who to watch this week

Lake Travis: Passing game
Entering the third straight game with Michael Brewer at the helm, the Cavs are still working out the kinks heading toward the playoffs.
Rouse: Everyone
Quite simply, it’s been a rough year for the Raiders.

Inside the numbers

Date    Opponent    Time/Score
Aug. 28    Westlake!    W, 32-21
Sept. 3    at Hendrickson    W, 34-24
Sept. 10    Aledo    L, 14-10
Sept. 17    Kerrville Tivy    W, 37-33
Sept. 24    at Dripping Springs*    W, 38-0
Oct. 8    Vandegrift*    W, 62-7
Oct. 15    at Vista Ridge*    W, 42-0
Oct. 22    Rouse*    7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29    at Marble Falls*    7:30 p.m.
Nov. 4    Cedar Park*    7:00 p.m.
! – DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium
* – District 25-4A Game

District 25-4A Standings

Team    District    Overall
Cedar Park    4-0    8-0
Lake Travis    3-0    6-1
Vista Ridge    2-2    6-2
Dripping Springs    2-2    4-4
Marble Falls    1-2    3-4
Vandegrift    0-3    3-4
Rouse    0-3    0-7

This week’s Games
Rouse @ Lake Travis
Marble Falls @ Dripping Springs
Vandegrift @ Vista Ridge

LTHS Statistical Leaders

Rushing    No    YDS    TD    AVG
Turney Maurer    40    271    2    6.78
Michael Pojman    52     270    1    5.19
Colin Lagasse    52    269    4    5.17

Passing    C    A    I    YDS    TD
Michael Brewer    95    149    2    1,100    9
Colin Lagasse    45    68    1    522    7

Receiving    No.    YDS    TD    AVG
Griffin Gilbert    47    658    7    14.0
Turney Maurer    17    132    1    7.76
Michael Pojman    14    170    2    12.14
Alex Matthews    14    148    1    10.57

Tackles    No.    TFL    SCK    HURR
Austin Williams    75    4    0    1
Zach Streuling    56    3    1.5    1
Blake Burdette    52    4    0    3
Jonathan Roberts    41    5    3    2

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