Ten Highland Lakes Sports Insights

Welcome to this weekly column where readers will find a summary of sports across the region and the impressions left on this writer.

1. In my almost two decades of covering sports in the Highland Lakes, little surprises me. And yet there’s no question of the optimism surrounding sports programs among the coaching staffs of the three public high schools. That’s because coaches can see their players are putting in the work this summer to get better. That should pay dividends during the upcoming school year. If you doubt, please consider giving me a follow on Twitter (@fierrojennifer) where there’s retweets of the athletes and their amazing play.
2. July is an interesting month for travel teams. Basketball heats up as college coaches make their way to the top tournaments around the country to see players showcasing their talents in the pursuit of scholarships. Next Level is at the Run for the Roses tournament that is happening now until July 8 in Louisville, Ky. The Highland Lakes’ top players are competing in a tournament that organizers say has more than 800 college coaches registered to attend. Those of us who aren’t there may want to log onto ESPN+ for the tournament’s Aqua Championship at 4 p.m. July 8.
3. Basketball players aren’t the only ones hitting the road. Llano softball player Gwyn Burnett is taking a souvenir with her from Colorado. As a member of Glory Adkins Gold, Burnett and her teammate Makayla Garcia combined for 30 stolen bases and 32 runs. Talk about getting to top speed in a hurry. But those who follow the Lady Jackets aren’t surprised by Burnett’s success.
4. The ladies aren’t the only ones getting better. Baseball players Dash Denton of Burnet and Isaias Roman of Marble Falls are among the many dedicating themselves to improving. But they’re not the only ones. That’s why I encourage sports fans to give me a follow on Twitter where these players complete with video of their accomplishments can be found.
5. While fans will recognize the athletes on travel teams, it’s important to note several players have been devoting time to improving without leaving the borders of the Highland Lakes. And they are too numerous to recount here. So let’s take it one league at a time beginning with Marble Falls volleyball and head coach Kait Goertz. The Lady Mustangs wrapped up hosting a weekly May and June league June 30 that included teams as far as Killeen and as close as Burnet. Goertz made it clear from the start she wasn’t as interested in seeing her athletes’ on-court play (she knows them that well). Rather, she wanted to see their interactions with each other, how they communicated, how they encouraged and how they corrected and adjusted. She also wanted to find out if they could see what was working and wasn’t and whether they could adjust without coaching. Goertz said she was blown away by what she saw and what she was told. In many instances, the players drew the same conclusions about their on-court play and how to adjust, which excited the coach. That showed her athletes’ growth and understanding of the sport that she is hoping will pay dividends in the fall.
6. Meanwhile, the top program simply gets better. That would be the Burnet Lady Dawgs who showed more depth and understanding of their playbook than other squads at the Marble Falls volleyball leagues. The Lady Dawgs are simply plugging holes left from an outstanding graduating class that fulfilled the athleticism and chemistry the players saw in themselves and each other. That’s to say I haven’t noticed drop-off in talent or focus. The intensity will pick up when the Lady Dawgs begin fall training camp in August. Coaches will have options to fill out a coveted varsity roster because athletes will push each other to be their best.
7. Will volleyball’s new District 24-4A be as good as Burnet’s old District 19-4A? Let’s take a quick look. Last season, Burnet players and coaches were not surprised by the success of the volleyball team, which made it to the Class 4A Region III semifinals. Head coach Crystal Shipley said she saw the elements in the 2022 class when the athletes played for Burnet Middle School. The Lady Dawgs’ biggest challengers last season, Lake Belton and Salado, are gone. Lake Belton moved up to Class 5A, while Salado is a member of District 23-4A and is matched up against the team most in 2021 wanted to avoid, always strong China Spring. Gatesville, Robinson, Waco Connally and Waco La Vega round out District 23-4A. District 24-4A includes Georgetown Gateway, Jarrell, Lago Vista, Lampasas and Marble Falls. In 2021, Gateway finished fourth to earn the final playoff berth after Burnet and Salado were co-district champs and Lake Belton was third. Jarrell was an under .500 team, while Taylor, which is a member of District 22-4A beginning in 2022, didn’t win a district contest last season in District 19. Lago Vista was the runner-up in District 25-3A and lost in the second round of the playoffs. Marble Falls’ bouts in District 25-5A are well documented. Lampasas didn’t win a contest District 6-4A last season. All that is to say Burnet is the favorite to repeat as the district champ, while the other three playoff spots are up for grabs.
8. Let’s now focus on Marble Falls. I’ve said and continue to maintain the Lady Mustangs’ biggest challenge is not coaching; it’s the players’ self-confidence and their belief in each other. That’s why Goertz was so pumped after two months of league play. District 24-4A is an interesting district with one clearcut favorite. The unknown to me is if Lago Vista (enrollment is 625) will be mentally and physically tough enough to play opponents’ whose enrollment is anywhere between 129 to 600 more students. It hasn’t helped Jarrell, which turned an enrollment of 759. It doesn’t take a genius to see that at least two teams that qualify for the playoffs will do so for the first time in a long time. Only time will tell if one of these playoff teams gets hot at the right time and make its way to the regional tournament. But if a squad qualifies for the playoffs for the first time in a decade only to lose in the first round, something tells me that will be enough for the program, those seniors and their coaches.
9. Another league that finished was the Marble Falls co-ed soccer 7-on-7 league. Marble Falls won the league, which is terrific for the Lady Mustangs (one rule was that four girls had to be playing on the field at all times). The feedback from the schools that brought teams, many of which are in the new district, has been very positive. Coaches from across the region saw the same improvement in their squads Goertz talked about regarding her volleyball team. And that should have fans even more eager for the start of the season.
10. Though some sports are picking up steam during July, football isn’t one of them. Football players will get some relief as 7-on-7 and lineman challenges are ending. Football coaches who haven’t already taken vacations will do so since it’s a “dead period,” meaning college coaches aren’t contacting recruits. But that doesn’t mean a couple of linemen are resting on their laurels. Marble Falls junior Jeremiah Bales and Burnet senior Kaleb Maynard traveled across Texas to participate in camps and showcases so coaches can see their talents live. They can contact coaches and will continue to implement what they’ve learned at the camps.