Marble Falls football aims for another home win in pre-district

CAPTION: The Marble Falls defense will get another test in facing a dual-threat quarterback when Kerrville Tivy visits Mustang Stadium Sept. 16. Photo by Juan Gonzales/Visual Sports Photography

The Marble Falls High School football team is looking to finish its pre-district home schedule with another win. Standing in the way is a Kerrville Tivy team determined to leave Mustang Stadium with that victory.

The two meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept.16.

“I think it’ll be a good matchup,” Mustangs head coach Brian Herman said. “It’ll tell us more about ourselves.”

Tivy (2-1, District 13-5A Division II) is on a two-game skid after losing to Fredericksburg Sept. 9 and Comal Davenport Sept. 2 by the identical scores of 31-28 after opening the season with a 28-6 victory against Castroville Medina Valley.

The Antlers still operate a spread offense. Senior quarterback Kyle Lackey has completed 42 of 68 passes for 546 yards, 5 touchdowns and an interception and has 46 rushes for 245 and 4 scores. Senior running back Logan Edmonds has 27 carries for 177 yards and a score. Junior receiver Stormy Rhodes has 11 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown and senior receiver Lake Audrain has caught 9 passes for 126 yards and a score.

“They are quick and aggressive,” Herman said. “They have 4.4 to 4.7-type kids. Tivy is more like Brownwood. Their quarterback is athletic. Their quarterback is very, very good. He has speed and athleticism and makes good decisions with the ball.”

Tivy also shows the same type of speed on the other side of the ball, he added, noting most of the Antlers weigh around 190 pounds. Kerrville is led by junior middle linebacker Andrew Gierisch, who leads the team with 35 tackles, followed by junior free safety Tate Fahey with 34 tackles.

“On defense they fly to the ball extremely well. They gang tackle very well,” he said. “We’ll have to be physical upfront and go straight at them.”

Herman noted the Mustang offensive line was able to enforce its will on a Killeen Chaparral’s front seven that featured taller and wider players. He believes that will help against the Antlers.

“I think our line does a good job of coming off the ball,” he said. “The lateral or aerial stuff is dicey because of quickness. We have to be people movers again.”

After studying the game film of the homecoming win against Killeen Chaparral Sept. 9, Herman noted some important stats:

• the Mustangs averaged 6.2 yards per carry. “That’s a first down every other play,” he said.
• Marble Falls had two drives in the first half of 15 and 13 plays that resulted in a turnover on downs or a fumble in the red zone. Score on those two, and the Mustangs are winning by three touchdowns at the half.
• After Chaparral scored on back-to-back possessions to take a 12-7 lead in the second half, Marble Falls responded with a two-yard touchdown by senior tailback Caleb Vidal and a two-point run by senior fullback Jasuel Ruiz for a 15-12 advantage.
• Once the Bobcats tied the game on a 32-yard field goal at 15-15, the Mustangs responded with the game-winning touchdown drive that ended when Ruiz scored on a 12-yard run on fourth-and-2. And the Marble Falls defense did the rest.

Herman said he was most proud that his players responded when they had to have points and make stops.

“We had a great leadership meeting and the best practice on Monday we’ve had in two years,” he said. “We put homecoming behind us. People don’t understand what homecoming does to a kid. We’re still trying to figure out who we can count on day in and day out. That’s a constant evaluation. We haven’t had the same starting lineup two weeks in a row. I think we found some dudes (against Chaparral). I think we’re learning a lot about our team.”

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