Marble Falls football begins district play at Canyon Lake

CAPTION: The Marble Falls Mustangs’ defense will have to tackle well as a unit in defending Canyon Lake senior running back Helijah Johnson. Photo by Juan Gonzales/Visual Concepts Sports Photography

Two weeks of preparation for the District 13-4A Division I opener has the Marble Falls High School football team ready for the road trip to Comal Canyon Lake at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7.

“We have an energetic game plan,” Mustangs head coach Brian Herman said. “Traditionally, they’re a strong program. They have a strong and talented senior group.”

Both teams run the slot-T offense, though Herman noted there are differences. The Hawks throw the ball more and have incorporated more spread formations.

What hasn’t changed is a strong Canyon Lake running back. He is senior Helijah Johnson, who has 56 carries for 297 yards and 3 touchdowns. Junior Justin Abbott has 48 carries for 211 yards and a score.

“Johnson is a force on both sides of the ball,” Herman said. “We’ll have to tackle him with a lot of bodies and block him with a lot of bodies.”

The Hawks defense reminds coaches of Fredericksburg, which brought heat and packed the box to get past the linemen with the aim of tackling for losses. While Canyon Lake has lined up in a traditional 4-3, the Hawks show the ability to mix things up, especially since they are facing a slot-T offense.

“They’re a solid team,” Herman said.

As for the Mustangs, coaches have been mixing and matching players and positions to create depth for the last two weeks in order to get more of a flow on both sides of the ball. The Mustangs like what they’ve witnessed. Now it’s time to put the pieces together. The 23-0 loss to Fredericksburg already is in the past.

Fans planning on attending the game should buy tickets in advance by clicking here. Note Comal Independent School District has a clear bag policy that can be read here.

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