Several Marble Falls football players named all-district

CAPTION: Marble Falls senior Jaime Castillo is the unanimous and only fullback chosen first team all-District 13-4A Division I by the opposing coaches. Photo by Ralph Arvesen

District 13-4A Division I coaches voted several Marble Falls High School football players to the all-district teams.

Senior Jaime Castillo, who rushed for 1,084 yards, was the only fullback named first team all-district on the offense and was a unanimous selection.

“He’s a great ball player,” offensive coordinator Richard Scales said. “He’s athletic, strong and physical. He was a playmaker when we got the ball in his hands.”

Castillo demonstrated his versatility and intelligence as injuries happened, and he was forced to move to different skill positions.

“We found out Jaime did better running straight down hill,” Scales said. “Once we made that change, he started to blossom up. Once we got Jaime going, it opened up our other players.”

Senior offensive linemen Jeremiah Bales and Gavin Hernandez were named second team all-district.

“Gavin’s been great to watch,” Scales said. “He had injuries in the past. His senior year is the only year he played every game. I was happy with the growth he showed year to year. He was really an important part of the strong side.”

The coach believes that had Bales played in every district game, he would have been a first team all-district player.

“He was definitely a first team all-district lineman,” he said. “(Hernandez and Bales) could take control and (the backs) ran behind them as much as we wanted to.”

Named second team all-district on the defense are senior defensive back Dax Murphy, junior defensive back Kole Becker, junior inside linebacker Noah Lyon, and senior punter Isaac Larranaga.

Defensive coordinator Ryan Craven noted Murphy, who led the Mustangs with 107 tackles and two forced fumbles, missed a district game because of injury so not every district coach saw him.

“He played extra physical and smart,” Craven said. “He’s a real smart kid.”

Becker had more than 80 tackles and an interception he returned for a touchdown.

“He’s undersized, but you wouldn’t know it by the way he plays,” Craven said. “He’s a smart kid. Both of those guys are coachable and extremely fun to be around. They’re great teammates.”

Lyon had 98 tackles, two fumble recoveries and three sacks in 2023.

“He also is a really good kid who’s the heart and soul of the defense,” the coach said. “He plays physical and plays with a great deal of passion. One thing that made our defense good was we had a bunch of good kids who tried hard.”

Honorable mention honors went to sophomore running back Joaquin Aguilar and junior lineman Thomas Valdez.

Senior Isaac Larranaga was named the team’s Most Valuable Player, while Castillo was the Offensive Most Valuable Player and Murphy was the Defensive Most Valuable Player. Lyon and Maverick Vaughn were presented the Heart Award.

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