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Burnet’s Grant Jones wins Community Hero award

CAPTION: Burnet athlete Grant Jones (3) wins the Community Heroes award presented by Chicken Express. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography Burnet High School graduate Grant Jones is the 2024 recipient of the Male Chicken Express Community Hero of the Year award. He receives a $1,500 scholarship. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Grant Jones,” Burnet football and boys track and field head coach Ben Speer said. “Him winning this says, ‘Wow. They got it right.’ Friends, family and community members all had to do their part.” The award…

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Featured Running 

Marble Falls runners embracing challenges to prepare for season

To prepare for the cross country season, the Marble Falls High School program began having organized practices last week. New head coach Brenda Gonzalez was pleased with several traits. Top of the list is the number of runners who came — 15 including three Marble Falls Middle School boys and at least five girls. “I think they started training with them during the school year,” she said of the middle school boys. “I’m excited about the girls, too. Most are young.” This year’s cross country schedule is more challenging. While…

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Forge exemplifies helping athletes grow in all phases

CAPTION: Paolo Garza holds bands that are around Noah Luckie’s waist as he runs while Landon Griffith completes running over tiny obstacles while holding a pipe over his head. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro Helping athletes grow in stature and wisdom is more than a talking point for Marble Falls Independent School District athletic director and football head coach Keri Timmerman. It’s a truth he strives for daily. And nowhere is that more apparent right now than during the morning sessions of Marble Falls Forge ’24, the athletic department’s summer…

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Marble Falls coach Beef charged with building the complete athlete

CAPTION: Marble Falls strength and conditioning coach Karl “Beef” Bielfeldt walks through the ranks of Mustangs and Lady Mustangs before giving them the next mat drill move. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro To know what drives coach Karl “Beef” Bielfeldt, simply log onto his social media and read it. It’s right after his handle. Witnessing his athletes change their bodies and transform their mentalities when they didn’t think they could is a joy Beef knows. “To see a kid do it in that moment,” he said with a smile. “All the…

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Featured Running 

Marble Falls grad O’Riley’s season ends

CAPTION: Marble Falls graduate Kason O’Riley is trying to clear the bar set at 7 feet and a quarter of an inch at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon June 27. Courtesy photo Marble Falls High School graduate Kason O’Riley’s summer of high jumping ended at the U.S. Olympic Trials June 27. He, along with several others, no heighted at 7 feet and a quarter of an inch. “I just had a bad day,” he said. “I no heighted at 2.14 (meters), which is pretty easy to clear. I…

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Burnet’s Jones, Llano’s Hays up for Community Heroes awards

CAPTION: Burnet High graduate Grant Jones is the total package, according to football head coach Ben Speer. What he does on and off the playing field is why he was nominated for the Chicken Express Community Heroes award. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography Two Highland Lakes student athletes are in the running for the Chicken Express Community Heroes awards. They are 2024 Burnet High graduate Grant Jones and Llano High rising senior Ciara Hays. People can vote multiple times a day online. Voting ends July 1. The male and female…

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Marble Falls girls basketball announces new staff members

CAPTION: Marble Falls High School softball coach Alex Lozoya is joining the Lady Mustangs basketball staff. He is coaching the freshmen. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro Familiar faces are joining the Marble Falls High School girls basketball staff. Softball head coach and cross country assistant coach Alex Lozoya will coach the freshman squad, which means Kaitlyn Goertz will coach the junior varsity and Aspen Howie is the varsity assistant coach. Howie, who is entering her second year at Marble Falls Independent School District as a teacher and coach, is on…

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Featured Running 

Marble Falls grad O’Riley qualifies for U.S. Olympic Trials

CAPTION: University of Arkansas high jumper Kason O’Riley, a 2021 Marble Falls High School graduate, is competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials later this month. Photo by Adriana Kitchens/University of Arkansas athletics Former Marble Falls High School high jumper Kason O’Riley is preparing to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. The preliminaries for the high jump is June 27 with 25 athletes. The top 12 advance to the final, which is scheduled for June 30. The top three make the team.…

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Overview: why Burnet athletics enjoys record-breaking year

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part series. Read part one here. Winning nine district titles in a single school year doesn’t happen just because of incredible talent and tremendous coaches. That’s the word from Kurt Jones, who retired as the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District athletic director after the 2023-24 school year. Jones had been on staff for two decades as an assistant football coach on former head coach Bob Shipley’s staff before being promoted to defensive coordinator and head coach. Jones stepped down as football head…

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Burnet girls athletic coordinator Gates resigns

Rick Gates resigned as the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District girls athletic coordinator, girls basketball and golf head coach June 10 to become the girls basketball head coach at Burkburnett High School. He’ll also be an assistant track and field coach. Gates is the latest coach to turn in his Kelly green. Kurt Jones retired as the school district’s safety and athletic director, while Bryan Wood resigned to keep a promise to Ben Speer, his defensive coordinator. That promise was to resign and “do everyting I can” to help Speer…

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