College Featured Football High School Recruiting 

Burnet football’s Wood becomes OC at Wayland Baptist University

CAPTION: In Bryan Wood’s final season leading the Burnet High School football program, he guided the Bulldogs to a share of the District 13-4A Division I title. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography When Bryan Wood resigned as the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District’s football head coach in mid December, he told his players it was faith at work. At the time, Wood didn’t have a job lined up. He only knew that he had given his word to his defensive coordinator, Ben Speer, that he would resign after three years…

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Featured Football High School 

Speer named Burnet CISD football head coach

CAPTION: Ben Speer is the new Burnet Consolidated Independent School District football head coach after the school district’s board of trustees approved his hire Jan. 22. File photo Ben Speer is the Burnet Consolidated Independent School’s football head coach after the board of trustees approved his hire during its meeting Jan. 22. Speer, who served as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for three years on former head coach Bryan Wood’s staff, said he was happy and excited about the promotion. “Pretty painless except waiting for January to get here,” Speer said.…

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Featured Football 

Hill Country Elite wins second winter tourney

The Hill Country Elite captured the Holiday Bowl Dec. 16-17 for its second consecutive tournament win in December. The Elite is comprised of players in the fifth and sixth grades representing Burnet, Llano, Liberty Hill, Marble Falls and Fredericksburg. “We continue to get better at each event,” head coach Ray Gurley said. “In the first tournament (the River City Bowl Dec. 2-3), we surprised people. (At the Holiday Bowl), everyone had film on us. They were prepared. We had a target on our backs and had to execute a lot…

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Featured Football 

Marble Falls youth football has success on opening weekend

CAPTION: The Marble Falls fifth-graders execute a play from the Slot-T offense that yields a positive gain. Courtesy photo Teams of Marble Falls Youth Football and Cheer enjoyed a successful opening weekend of the 2023 season Aug. 26. The Marble Falls sixth-graders defeated Llano 21-7. The Marble Falls freshman gold team beat the Liberty Hill freshmen 13-6, and the Marble Falls junior varsity gold squad defeated the Marble Falls junior varsity purple squad 26-7. The Canyon Lake freshmen beat the Marble Falls freshman purple team 24-18, and San Saba fifth…

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Featured Football High School 

Marble Falls football ready to tackle the 2023 grind

CAPTION: Marble Falls seniors Dominic Fierro (left) and Jaime Castillo return for the 2023 season in their last year in purple and gold. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro By 6 a.m. Monday, July 31, the field house at Marble Falls High School will be buzzing with activity. Football players will be at their lockers, putting on their practice gear after getting fitted for their shoulder pads and helmets. They’ll make their way to familiar territory — the artificial turf at Mustang Stadium and the weight room — to start the…

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Featured Football High School 

Smoking For Jesus football’s defensive scheme showcases the Eagles’ natural speed

A mix-up in dates forced the Smoking For Jesus Ministry School football team to wait another week to scrimmage an opponent. The Eagles will get their opportunity when they face the Austin Royals and Not Your Ordinary School at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at 2001 N. Denney Fort Blvd. in Round Rock. “The boys are ready to hit someone other than themselves,” head coach Charles Frazier, Sr. said. “It gave us an extra week to get some plays down and know our assignments. The Austin Royals and Not Your…

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Featured Football High School 

Marble Falls Faith set to welcome Bulverde Bracken for a scrimmage

Many activities are happening at Faith Academy of Marble Falls on Friday, Aug. 12. The school is hosting its Back To School Blast that allows families to meet staff and faculty members and see class rooms. This year, the event ends with the Flames football team hosting a scrimmage at 7 p.m. at Britton Field, 3151 RR 1431 East in Marble Falls. The Flames will welcome Bulverde Bracken and perhaps another opponent. Faith head coach Stephen Shipley said he is most curious to see the defense. “We have to tackle,…

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Football High School Volleyball 

The Point After: Marble Falls fall sports want to earn respect

Spending a few hours at Marble Falls High School Aug. 1 allowed me to observe some of the athletes donning the purple and gold for the football and volleyball teams and talk to head coaches about their impressions of the first day. On the artificial turf at Mustang Stadium were other media members who are as curious about this year’s football team as me. After all, on paper it looks like a full-on rebuild with senior tailback Caleb Vidal being the only returning starter on offense, while a couple more,…

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Featured Football High School 

Marble Falls Mustangs exhibit the traits coaches want to see on first day of training camp

The Marble Falls High School football team was on the artificial turf at Mustang Stadium at 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, to officially kick off the 2022 campaign on the first day of training camp. More than 70 players in grades 10-12 wore gold helmets and were in either a purple or yellow jersey. The morning session lasted a little more than two hours and head coach Brian Herman saved the best for last – a series of gassers that forces the players to run from one sideline to the…

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Featured Football High School 

Home visits give Burnet families insight into 2022 players’ goals

After the 2021 season concluded, Burnet High School head football coach Bryan Wood took stock and evaluated himself on what he can do better. Top of the list was to strengthen relationships with his players and their families. So he took what might be an unusual step for a high school coach. He offered to meet with his players’ families at their dwellings for home visits. “The comments I’ve gotten are that people are excited about them,” Wood said. “It helps our kids and the football team. I’ve had a…

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