Llano football looks to end losing streak vs. Eastside Memorial
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
LLANO — The Llano High School football team looks to end a four-game losing streak and will make the attempt during a short week to prepare.
The Yellow Jackets (1-4 overall, District 13-4A Division II) will play Austin Eastside Memorial (1-3 overall, 14-4A Division I) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Nelson Field, 105 Berkman in Austin.
Eastside’s only win was against San Antonio Lee Academy of Science and Engineering, 26-13, in Week 2.
Eastside has been shut out on their losses.
Llano head coach Craig Slaughter said he applauds this opponent, noting those players truly embrace what it is to be a high school student-athlete. They’re playing because they want to when their families might depend on them to get jobs and bring money into the household.
“They have some good players, and they’ve taken it on the chin,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for the kids who play there.”
Eastside is led by quarterback William Norwood, running back Philip Houston, and receiver Edwin Lozano.
Look for Eastside to implement a lot of motion and quarterback zone read plays.
The short week means preparation was a little different. The practices have had more intensity but have been a little shorter. In addition, there have been fewer full-contact drills, and players were in shells Sept. 28.
The Jackets won’t have a bye until Week 11, so Slaughter said the good news about playing on a Thursday is giving the players a long weekend.
“We’re actually healthy,” Slaughter said. “I worry more about fatigue. It’s such an everyday grind.”
Llano will enter this game after a positive performance in the 32-6 loss to Burnet on Sept. 23. The Bulldogs raced to a 32-0 lead in the first half thanks to four turnovers that led to three scores.
But Slaughter credited his players for their willingness to keep playing despite the lopsided score.
“We did a lot of positive things in the second half,” he said.
He commended the Llano defense for holding the Bulldogs to three field goals in the first half that included two touchdown passes from Burnet quarterback Koby Edwards and an interception by senior Tyler Ford returned for a touchdown.
Slaughter said the Jackets are “still putting the pieces of the puzzle” together offensively.
He noted it’s about consistency and helping the offense put together multiple plays in one drive that end positively for the offense and defense.
“Our formula going forward is we are definitely a running team,” he said. “It might be a boring brand of football, but I don’t want to put the defense in a bad spot.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com