Coach believes Llano football will bounce back vs. Lampasas after district-opening loss
[box]GAMETIME
Llano Yellow Jackets vs. Lampasas Badgers
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18
WHERE: Llano Stadium, 400 Texas 71 East in Llano[/box]
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
LLANO — Two teams trying to put disappointing District 8-3A losses behind them will converge at Llano Stadium on Oct. 18.
The Yellow Jackets (2-4, 0-1) welcome Lampasas (2-4, 0-1) for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
Llano fell to Liberty Hill 54-21, while Lampasas lost to Gatesville 45-27 on Oct. 11 to open district play.
Llano head coach Craig Slaughter said his players are resilient, and he trusts they will bounce back from the loss.
“I believe in my kids,” he said. “We are looking forward to (Oct. 18) and a new opportunity.”
Lampasas running back Gary Spencer leads the rushing attack. He has more than 500 yards during the season. Logan Irvin is the Badgers quarterback.
The Badgers also have a new head coach this season. Brian Emerson took over the program in March. He guided Blanco to the Class 2A Division I state championship in 2001.
The Yellow Jackets defense faced the same run-oriented scheme Lampasas utilizes when Llano played Liberty Hill.
In that game, the Panthers took a 14-0 lead before senior running back Carter Tatsch and senior wide receiver Sawyer Stiles got Llano on the scoreboard. Tatsch hit paydirt on a four-yard run, while Stiles took a handoff 17 yards for the score.
The Panthers, however, scored four touchdowns before Llano senior quarterback Layton Rabb ran for a three-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Rabb, who missed six weeks because of emergency surgery, ran for 60 yards and threw for 160 more, Slaughter said.
“It will help his timing,” he said. “We’re glad to have him back.”
Slaughter stopped short of saying the loser of the Llano-Lampasas game will miss the playoffs.
“No elimination mode yet,” he said. “But it will be a very tough road, no doubt. The road will be much easier and feel much better with a win.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com