Llano football has to stop explosive plays in Bangs game
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
LLANO — The Llano High School football team faces another member of District 3-3A Division in Week 2. And the Yellow Jackets are looking for a different result.
Llano (0-1) heads to Bangs to face the Dragons at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at Dragon Memorial Stadium, 219 N. Third St.
Bangs (1-0) enters the contest with momentum after a 52-27 victory over Ballinger. Llano lost 54-21 to Wall last week.
“They’re coached very well,” Llano head coach Craig Slaughter said about Bangs. “They’ll be a prepared football team.”
Bangs returns five starters on offense and five on defense to a squad that reached the Class 2A Division I semifinals last season.
While quarterback J.T. Newton graduated, the Dragons didn’t miss him against Ballinger thanks to senior receiver-turned-quarterback Keegan Hall. Hall threw a touchdown pass of 20 yards and ran in three-yard and 26-yard scores. Sophomore quarterback Trett Mitchell guided the Dragons on a drive that resulted in a five-yard touchdown run by senior Bryant Cahill.
Meanwhile, returning starting running back Seth Ross scored touchdown runs of 58 yards and six yards, and Clay Funderburg added a two-yard touchdown run.
Bangs’ offensive strength is the line that opens holes for the experienced skilled-position players.
Slaughter said Bangs will line up in passing formations but is very good at running the football in those looks.
One of the keys is not giving up explosive plays, he said, which played a factor in the Jackets’ loss to Wall.
Wall looked like a squad that played for a Class 2A state championship last year, the coach said.
“We played as hard as we could,” Slaughter said. “We gave up some chunk yardage we’d rather not. There were a couple of plays that went the wrong way. But our kids responded in a positive manner.”
He noted Wall featured players with natural quickness that made tackling them a challenge.
He credited the Hawks for widening the scoring gap by scoring on their final possession of the first half and their first of the second half.
“We knew they were a real quality team,” Slaughter said. “They’re as good as advertised.”
While the season does not hinge on a Week 2 result, Slaughter said the team is ready to experience the joy of a victory.
“The kids are hungry,” he said. “We think about it, dream about it. A win lifts everybody’s spirits. It’s funner film sessions, it’s funner after the game. We have to make plays and make it happen.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com