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Marble Falls to ‘give a good fight’ against Lampasas

Marble Falls vs. Taylor

Marble Falls junior defensive back Kole Becker (right) defends against Taylor senior wide receiver Jake Mikulencak on a deep pass during the Mustangs’ 46-22 loss to the Ducks on Oct. 20. Photo by Stennis Shots

The Marble Falls Mustangs (1-7 overall, 0-3 district) are looking to play the role of spoiler in a District 13-4A contest against Lampasas Badgers (6-2, 2-1) on Friday, Oct. 27, at Badger Field, 190 E. Avenue B. It’s the Mustangs’ last road game of the season. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

Listen to the contest on KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune, at KBEYFM.com, or via the free KBEY app. You can also watch the game live at DailyTrib.com. The pregame starts at 7 p.m.

The Friday matchup follows a crushing 46-22 loss by the Mustangs to the Taylor Ducks (5-4, 2-2) on Oct. 20. 

“We felt like we put up a good fight, but one of the things I was most concerned about was their speed and athleticism, and, ultimately, that was a big difference in the game,” said Mustangs head coach Brian Herman.

Marble Falls was outscored 36-15 in the final two quarters after only being down 10-7 at the half.

“I thought we did a really good job in the first half holding them to 10 total points,” Herman said. “Their athleticism and their explosive offense finally found some holes in the defense (in the second half) and took advantage of their speed and athleticism.”

Depth might have played a role in the dwindling second-half output, Herman said.

“We are thin in numbers,” he said. “We’re asking guys to do a lot. We’re asking a few guys to do a whole lot.”

A bright spot in the game was the execution displayed on an 80-plus-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jaime Castillo.

“We talked about it all week and said, ‘If we blocked it correctly, it’s going to pop,’” Herman said. “We did exactly what we were supposed to and it popped.”

The coach also had positive things to say about junior quarterback Colton Minor. The young QB moved to the starting spot after serving as backup earlier this season.

“Colton is doing a heck of a job,” Herman said. “I love his composure in the huddle. I think he calms the huddle down. He stays positive. He’s encouraging. He’s very low-key. He comes matter of factly to the sidelines when he makes a mistake and owns it and doesn’t blame anybody.” 

While the loss to Taylor officially bounced the Mustangs from playoff contention, Herman couldn’t help but highlight his team’s uplifting culture.

“There’s nobody happy with our record or that we’re sitting here where we’re sitting, but the bottom line is there’s still a different kind of love in this locker room,” he said. “We met Saturday morning, and everyone was there with a great attitude.”

Minor, Castillo, and the rest of the Mustangs will need to bring their A-game to Badger Field.

“It’s a tough place to play,” Herman said. “It’s a very tight stadium. It’s got a grass field, which we haven’t seen all year. There’s practically no sideline and there’s no track around the field. It’s a very, very intimate, tight atmosphere.”

Recent rains in the region could hinder play.

“We haven’t played on a slippery surface,” Herman said. “I anticipate with the amount of moisture that’s been in the air and on the ground this week, there may be a slickness to that field. It’s something that we’re definitely talking about.”

The Marble Falls defense will need to focus on stopping Lampasas sophomore running back Jett Walker, who is averaging over 130 rushing yards per game and has 12 touchdowns this season. 

“We want to make sure we’re keeping their explosive offense on the sideline as much as possible,” Herman said.

Even with playoffs hopes dashed, the coach predicts his team will come out swinging against the Badgers.

“I love these kids,” he said. “They keep showing up and they keep working hard. … I don’t want this to end. I wish there was a way we could extend this, but the only thing we can do is take advantage of each day that we’re given, and there’s only a few left, unfortunately. We want to go out and give a good fight.”

nathan@thepicayune.com