Llano football faces Fredericksburg team with something to prove
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
LLANO — Hours after the Llano High School football team’s 20-17 double-overtime loss to Brady on Sept. 12, Yellow Jackets head coach Craig Slaughter put the task at hand in focus.
Llano (1-2) is traveling to face a Fredericksburg team that garnered 117 yards of total offense against Burnet on Sept. 12 in suffering the Billies’ first loss of the season, 55-7. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Fredericksburg’s stadium, 1107 Texas 16 South in Fredericksburg.
“My worry is that following Burnet’s loss to Abilene Wylie a week earlier, that was the maddest the Bulldogs were going against the Billies,” Slaughter said. “I think we’re going to see the maddest the Billies have been after losing to Burnet. We’re playing a team that’s upset with their last performance.”
Fredericksburg has now lost three games in its last 15 contests. But two of those losses are to the Bulldogs.
Fredericksburg (2-1) is led by senior quarterback Kyle Grona, who threw two interceptions Sept. 12, the first game he’s had interceptions. Prior to facing Burnet, the Billies were averaging 300 yards of total offense. Against the Bulldogs, they had 117.
The Billies lean heavily on running back Bryce Johnston, who averages about five yards a carry.
In addition to facing what Slaughter believes will be a very motivated opponent, the Jackets must put the loss to Brady behind them.
“It was a classic high school football game,” he said. “For the winner, it’s a spring board for bigger and better. But we can’t let this one beat us twice.”
Llano and Brady were tied 7-7 in the fourth quarter. The coach said he thought the game would be low-scoring going into the contest.
Llano’s touchdown in regulation was courtesy of junior defensive back Cody Miller, who picked up a fumble and returned it 60 yards to pay dirt. Though Brady had 348 yards of total offense, the Yellow Jackets recovered six turnovers.
“Our defense played really, really well,” Slaughter said. “We felt pretty good about that side of the ball. We thought we could line up and play well on that side of the ball.”
He also credited Brady’s defense.
“Brady’s defense was faster than our previous opponents,” he said. “We had a tough night run blocking; we had a tough time getting open. We made a play or two, but we didn’t have enough consistency. We definitely didn’t help ourselves. We had a brutal night.”
The Jackets had three interceptions. Their only offensive touchdown came from senior quarterback Holden Simpson on a 1-yard run. Senior kicker David Forrister added a 27-yard field goal.
jfierro@thepicayune.com
Brady 20, Llano 17 (2OT) on Sept. 12
TEAM STATS
LLANO
First downs: 11
Total yards: 197
Rushes-yards: 39-138
Passing: 59
Interceptions: 3
Comp-att-int: 9-21-3
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING – Llano, Aaron Moss 19-57, Trevor Penny 8-46, Jalen Bauman 2-21, Holden Simpson 9-14, John Heflin 1-0
PASSING — Llano, Holden Simpson 99-21-0-3 interceptions
RECEIVING – Llano, Bauman 5-28, Moss 2-14, Kasin Riley 1-11, Lance Reven 1-6