By Jim Irish
Photos by Sara Diggins
The only way to defeat Liberty Hill is to limit its vaunted Slot-T offense. Bastrop limited Liberty Hill to 305 yards rushing and made the Panthers earn them with aggressive defense, including a fumble recovery.
Mission accomplished for Bastrop.
"These kids are awesome. We put a goal out there, and they met it. And then we moved the needle, and they met it."
-- Bastrop head coach Jake Griedl
The Bears (8-2 overall, 7-0 in District 11-5A Division II) took the Panthers’ run game out of its comfort zone in a 35-31 come-from-behind victory at Memorial Stadium on Friday.
The district title was Bastrop’s first since 2009 with star quarterback Josiah Monroe. Head coach Jake Griedl has achieved success in three seasons. The Bears were 2-8 in his first season and 5-5 last season.
“These kids are awesome,” Griedl said. “We put a goal out there, and they met it. And then we moved the needle, and they met it. For three years, we’ve been plowing away.
”Laying the foundation takes a lot of time. These kids were just persistent. In the mornings. In the summer. Today it paid off. This team deserves it. It’s so cool for their families and for these kids.”
"... These kids were just persistent. In the mornings. In the summer. Today it paid off. This team deserves it. It's so cool for their families and for these kids."
-- Griedl
The Bears ended Liberty Hill’s eight-game winning streak and increased theirs to seven.
“It’s a good football team we lost to tonight,” Liberty Hill head coach Kent Walker said. “Coach Griedl does a fantastic job. He’s got those kids ready to play football.”
"It's a good football team we lost to tonight. Coach Griedl does a fantastic job. He's got those kids ready to play football."
-- Liberty head coach Kent Walker
Bastrop rallied after Liberty (8-2, 6-1) scored a touchdown on a one-yard run by Morgan Cairnes after a long drive to take a 31-28 lead with 4:22 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Weston Nielsen completed 4-of-5 passes on the drive, and running back LaDainian Merino had a long run of 29 yards. Ramonz Adams and Brent Carter each grabbed two passes. On the 10, Bastrop called Carter’s number on a run-pass option. Nielsen chose to toss it to Carter, who broke two tackles and dove backwards into the end zone with 37 seconds left.
”In a big moment, we knew he’d be ready,” Griedl said about Carter. “Boy, did he make a play.”
Liberty Hill competed without several key offensive starters who had injuries. Kyle May, the team’s leading rusher with more than 1,000 yards, was unavailable as was starting quarterback Judah Fried.
Running back Bryce Muchaw, also a 1000-yard rusher, bolted 80 yards for the game’s opening touchdown but was injured soon after and limited to 88 yards on three carries. Backup quarterback Austin Fulford, a 6-foot-6 senior, was tackled by a mob of Bastrop tacklers in the second quarter and never returned.
Walker said third-string quarterback Jack Pitchard hadn’t taken a snap since the Bastrop game last season.
Running backs Cairnes and Spencer Ballew were playing their first varsity games.
”I can (stand) here and make excuses,” Walker said. “It’s football. Things happen. You gotta be the next man up.”
Walker was impressed with Bastrop’s athleticism.
"Heck of a running back in Merino. (Nielsen) is a phenomenal quarterback. He's special."
-- Walker
”You got (Keyshon Moore, Jaelyn Gratten, Adams),” he said. “Heck of a running back in Merino.
”(Nielsen) is a phenomenal quarterback. He’s special. He’s got some really good weapons to throw to, too. But you gotta get it to ‘em. His composure is great in the pocket.”
Adams, a 6-1 lean senior, has verbally committed to Texas Tech as a defensive back, but he may be better suited at wide receiver. He caught a short outlet pass in the second quarter, turned on the burners, and sped for a 68-yard touchdown. He finished with five receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
Nielsen threaded the needle on several passes and completed 11-of-21 for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Merino, a senior, displayed his quickness, breaking through the line and beating the defensive backs for touchdown runs of 31 and 14 yards.
In the bi-district round of the playoffs, Bastrop plays host to San Antonio Lanier at Memorial Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Lanier was fourth in District 12 and has a 5-5 overall record.
Jim Irish is freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
.ns of the Austin American-Statesman
The only way to defeat Liberty Hill is to limit its vaunted Slot-T offense.
Mission accomplished for Bastrop.
"These kids are awesome. We put a goal out there, and they met it. And then we moved the needle, and they met it. ..."
-- Bastrop head coach Jake Griedl
The Bears (8-2 overall, 7-0 in District 11-5A Division II) took the Panthers’ run game out of its comfort zone in a 35-31 come-from-behind victory at Memorial Stadium on Friday.
Liberty Hill gained 305 yards rushing, but Bastrop made the Panthers earn them and recovered one fumble.
The district title was Bastrop’s first since 2009 with star quarterback Josiah Monroe. Head coach Jake Griedl has achieved success in three seasons. The Bears were 2-8 in his first season and 5-5 last season.
“These kids are awesome,” Griedl said. “We put a goal out there, and they met it. And then we moved the needle, and they met it. For three years, we’ve been plowing away.
”Laying the foundation takes a lot of time. These kids were just persistent. In the mornings. In the summer. Today it paid off. This team deserves it. It’s so cool for their families and for these kids.”
The Bears ended Liberty Hill’s eight-game winning streak and increased theirs to seven.
"It’s a good football team we lost to tonight,” Liberty Hill head coach Kent Walker said. “Coach Griedl does a fantastic job. He’s got those kids ready to play football.”
"It's a good football team we lost to tonight. Coach Griedl does a fantastic job. He's got those kids ready to play footbal."
-- Liberty Hill coach Kent Walker
Bastrop rallied after Liberty (8-2, 6-1) scored a touchdown on a one-yard run by Morgan Cairnes after a long drive to take a 31-28 lead with 4:22 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Weston Nielsen completed 4-of-5 passes on the drive, and running back LaDainian Merino had a long run of 29 yards. Ramonz Adams and Brent Carter each grabbed two passes. On the 10, Bastrop called Carter’s number on a run-pass option. Nielsen chose to toss it to Carter, who broke two tackles and dove backwards into the end zone.
"In a big moment, we knew he’d be ready,” Griedl said about Carter. “Boy, did he make a play.”
Liberty Hill competed without several key offensive starters who had injuries. Kyle May, the team’s leading rusher with more than 1,000 yards, was unavailable as was starting quarterback Judah Fried.
Running back Bryce Muchaw, also a 1000-yard rusher, bolted 80 yards for the game’s opening touchdown but was injured soon after and limited to 88 yards on three carries. Backup quarterback Austin Fulford, a 6-foot-6 senior, was tackled by a mob of Bastrop tacklers in the second quarter and never returned.
Walker said third-string quarterback Jack Pitchard hadn’t taken a snap since the Bastrop game last season.
Running backs Cairnes and Spencer Ballew were playing their first varsity games.
"I can (stand) here and make excuses,” Walker said. “It’s football. Things happen. You gotta be the next man up.”
Walker was impressed with Bastrop’s athleticism.
"You got (Keyshon Moore, Jaelyn Gratten, Adams),” he said. “Heck of a running back in Merino.
”(Nielsen) is a phenomenal quarterback. He’s special. He’s got some really good weapons to throw to, too. But you gotta get it to ‘em. His composure is great in the pocket.”
Adams, a 6-1 lean senior, has verbally committed to Texas Tech as a defensive back, but he may be better suited at wide receiver. He caught a short outlet pass in the second quarter, turned on the burners, and sped for a 68-yard touchdown. He finished with five receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
"Heck of a running back in Merino. ... Nielsen is a phenomenal quarterback. He's special. ..."
-- Walker
Merino, a senior, displayed his quickness, breaking through the line and beating the defensive backs for touchdown runs of 31 and 14 yards.
In the bi-district round of the playoffs, Bastrop plays host to San Antonio Lanier at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Lanier finished fourth in District 12 and has a 5-5 overall record. Bastrop has not won a playoff game since 2010.
Jim Irish is freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
-- Walker
Nielsen threaded the needle on several passes and completed 11-of-21 for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Merino, a senior, displayed his quickness, breaking through the line and beating the defensive backs for touchdown runs of 31 and 14 yards.
In the bi-district round of the playoffs, Bastrop meets San Antonio Lanier, which was fourth in District 12 and has a 5-5 overall record.
Jim Irish is freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
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