Tonight I am honored to stand in front of you, the family, friends, and teachers of these fine individuals that we will soon call Llano High School graduates. I knew I would love this group from their very first class meeting with me three years ago as they began their sophomore year.
One was one of the greatest players of all time. The other was awfully good, but he’ll be remembered for a mistake, and many fans and media criticized him too much. After all, it is, just a game. His personal comeback off the field was an inspiration for all of us.
Bart Starr
He died May 26 at the age of 85.
Should we begin with the man’s resume? Okay, part of it: Defensive Coordinator at Westlake High, Odessa High and that other Odessa school—Permian. Plus five years as Head Coach at Gregory Portland.
He signs his scorecard, Matt Anastasio, and he’s the new co-DC (with Ricky Sparks) at Llano High. There’s a brother-in-law tie-in here, too, but that’ll have to wait.
“Great community,” Anastasio called Llano and the Hill Country.
Hello again on Memorial Day. Well, I know we’re a few days past, but one (not so important) fact this Day tells baseball fans the season is finally moving along—almost a third done of its 198 game (I’m kidding as well as filling) schedule. So, with a huge assist from ESPN.com, I’m going to take up a couple of minutes—beats nine innings—of your time with, I think, some pretty interesting stats.
Deion Sanders and Sammy Baugh are in the NFL Hall of Fame, and both played defensive back among other positions. Michigan’s Charles Woodson, a DB, is in the College Hall and won the Heisman Trophy in 1997.
All would be proud of the Seniors who intercepted four passes by the Juniors en route to a 19-0 win, May 15, in the annual Llano High School Powderpuff game.
FREDERICKSBURG—The Llano volleyball Jackets are spending a portion of the last month of school in the Battlin’ Billies’ gym, and, on May 14, beat Junction two games to none.
“{It’s been} a lot of fun,” said Head Coach Dee Heiner. “We’ve been mixing teams so the kids have to step up and be leaders.” Heiner, who begins her second year in Llano on the first of August, is positive about the upcoming season.
BURNET—The football Jackets have had trouble with the Bulldogs in autumn for just over two decades—their last win was in 1998, a “century” ago. However, in 7-on-7 encounters the last couple of weeks, Llano has done quite well—two for two, May 13, and one win, one tie, May 20.
“Case {Kuykendall} was sharp,” said Head Coach, Matt Green.
It was one of the most amazing comebacks of all time. Forget about the Patriots’ win over the Falcons in the Super Bowl after being down, 28-3.
And toss aside Country House—one of the few athletes who can say, “Don’t laugh at second place—it won me the Derby!”
On a warm May 17 afternoon, ideal for a game of this magnitude, Richard Kattner put the icing on his first-year-in-Llano cake with a game-winning, three-run homer that would have gone out of Fenway and Yellowstone Parks. ...
The Jackets did fine in a 7-on-7 tournament, May 18, that would allow one of eight teams to qualify for the state tournament. Llano won two out of three games but lost the opener to Wimberley and didn’t make it, but will have a second chance June 8 and June 15.
Onward.
