When Oklahoma won the national championship in softball in June, I thought, “Wow, OU also appeared in two Final Fours — football and men’s basketball. Upon further review, it should be noted the Sooners were runner-ups in the nation in men’s tennis.
That’s the best showing for a Big 12 team — and maybe for any school in the U.S.
LAGO VISTA — An awfully good month in the life of the Llano High junior varsity basketball team — if perfect is a definition of good. The JV jackets finished the summer league here on the last night of June with an 8-0 record.
“They play off each other,” declared head coach Aaron Nuckles.
LAGO VISTA—The varsity Jackets accepted a split decision in the Vikings’ gym in their final visit of a four-week run.
Missing players here and there during an eight-game schedule, the juniors and seniors performed in solid fashion, and new head coach Aaron Nuckles had just one complaint: he doesn’t like sitting in the stands watching his team play.
Nine students from Llano competed in the district AAU track and field meet June 17-18 in Giddings.
Each of the nine students qualified to advance to regionals to be held in San Antonio July 1-2 at Converse-Judson High School. The the top six individuals and the top four relay teams will then advance to the AAU Junior Olympics in Houston from Aug.
Ben Walling throws the ball over the middle to Kyle Cooper. Walling indicated his timing with receivers and learning how they run routes improved with 7-on-7.
MARBLE FALLS — Next stop: 11-on-11. The little-brother version concluded June 27, and a solid performance is my overall assessment of six nights of 7-on-7.
“Lot of positives, so we’ll take it,” said head coach Craig Slaughter, who wasn’t always pleased, but “All’s well that ends well,” and plenty ended well at Mustang Stadium.
“This one went a whole lot better,” declared Ben Walling, who threw every pass during three outings in Burnet and three more in Marble.
The ...
LAGO VISTA — The Llano High Varsity played with its usual summer gusto, June 23, but dropped a pair of games on the third Thursday night of this one-month, offseason season.
Standing in the journalistic hallway of the discussion are the JV youngsters, who went 2-0 with authoritative victories. Gracefully bowing to their elders, they have granted the junior-senior group the opening act.
“Lots of energy, emotionally charged,” said head coach Aaron Nuckles, who is getting a good look at ...
The camp in the Llano High gymnasium wasn’t your usual basketball get-together, June 20-22, and the counselors were an impressive pair with admirable credentials.
Earnie Williams, the director, played at Texas for Jody Conradt and Gail Goestenkors, 2005-2010, and has spent several years in Europe on the pro basketball circuit.
Shannon McCallum was at North Carolina-Charlotte, 2007-2011, where the coach was Karen Aston — currently the Longhorns’ head coach.
“The goal is to see where ...
BURNET—Spike Dykes thinks, “Expansion is stupid.” That may have been his only negative thought, June 17, at another packed-house and festive evening at the 13th annual Seton Kids’ Care-a- Van Tailgate Party. The Emory Bellard-Spike Dykes Golf Classic followed on the 18th.
The Care-a-Van visits schools in the Highland Lakes area and provides free medical attention and exams for the youngsters.
MARBLE FALLS — The negatives outweighed the positives for Llano High on the first night of summer, as the 7-on-7, June meeting, continued at Mustang Stadium.
Head coach Craig Slaughter, who is not allowed to coach but is allowed to talk, thought the play in the opener against Marble was “poor.” Nobody offered a rebuttal, which shows you how smart these young men are.
The Mustangs won the 30-minute contest, 20-0.
