'FOUR QUARTERS'
Badgers focus on endurance, protection against Ducks
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

Sophomore quarterback Vann Millican made some effective throws in the first half, but heavy second-half pressure resulted in three interceptions and a trip to the sidelines after a big fourth-quarter hit.

When Lampasas takes the field against Taylor tonight, Badger head coach Ryan Bailey doesn't expect to see the same Taylor team he's been watching on film all week.

In fact, he doesn't expect to see the same Lampasas team he's been watching on film all week either.

The Ducks are off to an 0-2 start, but a handful of Taylor players who did not play in the first two games will suit up tonight. LHS is coming off a 28-14 season-opening loss at Waco University, but Bailey thinks his team's pass protection and overall conditioning will be stronger than in the opener.

Taylor, the largest school in District 18-3A, is coming off a 15-10 home loss to 17-4A Manor. The Ducks lost to Burnet 58-12 during Zero Week.

"They've had five key players out, so they're going to come in here looking a lot tougher against us," Bailey said.

PHOTOS BY ED DIMAS

Taylor's bright spot through the first two weeks has been running back Tristan Meyer. The 6'1", 190- pounder with 4.4 speed scored on a 54-yard run against Burnet and scored on a 3-yard run against Manor.

In the loss to University, the Badgers' pass protection broke down in the second half. A mix of blitz looks had quarterbacks Vann Millican and Ryder Brown running for their lives.

The junior Brown relieved Millican in the fourth quarter when the sophomore stayed on the turf for a few minutes after absorbing a hit from University linebacker Antonio Neal.

Millican will start this week.

"He's fine," Bailey said. "He just got the wind knocked out of him."

Millican completed 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and three interceptions, all of which came in the second half under heavy duress.

"He performed pretty darn well," Bailey said of Millican. "The problems up front were not his fault. He did what he was asked to do for us in the first half, and we didn't have all the audibles we needed to have in for him against the blitz in the second half."

The Badgers and Trojans were tied at 14-14 after three quarters before University pulled away.

"Our focus this week has been getting in better shape, so we can play for four quarters this week," the coach said.

"We've also identified what went wrong on the O-line and have been working to get that fixed. After they (Taylor coaches) look at the film, I'm sure they'll come out and try to blitz. I think we'll be ready for it."

The Lampasas defense held the Trojans to 28 points despite the offense turning the ball over six times and putting it in tight spots. The two fourth-quarter scores came after the Badger defense had been on the field the majority of the second and third quarters.

"We didn't have to tell the kids what went wrong last week," Bailey said.

"We talked to them after the game, and they told us what went wrong. They said they had to be in better shape so they could finish."

The kickoff and punt coverage teams did not allow any big plays to a fast University squad, and the LHS punt coverage team produced six points when Stephen Eskola jumped on a bobbled punt in the end zone. The defense allowed just two plays of 30 yards or more.

"I was very happy with the special teams and the defense," added the coach.

"If they can play well, I think we've got a good chance to mature on offense this week."

Lampasas linebackers Reese Vann (44), Stephen Eskola (12) and Coleton Lucas (33) led a Badger defense that allowed just 14 points through the first three quarters of last Friday's 28- 14 loss at Waco University. LHS head coach Ryan Bailey said the team focused on conditioning this week in an attempt to reduce fourth-quarter fatigue. PHOTOS BY ED DIMAS