MOMENTUM?
Badgers hope to capitalize on last week's late spark, score upset
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY GABE WOLF Reese Vann (44) and Coleton Lucas (33) will lead a Badger defense trying to rebound after allowing more than 400 rushing yards against Burnet.

Two questions loom in the Lampasas locker room heading into tonight's matchup at District 25-4A leader and favorite Austin Lake Travis.

The first: Can the Badgers slow down the Cavaliers' pass-happy offense led by quarterback Garrett Gilbert and receiver Jason Bird?

The second: Can the Badgers carry momentum from the fourth quarter of last week's 48-21 home loss to Burnet into tonight's game?

The Cavaliers (4-1 overall, 2-0 in 25-4A) have won three straight games. Their only loss of the season was a 28-21 Week 2 road defeat against Austin Westlake.

The Matchup

Teams
Lampasas (0-5) at Lake Travis (4-1).
Last Week
Burnet defeated Lampasas, 48-21.
Lake Travis defeated Cedar Park Vista
Ridge, 33-28.
Key Players
Lampasas: Linebackers Coleton
Lucas and Stephen Eskola; Defensive

Senior receiver Jarrod Bowen caught three passes for 137 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass from Ryder Brown, in the fourth quarter of last week's 48-21 home loss to Burnet.

tackle Gabe Sanchez; Receiver
Jarrod Bowen; Quarterback Ryder
Brown.
Lake Travis: Quarterback Garrett
Gilbert; Receivers Jason Bird and
Cade McCrary; Running back Chris
Aydam.
At Stake
Lampasas must win to stay in the
District 25-4A playoff race.

"The one thing about our kids is that they're resilient," LHS head coach Ryan Bailey said. "They love to play. Their motto all week has been, 'Let's go out there and do something crazy and upset them.'"

Lake Travis averages 26.8 points per game on offense. The Cavalier defense has allowed 22.2 per contest, a number skewed by the fact that Burnet and Vista Ridge combined over the last two weeks for 35 fourth-quarter points in games that already were decided.

Gilbert -- a 6'3", 190-pounder -- has completed 113 of 195 passes for 1,413 yards and 12 touchdowns to eight interceptions. His primary target is Bird, who has caught 42 passes for 466 yards and five scores. Cade McCrary has 21 catches for 350 yards and four touchdowns on the year.

Ryan Abbott (28), along with Brode DuBose and Melvin Batiste, will try to spark an inconsistent running game.

"They put the ball in the quarterback's hands," Bailey said. "He's got a strong arm, he understands the offense they run, and he's very elusive in the pocket."

The Cavaliers have thrown the ball on 64.7 percent of their snaps this year, but running back Chris Aydam has been effective when given opportunities, carrying 28 times for 137 yards and a touchdown.

The Badgers (0-5, 0-2) played their best quarter of football in the final frame against Burnet when they found the end zone three times through the air. Backup quarterback Ryder Brown connected with Jarrod Bowen, Jonathan VanLiew and Cole Ball on scoring strikes. The touchdown to Bowen was good for 70 yards, the Badgers' longest play from scrimmage this season.

Ryder Brown: Junior quarterback will get second consecutive start.

Brown, a junior who made his first varsity start after sophomore signal-caller Vann Millican had some staph infection removed from his foot late last week, will get the starting nod again tonight.

"He was a little nervous last week," Bailey said of Brown. "He threw up a couple of times, but he calmed down and made some great throws. The kids are behind him."

After Lake Travis, Lampasas will play at Pflugerville Connally, Pflugerville Hendrickson at home, at Vista Ridge and Dripping Springs at home.

"These kids understand that we should already have two wins and that we've got real opportunities to win those last four," Bailey said. "That makes them want to go down to Lake Travis and come away with the upset."