Joey McQueen for President.

Joey McQueen has raised the bar for his athletes and is making a difference on the gridiron. OK, maybe I'm getting a little carried away.

But you have to admit the Lampasas Badgers' firstyear head football coach, his staff and players have performed a remarkable feat.

They broke Lampasas' 20-game losing streak in impressive fashion Friday night. Hosting the Manor Mustangs, the Badgers fell behind early in the game but showed a lot of poise by sticking to their game plan and tying the score. They then took the lead and never relinquished it, winning 21-14. And there were plenty of exciting running plays and a very stubborn defense that yielded little ground.

It was a great night for high school football, with the home side packed with Lampasas fans. On the field was the pageantry associated with the state's most popular sport, including performances by the Badger Band, the Flames drill team and the Illusion color guard.

And don't forget the cheerleaders, the tunnel crew and all those Badger moms who staff the concession stands.

Jim Lowe is editor and publisher of the Lampasas Dispatch Record. One of the fun moments in a Badger game follows each touchdown, when the cheerleaders throw spirit towels and miniature footballs into the stands.

Last year, that didn't happen as much as the team and fans would have liked, but this year looks to be quite different. The Badgers demonstrated self-discipline in putting together methodical drives that ate up time and wore down the Mustangs' defense. Lampasas had almost no penalties, and missing in the inaugural game of the season were the multiple unsportsmanlike conduct infractions that got the team "off message" in 2008.

The 2009 edition of the Badgers looks well-prepared, well-coached and hungry to win. It was encouraging to see teammates on the sidelines cheering on their peers and keeping the spirit alive.

I enjoy a wide-open offensive scheme with lots of passing, but the run-run-run and run-some-more strategy of Coach McQueen makes a lot of sense. He has some talented, quick running backs as well as sheer power in the backfield. Why shouldn't he embrace an offensive style best suited to his personnel?

In some respects, the Badgers' commitment to a running game reminds me of legendary University of Texas coach Darrell Royal, who famously said, "Three things can happen when you pass, and two of them are bad." One fan also commented on how the Badgers' running game Friday night reminded him of the Sam Fowler days at Lampasas High School. Fowler was a legend himself: one of the most successful Badger coaches in the school's history and just as stellar in the classroom.

As for Friday night's game, one victory does not make a season. Nine more regular-season games await, and the level of play will intensify. But you got the sense watching the Badgers that they have found a winning combination: a stingy defense and, on offense, a relentless ground attack made possible by a strong offensive line that creates opportunities.

I believe this is the year the Badgers' fortunes will shift in a positive way. McQueen is a disciplinarian, a motivator, a winner and, most important, a character builder. He is a personable and articulate ambassador for LHS' athletic program.

He has raised the bar of what is expected at Lampasas High School. He wants his athletes to be quality citizens, as well as being fiercely competitive (and good sports) on the field. McQueen not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. He cares about his players, and his Christian faith and hard work make him highly effective at what he does.

With almost three decades in coaching and a number of success stories to his credit where he took weak programs and turned them around, McQueen is precisely what the Lampasas Badgers need.

I don't know about his politics, but I suspect if he ran for office, he could win in that realm, as well. But let's don't put his hat in the political ring. He's needed too much now in the halls of Lampasas High School and on the gridiron, where he's already making a huge difference.