PHOT O BY CLAY WHITTINGTON Lampasas running back Ronnie Branch looks over his shoulder as he breaks free for a long run during practice. The Badgers and Hutto clash at 7:30 p.m. tonight inside Badger Stadium. From the Badgers' perspective, destiny is in their hands.

In reality, they're going to need a little help from the district's elite to make their playoff dreams come true.

After falling to Killeen last Thursday, Lampasas believed a win over Hutto in the season finale would automatically punch its ticket to the postseason.

But the Badgers' train to the promised land was derailed the next night, as Marble Falls pulled off a surprising 27-18 win over Hendrickson.

The upset created a sliver-sized opportunity for the Mustangs to wiggle their way into the playoffs, eliminating Lampasas in the process.

To keep that from happening, the Badgers need Lake Travis to defend its home turf tonight against the visiting Mustangs.

Should Marble Falls shock the Lone Star State and snap the twotime defending state champions' 39-game win streak, the Badgers would need a Hendrickson win over Killeen to avoid being in a three-way tie with the Hawks and Mustangs.

PHOTO BY MARIE WHITTINGTON With so much riding on tonight's game, Badger mania is sweeping Lampasas. Badgers' defensive line coach Steven Weyman and son Hayes were two of the many who sported Joey McQueen masks during the taping of the coach's radio show at the town square Tuesday evening. Unfortunately for Lampasas, such a scenario would doom any hopes of reaching the playoffs, as the Badgers trail both teams in the district's positive/negative point system tiebreaker.

"The only thing we really have control over is our game with Hutto," head coach Joey McQueen said. "If we lose, it's a moot point what anybody else does.

"We're still going to have the attitude that we control our own destiny and that if we beat Hutto, we have a great chance to be in the playoffs."

The only discernible difference in the Badgers' and Hippos' approach to the game tonight is that if Hutto wins, it is in by virtue of the tiebreaker regardless of what happens in the other district games. Lampasas, on the other hand, must win and have Lake Travis and/or Hendrickson take care of business to reach the postseason.

Oddly, the Badgers and Hippos have traveled the same trail to reach the critical contest.

Both teams started their district schedule by falling to Hendrickson and Lake Travis before picking up consecutive wins over Dripping Springs and Marble Falls. In their most recent outings, each suffered a defeat to Killeen.

While the Hippos produced more points during the stretch, they also allowed more, leaving the teams' district point differential nearly identical. The Badgers scored 42 points fewer than their opponents, while Hutto was outscored by 40.

Both squads also rely heavily on their running game.

The Badgers own the district's best rushing total behind three of the top 13 individual runners. Hutto is third in the district, fielding a trio of the top 11 running backs.

On the year, Lampasas has given up 1,688 yards rushing (187.6 per game), while Hutto allowed 1,628 for an average of 180.9 per game.

But the two teams' similar paths must diverge tonight.

"The comparison is kind of eerie, but really we are two totally different types of teams" McQueen said. "We're a ball-control [team]; they're a good option team. We've got to be able to play responsible football in the option and control the football.

"Our best defense is our offense."

The philosophy limited highoctane Lake Travis to 38 points and Killeen to 21, making Lampasas the only team this year to hold the Cavaliers under 40 points and just the second to keep the Kangaroos under the 30- point plateau.

Hutto comes into the game averaging 30.6 points per game. The Badgers are producing just 21.7 points per game, but they have come alive of late, combining for 90 points in their last three outings.

Although the schools' stats mirror one another this season, there was no such comparison one year ago.

The Badgers posted a touchdown in the game's final second to avoid being shut out in the 2008 season finale. The 54-7 loss was the second-worst of the season and gave Lampasas its 20th consecutive defeat.

Despite the victory, the Hippos missed the playoffs with a 2-4 district record.

While the game was relatively meaningless last year, this season's contest is bubbling with importance as Lampasas attempts to remove its name from the district's doormat and Hutto eyes its first playoff appearance as a Class 4A school.

Whether the Badgers win or lose tonight -- and reach the playoffs or not -- their first-year head coach knows his team accomplished an awful lot this season.

"This team has laid that foundation for the people who come behind to follow and the people who come behind them to follow," McQueen said. "Because of that, our program is going to get better.

"I'm excited about what these kids have done. They've brought back spirit and enthusiasm to this town. There are a lot of good things that have happened this season." And it might not be over yet.

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Prior to tonight's kickoff, ceremonies for Senior Parents Appreciation Night will take place.

Parents of senior football players and any other programs affiliated with the football team will be honored beginning at 6:50 p.m.

All parents taking part in the ceremony are requested to report to the south end of the field no later than 6:30 p.m.

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Local businesses are encouraged to decorate store fronts with blue and white balloons in an effort to promote school spirit for tonight's game.

Additionally, residents are being asked to decorate their homes, cars and themselves before game time.

A spirit line will be formed before kickoff and at halftime at the south end of the field.