PHOTOS BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Senior running back Edward Hall tries to break free from the grasp of a Austin McCallum defender during the Badgers’ playoff game. Hall was named to the Killeen Daily Herald’s 2009 All-Area first-team offense. In addition to hopefully finding themselves on Santa’s nice list, several Badgers landed on another impressive list over the holiday weekend.

Lampasas head football coach Joey McQueen was named the Killeen Daily Herald’s 2009 All- Area Coach of the Year, while five players made the first- or secondteam squads.

Senior Edward Hall, a unanimous selection for the District 25-4A All-District First Team, was the program’s lone all-area first-team selection, joining Harker Height’s Kerry Sloan as the running backs. Hall ran for 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns on 190 carries for a 7.29 yard per carry average during the regular season.

After snapping a 20-game losing streak and going 4-6 overall with a 3-3 district record in his first year as Lampasas’ head coach, Joey McQueen was named Coach of the Year. Killeen’s Michael Cummings was named Offensive MVP.

Badgers guard Rafael Cazares and utility player Aaron Reyna were placed on the second-team offense.

Multidimensional tool Reyna ran for 356 yards and four touchdowns, while also returning kicks, catching passes and playing defense.

Cazares was key in helping the Badgers’ offensive line as the ground game accumulated a district-best 2,903 rushing yards.

Both Cazares and Reyna were alldistrict first-team selections.

Seniors Rush Seaver and Brandon Abbott were named to the all-area second-team defense.

Middle linebacker Seaver produced 70 solo tackles in 2009 and assisted on 66 more, along with 10 tackles for a loss.

Safety Abbott, an all-district first-team punter, finished the year with 62 solo tackles and 42 assists.

Zac Sakaria, of Belton, earned the Defensive MVP.

McQueen was named Head Coach of the Year after transforming an 0-20 team into a playoff participant in his first year.

After taking control following the team’s second consecutive 0-10 season, McQueen changed the team’s offensive philosophy to a ground-based attack that chewed up the clock and helped take pressure off the defense.

The result was a 4-6 campaign, including a 3-3 run through district, giving the Badgers their first appearance in the postseason since 2000.

Although the team’s season ended in the bi-district round, Lampasas earned 13 first- or second-team alldistrict selections, including cocoaching staff of the year. The award was split with the three-time defending Class 4A state champion Lake Travis Cavaliers.

Other District 25-4A players to make the all-area teams include Killeen senior wide receiver Rodney Brown (first-team offense), tackle I’Raunce Ellis, of Killeen, (first-team offense) and Killeen wide receiver Ja’Corie Baker (second-team offense).

Defensively, Killeen’s Michael Vickers (DE), William Keller (DT), Royce Asi (LB) and Marcellus Lee (S) were all named to the first-team defense.