Cougars ambush Lions, 50-14

The Lockhart Lion varsity football team traveled to Connally High School for a challenging game against the defending district champions, the Cougars, on Friday, Oct. 14.
Lockhart was no match for the skilled Cougars as they trampled the Lions 50-14.
“The kids played really hard,” Head Coach Les Goad said. ” We really couldn”t control the line of scrimmage or co

ntrol the ball offensively.”
In the first quarter, Connally gained a big lead over the Lions, 14-0, and continued it into the second quarter.
Trailing 20-0, the Lions finally put points on the scoreboard halfway through the second quarter. The first touchdown came from a 40-yard pass from quarterback Thomas Reppond to receiver Nick Jones.
The Lions started showing enthusiasm on the field. Lockhart completed another touchdown against Connally”s tough defense after Reppond completed a 6-yard pass to Jones. Coach Goad showed confidence in his team by giving them the opportunity to complete a two-point conversion. The Lions capitalized on the opportunity when Reppond and Alex Joseph teamed up for the two points. Lockhart entered the locker room at halftime behind 20-14.
The Connally Cougars roared out of the locker room after the halftime break. In the third quarter, the Cougars kept the Lions scoreless while they scored another 16 points.
The Lions could never recover against their point deficit. In the fourth quarter both opponents were scoreless.
Offensively, Lockhart totaled 327 yards against the Cougars defense with 122 rushing yards and 205 passing yards.
Reppond completed 10 out of 20 passes with Curtis Clay receiving 43 yards and Nick Jones receiving 40 yards.
Leading the Lions with rushing yards was Casey Butler with 85 yards on 14 carries.
Defensively, the Lions struggled to stop the strong Connally offense. The Cougars totaled 505 offensive yards with 360 rushing yards and 145 passing yards. Connally”s strong running game was led by Patrick Morris with 160 yards on 15 carries.
Penalties were heavy for both opponents with Lockhart suffering from four penalties and 40 yards lost, while Connally suffered from five penalties and 37 yards lost.
The defeat gives Lockhart a 2-4 overall record and 2-0 district record. Their next district match up will be against Elgin this Friday, Oct. 21, at the Lion Stadium. Kick-off will start at 7:30 p.m.
Elgin will enter the game with a 0-2 district record. Their previous district defeats were by Del Valle, 42-8, and Hendrickson, 28-7.

Junior Varsity
The Lockhart Lion junior varsity football team hosted the Connally Cougars on Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Lion Stadium.
It was also a disappointing night for the junior varsity team as they lost 14-34 against the Cougars.
David Pozuc and Gaylon Hill completed Lockhart”s touchdowns.
“We traded scores on our first two possessions then a fumble stopped our momentum,” said Coach Brad Vickers. “In the second half, we took the opening kickoff and drove the length of the field taking up the entire third quarter. But we had some missed opportunities.
“If we eliminate our mistakes and continue to work hard and improve our success will follow,” he added.
The loss gives the Lions a 3-3 overall record and a 0-2 district record. Their next game will be on the road against Elgin on Thursday, Oct. 20. Kick-off will at 7:00 p.m. following the freshman game.
(Courtesy of Brad Vickers)

Freshman
The Lockhart Lion freshmen football team”s record fell to 2-4 for the season as the Connally Cougars defeated them on Thursday evening, Oct. 14. The visiting team outscored the Lions 20-6.
The Cougars opened the scoring as they took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards to the end zone. The try for the two-point conversion was good for the Cougars bringing the score to 8-0.
The Lions quickly answered as they scored on their first play from scrimmage. Fullback Richard Ybarra scored from 68 yards on a dive play. The Lions appeared to have tied the score at 8-8 as Zac Leija ran in the two-point conversion. The play was nullified by a holding call. The second attempt was stopped at the two-yard line bringing the score to 8-6.
The Cougars were able to take a 14-6 halftime lead as they scored on a 35-yard pass with just seconds to go before halftime.
Connally tacked on their last score from a 46-yard run late in the fourth quarter to bring the score to 20-6. With the win, the Cougars move to 1-1 in District 26-4A play while the Lions fell to 0-2.
For their next match up, the Lions will travel to Elgin to face the Wildcats on Thursday, Oct. 20. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m.
“Come out and support our future stars,” Coach Ernie Bustamante said.
(Courtesy of Ernie Bustamante)