New-look Lions to give preview of things to come

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

The Lockhart Lions will have a new look this fall to go along with a new set of opponents on the gridiron, and the first look at the 2024 football Lions will come on May 16 as they wrap up spring practice with an intersquad scrimmage.

Action will begin at Lions Stadium at 6 p.m. with player introductions followed by about an hour of what Head Coach Todd Moebes called “running around and tackling each other.”

“It’s more for show than anything else,” Moebes said.

The Lions have enjoyed back-to-back Division 2 state playoff appearances with all-everything quarterback Ashton Dickens leading the way. However, Dickens has finished his eligibility and will be taking his talents to West Point to play for the Army Black Knights this fall.

Lockhart will return some standout performers from last season, including running back Nathaniel Gonzales. And like last season, Moebes expects first-year players at the varsity level to contribute to his squad.

“We’ve got some guys coming up that are getting more comfortable in their positions,” Moebes said. “We are returning a lot of experience. It’s young experience and when you look at a football team, we’re still really, really young.

“Our freshman class is really, really good, as our to-be sophomores. We have five or six newcomers playing in our secondary. Our young guys coming up were very, very successful in junior high. They had a chance to go undefeated for three straight years. We had freshmen help last season. I’m excited about the future for these guys.”

Several Lions will be playing new positions this fall, as will be evident during the spring scrimmage.

Moebes is particularly excited about his units up front. The offensive line has been a stalwart in the last two seasons, and despite graduation, the coach believes it has gelled together nicely. And the defensive line has been especially pleasing.

“Our offensive line is doing a great job of working together and our defensive line has improved greatly, as good as any position we have,” Moebes said.

Sophomore running back Nate Roland was dominant in junior high and Moebes went as far as to call him “super” so far this spring.

While Lockhart has moved up to 5A Division 1 and will now play in the nine-team District 12, there will be little familiarity with Cedar Creek and Kyle Lehman, there new league will also include Buda Hays, Pflugerville Hendrickson, Pflugerville Weiss, Austin Anderson, College Station High School, and College Station A&M Consolidated.

“We don’t know as much about them,” Moebes said. “We do know that they are extremely well-coached and very talented.

“We’ve had a good off-season so far. I think everyone has gotten better.”