Friday is Opening Night of High School Football Season!
La Grange vs. Rockdale
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Rockdale
2020 Records: LG was 4-6. Rockdale was 6-5.
Of Note: Rockdale returns just two offensive and five defensive starters from last year’s team ... La Grange returns five offensive and seven defensive players from last year’s team which missed the playoffs. La Grange WR/DB Bravion Rogers is one of the most explosive players in Central Texas and has several D-I offers. WR/DB Dana Baker also has elite speed. Ryder Imhoff and Jakobe Wilkerson provide the Leps with some experienced running backs and Clay Wolff returns after playing a lot last season as back-up quarterback.
Last meeting: With a senior-laden team that included some players that were freshmen on the 2017 state title team, Rockdale beat La Grange 40-14 in the 2020 season opener at Leopard Stadium. Tiger Cam’Ron Valdez (now playing for Texas Tech) ran for 132 yards and three TDs. Rockdale senior quarterback Jace Robinson suffered a season-ending leg injury but has rehabbed and is now playing for Abilene Christian University ... Ryder Imhoff and D.J. Taylor scored the two touchdowns for the Leps last year.
Schulenburg vs. Stockdale
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Stockdale
2020 Records: Schulenburg was 4-3. Stockdale was 4-5.
Of Note: The Shorthorns will try to get off to the same strong start they did last season when they won their first four games, and Schulenburg looks primed to do so with nine returning starters back on offense and nine back on defense including explosive playmakers Keisean Johnson and Kenny King. They’ll run the football behind a big, strong, experienced offensive line. One big question mark for the Shorthorns is at the QB position where three-year starter Brett Janecek had graduated and in his place Schulenburg will turn to sophomore Tyler Ryba ... Stockdale is a 3A school and the Brahmas will turn around and play another Fayette County school, Flatonia, next week.
Last meeting: In the season opener last year the Shorthorns blasted Stockdale 40-0 in Walt Brock’s debut as head coach. Kenny King returned an interception for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass. Keisean Johnson and Jayson Schaefer both caught long touchdown passes from graduated quarterback Brett Janecek and Freddy Palacios returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Flatonia vs. Runge
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Flatonia
2020 Records: Flatonia was 5-4. Runge was 5-4
Of Note: Runge has had a tough time of it, when their head coach resigned a couple of weeks ago because of family health reasons. For a few days varsity assistant coach Daisy Garcia was acting as the head football coach and athletic director and seemed like she might become the first ever woman to be the head coach of a high school football game in Texas, but just days ago Runge hired former assistant Matt Wright as their new head coach, but he’s playing catch-up. “I know it’s been a trying time for those kids over there ... but I expect us to play up to our standards regardless of who the opponent is,” said Flatonia head coach Chris Freytag, who faces a brutal five game stretch starting in two weeks, facing Mart, Falls City, Tidehaven, Schulenburg and Shiner.
Last Meeting: In the season opener last year, Flatonia beat Runge 27-6 as graduated seniors Ricardo Olivares and Chris Johnston both ran for two touchdowns. The Bulldogs struggled throwing the football against the Yellowjackets in that game, however, tossing as many interceptions (3) as completed passes.