La Vernia Keeps Leps Winless
A big, physical La Vernia football team was in no mood to take it easy on a La Grange team still trying to find its way.
The Bears blasted the visting Leps 45-0 Friday to stay unbeaten, while the Leps are still winless in three tries this season.
La Vernia quarterback Keegan Hajek ran for three touchdowns and threw for another amidst crisp 20 of 26 passing. The Bears amassed 494 total yards of offense.
It was the first time La Grange has been shut out since the 2017 season opener against Argyle.
“There’s going to be a lot of teachable moments on this film,” La Grange head coach Kyle Cooper said. “We got some stops early defensively and thought we had a chance to get some things going offensively. We just weren’t quite clicking on all cylinders. I thought we played better in our special teams tonight, that was probably the bright spot of the night.
“We played in spurts, but it’s not a spurts game especially when you play competition like this.”
The Leps never really got anything going offensively and ended up with just 109 total yards, one week after they had gained more than 500 against Columbus.
“They had a good scheme and they did some good things, but I don’t think we played up to our abilities. We let the scoreboard dictate how we played the game and you can’t do that,” Cooper said.
Le’Kayvion Broussard led the Leps in rushing with 42 yards on 12 carries.
La Grange continues to alternate junior Clayton Cooper and senior Bennett Barber at quarterback. Cooper was 6 of 18 passing for 57 yards and Barber was 3 of 12 for 15 yards.
One of the bright spots for the Leps Friday was a fumble recovery by Austin Roe, the Leps’ first takeaway of the season.
“I just saw the ball on the ground and got on top of it,” Roe said. “I thought that was going to be a key moment, but La Vernia has a great defense and we couldn’t do anything against them.”
Looking ahead, for the first time this season the Leps will play a team that has lost a game, as Lago Vista comes to town Friday. La Grange’s first three opponents are a combined 9-0, but the Vikings are 1-2. They lost to Cameron and Little River Academy before beating Giddings 31-12 last week.
“We just have to get back to practice next week and execute,” said La Grange linebacker Jeremiah Dillard. “These first five games are just getting us ready for the next five (district games). We’re trying to get where we want to be.”