Leps vs. Smithville Makes for Interesting District Football Opener
The real season starts Friday for the La Grange football team.
District 12-4A plays kickoffs for the Leps as they welcome longtime rival Smithville to La Grange for a 7:30 p.m. game. With the exception of stateranked Cuero, all the teams in District 12-4A have had their struggles in non-district. La Grange is 2-3. The Tigers are 1-4 and are in the midst of a four-game losing streak after starting the season with a 56-0 win at Austin Travis. Since then the Tigers have had two close losses (to Navarro and Taylor) and two blowout losses to (Sealy and Lago Vista).
“I think both of our records are deceiving,” said La Grange head coach Matt Kates. “Smithville has lost to good teams, just like our three losses have been.”
“Smithville has a lot of skill kids back from last year, their quarterback is a three-year starter ... Tyson Hancock (receiver and defensive back) is as good a football player as we will see all season.”
But Hancock (who is getting college interest) has been injured and Kates was unsure of his availability Friday.
“We’re preparing like he’s going to play,” Kates said of Hancock, who scored two touchdowns last year against the Leps.
La Grange has injury questions of its own. Bravion Rogers was injured in the second half of the Splendora win two weeks ago, but Kates said Rogers has returned to practice this week.
Smithville quarterback Derrick Roberson is healthy and has picked up right where he left off last season, when he threw for 1,928 yards and ran for 728.
Bottling him up will be a priority for the Leps Friday.
By contrast, La Grange’s primary quarterback for the past three games doesn’t have the experience of his Smithville counterpart. Sophomore Bear Meng has earned the bulk of the playing time at quarterback the last three games, though Jaden Williams, Bennett Barber (and even Rogers) have also played quarterback in some packages for the Leps.
“He continues to gain confidence,” Kates said of Meng. “He throws the ball well, and he’s made some plays with his feet.”
Last season the Leps defeated Smithville 37-22 in a wild regular season finale to clinch the runner-up spot in district.
Kates thinks good things are ahead again in district this season.
“I like where we are, we’ve played some good teams and took it on the chin a couple of times but responded each time,” said Kates, whose Leps have lost to Bellville, Columbus and Lago Vista (teams that are a combined 16-1). “We feel like we’re ready to peak at the time of year when you need to be peaking.”
Grades Good for Leps Report cards went out last week and all La Grange varsity players remain eligible, and Kates said only two football players on LHS subvarsity team were ineligible. “That’s something we’re proud of,” Kates said.
Captains Named During last week’s bye week, La Grange players voted on their team captains. Hayden Splawn, Cooper Imhoff, Jaren Woods, Anthony Weikel and Andrew Faske were voted by their teammates as this year’s captains.