GAMES
RANKINGS
VYPE/ESPN Austin Central Texas Game of the Week Preview: Liberty Hill vs. SA Sam Houston
Liberty Hill has already rushed for a touchdown.
Not really, but it can sure feel like the Panthers and their vaunted Slot-T offense are logging rushing touchdowns even before they get off the bus. Liberty Hill will bring their track meet offense (52.5 PPG) into Friday night’s 5A D2 Bi-district matchup with San Antonio Sam Houston in the VYPE Central Texas High School Football Game of the Week, simulcast on 102.7 FM ESPN Austin radio.
The numbers are insane. Senior running back Kyle May (146-1,226, 8.4 YPC, 21 TDs) and junior Bryce Muchaw (106-1068, 10.1, 12 TDs) pace a Panthers rushing attack that averages 467.1 YPG. (The national average, according to MaxPrep: 154.6).
Of course, the flipside is they rarely pass, averaging just north of 30 YPG through the air. But when they throw it, the element of surprise pays off. With three quarterbacks platooning due to injuries, Liberty Hill (8-2, 6-1 in 11-5A-2) as a team has thrown the ball just 21 times all season. Yet, four of their 11 completions have gone for touchdowns.
The offense often scores so fast, the defense has to spend a lot of time on the field and has, as a result, given up 30.5 points per game. (Liberty Hill scores often look like 6-man games – or even basketball.) But it’s been enough to get the job done.
If the Hurricanes of Sam Houston (5-5, 4-2 in 12-5A-2) are going to be anything more than a first-round appetizer, their defense will need to find some answers fast. Sophomore quarterback Mivieon Franklin-Ross (104-195, 1,460 Yds., 13 TD, 8 INT) has found some success through the air. He also averages 5.7 yards per carry with 5 rushing touchdowns.
Coach Kent Walker’s Liberty Hill squads reached the State semifinals in each of the past two seasons and fell in the 2021 state championship game to South Oak Cliff. The Panthers also won back-to-back state titles in 2006 and 2007 under legendary Head Coach Jerry Vance, all while running a feared Slot-T offense apparently installed at birth.
They hope to begin another “run” to State in Friday night’s playoff opener.
When: 7:15 Pregame, 7:30 Kickoff
Where: Panther Stadium, Liberty Hill HS
Who: Adam Mueller, Henry Hipschman
Watch: https://www.vype.com/nfhs-5a-ii-football-bi-dist-liberty-hill-vs-sa-sam-houston
Listen: 102.7 FM ESPN Austin, https://www.1027espn.com/
THE POWER RANKINGS: Top powers go wire-to-wire
Somewhere an alternate universe exists in which NCAA D1 Football conferences still make geographic sense, the NFL playoffs consist of just the 10 or 12 teams that actually deserve to make the playoffs, and the best Texas High School Football teams in the state of Texas get to play each other on their way to a state title.
Case in point is our final Power Rankings of the season. Westlake and Lake Travis once remain at 1-2 after cruising to relatively easy wins with Vandegrift dispatching ranked Round Rock to preserve their podium spot at #3.
Sadly for fans, however, while 6A D1 Westlake and Lake Travis are on a collision course to potentially meet up again in the Regional Finals, the 6A D2 Vipers will have to wait until next year for another crack at knocking off one the “Lakes.”
There were several match ups between Top 20 teams this week. Georgetown has been on a tear since Leander smacked them about a month ago. The Eagles crushed Cedar Park to move up to fourth while LBJ hot-knife-through-buttered their way into the Top 5. Weiss and Bastrop also notched impressive wins over good opponents to climb the ladder.
Most of the teams ranked 8th through 20th suffered losses in the final week of the regular season, save for Pflugerville, Wimberley, and newcomer McNeil, but should acquit themselves well once the playoffs begin this week. Special tip of the cap to McNeil for breaking into the rankings in this, the final poll of the year.
The regular season is in the books and the second season is about to begin. Here are our final rankings heading into the playoffs.
VYPE Austin Top 20 Combined Class 4A-6A
*Last parentheses indicates most recent game result
1. (1) Westlake Chaparrals (6A) -- 9-1 (35-14 W v. Dripping Springs)
2. (2) Lake Travis Cavaliers (6A) -- 9-1 (56-7 W v. Austin High)
3. (3) Vandegrift Vipers (6A) -- 9-1 (35-6 W v. Round Rock)
4. (6) Georgetown Eagles (5A-1) – 9-1 (31-7 W v. Cedar Park)
5. (8) LBJ Austin Jaguars (4A-1) -- 10-0 (67-0 W v. Eastside)
6. (10) Weiss Wolves (5A-1) – 8-2 (38-9 W v. Anderson)
7. (12) Bastrop Bears (5A-2) – 8-2 (35-31 W v. Liberty Hill)
8. (5) Liberty Hill (5A-2) – 8-2 (35-31 L v. Bastrop)
9. (7) Dripping Springs Tigers (6A) -- 7-3 (35-14 L v. Westlake)
10. (4) Round Rock Dragons (6A) – 8-2 (L 35-6 v. Vandegrift)
11. (9) Buda Johnson Jaguars (6A) – 6-4 (70-14 L v. Steele)
12. (11) Anderson Trojans (5A-1) – 7-3 (38-9 L v. Weiss)
13. (14) Pflugerville Panthers (5A-1) – 7-3 (52-14 W v. Pflugerville Connally)
14. (18) Wimberley Texans (4A-2) – 8-2 (44-6 W v. Lago Vista)
15. (15) Vista Ridge Rangers (6A) – 6-4 (34-33 L v. Westwood)
16. (13) Cedar Park (5A-1) – 6-4 (31-7 L v. Georgetown)
17. (16) Austin High Maroons (6A) – 5-5 (56-7 L v. Lake Travis)
18. (17) Bowie Bulldogs (6A) – 6-4 (BYE)
19. (19) Lago Vista Vikings (4A-2) – 7-3 (44-6 L v. Wimberley)
20, (NR) McNeil Mavericks (6A) – 5-5 (42-24 W v. Hutto)
VYPE Austin Top 5 Private Schools
*Last parentheses indicates most recent game result
1. (1) Regents Knights (TAPPS) – 9-1 (35-13 W v. Hyde Park)
2. (2) St. Michael’s Warriors (TAPPS) – 8-2 (45-14 L v. Concordia Lutheran)
3. (4) Hyde Park Panthers (TAPPS) – 6-4 (35-13 L vs. Regents)
4. (3) Brentwood Christian Bears (TAPPS) – 5-5 (33-13 L v. Brook Hill)
5. (5) St. Andrew’s Highlanders (SPC) – 3-7 (BYE)