K-MAC Chuck
02-09-2008, 07:37 AM
Llano's Yeager: "Now I know what an SEC team feels like"
By Chuck Licata
Independent Sports
Unless you’ve spent the past seven days in hibernation, you know the UIL placed Liberty Hill High School in District 8-3A (in Region I) with the likes of Fredericksburg, Wimberley, Llano, Ingram, Fischer Canyon Lake and Burnet.
One can surmise this: while most of the coaches felt they knew who their new district opponents would be, all were shocked by the district’s placement in Region I. In fact, two coaches – Sky Walters of Ingram Tom Moore and David Yeager of Llano – thought their schools dropped to Class 2A when they couldn’t find their schools listed in either Region IV or Region III once the realignment was released.
Here is what the 8-3A coaches/athletic directors said about the newly-formed district, which begins play this fall:
Llano High School (David Yeager)
We’re very happy to not be placed in a four-team district (as they are now). But honestly, we didn’t think that would happen anyway.
I felt Burnet was the “key” school to our placement. If Burnet dropped down to Class 3A (from 4A), we’d get Liberty Hill in our district and the district would look a lot like it does now. If Burnet hadn’t dropped from 4A, then we’d have gone east.
Also, we knew Fredericksburg was coming down (to 3A) and I figured Wimberley and (Fischer) Canyon Lake were joined at the hip.
When the realignment was announced, I looked at Region IV to find our school. When I didn’t see us there, I figured we’d dropped to (Class) 2A! Coach Nelms came up to me and was the one who told me we were in Region I.
That’s a tough draw being in Region I – there are so many good teams, such as Brownwood, Abilene Wylie, Sweetwater, China Spring, and West, among many others. The travel will (be an issue), although we’re used to traveling for regional since we have to go down to the Valley.
I was telling someone the other day – now I know what an SEC (Southeast Conference in NCAA Division I) team feels like! That’s how I see our district – each week there’s an Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee or Arkansas waiting for you. You have a great coaching staff at each (8-3A) school and you have well-coached players at each school. It’s going to be important to stay healthy, because every little factor will be important. We hope to be playing for something come Week 9 and Week 10 (of the schedule).
Burnet High School (Doyle Walker)
I knew we were going to be on the bubble of (either being) a 4A (or) 3A school. I didn’t realize how close it was going to be.
I’m surprised our district (8-3A) was placed in Region I but the only difference will be in the playoffs, when we’ll have to drive a little further north and northwest. But the last time Burnet was a 3A school, we were driving to Kingsville for regionals so driving out to Lubbock and Odessa won’t be too much of a difference.
As for our particular district, we’re not surprised (with the teams placed in our district), that’s only logicial. I think the competition level will be just as good – if not better- compared to what we faced in 4A. There will not any kind of “drop off” moving down from 4A into this district and region.
As for playing Liberty Hill in district, I think this will just intensify the rivalry.
Fischer Canyon Lake High School (Matt Monzingo)
Everything (about the new high school) was fun until we got the word on realignment. But seriously, we were looking forward to getting some kind of direction with the (being placed in a) district (by the UIL).
District 8-3A will be very challenging with Burnet, Fredericksburg, Wimberley, Liberty Hill, Llano and Ingram. That’s tough enough right there.
It’s unbelievable that we got placed in Region. I was in Region I when I coached in the Panhandle; I moved 500 miles south and I’m still in Region I. Wow. But, there’s no use in griping about it – we’ll just start working on arrangements for next season.
As far as being the “new school” in this district, there are certainly challenges, considering we won’t have any seniors until the following season. Football will be very tough in this district; Wimberley is unbelievable in volleyball; Liberty Hill is pretty solid in all its programs; Llano is solid in girls basketball….basically, there’s nothing ‘easy’ about this district; every sport we’ll participate in will be extremely tough.
We’ll have just juniors next year so to say we’ll compete for a district title starting next season would probably be a bit much. We’ll work hard and be competitive.
Fredericksburg High School (Dean Herbert)
We thought we were going to move to (Class) 3A and we "dropped" into a really tight district. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this district is tougher, through and through, than our 4A district. We didn’t drop in competition level; we moved up! The competition level is unbelievable..Every week, it's going to be tough.
You look at this district – it has not only the last three state champs (Liberty Hill in 2006 and ’07 as well as Wimberley in ’05), but it has state finalists in four out of last five years (Burnet was a state finalist in 2002 and ’03). Teams that get out of this district are going to be battle-tested tough and whomever gets out should do well in the playoffs.
Our kids play hard every week. As far as scheduling, we were going to play liberty hill and burnet in non-district if we hadn’t been put in this district; fortunately, we picked up Brady and Marble Falls in those two spots - we got real lucky there.
The last time Fredericksburg was a 3A school was 1981 – ironically, we were in Region I and in District 8-3A. For us, we won’t be going to San Antonio for any more playoff games, that’s for sure.
Ingram Tom Moore High School (Sky Walters)
This is my 11th year here and I’m still shocked by our placement (in Region I). When I first got the realignment packet and was looking for my school, I wasn’t looking at Region I; I was looking at Region 4. When I couldn’t find us there, I look at Region III; after that, I didn’t think we’d be placed in Region II or Region I so I thought we were (moved) down (to Class) 2A! Finally one of my assistants told me we were in Region I in 3A.
I really thought we’d end up with the schools we did, although I thought we’d surely end up with Bandera (which is 20 miles down the road from Ingram) in our district as well.
The placement in Region I will dramatically change everyone’s budgets, especially considering the cost of diesel/ You’re going to have to move some money from different areas. In football, you’re locked in right now; in most other sports, you have to watch the spending.
I think Fredericksburg and Burnet will change the fact of this district. Liberty Hill is Liberty Hill; they’ll be good in everything.
If you look at District 2-3A, you see some amazing teams placed in that district. All told, if you’re lucky enough to come out of Region I you’re pretty much set (in the state playoffs).
Wimberley High School (Weldon Nelms)
This is an amazing district, considering you have the last three state champions (LHHS in 2006-07, Wimberley in 2005) as well as a state semifinalist in Burnet back in 2002-03.
Wimberley, Llano and Ingram are certainly happy we’re not in a four-team district again like we are now; we’re certainly not going to miss it!
The Region I placement floored us! It makes a difference when you’re getting ready to do your budget. There’s going to be some awfully big numbers with regionals scheduled for places like Lubbock and Odessa. Not to mention the cost of gas and other travel expenses.
But this is the hand we’re dealt so we’ll deal with it just like everyone else has to deal with it.
This is a very competitive league. Liberty Hill is always going to be tough. With Fredericksburg and Burnet dropping down, they’ll be tough to deal with in most any sport. And Coach (David) Yeager’s done a great job to get Llano rolling. Ingram knows everyone in this district well and no one should take what Matt Monzingo (at Fischer Canyon Lake) is doing lightly at all. They’ll be hungry to succeed.
By Chuck Licata
Independent Sports
Unless you’ve spent the past seven days in hibernation, you know the UIL placed Liberty Hill High School in District 8-3A (in Region I) with the likes of Fredericksburg, Wimberley, Llano, Ingram, Fischer Canyon Lake and Burnet.
One can surmise this: while most of the coaches felt they knew who their new district opponents would be, all were shocked by the district’s placement in Region I. In fact, two coaches – Sky Walters of Ingram Tom Moore and David Yeager of Llano – thought their schools dropped to Class 2A when they couldn’t find their schools listed in either Region IV or Region III once the realignment was released.
Here is what the 8-3A coaches/athletic directors said about the newly-formed district, which begins play this fall:
Llano High School (David Yeager)
We’re very happy to not be placed in a four-team district (as they are now). But honestly, we didn’t think that would happen anyway.
I felt Burnet was the “key” school to our placement. If Burnet dropped down to Class 3A (from 4A), we’d get Liberty Hill in our district and the district would look a lot like it does now. If Burnet hadn’t dropped from 4A, then we’d have gone east.
Also, we knew Fredericksburg was coming down (to 3A) and I figured Wimberley and (Fischer) Canyon Lake were joined at the hip.
When the realignment was announced, I looked at Region IV to find our school. When I didn’t see us there, I figured we’d dropped to (Class) 2A! Coach Nelms came up to me and was the one who told me we were in Region I.
That’s a tough draw being in Region I – there are so many good teams, such as Brownwood, Abilene Wylie, Sweetwater, China Spring, and West, among many others. The travel will (be an issue), although we’re used to traveling for regional since we have to go down to the Valley.
I was telling someone the other day – now I know what an SEC (Southeast Conference in NCAA Division I) team feels like! That’s how I see our district – each week there’s an Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee or Arkansas waiting for you. You have a great coaching staff at each (8-3A) school and you have well-coached players at each school. It’s going to be important to stay healthy, because every little factor will be important. We hope to be playing for something come Week 9 and Week 10 (of the schedule).
Burnet High School (Doyle Walker)
I knew we were going to be on the bubble of (either being) a 4A (or) 3A school. I didn’t realize how close it was going to be.
I’m surprised our district (8-3A) was placed in Region I but the only difference will be in the playoffs, when we’ll have to drive a little further north and northwest. But the last time Burnet was a 3A school, we were driving to Kingsville for regionals so driving out to Lubbock and Odessa won’t be too much of a difference.
As for our particular district, we’re not surprised (with the teams placed in our district), that’s only logicial. I think the competition level will be just as good – if not better- compared to what we faced in 4A. There will not any kind of “drop off” moving down from 4A into this district and region.
As for playing Liberty Hill in district, I think this will just intensify the rivalry.
Fischer Canyon Lake High School (Matt Monzingo)
Everything (about the new high school) was fun until we got the word on realignment. But seriously, we were looking forward to getting some kind of direction with the (being placed in a) district (by the UIL).
District 8-3A will be very challenging with Burnet, Fredericksburg, Wimberley, Liberty Hill, Llano and Ingram. That’s tough enough right there.
It’s unbelievable that we got placed in Region. I was in Region I when I coached in the Panhandle; I moved 500 miles south and I’m still in Region I. Wow. But, there’s no use in griping about it – we’ll just start working on arrangements for next season.
As far as being the “new school” in this district, there are certainly challenges, considering we won’t have any seniors until the following season. Football will be very tough in this district; Wimberley is unbelievable in volleyball; Liberty Hill is pretty solid in all its programs; Llano is solid in girls basketball….basically, there’s nothing ‘easy’ about this district; every sport we’ll participate in will be extremely tough.
We’ll have just juniors next year so to say we’ll compete for a district title starting next season would probably be a bit much. We’ll work hard and be competitive.
Fredericksburg High School (Dean Herbert)
We thought we were going to move to (Class) 3A and we "dropped" into a really tight district. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this district is tougher, through and through, than our 4A district. We didn’t drop in competition level; we moved up! The competition level is unbelievable..Every week, it's going to be tough.
You look at this district – it has not only the last three state champs (Liberty Hill in 2006 and ’07 as well as Wimberley in ’05), but it has state finalists in four out of last five years (Burnet was a state finalist in 2002 and ’03). Teams that get out of this district are going to be battle-tested tough and whomever gets out should do well in the playoffs.
Our kids play hard every week. As far as scheduling, we were going to play liberty hill and burnet in non-district if we hadn’t been put in this district; fortunately, we picked up Brady and Marble Falls in those two spots - we got real lucky there.
The last time Fredericksburg was a 3A school was 1981 – ironically, we were in Region I and in District 8-3A. For us, we won’t be going to San Antonio for any more playoff games, that’s for sure.
Ingram Tom Moore High School (Sky Walters)
This is my 11th year here and I’m still shocked by our placement (in Region I). When I first got the realignment packet and was looking for my school, I wasn’t looking at Region I; I was looking at Region 4. When I couldn’t find us there, I look at Region III; after that, I didn’t think we’d be placed in Region II or Region I so I thought we were (moved) down (to Class) 2A! Finally one of my assistants told me we were in Region I in 3A.
I really thought we’d end up with the schools we did, although I thought we’d surely end up with Bandera (which is 20 miles down the road from Ingram) in our district as well.
The placement in Region I will dramatically change everyone’s budgets, especially considering the cost of diesel/ You’re going to have to move some money from different areas. In football, you’re locked in right now; in most other sports, you have to watch the spending.
I think Fredericksburg and Burnet will change the fact of this district. Liberty Hill is Liberty Hill; they’ll be good in everything.
If you look at District 2-3A, you see some amazing teams placed in that district. All told, if you’re lucky enough to come out of Region I you’re pretty much set (in the state playoffs).
Wimberley High School (Weldon Nelms)
This is an amazing district, considering you have the last three state champions (LHHS in 2006-07, Wimberley in 2005) as well as a state semifinalist in Burnet back in 2002-03.
Wimberley, Llano and Ingram are certainly happy we’re not in a four-team district again like we are now; we’re certainly not going to miss it!
The Region I placement floored us! It makes a difference when you’re getting ready to do your budget. There’s going to be some awfully big numbers with regionals scheduled for places like Lubbock and Odessa. Not to mention the cost of gas and other travel expenses.
But this is the hand we’re dealt so we’ll deal with it just like everyone else has to deal with it.
This is a very competitive league. Liberty Hill is always going to be tough. With Fredericksburg and Burnet dropping down, they’ll be tough to deal with in most any sport. And Coach (David) Yeager’s done a great job to get Llano rolling. Ingram knows everyone in this district well and no one should take what Matt Monzingo (at Fischer Canyon Lake) is doing lightly at all. They’ll be hungry to succeed.