JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
Burnet High School senior running back Eric Walker stops to take a running lane during the win against Lampasas on Nov. 7. That victory means the Bulldogs are co-District 13-4A Division I champions with Waco La Vega. But because of the loss to La Vega, Burnet enters the playoffs as the No. 2 seed. Photo by Pablo Rivera
BURNET — A rematch between the Burnet and Taylor high school football teams is Nov. 14 with much higher stakes.
The two will battle for a Class 4A bi-district championship at 7:30 p.m. at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, 10211 W. Parmer Lane in Austin. Burnet finished the regular season at 8-2 overall and 4-1 in District 13-4A Division I. The Bulldogs enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed with Waco La Vega as the No. 1.
Burnet head coach Kurt Jones cautioned that fans shouldn’t think the Taylor game will be an easy win based off the Bulldogs’ 43-13 victory against the Ducks (2-8, 2-3) on Sept. 26.
“I think you erase everything and go in (the playoffs) with a clear slate,” he said. “Everybody is zero-zero. It’s about getting on the field and proving you’re the better team. I know they’re not going to give us points for (winning in September). I feel like both teams are improved.”
The Ducks had to win their final two games of the regular season to advance to the postseason. They beat Fredericksburg 17-14 on Nov. 7 and Canyon Lake 33-31 on Oct. 31.
Against Fredericksburg, Devin Taylor scored on a two-yard touchdown, and Miguel Morales connected on a 35-yard field goal for a 10-7 advantage in the first quarter.
Malik Jackson caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Terrell Reynolds in the second quarter, which proved to be the difference in the game.
Taylor had 51 rushes for 204 yards, more than half of its 378 yards of total offense.
Against Canyon Lake, the Ducks trailed 24-20 going into the final quarter. Devin Taylor scored on a 21-yard touchdown run, and Jackson caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joseph Lopez for a 33-31 advantage with about five minutes left in the game.
The contest ended when Canyon Lake missed a 37-yard field goal.
“Defensively, they make you work for everything you get,” Jones said. “They’re not making mistakes with alignment and coverages, and they’re being disciplined. Offensively, they’re efficient with the ball. They’re controlling the clock by running the football.”
Jones said Taylor’s ability to finish games should not be discounted.
“I think they definitely have improved,” he said. “They’ve been a scrappy team all year long. I think they’ve gotten better.”
One stat the Bulldogs aim to change in the rematch is the number of turnovers. In the September game, Burnet had six with most of them committed by punt and kickoff returners on fumbles.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs aim to begin a new winning streak after beating Lampasas 59-35 on Nov. 7. Burnet took a 21-12 lead in the first quarter that went to 28-20 at the half. Jones commended the Badgers for continuing to battle throughout the contest.
“They were 4-1 in non-district,” he said. “I don’t think they played their best ball in the first few games of district play. Their offense is very efficient. We knew it would be a tough challenge.”
Jones commended the Burnet defense in the Lampasas game for getting “stops when it had to. Proud of our kids, proud of our offense. We were efficient and took care of the ball and played well in the kicking game. We wanted momentum and to go in (the playoffs) with a victory, and we certainly got that. We’ll have a lot of opportunities ahead of us. Hopefully, we’ll take advantage of it.”
Tune in to KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune or at KBEYFM.com to listen to the contest starting with a pre-game show at 7 p.m.
jfierro@thepicayune.com
Fireside rally
A community fireside rally for the Bulldogs football team is 6:45-9 p.m. Nov. 13 at Burnet High School.
The Green Mile will be closed starting at 5:30 p.m. The high school can be accessed via Third Street and the bus lane that runs between 963 and Third.
Parking is permitted at the high school, Burnet Middle School, Bulldog Stadium and R.J. Richey Elementary. Parking will not be permitted on Third.
