Sports

Special to The Highlander

The UIL legislative council met virtually on Friday morning to discuss a new agenda item that would most likely lead to a temporary permissible increase of summer practices and instruction for high school athletes.

The agenda was passed to expand the authority of UIL executive director Charles Breithaupt allowing him to make adjustments to UIL rules during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. …

By Nathan Hendrix
Sports Editor

Texas schools are closed until at least May 4, and athletic events are put on hold. However, the long-distance runners at Marble Falls High School are taking great strides to ensure they're ready when competition returns.

MFHS running coach Chris Schrader is no stranger to coaching remotely due to his experience training State champions from several towns away. Now he's applying those techniques to ensure his athletes stick to the program while he can't coach them face-to-face. …

From staff reports

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) is suspending all sanctioned contests, to include all rehearsals, practices and workouts, through March 29 due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team was seven minutes away from clinching the playoffs on Friday, March 13, but a late goal by Pflugerville ended the Mustangs' season in a 2-1 loss.

“We played so hard there was nothing left,” Mustangs Head Coach Rick Hoover said. “They left it all on the field. If you bought tickets tonight, you got a good show.”

See the full story in the Tuesday, March 17 issue of The Highlander. Subscribe to the e-Edition here.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

The Marble Falls High School softball team emerged victorious from a defensive battle against Leander Rouse in their District 17-5A opener on Monday, March 2 at home.

The Lady 'Stangs recovered from a lead-off home run by the Lady Raiders in the top of the first inning and didn't allow another run for the rest of the game in a 3-1 victory.

See the full story in the Friday, March 6 issue of The Highlander. Subscribe to the e-Edition here.

Marble Falls High School graduate Chris Schlicke, now head girls basketball coach at Veribest High School, led his team to the State semifinals after a 27-25 win over Hermleigh in the 1A Regional final on Saturday, Feb. 29 in Abilene. Hermleigh had defeated Veribest in their previous three meetings, but Schlicke's team got over the hump this season -- his first as head coach -- with defensive acumen and clutch shooting. The Lady Falcons lost in the State semifinal match on Thursday, March 5.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

Opening Day of the 2020 baseball season was not kind to the Marble Falls High School Mustangs in a 10-0 loss against a talented Llano team at Scearce Field on Monday, Feb. 24

The young Mustangs faced two pitchers that threw 90+ miles per hour fast balls and could barely touch the ball with the bat through the first half of the game.

“Those are two of the best pitchers our guys will see maybe in their entire high school career,” Mustangs Head Coach Tyler Porter said. “Those guys are good. From here on out, we can say no one throws as hard as those guys.”

See the full story in the Friday, Feb. 28 issue of The Highlander. Subscribe to our e-Edition here.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

At the end of a rollercoaster 2019-20 season, the Marble Falls High School boys basketball team sent the seniors off with a win 47-41 over Pflugerville on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

The Mustangs finished in fifth place in the district with a 3-9 record – five games behind the fourth place team. It was a season of thrilling wins and disappointing losses for the Mustangs under first year head coach Travis Crain.

“We were so close in three of our district games; if the ball goes a different way, we're 6-6,” he said. “To be able to close out the season with a win was huge.”

See the full story in the Friday, Feb. 21 issue of The Highlander. Subscribe to the e-Edition here.

By Nathan Hendrix
Sports Editor

The Marble Falls High School sports teams will face several new opponents in 2020-22 after the UIL realigned districts on Monday, Feb. 3.

The Mustangs football team moved to 5A Division 2 Region 4 District 14 with six teams not on their district schedule last season.

Liberty Hill joins Marble Falls after a bump up to 5A. The two teams will play five Austin teams – Crockett, McCallum, Northeast, Travis and Navarro. …

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

Marble Falls High School senior Josh Whitecotton played the hero on Tuesday, Jan. 28 with his steal and layup at the buzzer to give the boys basketball team a 45-43 win over Rouse in Leander.

The win gives the Mustangs their second district victory and keeps them in the hunt for the playoffs, albeit a long shot. Head Coach Travis Crain said their 2-5 district record is not indicative of how the boys have played this season.

Find the rest of this story and additional results, including MFHS girls basketball, MFHS boys soccer and Faith Academy boys and girls basketball, in the sports section of the Friday, Jan. 31 issue of The Highlander, the newspaper of record for the Highland Lakes. To offer a comment or news tip, email nathan@highlandernews.com. To subscribe, call 830-693-4367.