Sports

By Nathan Hendrix
Sports Editor

The second half of the Area track meet produced another Regional competitor for Marble Falls High School.

The field events and the 3200-meter run were moved to Thursday after Wednesday rains intensified after the track events in Leander.

Nathan Hendrix/The Highlander
Brian Herman was named the new head football coach for Marble Falls High School on Monday, April 15. Herman and his family were introduced to those in attendance at the school board meeting by MFISD Superintendent Dr. Chris Allen. The public is invited to a meet and greet at the Max Copeland Gym on Monday, April 22 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Read more about Coach Herman's vision for the Mustang football team and his past experience in the Friday, April 19 issue of The Highlander, the newspaper of record for the Highland Lakes. To offer a comment or news tip, email nathan@highlandernews.com.

From staff reports

Marble Falls school board members approved a new head football coach and boys athletic coordinator, during the April 15 regular school board meeting.

Officials welcomed Brian Herman to start his position this school year.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

The Marble Falls Mustangs soccer team advanced to the Regional Quarterfinals following a 6-4 win over District 20-5A winner Caney Creek on Tuesday in Bastrop.

The game was tied at two at the end of regulation, and two 10-minute overtime periods failed to find a winner. Both teams prepped their goalkeepers and five shooters for penalty kicks to determine who would advance.

Mustangs senior goalkeeper Michael Vazquez stopped half of the Panthers' PK tries, and his teammates hit four-of-four to propel the Mustangs to the next round.

Penalty kick saves weren't the only saves Vazquez made. In just the seventh minute of the game, a Mustangs defender misplayed a ball, and one of the Caney Creek forwards found himself alone with Vazquez. Vazquez calmly rotated to the ball and stopped the shot.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

The Marble Falls soccer team advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Hutto Hippos on Thursday night in Liberty Hill.

The Hippos gave the Mustangs a competitive match throughout - a vast improvement over the 6-1 loss they suffered to the Mustangs in preseason.

After a slow start, the Mustangs gathered themselves and played their game. Mustangs head coach Rick Hoover said nerves were a big part of the mistakes in the first 10 minutes of play.

With 25:40 left in the first half, junior midfielder Josiah Rojas got the opportunity he was probing for and put the game's only goal in past the Hippos goalkeeper.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

The Marble Falls High School baseball team used the final day of spring break to get back into the baseball mindset with an out-of-district loss to Fredericksburg by a score of 4-2.

In District 17-5A, every team gets a bye week, and the Mustangs' came during spring break. Head coach Russell Reichenbach wanted a refresher before continuing district play on Tuesday.

“We wanted to get a game situation and see live pitching,” he said. “We wanted to make sure we didn't take a full 10 days off from playing an actual game. Fredericksburg is a good program, so hopefully we stay game-ready.”

The Mustangs played competitive defense for five half-innings, but a three-run bottom of the fourth inning cost them the game against the Billies. An inside-the-park home run followed by an RBI double resulted in a 4-0 deficit for the Mustangs entering the top of the fifth inning.

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

Marble Falls High School senior tennis player Mason Williams signed a letter of intent to play tennis at the University of the Ozarks on Monday.

Williams will join an Eagles team that plays in the American Southwest Conference in NCAA Division III. Williams said he was sold on the university after his visit because of the quality of the campus and facilities.

“Their courts are some of the best in D-III, and that was a big focal point,” he said. “It's a beautiful campus.”

Marble Falls tennis coach Kimberly Thomas said the Eagles are getting a “gritty” player in Williams.

“He will hustle and give 100 percent every point,” she said. “As a sophomore, he was beating juniors and seniors because he refused to lose. That's something you can't teach.”

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

The Marble Falls baseball team took the lead in the top of the final inning in a 5-4 win against Lampasas on Thursday as part of the Lampasas tournament, but the Mustangs were eliminated in the first game on Saturday.

The Mustangs have developed a bit of a rivalry with the Badgers since head coach Russell Reichenbach took over last season. Thursday's game was close throughout, and Reichenbach said it was a good simulation of district baseball.

“Last year, we made it a point to play against each other,” he said. “We're always competitive. To play a well-coached team and find a way to come out on top is huge for us.”

By Nathan Hendrix

Sports Editor

A member of the Marble Falls basketball team will participate in the Fourth Annual Basketball Classic on Saturday, March 23 in Kerrville, according to a press release.

The high school boys' and girls' all-star teams drew players from throughout the Hill Country, and Mustangs senior Josh Mosley was selected by the Classic Committee to play. The selections keep rolling in for Mosley, who was just named to the District 17-5A All-District Second Team after a 2018-2019 season in which he averaged 15 points per game for the Mustangs.