Marble Falls High School

By Nathan Hendrix
Staff Writer

Representatives from Huckabee Engineering, construction managers for the Marble Falls Independent School District's $55 million bond projects, presented preliminary designs and budgets for district-wide renovations to the school board on Monday, April 15.

By Nathan Hendrix
Sports Editor

In their first year of official competition, two Marble Falls swimmers placed in the top-10 in the state finals in Austin on Saturday, Feb. 16.

Sophomore Landry Stewart and freshman Taylor Ashbaugh competed with the best Texas offers in three events – Stewart in the 200-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle, and Ashbaugh in the 100-yard breaststroke. In all three events, the Mustangs swimmers finished in the top-10.

“We're extremely proud of these girls,” head coach John Berkman said. “It takes a lot of individual commitment and dedication to the sport.”

Stewart finished in ninth-place in the 200 IM on Saturday with a time of two minutes, 11.47 seconds. The Saturday time was an improvement over her 13^th place qualifying time on Friday of 2:13.18. She said she wanted to improve her turns on Saturday.

By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor

Marble Falls High School choir director Bryce Gage came home from his appearance on CNBC's “Deal or No Deal” with an additional $69,000 and a new 55-inch flat-screen TV he won on the hit game show — a nice haul for his time with host Howie Mandel. He also can say he tied an NBA basketball player in a shooting contest.

On Saturday, June 9, at approximately 4:47 p.m., Texas Department of Public Safety responded to a crash on Texas 71 close to the Travis/Blanco County line, in which 17-year-old Marble Falls High School senior Maribel Enriquez was seriously injured and transported to St. David's Hospital; Enriquez was later pronounced dead at the hospital. 

According to a statement issued by DPS Sergeant Ryan Howard, Enriquez was traveling eastbound in a Ford Mustang when her slick rear tires caused her to lose control and slide across multiple lanes of traffic into the path of a Mercedez-Benz, occupied by passenger Preben Hammer, 71, of Austin, who died at the scene, and his wife, 68-year-old Alice Hammer of Austin, who was later pronounced dead at St. David's Hospital. The driver of the Mercedes-Benz and the passenger in the Ford Mustang were transported to St. David's Hospital, both in critical condition.

Anthony Leflet

During the District’s May 21 meeting, the Marble Falls Indepentent School District trustees approved Supt. Dr. Chris Allen’s recommendation to name Anthony Leflet as the new head band director for Marble Falls High School.

Leflet replaces retiring band director, Brad Behrens, who served MFISD for 20 years.A band director hiring committee comprised of Fine Arts stakeholders, MFHS staff, and MFISD administrators helped sort and interview finalists for the Band Director position. The top candidates were then forwarded to the superintendent prior to final selection and presentation to the Board.

Leftlet has served Hays High School as the Head Band Director for the last 20 years. In addition to his duties as the head band director for Hays, a 6A program, Leflet was responsible for the Hays High school band feeder program.

By Richard Zowie

Highlander Sports Editor

In their March 29 bi-district soccer playoff game, both Marble Falls and Austin Lanier each received at least one yellow card (a warning, as opposed to a red card, which means ejection).

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” said Mustangs Soccer Coach Rick Hoover. “That is what you expect in the playoffs. Both teams were fighting for their season to not end.”

After the Vikings scored in the first half to take a 1-0 lead, the Mustangs scored about halfway through the second half to tie the game at 1.

It stayed that way through several near-misses by both teams in two, 10-minute overtime periods, before Marble Falls ultimately won in a penalty shootout, 4-3.

Two juveniles are in custody charged with terroristic threat in connection with an incident at Marble Falls High School (MFHS) today, Feb. 16, that illustrates the ready response of local schools and law inforcement.

The matter was handled so quickly and quietly that most staff and students were unaware it had happened. And, in a letter to parents issued later in the day, MFHS Principal Damon S. Adams said, "We are confident that there is no threat to our students or our school."

Shortly after 9 a.m., a report about the issue was made to Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) Officer Tim McIntyre, the school resource officer. The school administration was notified and MFPD detectives responded to assist in the investigation that revealed a second student was involved.

The Marble Falls Independent School District Pep Rally and Senior Bonfire have been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, in the field at the end of Colt Circle, behind the MFISD Central Administration Buildings.

“We would like to thank the City of Marble Falls, Marble Falls Fire Rescue, the Marble Falls Police Department, and the PEC for supporting the rescheduling of the MFISD Pep Rally and Bonfire,” said MFHS Student Council sponsor, Molly Heath. “The students appreciate the efforts to hold the Senior Bonfire, which is a long-running community tradition. It is appropriate that the Senior Bonfire has been rescheduled to Thursday Nov. 9, since the game the next evening is Senior Night and the last district game of the season.”

Everyone in the community is invited to the free MFISD Pep Rally and Senior Bonfire.

The Pep Rally will start at 5:30 p.m. with the Senior circle and lighting of the bonfire immediately following.

This week is Marble Falls High School Homecoming week and the Marble Falls Ex-Students Association All School Reunion is set for Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Falls on the Colorado Museum (FOCM), located in the Old Granite School in Marble Falls, has special exhibits in place in the Madolyn Frasier Room to remind former students of their days at Marble Falls High School.

“Museum volunteers have scoured museum archives for old pictures to display,” said museum board chair Darlene Oostermeyer. “In addition, former athletes and coaches have responded to our requests to display their personal sports memorabilia.”

Oostermeyer said that additional items for the Marble Falls Sports Exhibit arrive every week at the museum. The Sports Exhibit will be on display until the end of October.

Marble Falls High School (MFHS) Student Council members are hard at work preparing for this year’s Homecoming scheduled for Sept. 25–29 and MFHS ex-students are planning their own homecoming event Sept. 30--the All School Reunion-- including the 50th Anniversary of the Class of 1967.

High school students will be building the Homecoming excitement with a week of in-school spirit days leading up to the Homecoming ceremonies and the football game against Medina Valley, Friday, Sept. 29.

Everyone is invited to participate in the Homecoming Parade, Bon Fire and Pep Rally on Thursday Sept. 28, and Friday night pre-game and halftime celebrations.