Marble Falls football all-stars enjoy one last game

CAPTION: Marble Falls kicker Joaquin Aguilar pretends to kick the extra point allowing Llano holder Grayson Lilie to flick the ball to Brady running back Ashton Taylor for a two-point conversion run. Staff photos by Jennifer Fierro

Rivals turned teammates highlighted the second annual Hill Country Coaches Association All-Star Football Game May 9 at Wimberley High School.

The Highland Lakes was well represented on the North team that included Marble Falls seniors Joaquin Aguilar, Kaleb Bielfeldt, Brody Graham, Gregory Lemon, Tyler Leverett and Doak Timmerman.

Aguilar was a returner, punter, cornerback and running back, while Leverett played on the offensive line, Lemon was a defensive back, and Timmerman was at linebacker.

“This is a great time,” Leverett said. “One more time to play football, a great opportunity. I’m really blessed to be a part of it.”

“I think it was really fun,” Timmerman said. “Getting to play with my teammates and then some new guys, getting to just compete one last time before going off to college is really fun.”

The South won 30-14 in a contest it led from the start thanks to field goals to get the scoring going. A 14-yard touchdown catch in a crowd ballooned the lead to 13-0 midway through the second quarter.

Llano quarterback Grayson Lilie found Johnson City receiver Brady Odiorne on a touchdown pass to trim the deficit 13-6.

Turnovers highlighted the closing minutes of the first half with Burnet’s Josiah Coronado and classmate Riley Howell each recovered fumbles. But the South got the ball back on the next plays.

The South scored a two-yard touchdown with 3 minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the third stanza for a 20-6 advantage that went to 23-6 early in the fourth period. After a fumble on the kickoff, the South scored its final touchdown with 9:33 remaining in the contest.

Lilie and company returned to the field and capped its drive with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Wimberley receiver Christian Sansalone. A key play was Aguilar bouncing to the outside and running down the South’s sideline for a solid gain.

Then a fake attempt on an extra point where Aguilar pretended to kick allowed Lilie to flick the ball to Brady running back Ashton Taylor resulting in a two-point conversion run and a 30-14 score with 4:57 left to play.

CAPTION: Marble Falls offensive lineman Tyler Leverett and his North teammates wait for officials to put the ball on the turf.

Aguilar called the run his favorite play of the game and reflected on the fake extra point.

“We’re down, so we needed to get some more points,” he said. “We drew it up. It took like a couple minutes during practice, and we drew it up. We did it, we did it in the game. We executed.”

The North’s coaching staff, which was the Llano football staff, called for an onside kick. But a penalty wiped out the attempt and the South asked for a rekick and recovered the attempt. That allowed the South to run out the clock.

The game’s outcome didn’t take a way from the experience, the players said.

“Practice(s), getting to meet new people that people have played, getting to know them really well,” Leverett said. “Getting to know new people across schools that maybe I wouldn’t have had opportunity to.”

Timmerman agreed that the linebackers, including Burnet’s Adler Goehring and Coronado, were able to cause havoc.

“I feel like we were really prepared to play, and I think all the linebackers just did a great job today,” he said. “And I’m proud of all my teammates.”

They all relished the chance to play another game on the gridiron with their classmates.

“It was great with my brothers,” Leverett said. “I’m just so blessed to be able to play with them and just continue experiencing with them.”

“I think it was awesome to just get in, bond with them one last time and to see how skilled and how great people are,” Timmerman said.

CAPTION: Cornerback Gregory Lemon (21) and linebacker Doak Timmerman prepare to step back onto the field. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro