1998 JPW Game Commentary

Sept. 5, 1998 - The JPW Wildcats won a hard-fought preseason game vs the East Austin Yellowjackets 14-12 Saturday at the LTMS. the Cats Scored first in a four play drive with a 3 yard dive by Tyler Williams, a 39 yard power play by Brandon Holt, a nine yard QB Luke Lagera to Holt pass and a 2 yd. Max Minor TD run. The 1 pt. extra point was completed by Tyler Williams. The Jackets came back with a 50 yd. TD sweep and a missed X-pt. to bring the score to within 1, 7-6. In the second half Max Minor engineered a running drive to the Jacket 18 and Williams finished it off with an 18 yard broken tackle dive play. Minor added the EP. The Jackets came back again with a 45 yd. run TD but again missed the EP. As the fourth quarter ran down Thomas Loth took off on a 25 yd. TD scamper only to have it reversed on a holding call. On the very next play Max Minor ran a power play 20 yards to the Jacket five as time ran out. QB Lagera was 1of 3 for 9 yds. and 2 for 10 yds rushing, Minor led the way with 165 yds. on 13 carries, followed by Holt with 52 on 3, Williams with 45 on 12 and Loth with 39 on 3. Defensively the Cats were led by 4th year returnee Brent Beaty with 5 solo tackles (1 sack), Adam Smith, Dean Pele, Shawn Lawson and Tyler Williams supported with 3 each. Fumbles were recovered by Corey West and Brent Beaty.

Sept. 13, 1997 -Game against RR 49ers rained out.

Sept. 20, 1997 - Lake Travis upset the Westlake Chaparrels 47-18 on Sat. Westlake and LT traded scores the first 3 series with the score 20-18. When Jason Glennon finally ended a Westlake drive with a fumble recovery, the ball was knocked loose by a tremendous hit by LB Jesse Brookshire. LT took advantage in three plays capped of by a Max Minor 34 yd. TD run and Brandon Holt EP (27-18). On the Chaps next series Thomas Loth intercepted their first play. LT responded with a 3 play 50 yard drive ending with a Tyler Williams 15 yd. TD run. That concluded the half (LT 33 Westlake 18).
LT took the kickoff in the 2nd half and drove 8 plays and 57 yards ending with a Thomas Loth 16 yd. TD. run and a Kyle Greer EP. (40-18) On the next Chap. series Corey West recovered a Chap fumble and LT marched 9 plays and 63 yards ending with a 26 yd. Max Minor TD (47-18). The only negative of the day was the loss of star FB Tyler Williams as he cracked his ankle bone and will be out, most likely, for the season.

Sept 27, 1998 - Lake Travis fell 0-19 to the NWA Longhorns. Northwest dominated the Lake Travis JPW team on both sides of the ball scoring on 3 long runs and holding L.T. to only 95 yards on 31 carries. The Cats big threat TB Max Minor was held to only 28 yards on 13 carries. "Thats the first time I've seen Max controlled by a defense in his career. It was a real eye opener for him and us", said Coach Bill Taylor, "the NWA defense just swarmed to the ball, our running backs were never tackled by less than three defenders". Brandon Holt had 5 carries for 14 yds, Luke Lagera 3/21, Thomas Loth 6/21, and Kyle Greer 4/11. Defensively Brent Beaty led the team with 4 tackles followed by Dean Pele with 2 and an interception, Jessee Brookshire (2), Adam Smith (2), Kyle Greer (2), Chris Scannell (2) and Thomas Loth (2). Now the JPW Cats must regroup as they travel to winless South Austin this Sat., and then play winless West Austin at home for Homecoming. "We need to get two wins under our belt going into the Leander game to end the regular season. These 2 teams are winless but both are vastly improved and won't be walkovers. L.T. must also make up it's first game vs undefeated Round Rock after the Leander game. We need to win out through Round Rock to have a shot at the playoffs. In our division three teams have risen to the top - Pflugerville (though they were tied by Westlake this week), Northwest Austin (who I think is the strongest team in our division), and Round Rock (undefeated and very strong). We need to produce a better record than two of these teams as only two teams from each division will make the playoffs", said Coach Taylor.

October 3, 1998 - Lake Travis Wildcats defeated the South Austin Blue Cowboys 34-7 in a lopsided win that saw the Cat's return to form on both offense and defense. Max Minor led the way behind our usual stalwart offensive line including Ben McSpadden, Cory Landrum, David Peebles, Josh Hicks, Chris Tobias, Matt McAllister, Josh Bonds and Max Seiter. Minor rushed for 157 yds on 15 carries and 3 TD's and added a 35 yd. TD. reception on a QB Luke Lagera bomb. TB Thomas Loth had 41 yds. on 4 carries, FB Kyle Greer ran 6 times for 25 yds., QB Luke Lagera 1 for 38 yds. and WB Brandon Holt 6 carries for 15 yds. Passing Lagera had his best day yet going 3 for 7 for 75 yards and 0 interceptions. Defensively the Cats allowed only one first down and 17 yards rushing (75 yds. in the air on one TD bomb by South Austin). LB Jesse Brookshire led the way with 7 tackles followed by DE Brent Beaty with 4, CB Brandon Holt with 4 and a caused fumble, Shawn Lawson with 3 tackles and a fumble recovery, Adam Smith 3 tackles, Chance Ruffin 2 tackles, Scott Burnett 2 tackles, Dean Pele 1 tackle, Josh Jackson 3 tackles, and Kyle Greer 2.

October 10, 1998 - The Lake Travis JPW Cats held the hapless Corsairs of West Austin tojust 2 first downs and 28 yards total offense in a 54-6 lopsided victory. Offensively QB Luke Lagera had a career day passing, connecting on 4 of 5 passes for 121 yards. Thomas Loth threw one pass for 3 yds. and an EP. Max Minor led the LT ground game with 65 yards, 2 TDs and an extra point on 3 carries. Thomas Loth had 1 carry for 45 yards and a TD. Brandon Holt had 34 yards on 5 carries including a TD and 3 EP's. FB Kyle Greer had 3 carries for 9 yds. and linebacker Adam Smith filling in at TB carried once for a 24 yd. TD. Receivers had a great day as well with Loth grabbing 2 for 38 yards, David Peebles one for 43 yards and a TD, Minor 1 for 40 yds and a TD, and Holt 1 for 3 yds. and an EP.
Defensively noseguard Nick Sinopoli led the way with 6 solo tackles including 4 sacks for -21 yds. SAM LB Adam Smith had 5 tackles and a blocked punt. Cory Landrum had 4, Brent Beaty, Jesse Brookshire and Chance Ruffin had 3 each and Shawn Lawson and Ben McSpadden had a pair apiece. Beaty ran back Smiths blocked punt for a TD.

October 18, 1998 - The Cats had to make up the Sat. game vs Leander Cedar Park that was rained out due to the biggest storm to hit Austin since Dec. '97. The Cat's took to the muddy LCP field Sunday at 2:00 PM, and won a mudslinger 7-0. The field was a huge mudbowl and both teams were completely mudcaked by game-end. Number ID was impossible by the 4th quarter. In a defensive struggle the Cats put up the only points early in the 4th quarter then held the Bengals to 3 plays and a lost fumble. LT then moved the ball down to the LCP 35 where time ran out with 4th and 6. Brandon Holt had a tremendous game on both sides of the ball, with smashing blocks on offense and big tackles on defense. Max Minor had another 100+ yard day rushing despite the mud. Jesse Brookshire was the "hitter of the day" with loads of big hits along with fellow linebacker Adam Smith. Defensive Coach Alan Harris did a masterful job holding the powerful LCP offense to just 4 first downs and 53 yards total offense. The win puts LT at 4-1.

October 24, 1998 - With the flip of a coin the LT JPW Cats entered the CTPW playoffs as the 8th (last) seeded wildcard team, which pitted them against the first seeded (6-0) juggernaut North East Austin Cougars. In a game for the ages, the Cats played to perfection and beat down goliath 12-6. "never before have I seen kids take their play to such a high level, there were hits out there reminiscint of HS football. Every kid on our team wanted that win and they left everything on the field." Max Minor scored twice, Brandon Holt played brilliantly on both offense and defense. QB Luke Lagera was 4-6 for 53 yards and still no interceptions for the year. TB Thomas Loth came into the game after Lagera was injured and drove the Cats down for their second score. Defensively Brent Beaty, Jesse Brookshire, Daen Pele and Adam Smith played smash-mouth football holding the powerful Cougar offense to NO FIRST DOWNS and one 40 yd. TD run. The Cats (5-1) move to the CTPW semi-finals game vs the NWA Longhorns in a rematch of week 3.

October 31, 1998 - On a happy halloween the University of Texas Longhorns upset the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home, no less, but the NWA Junior PeeWee Longhorns (8-0) could not hold off the equally upset minded Lake Travis Wildcats who outscored the Little Longhorns 27-19. This win catapults the (6-1) Wildcats into the Central Texas Championship Game. Lake Travis worked their way up from a last (8th) seeded wildcard birth to one of the two best 23 JPW Pop Warner teams in Central Texas. The Cat's playoff jorney began with a coin toss allowing them to advance past Pflugerville to compete in the quarterfinals. Lake Travis upset the unbeaten (first seeded) NEA Cougars 12-6. This week the Wildcats were matched against a powerful NWA Longhorn team who had dominated them earlier in the regular season 19-0. The Cats poured on the offense beating the Longhorns 27-19. The Lake Travis Wildcats (6-1) now move on to the Central Texas finals game on Sat. Nov. 7th. vs the (7-1) North Central Jaguars.

November 7, 1998 - Lake Travis Pop Warner JPW Wildcats won the CTPW Division of Texas Pop Warner play defeating the NorthCentral Jaguars 6-0 in a hard fought defensive battle. Both defenses held their ground including a 2 play defensive stand made by Lake Travis on their own 1 foot line. Midway through the 4th quarter Max Minor found success taking a reverse about 20 yards to the Jaguar one, when Brandon Holt rammed the ball into the endzone following a smashing block by (FB) Kyle Greer. The extra point was denied by about an inch, and the LT defense held on, took over on downs and the offense ended the game with a kneel-down by (QB) Luke Lagera. Lake Travis (7-1) will now compete in the Texas/Southwest Region quarterfinals vs the Comal County divisional champion Bulverde Broncos (8-0) Sat. Nov. 14.

November 14, 1998 - Lake Travis Pop Warner JPW Wildcats defeated the Bulverde Broncos 14-0 in Smithson Valley moving into the Texas State/Southwest U.S. Region semi-finals game in Dallas Saturday November 21st, 1998.

Go to Lake Travis SportNET