4th & Long: Mustangs Turn Nag As Rangers Run Wild In Marble Falls
The Smithson Valley Rangers, Freshmen Blue team, hit the road for their Week 3 matchup against the Marble Falls Mighty Mustangs. With rivalry week against the Pieper Panthers looming, it would be easy for the team to look ahead and lose focus. It turns out they were not looking ahead, they had full focus, and they won 44-6. Rushing for nearly 700 yards on the day, Assistant Coach Ed Bailey running alongside for every single one of those yards. It turns out the most challenging part of Week 3 was the hour-long drive to Marble Falls, which is quite an enjoyable drive.
The onslaught started from the first snap of the game when Dylan Butz took it around the left side for 49-yards to the 1-yard line where he was tracked down by the Marble Falls defender. We asked Butz how he they were able to keep him out of the endzone. “My engines stopped working.” he responded, no doubt meaning he ran out of gas. “Disappointing to not punch it in right there. I probably should’ve started to bear crawl the last 10 or 15 yards. I might be faster on all fours.” Butz continued before getting distracted. “Do you know where the snack lady is? I hope we get a breakfast taco today.” Butz ended up with 165 yards rushing, one touchdown reception, and an incredible interception that caromed the receiver’s helmet before he pulled it in for the Rangers turnover.
Jaxson Wiatrek did a little bit of everything. He finished with a pair of touchdowns on the day. A 1-yard touchdown reception to finish off Butz’s opening 49-yard run and a blazing 52-yard rushing touchdown off the right side with a top-end speed clocked at 15.7 mph. “I’m like a cow. I’m raw, but I have really lots of talent.” Wiatrek lamented. “I’m faster than a cow though, obviously. I hope they have the value size Doritos in the snack bag today. If not, the snack shack looks like it’s open.”
The first quarter ended with the score 25-0. The rout continued from there with the Rangers basically scoring whenever they wanted. Everybody got involved with all 12 eligible players getting a chance to run the ball, including starting center Asher Riffle.
Riffle ended up with 63 yards rushing on limited carries. On the defensive side of the ball, Riffle was unblockable. Racking up a couple solo TFLs (tackles for loss) off the edge earning Riffle the JYD (Junkyard Dog) belt. “You want to know what my favorite part of the game was? The opportunity to play.” Riffle said with a stoic look on his face. “I don’t care where I play. You know, you don’t always get the opportunity to make headlines with the ball in your hands. I just want the opportunity to help my team be successful.” Riffle continued. “For me, it’s not just about the snacks you get at the end of the game. It’s about what you achieve on the football field. The snacks don’t hurt though.” he said with a grin.
“These boys have all read the articles. These articles. Probably have them framed at this point.” said Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Defensive Coordinator Scott Shepperd. “Sometimes you get a little press time and think you’ve arrived. The coaches have to remind these kids that you can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” Shepperd continued. “John Wooden said it best ‘Talent is God given, so be humble. Fame is man-given, so be grateful. Conceit is self-given, so be careful.’” he continued. “I think we remind them to stay humble every time we end practice with a little bit of conditioning. They might get a double dose this week.” he said as his attitude seemed to shift mid-sentence. “Now, we’re 100% focused on the team down south (referring to Pieper). It's a spirited, colorful, violent spectacle that has broken up marriages, businesses, and an awful lot of hearts over the past 5 years. We’ve been waiting for it for 364 days. The chance to make up for last year. We owe them one. I’m ready for it.”
It was a beatdown. Never close. The Rangers even beat the Mighty Mustangs to the field. But it is clear that this Smithson Valley Rangers team has no interest in celebrating anything. As soon as the final horn blew, it immediately shifted to Pieper week.