james bailey, stateman article quoting james after LT v A&M Consolidated 2013 playoff game

stateman article

LAKE TRAVIS 21, A&M CONSOLIDATED 7

Rare winter blast no match for Cavaliers

Jay Plotkin

Chris Roller prepares to collide with A&M Consolidated’s Brandon Jackson during the Cavaliers’ 21-7 win.

By Michael Adams

Austin Community Newspapers Staff

TEMPLE —

Mother Nature must have an issue with Lake Travis and A&M Consolidated playing each other.
After their first game was cancelled on Sept. 20 due to heavy rains and flooding, Mother Nature gave the Cavaliers and Tigers another hurdle with a strong cold front that moved in Thursday.
The front brought freezing rain and winter weather advisories across the state and forced 16 state quarterfinal games to Monday, including Class 5A-II quarterfinal between Denton Ryan and Cedar Hill.

But Mother Nature wasn’t winning this round.
Lake Travis and A&M Consolidated braved a 25 degree temperature at kickoff at Temple’s Wildcat Stadium that saw the Cavaliers defeat the Tigers 21-7 and advance to the Class 5A-II semifinals this weekend.

The Cavaliers will play the winner of Monday’s Denton Ryan-Cedar Hill game.
After Lake Travis defeated A&M Consolidated, head coach Hank Carter joked with his team and said, “I told you all it wasn’t going to be cold.”

“We got to practice in it on Thursday when it blew in.” Carter said.” I think our kids are getting used to it. They like it. You never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at us, but I like our chances when it comes to adversity.”
Lake Travis might get another round of cold weather. Tentatively, the Cavaliers state semifinal game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Saturday at Baylor’s Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco. Another cold front is forecasted to move through Central Texas later this week, bringing more freezing temperatures.

Carter said there was talk of playing at Reliant Stadium – an indoor facility – in Houston, but said he’s going to, “hold fast for Baylor.”

If junior defensive back James Bailey get his way, he’d rather play in the outdoor elements that Floyd Casey provides.  “When we played Atascocita, we played one heck of a game,” Bailey said. “It benefits us actually.”

There is some truth to Bailey’s claim.

Lake Travis’ defense held Atascocita to 103 yards of offense in the first half in the Cavaliers 41-16 win at Bryan’s Merrill Green Stadium on Nov. 23 in the area round of the Class 5A-II playoffs.
A strong cold front that moved through Texas two days prior and temperature at kickoff was 38 degrees with a strong wind making conditions extremely cold.

On Saturday in Temple, in colder conditions, Lake Travis’ defense held A&M Consolidated’s high-powered offense to 45 yards of total yards in the first half and only gave up 100 more in the second half.

“When you come off the sideline, your fingers are numb and your toes are as well,” Bailey said. “When you’re in the game you’re not actually thinking about it, you’re more focused on the game.
The cold did affect Lake Travis’ passing game a little.

Dominic De Lira was just 6 of 11 for 76 yards and 29 of those came on a touchdown pass in the first quarter. De Lira’s only one of the game.
But, Shaun Nixon was affective, rushing for 188 yards on 36 carries and had two touchdowns.
“It’s a little harder to throw and catch the ball, but you’re not cold when you’re out there,” said wide receiver Tyler Payne. “The only time you felt the cold was when you were on the sideline.”