As per tradition, Cavaliers shape up as title contender
By Rick Cantu
-
American-Statesman Staff
No
defense that Lake Travis center Garrett Stotts will face this football
season will be any tougher than the black-and-red-clad players he blocks
in practice.No offense that Cavaliers rover John Brewer will compete against this fall will be more challenging than his teammates’ spread attack.
Lake Travis arguably is the team of the decade in Texas. Over the past 10 years, the Cavaliers have compiled a 125-14 record (.899) while winning nine district championships and five state titles. The state championships — all in Class 4A — came during a five-year span that included a 30-game playoff winning streak.
The Cavaliers’ winning tradition and their returning talent are two reasons Lake Travis has been selected as the top-ranked team in the American-Statesman’s preseason poll.
“Every year, you see more and more freshmen who want to play football,” Stotts said. “Everyone wants to be part of a winning team.”
Led by returning quarterback Dominic De Lira (2,356 passing yards, 25 touchdowns last season), the Cavaliers appear to have enough firepower to surpass last year’s average of 40 points a game. Wide receiver Grant Foster (24 catches, 459 yards, three touchdowns) is a proven playmaker, and Stotts is in the middle of a dependable offensive line that includes seniors Jeffrey Gibbs, Hunter Rhodes and Aiden Rourke and sophomore Brenden Jaimes.
Stotts suggested that Lake Travis fans keep their eyes on two varsity newcomers — junior running back Abe Willows and sophomore running back and cornerback Aaron Brown. Willows was a bullish runner for the Cavaliers junior varsity last season and Brown is the brother of Shaun Nixon, a former standout tailback for Lake Travis who’s now at TCU.
Brewer will be a critical part of a defense that limited opponents to 14.3 points per game in 2013. He’ll be joined by senior safeties James Bailey (70 tackles, four sacks) and Chris Roller (70 tackles, five interceptions), junior defensive end Tevin Paul (28 tackles, seven sacks) and junior cornerback Tanner Bush (27 tackles, two interceptions). Sophomore linebacker Sammy Ochoa, described by Cavaliers coach Hank Carter as “fast and physical, downhill” player also could have a breakout season.
Carter, who’s 51-6 in his first four seasons as a head coach, said conditioning has been a factor in the Cavaliers’ success. After a particularly challenging workout, he told his players that their hard work will pay off in the fourth quarter of games this season.
“It’s hard to see the benefits when you’re in the middle of practice and running the snake,” said Brewer, referring to a running drill that calls for players to weave from sideline to sideline.
Once again, Brewer said, the goal at Lake Travis is to win a state title.
It’s been that way for a decade.
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