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Local • By CHRISTOPHER DE LOS SANTOS
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Cameron Park Zoo on Thursday announced the causes of the deaths of a mother and daughter giraffe at the zoo this summer, after receiving finalized reports from outside labs and specialists in zoo animal pathology.
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Penelope, a 10-year-old Masai giraffe, died July 19, and her month-old calf, Zuri, died three days later.
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"Based on the pathology report for Penelope, it appears the primary issue was muscle trauma in the form of exertional rhabdomyolysis," also known as capture myopathy, according to a zoo press release.
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"The findings on Zuri indicate there was an infection of the gastrointestinal tract, which spread to her bloodstream, causing sepsis," the press release says. "Even with aggressive medical treatment, this infection reached the lungs, causing pneumonia and shock. Stress was a possible contributing factor and may have been linked to the loss of her mother and the transition to being bottle-fed."
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Penelope's condition "is usually associated with stress and severe physical exertion," but zoo staff did not see any "stressful behavior that was significant enough to explain the muscle trauma in the days leading up to her death," according to the press release.
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Penelope received treatment at the zoo but started having difficulty standing up from lying down, the press release says.
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"In large animals such as giraffes, the inability to stand can lead to a multitude of issues, including further muscle damage, aspiration of stomach contents, and gastrointestinal disease," the press release says.
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Zoo veterinarian Dr. James Kusmierczyk said in the press release that giraffes are challenging to treat because of their size and physiology.
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"The Cameron Park Zoo is still mourning the loss of Penelope and Zuri, but this information helps us understand what we were dealing with," Kusmierczyk said. "It gives me comfort knowing that we provided the best medical care we could under the circumstances."
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He said he hopes the information learned about Penelope and Zuri will contribute to the body of knowledge about giraffes' care.
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Masai giraffes, native to Tanzania and Kenya, represent the largest species of giraffes, known for their irregular star-like patterns. They are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to poaching and habitat fragmentation.
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Art Theater • By CARL HOOVER
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Choice in performance selections. Shorter seasons of favorites. Art events outside of usual venues or exhibits.
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Waco arts organizations are changing what they offer their supporters --- and how supporters can pay for it --- in light of declining season ticket sales and memberships, even as event attendance seems to be rebounding from, if not returning to, pre-pandemic levels.
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Many performing arts organizations across the country have seen declining sales of season tickets or memberships for several years, a trend that accelerated for many over the pandemic with lockdowns and event restrictions or cancellations complicating buyers' attendance.
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Season tickets and membership sales held at the beginning of an arts organization's year often provide essential operating revenue to sustain the organization through a year with additional revenue added by individual performances and events.
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In her position as president of Texans for the Arts, Creative Waco executive director Fiona Bond reports that arts organizations across the state are seeing change in their audiences' behavior and support, with ticket sales up and season commitments down. Waco, she added, has recovered more fully from the impact of the pandemic and is poised for future growth.
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Waco Civic Theatre executive director Eric Shephard has seen such a shift in both season ticket sales and ones for individual shows over the last few years, with season tickets declining and robust sales for certain individual shows.
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That suggests to him a clientele more selective in what they support, even as that support has been robust. Last year, spotty attendance for the theater's productions of "The Light in the Piazza" and "Silent Sky" caused revenues to dip for the community theater. A season-ending "The Music Man," however, proved one of the theater's most financially successful shows in years and a full run of "Newsies" could have sold more tickets with additional performances, he said.
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As a result, this year's season leaned heavily on the familiar in its offerings, such as the musicals "Oliver!," "Oklahoma!," "White Christmas" and "The Sound of Music," to draw Waco audiences more so than changing ticketing and membership procedures. Still, the theater offers a season ticket where buyers can pick which five of the theater's seven productions they wish to attend. "The audience appreciates some flexibility," Shephard noted.
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Ticket packages
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The theater's change to in-the-round presentations rather than its previous setup as a stage with a proscenium increased the theater's number of accessible seats and made most somewhat equal in terms of sight lines and proximity to actors. That reduced an incentive for buyers to use season tickets as a way to lock in choice seats.
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As the Baby Boomer core of the theater's supporting patrons grows older, the theater has to pay attention to the preferences of a younger crowd, the director said.
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The new Silent House Theatre Company, created only two years ago, found a diffident response when it offered its first season tickets, recalled co-founder Collin Selman. Support for individual shows, however, has been strong --- its upcoming production of "Cabaret" already has sold half of the available tickets for four of its six performances --- and the company is seeing more success in offering memberships with such perks as an accompanying podcast and access to the company's leaders and actors, he said.
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The Waco Symphony Orchestra, too, is shifting to meet a changing audience. Season ticket sales are still about 20% lower than their pre-pandemic levels, although this year's total looks like it held steady with last year's figures, said Waco Symphony Association executive director Carolyn Bess.
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Sales for a mini-season package of three concerts rather than a full five- or six-concert season is proving popular, with sales last year nearly doubling that of the previous year. This year's package, which consists of the January, March and April 2024 concerts that include this season's guest artists, will go on sale Nov. 17 with an eye to attracting holiday shoppers.
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Bess also noted interest in individual concerts this season. The symphony expanded its "Nutcracker" collaboration with Ballet Frontier of Texas, which has sold out Waco Hall in recent years, from one to two performances this season and nearly 600 tickets have already sold.
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The WSO's "Sci-Fi Spectacular" concert in April, held the weekend of the total solar eclipse, also is finding an audience with tickets already selling six months in advance, Bess said.
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Radio support
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For Waco public radio station KWBU-FM, listener memberships are crucial for the station's support and have slumped in recent years, even as the station has expanded its listenership. That's in line with national trends for public radio, which has seen memberships drop while individual gifts and support increases, said Joe Riley, CEO of Brazos Valley Public Broadcasting Foundation.
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The station's recent nine-day pledge drive proved a recent example of that: KWBU topped its record revenue goal of $70,000 while falling short of its new member goal. The station's membership has sagged to fewer than 700 members and that's a matter of great concern for station officials, even as it meets its revenue goals to support the budget.
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"It's unsustainable to have fewer and fewer members year after year," he said. "There's a real need to bring in more donors and broaden our base of support."
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A Build-the-Base membership campaign that started before the pandemic was making progress toward increasing the station's membership, but the pandemic stopped its momentum in its tracks. The station allows members to contribute at different levels, but some listeners who might be interested in contributing to the station seem cool when the word "membership" comes up.
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Riley feels there's sufficient support for public radio in what he calls a "generous community," a support that expanded messaging or varied ways of giving might unlock.
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Art Center
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Yearlong memberships also provide crucial revenue for Art Center Waco, which charges no admission to its exhibits and most of its presentations. Executive director Meghan Bias observed that many museums and art galleries are struggling to hold on to their audiences in a time of expanding entertainment and cultural options.
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The center currently counts 146 members and is preparing to expand that number by reaching out to families and those interested in making art, she said. "We feel families are an untapped resource we have," she said.
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Expanding kids' and family art activities as well as adult art classes could increase opportunities for membership incentives. Meeting community interests also is an option for expanding Art Center Waco support, as is a sensitivity to contemporary schedules and time demands. A recent Balcones Distilling tasting drew a large crowd to the center, she noted, indicating new approaches to events may match up with community interests. "We're a community art center and I intend to run it as such," she said.
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Creative Waco director Bond said an openness to new ways of funding and community support may provide Waco arts groups with paths to the future, particularly with a demonstrated support for the arts in Waco.
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A transition from whole-season support to individual events supplemented by other activities and options that bring in revenue may be what's underway and that's a good thing, she feels. "For any sector, you have to keep rethinking 'who is your audience?'" she said. Sharing new ideas and finding new allies also will help. "Collaboration is definitely the name of the game," she said.
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Government Politics • By MATT KYLE
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The Waco firefighters union issued a no-confidence vote regarding Waco Fire Department Chief Gregory Summers before Summers announced his retirement Tuesday, a city spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
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Summers has been chief in Waco for three years and said he plans to retire at the end of the year.
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City officials are reviewing the information regarding the no-confidence vote by the Waco Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 478 before deciding if any action by the city manager would be appropriate, spokesperson Monica Sedelmeier said in a statement.
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Waco Fire Capt. Phillip Burnett, president of the local union, declined comment when asked why the vote was issued. Burnett said he and the rest of the association members wish Summers the best in his retirement.
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Summers issued a letter Tuesday announcing his retirement after three-and-a-half years as chief of the Waco Fire Department and 41 years in the fire service. Before coming to Waco, he spent nine years as chief of the Little Rock Fire Department in Arkansas, which he joined in 1983 and climbed up the ranks to become chief.
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Summers on Wednesday said the vote did not play a role in his decision to retire. He said his decision was based on his tenure and accomplishments during his time as chief.
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"I stand on my record," Summers said. "It speaks for itself."
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In his retirement letter, Summers said he is proud of his accomplishments in Waco, which include increasing the diversity of the department, adding safety measures for firefighters and leading the department in securing funding for new vehicles and fire stations.
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During his tenure, the department grew from having zero women to five. Before Summers' arrival, the department had just one female firefighter in its history. Summers also said in the letter the department expanded and added 19 new firefighter positions under his leadership.
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Crime Courts • By CHRISTOPHER DE LOS SANTOS
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A federal lawsuit claiming Baylor University put women at the university at heightened risk of abuse will go to trial next week in Waco.
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Former Baylor University student Dolores Lozano initially filed a federal lawsuit in October 2016 claiming former Baylor football player Devin Chafin physically abused her in 2014 and that Baylor officials fostered a leadership climate that heightened risk for women to be assaulted. The bulk of the initial suit was dismissed in 2018 before Lozano filed new legal claims based on the same circumstances.
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Lozano also alleged Waco police officials did nothing after she reported assaults and conspired with Baylor officials to keep reports of violent acts by football players "from going outside the athletic department." U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman dismissed claims against the city of Waco two years ago. He also dismissed claims against the Baylor board of regents in 2017.
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Remaining defendants include the university, former head football coach Art Briles, former Athletics Director Ian McCaw and another defendant listed as John Doe in court filings.
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Lozano seeks unspecified damages. Her attorney, Sheila Haddock, of the Zalkin Law Firm PC in San Diego, said Lozano looks forward to her day in court.
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"Ms. Lozano is looking forward to finally having the opportunity to present the facts and evidence supporting her claims against Baylor, Mr. McCaw and Mr. Briles to a jury," Haddock said.
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Attorneys for the university did not return phone requests for comment Wednesday. Lead attorneys for McCaw and Briles did not return emails seeking comment.
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Pitman decided Oct. 4 that each side would have 20 hours to present evidence and testimony, with defendants dividing time among themselves. Presentation of evidence is expected to last two weeks, followed by jury deliberations.
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In a March ruling on a motion for summary judgment from Baylor, Pitman dismissed some of Lozano's negligence claims but found enough evidence to proceed to trial on Lozano's allegations under Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools.
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Pitman dismissed summary judgment motions from McCaw and Briles last year. In both instances he found Lozano had enough evidence supporting her Title IX claims for a jury to hear the case and make a judgement.
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Jury selection is set for Friday and testimony is expected to start Monday.
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Volleyball • By BRICE CHERRY
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What's the biggest roller coaster you've ever ridden? The Texas Giant, maybe?
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McLaren Williamson has you beat.
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A junior setter for Lorena's state-ranked volleyball team, McLaren has experienced one of the wildest emotional rides one could ever imagine for the better part of her high school tenure. She has tunneled through pain --- both physical and emotional. She has endured fear. She has ridden the wave of frustration. And impatience. And hope. Most recently, this ride has taken her to a place of acceptance. And pride. Most definitely pride.
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McLaren's health journey over the past three years frayed her nerves in more ways than one. It all boiled to a head during Lorena's five-set loss to Academy on Sept. 26. McLaren's left arm went completely numb early in the match, the latest issue in a three-year battle that yielded chronic neck, shoulder and back pain.
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"My whole arm went numb in the first or second set of the game," McLaren recalled. "It was a five-set game. I didn't know what it was. I was in a lot of pain, but I didn't want to quit on my team. So I played through it. ... After the game, I was rushed to the ER, and they told me I couldn't play volleyball and that I had to get my surgery moved up. I have surgery next week, and it's just been really hard."
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Hard almost doesn't begin to describe it. The Williamson family has been through a lot with McLaren's ongoing health problems. But they are happy that, at long last, a fix seems to be in place.
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And if anything has eased the pain, it's witnessing the rise of McCall, McLaren's younger sister, to help fill McLaren's role on the varsity squad.
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You see, when it became apparent that McLaren's 2023 season was done, the Lorena coaches gathered to figure out their next steps. They decided that their best option was to move up McCall, a freshman, from the junior varsity team to help at the setter position for the varsity.
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Only problem was, McCall enjoyed all of two practices with the Lady Leopard varsity before getting thrown into the fire. Oh, and guess what? It just so happened that her debut came against Troy, Lorena's biggest district rival.
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"We kind of game-planned and said, 'Let's try this and see what happens,'" Lorena coach Andee Little said. "So we had two practices with McCall and what was really awesome about it was that the team really accepted the situation. Honestly, we thrive in adversity, which is kind of awesome to watch.
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"But even with McLaren, I can't imagine how hard that was. The next day she's in a sling, and she's literally out on the court coaching her sister, giving her pointers, giving her advice, being the eyes and ears for her sister. It was just really cool. ... We didn't let the sentimental hit us until after the game against Troy, because we were all on edge. But McLaren was definitely there to talk (McCall) through her fear and stress."
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McLaren Williamson (in black) hugs her younger sister McCall after the latter made her varsity debut earlier this month in a win over Troy.
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Lorena pulled out a four-set win over Troy that night, with McCall contributing nicely to the victory. She has continued to play well in Lorena's three matches since, all victories, forming a sturdy setter rotation with fellow freshman Abigail Prado.
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For her big sis, it's been inspirational to watch McCall step up in a tough situation.
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"She did a really good job of staying level-headed," McLaren said. "She made me really proud, the way she came out and played like it was her spot and just owned up to everything she did, and just played really well."
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McLaren's entire high school volleyball journey has been marked by pain. She struggled with heart problems during her freshman season in 2021. Even after undergoing heart surgery following the season, she still felt a perpetual tightness in her chest.
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The problem persisted over the next two years. The pain radiated from McLaren's chest to her neck to her back.
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"I didn't know what it was," she said. "I went to more than five doctors and no one could tell me what it was. Did physical therapy, didn't help. Everyone was just telling me to take Ibuprofen and get adjusted by a chiropractor. Nothing was working."
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Earlier this year she was going through spring volleyball when she began getting shooting pain in her neck and her arm. She also had trouble breathing.
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"I thought it was just because I was out of shape. But I was like, there's no way I'm out of shape, I play volleyball all the time, I play basketball, I'm active a lot," McLaren said. "And finally I went to a doctor and he said, 'I think it's something to do with your nerves,' but he couldn't tell me what it was."
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McLaren isn't one to break down in tears all the time. "As my Mom says, I guess I deal with it with a high pain tolerance," she said.
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But after one of Lorena's first tournament matches of this 2023 season, she broke down sobbing, unable to shake the pain. A family friend who works at Baylor Scott & White referred her to a vascular surgeon in Dallas, who was finally able to get to the root of the problem.
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According to the doctor, McLaren's past heart issues had caused the muscles in her chest and shoulders to constrict. That crushed the nerves and blood vessels that traveled through her shoulder area. The doctor recommended having surgery after the season.
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However, since the pain hasn't acquiesced and has only intensified, that surgery will now happen next week.
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It hasn't been easy, by any means, for McLaren to take a seat on the bench. But nothing about this journey has been easy.
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"It's been very emotional, watching her have to quit on her favorite thing," McCall said. "Since the recovery time is so long and the surgery is supposed to be super painful, it's just been very hard for our whole family. Not knowing what's wrong with her and her having to go through so many doctors and them not knowing what's wrong has been really emotional."
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Again, McLaren isn't a crier, but she choked up when she talked about how much she misses being on the court and how she'll never play with her senior teammates again.
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"It's been really hard, not giving up on everyone, but having to take a step back," McLaren said. "It's been really hard, but I've gotten a lot of encouragement from the team and the coaches and the other staff members at the school, to embrace my new role and help everyone from an outside perspective. I guess that's the upside to it."
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Without a doubt, she's helping her team in a new way now. During matches, McLaren sits on the bench with a clipboard charting plays, and shouts encouragement to her teammates. In huddles, she regularly offers helpful tips.
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And, of course, she's McCall's biggest fan.
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"She's been very encouraging in helping me through," McCall said, who called being elevated to the varsity "stressful and nerve-racking." But she feels capable of handling it with McLaren's help.
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Make no mistake --- McLaren would rather be playing. But she is trying to make the best of her new role.
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"I've learned that everything happens for a reason," she said. "I guess this showed me how proud I was of my sister and how strong she is, because it's not easy coming into a team that you hadn't been on from the start and getting up there and playing. She practiced with us for not even two days, a day and a half, and then had to step on the court during our biggest varsity game of the season against our rivals, and playing really hard. I was really proud of her."
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The prognosis for McLaren's surgery is that it will alleviate her pain and require 4-8 months of rehabilitation. She wants to get back even sooner, naturally. Her hope is to be playing volleyball during the club season next spring.
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"Supposedly she'll come back better than ever, which knowing her, that's just the way she is anyway," Little said. "Hopefully that's what happens. She's ready to do it and just start the rehab, 100 percent, so she can come back."
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TAPPS realignment gives clarity to Waco teams
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TAPPS released its realignment this week for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, allowing Waco-area private schools to start making athletic plans and schedules.
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Vanguard will play six-man football in Division I, District 1, along with Pflugerville Concordia, Plano Coram Deo, Gainesville Lone Star, Carrollton Prince of Peace, Round Rock Christian, Texas School for the Deaf out of Austin, Midland Trinity and Austin Veritas.
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Live Oak is making the jump to 11-man football after 14 years as a six-man program. The Falcons will be in District 1 of TAPPS Division IV, along with their crosstown rival Bishop Reicher. Joining Reicher and Live Oak in that district are Fort Worth Temple Christian, Muenster Sacred Heart, Fort Worth Mercy Culture, Red Oak Ovilla Christian and Dallas First Baptist.
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Waco's Valor Preparatory Academy will join the football ranks in 2024, as the latest private school six-man program in the area. The Valor Knights will play in District 2 of TAPPS six-man Division III, along with budding rival Eagle Christian Academy. Those two Waco programs will be joined by Azle Christian, Granbury Cornerstone and Wichita Falls Christian.
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From an average daily enrollment standpoint, Vanguard is Waco's largest private school program in TAPPS with 183 high school students, followed by Live Oak (128), Reicher (82), Valor Prep (70) and Eagle Christian (29). For other sports outside of football, that means Vanguard is in Class 4A, Live Oak is 3A, Reicher and Valor are 2A, and ECA is 1A.
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Marlin, Chilton, Oglesby players claim honors
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Marlin, Chilton and Oglesby are a combined 17-2 on the season, and those winning programs fittingly had the top vote getters in this week's WacoTrib.com Player of the Week voting.
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Marlin's I'Aire Kee won the Trib's Offensive Player of the Week honor after rushing eight times for 178 yards in the Bulldogs' 33-30 win over Crawford last week. Kee claimed 31% of the voting.
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Chilton's Chauncey King helped the fourth-ranked Pirates claim a thrilling 28-27 win over Bremond, and nabbed Defensive Player of the Week honors in the process. King made 13 tackles, including a tackle for loss.
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Oglesby's EJ Aviles won the Six-Man Player of the Week honor with 68 percent of the voting. Aviles hit 3 of 4 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 160 yards and two more TDs, made two catches for 68 yards and a score, and picked up eight tackles on defense in the No. 2 Tigers' 58-8 win over Bronte.
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La Vega recognizes new Hall of Famers
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La Vega ISD honored its 2023 Hall of Fame class last weekend, including several sporting greats.
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The group featured former Pirates basketball coach Duane Silver (Coach's Award), former football standout Clay Jennings (Dave Campbell Award for Excellence), former Super Centex Basketball Player of the Year Jordan Glynn (Athletic Achievement), Robert Johnson (Academic Achievement), American Bank's Dana Hassell (Wayne Samford Friend of La Vega Award), and the late Bill Taverner (Educator's Award).
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The group was recognized on the field at Willie Williams Stadium during last week's game against Waxahachie Life.
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Six-pack of Centex tennis programs advance
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Six Central Texas team tennis squads notched bi-district wins earlier this week.
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Midway advanced to the Class 6A area round after defeating Mansfield Lake Ridge, 10-0. The Panthers will next take the court Thursday in Corsicana against Wylie East.
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Lake Belton moved on with an 11-2 bi-district win over Montgomery, and will next face Georgetown East View in the 5A area round.
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In Class 4A, which does include some schools playing up a classification, Robinson, China Spring, Whitney and Cameron Yoe all secured bi-district victories over their respective opponents. Next up for Robinson is a match against Marble Falls Thursday in Copperas Cove. China Spring will draw Lago Vista in the area playoffs at 10 a.m. Friday at Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, while Whitney faces Anna on Thursday in Midlothian. Cameron Yoe will take on Madisonville Thursday at Bryan Rudder.
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The teams are fighting through the playoffs to try to reach the UIL State Team Tennis Championships, Oct. 25-26 at Waco Regional Tennis Center and Baylor's Hurd Tennis Center.
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Waco High's Mason Smith-Welcome and the Lions will face Killeen Shoemaker on Thursday night at Waco ISD Stadium.
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Waco High hosting Shoemaker on Thursday
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It's been a tough road for the Waco High football team this season, but the Lions will draw another chance to gather their first district win on Thursday when they host Killeen Shoemaker.
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Waco High (1-6 overall, 0-5 in District 4-5A Div. I) has dropped six straight games since outlasting Fort Wort Southwest, 35-32, in its season opener. Last week, the Lions were blitzed by seventh-ranked Red Oak, 63-7. In their last home game on Sept. 29, they dropped a heartbreaker to another Killeen ISD foe in Ellison, 21-20. In that one, the Eagles scored the game-tying touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Sidney Hollard to Trevarus Turner-Smith on the final play of the game, then secured the win with the ensuing extra-point kick by Juan Ramirez.
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Waco High coach Linden Heldt said his team had some "soul-searching to do" after that loss, and they'll get their chance to redeem themselves in front of the home crowd at Waco ISD Stadium Thursday against the Grey Wolves (3-3, 1-3).
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Shoemaker has been off since a 17-14 loss to Red Oak two weeks ago. The Wolves possess a dangerous running game, led by senior Jerrod Hicks-Maddox (600 yards, 10 TDs), as well as a dual-threat quarterback in Malachi Jerome (971 passing yards, 269 rushing).
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Pair of champion Tigers to be celebrated
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A pair of Waco High legends --- from the days when the school was known as the Tigers --- will be recognized at halftime of Thursday's Waco High-Shoemaker game at Waco ISD Stadium.
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Floyd Miller and Bill Grusendorf, two members of the 1948 state championship Waco High football team, will be honored in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of that special season. The Tigers went 14-0 that season and beat their opponents by a combined score of 415-90.
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In the state final, Waco High blanked the Amarillo Sandies, 21-0, on a frigid day at then-TCU Stadium in Fort Worth.
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It remains the last Waco High team to win state.
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Blum serves up big win over Crawford
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All season long, Blum's defending Class 1A state champion volleyball team has piled up some impressive victories.
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But for the Lady Cats, they don't get much sweeter than the one they notched on Tuesday night.
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Top-ranked Blum swept Class 2A's third-ranked Crawford, 25-12, 25-13, 25-21, on Crawford's home floor. That helped the Lady Cats (31-5) avenge a three-set loss to Crawford (31-8) on Sept. 15.
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Kinsley McPherson delivered a double-double with 12 kills and 15 digs in the win for Blum, while Ruby Rumohr also doubled up with 29 assists and 11 digs. Kayden Arrington paced the passing with 18 digs.
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Crawford's Laney Elmore picked up 20 digs, while Beryn Hyland led the Lady Pirate attack with 10 kills. Blair Keith had 23 assists, 11 digs and three service aces.
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Blum remains a strong favorite to capture a second straight 1A state title this season. Despite the loss, Crawford should be a serious contender for the 2A crown, as it looks for its seventh state tournament appearance since 2013.
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Here's a look at the top five gridiron games of the week in Central Texas for Week 8.
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La Vega (5-2, 1-0) at No. 5 China Spring (5-2, 1-0)
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Radio: 104.9 FM, listentexas.com
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Streaming: Drake Toll Show channel on YouTube
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Breakdown: According to head coach Tyler Beatty, the Cougars are playing some of their best football and they've got a 50-point second quarter against Alvarado in the district opener to back it up. But the next two weeks will pose another challenge for China Spring, starting with a rivalry game at home against a La Vega team with loads of momentum.
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"Being a rivalry game, that makes it even more fun for our guys," Beatty said. "They understand what's at stake and for the guys that this is their first time, they'll find out very quickly that it's a lot different on a Friday night than it is on a Thursday night versus La Vega."
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The Pirates enter the week on a four-game win streak, including a pair of close wins against Lorena and Yoakum. While the Cougars have the home field advantage, La Vega will be looking to do what Melissa and Parish Episcopal did at Cougar Stadium.
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The one-two punch of quarterback Junior Thornton and running back Bryson Roland has been a highlight for the Pirates' offense with the help of a sturdy O-line, but they can also threaten in the passing game with Jabarie Thornton at receiver.
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"They are super talented," Beatty said. "They've got some really good size along the offensive and defensive line, and we know that in order for us to have success, that we're going to have to take care of the football offensively, sustain drives. But once the ball has been handed off or kept by their quarterback, we're going to have to tackle very well."
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The Cougars' defense has subtly become a big strength, completing a talented offense led by Cash McCollum and Kyle Barton. Beatty noted the growth was a combination of the returning veterans growing to trust the young guys more and the young guys learning from the veterans.
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"This is a much different team than we had year ago, and this is kind of the same old story, but I preface that in that we hadn't really found our groove yet," Beatty said. "We hadn't had 11 guys playing really well together in a game yet. I think the environment (against Alvarado), I think the fact that it's a district ball game means a little bit more. ... It really kind of kick-started when we got the turnover off the kickoff, it kind of started the ball rolling offensively. And then we got a sack fumble, and then we got an interception and with those takeaways out kids gained confidence... We tackled so much better than we had in the previous six weeks.
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"I think it's all starting to come together at the right time. I don't want to speak too soon, but we are playing better football now than we did at the start of the season."
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Elgin (3-4, 1-2) at University (4-2, 1-1)
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Breakdown: University is coming off a heartbreaker on the road against Pflugerville last Thursday. The Panthers came out with a big punch out of the gate in the first half and as the Trojans were set for the comeback in the final quarter, Pflugerville halted the drive with an interception.
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University will look to brush past the loss and get back in the win column when the Trojans host Elgin this week. The Wildcats fell to Killeen Chaparral, 42-26, last Friday and dropped a 29-point loss to Belton the week before after opening district play with a win over Pflugerville Connally.
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The Trojans defense will look to disrupt Elgin senior QB Nathen Lewis, who has passed for 1,048 yards on 59 of 122 completions for 12 touchdowns but has also been picked off six times this season. Lewis also leads the Wildcats on the ground with 467 yards on 83 carries and eight touchdowns. Darren Harper (59 carries for 281 yards, six touchdowns) and Curtis McFarlin (32 carries for 225 yards, three touchdowns) back up Lewis in the run game.
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Lewis can also spread the ball around to a plethora of receivers. University's secondary, led by senior Jae'Juan Harris (61 tackles, six for a loss and a fumble recovery), will be on guard against at least five different receivers including Zaire Newells (13 catches for 235 yards and two TDs) and Gary Jefferson Jr. (16 catches for 202 yards and one TD).
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University will count on junior running back LaDarrius Evans to lead the charge in the run game. Evans is 13th among Central Texas running backs with 722 rush yards on 126 carries and three touchdowns. Sophomore QB Cade Bynnom (80 of 139 for 1,115 yards and 11 TDs, 2 interceptions) sits ninth among Central Texas quarterbacks in passing and sophomore receiver London Smith is third among area receivers with 707 yards on 33 catches and eight touchdowns.
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Sophomore linebacker Joaquin Martinez leads the defense with 69 tackles (51 solo), 12 TFL, three sacks, an interception, three caused fumbles and a fumble recovery.
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Madisonville (5-1, 0-0) at Robinson (5-2, 1-0)
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Radio: 1660 AM/92.3 FM, centexsportsfan.com
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Breakdown: The Rockets may not be where the want to be in the big picture but are still doing pretty well under a first-year coaching staff, kicking off district play with a 28-16 road win over Salado to turn things around after a loss to finish the non-district schedule.
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"Going into district play we knew we need to get some victories in district to really improve from last year," said Robinson coach Chris Lancaster. "The kids really worked hard, the coaches really worked hard, preparing for Salado. And the bottom line is we went down there, and we felt like we really need to take care of business and out kids did. It was just a really exciting night for our program."
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Robinson had been taking advantage of its multifaceted talent. Freshman Bryce McCurdy was called up from the JV squad to log in a few series under center as the Rockets opted to throw in starting QB Aiden Stanford into the secondary to play defense. McCurdy and Stanford traded out series during the game.
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"Just because Stanford's our starting quarterback doesn't mean he's hands off, if he can help on defense and really have some production back there, then let's use him," Lancaster said. "Knowing that, also, our backup quarterbacks are both playing a bunch of ball. (Cason) Helpert is playing our starting strong safety and Dustin Sunday has been emerging in a role as a tight end, helping to relieve Evan Morena at tight end.
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"With that we decided to bring up the freshman and we always have a policy that if we're going to bring a kid up, we're going to play him. Our mindset was to play him the second series and the young man did a great job. So, we rotated series with him and Stanford allowing Aiden to play the whole game on defense."
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The Rockets will have a challenge in district favorite Madisonville, which was ranked until a loss to Columbus prior to its bye week. The Mustangs were undefeated until that point and will look to get back in the win column.
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Madisonville has threats at running back and receiver, spreading the load. Junior QB Ty Williams has tossed 1,181 yards on 74 of 108 completions for 16 touchdowns and has four interceptions. Senior RB Jyrin Burns has 445 rush yards on 57 carries and seven touchdowns. Senior WR Lorenzo Johnson has 309 receptions yards on 22 catches and seven touchdowns.
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"They're very athletic, they're well-coached and they do a tremendous job at using what they have and that is a lot of athletes," Lancaster said of the Mustangs. "It's going to be a big challenge for us but again we can't worry about Madisonville. We've got to worry about us and stay within our limits and our personality, and our frame of mind, so to speak. We can't get caught up in that moment. But we are also glad to be back home."
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Fairfield (2-5, 2-1) at Groesbeck (5-1, 2-0)
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Streaming: Groesbeck ISD on YouTube
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Breakdown: Another rivalry match is set as Fairfield travels to Groesbeck this week. The Goats have been flying under the radar a bit, their only loss of the season coming to Marlin. Both squads have two wins in district play heading into the contest and Groesbeck head coach Jerry Bomar said it should be an exciting night.
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"Our kids are really enjoying playing and our goal obviously is to be in the playoffs, and they know we've got a great chance there," Bomar said. "Fairfield is always a good team and a solid program. Groesbeck and Fairfield play tough games and we know this will be the same."
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The Goats have been anchored by a veteran defense, led by a strong senior group that includes the likes of linebackers Ryder Bagley and Kenny Bennett, but its young offense has improved as the season progressed, counting on freshman Jordan Smith to lead in the running game with 649 yards on 72 carries and five touchdowns. Sophomore Marquis Gibson follows with 445 rush yards on 66 carries and eight touchdowns.
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Meanwhile, junior QB Trent Platt has found a balance with 549 passing yards on 33 of 62 completions and four touchdowns and 407 rush yards on 69 carries and nine touchdowns. Senior WR Chris Cox has been Platt's main target, sporting 329 reception yards on 33 catches with a touchdown.
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"We're very young, especially on offense and we've got a bunch of sophomores and some freshman, and a bunch of kids that's never played much," Bomar said. "Offensively, we've gotten better as the season's worn on. Everybody's gotten more comfortable with playing at the varsity level and we've been very solid on defense from day one."
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Fairfield had a tougher start to the season, playing some tough competition in non-district play and not picking up a win until the start of district. The Eagles grabbed a 67-6 victory over Eustace before falling to the district favorite in Malakoff, then bouncing back with a win over Mexia.
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Senior QB Cameron Cockerell sports 1,106 passing yards and 14 touchdowns but has been the victim of nine interceptions. He's got a pair of sophomore receivers in Finn Smith (256 yards and four TDs) and Kohl Collins (223 yards and four TDs) to target while junior Jaylon Shed takes charge of the run game.
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Defensively, sophomore safety Jason Brackens is having a standout season with 71 tackles. He's backed up by seniors Evan Chavers (51 tackles, two sacks, an interception) and Collin Glass (47 tackles, 14 TFLs, four sacks).
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Marlin (4-2, 3-0) at Riesel (6-0, 3-0)
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Breakdown: It's only halfway through the district slate for both Marlin and Riesel but this could very well be the contest that decides the district championship. It will be Marlin's speed against Riesel's size in this heavyweight 8-2A battle.
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Coming off a close win over Crawford, the Bulldogs will look to clean up their defensive miscues from last Friday while continuing to balance both the passing and run games on offense. Marlin QB Roderick Suiters sports 775 passing yards and has I'aire Kee (three catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns) and Jordan Womack (20 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns) as his main targets.
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On the ground, Mario Hopwood has led the charge with 531 rush yards on 57 carries and eight touchdowns.
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Meanwhile, Riesel has relied on its veterans. Gavin Oliver hasn't needed to throw the ball very much, opting to bulldoze through the competition on most occasions. Collin Conner backs him up in the run game, but Ryan Roddy can get open whenever Oliver does decide to throw the ball.
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Defensively, Aydrik Degrate, Cameron Phillips and Payton Hoelscher are a tough bunch to get past.
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