Young Team Seeks Another Playoff Run

By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record

The Schulenburg Shorthorns made the longest playoff run of any Fayette County teams last year – three rounds.

But they are still fighting for respect even after that great playoff run.

“Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine” has the Shorthorns picked to finish fifth in the new District 13-2A and miss the playoffs.

Certainly the youth of the Shorthorns factors into that prediction. Schulenburg returns just five offensive and four defensive starters from last year’s team which went 6-7.

Additionally the Shorthorns have just five seniors and five juniors, but have a huge sophomore class.

“I’d say, go ahead and pick us fifth,” said Schulenburg head coach Walt Brock of his reaction to that ranking. “I really think it’s motivation. Our kids are really motivated. They want to prove people wrong, and they have a ‘just you wait and see’ mentality.”

Last year in the postseason the Shorthorns upset state-ranked Mason in the first round, then bashed Kenedy in the second round by 25 before falling to eventual state champ Shiner in the third round.

That run will have a carryover effect this season, Brock said.

“Those guys last year had the experience of playing three extra weeks,” Brock said. “Now they know what it takes in terms of hard work, but we’re a young team and we’ve got some holes to fill, especially at the skill positions, but we’re excited about the future and what we have in that locker room.”

Tyler Ryba returns at quarterback for the Shorthorns after leading the team in passing and rushing yardage last year.

“He’s working really hard,” Brock said.

Ryba’s a junior, and sophomore Aaron Janecek (younger brother of former Shorthorns QB Brett Janecek) could also see some time at quarterback and Jayse Janda could also be in the mix.

In the backfield John Davis will start at fullback and Rodney Walton will start at tailback with Bryce Stoever as the main backup.

Senior Isaiah Adams will start at center, right guard is junior Ray Mitchell, right tackle is senior Tommy Granger, left guard is

Quick Hits

Last year’s record: 6-7 overall, 1-3 in district.

Returning starters: 5 offensive and 4 defensive

Last playoff appearance: 2021, went three round deep, beating Mason and Kenedy before falling to eventual state champ Shiner.

Reason to be confident: Explosive players like Tyler Ryba, Kenny Schramek and Rodney Walton return.

Lingering question: Are the Shorthorns too young (only 10 seniors and juniors combined) to pull off a repeat of last year’s success?

Varsity Schedule

August senior D’Keenan Thompson and left tackle is sophomore Ignacio Hernandez.

They will be backed up by five sophomores.

Tight end will be three-year varsity starter Kenny Schramek and wide receivers will be Misael Cortez and Janecek.

Overall, Brock hopes it’s a group that can put more points on the board this season than last. In Schulenburg’s six regular season losses last year, the Shorthorns scored seven points or less in each of the six games.

Defensively, the Shorthorns are going to switch from a odd front to an even front, because of the team’s abundance of linemen.

“Our strength right now is our line,” Brock said. “I’ve got 11 guys who can play defensive line – ends or tackles.”

The starting defensive tackles will be Granger and Marshall Wellborn and the starting defensive ends will be Ray Mitchell and Thompson.

Starting linebackers will be Walton,

Davis and Stoever.

Starting safeties will be Ryba and Schramek and starting cornerbacks will be Janecek and Cortez.

Cortez and Schramek head into the season as the kickers for the Shorthorns and Schramek will punt.

There’s also a lot of new faces in the coaches office this season for the Shorthorns.

Most notably is Brent Verzwyvelt, who for the past two years was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Texas Lutheran University. He will assume offensive coordinator duties.

Trent Collier has been promoted to defensive coordinator. Longtime Shorthorn coach Gilbert Price returns and will be special teams coordinator.

Isaiah Barerra (from Bremond, and he will also be the new head baseball coach), Mark Freeman (from Anson) and Cameron Hammontree (who was most recently a grad assistant at Baylor University) are