December 7, 2022 News-Dispatch

Wimberley approves transportation projects

BY MEGAN WEHRING

WIMBERLEY – After not seeing an update for 12 years, the Wimberley City Council unanimously approved some compo nents of the proposed Transportation Master Plan last week.

Earlier this year, the city of Wimberley engaged transportation consul tants to study roadway safety, traffic flow, roads and pedestrian issues throughout the city limits. The city is continuing to work with CP&Y Inc., which is a consulting firm with expertise in trans portation issues including ADA accessibility, route and feasibility studies along with design and schematics.

On Dec. 1, the Wimber ley City Council voted to remove items 14, 19 and 20 – these were among some of the projects that were carried forward from

the 2010 plan. In the proj ect list, these items are labeled as collectors.

• Item 14 would have constructed a new location roadway from Wayside Drive to Ranch Road 2325

• Item 19 would have constructed a new location roadway from Cypress Creek Lane to Winters Mill Parkway

• Item 20 would have constructed a new loca tion roadway from Flite Acres Rd to RM 3237

Mayor Gina Fulkerson said that after listening to several comments during the public hearing, many were concerned about the environmental impact of roads 14, 19 and 20 if they were constructed.

“We have amazing re sources here in this room and they are telling us that they think the best protec tion for our resources and our watershed is to not put these roads on. I, for

one, highly respect their opinion,” Fulkerson said.

“They have been involved in developments enough to know where leverage can be and where it can’t be. We can put things in our subdivision ordinance and that’s something that the Hill Country Alliance and Wimberley Valley Watershed Association have talked about with the city to put a lot of those things, like the easements and roads having a certain width … You don’t have to put it on the map with the fear of being these are in the ETJ and under the control of the county.

If they have constituents that want to develop, they may come along with a road bond and there they are.”

Mayor pro tem Rebecca Minnick said that the city council needed to pass some type of transporta

Home away from home

BY MEGAN WEHRING

WIMBERLEY – Just steps away from the heart of downtown Wimberley sits the Bell House – a renovation project that has become a hub for memora ble experiences.

Located at 300 River Road in Wimberley, the property has worn many hats including a drive-thru snow cone shop, flower shop and the Wimberley

Village Thrift Store. The well-known location is now under the ownership of Tracy and Bruce Levinson, who started dreaming of searching for a Texas Hill Country design project in 2018.

Later in 2019, the prop erty went under a long construction to become the Levinson’s home and a gathering place for special events, cooking classes and rentals.

“We decided to take it

down to the studs. It was an 18-month process,” Bruce said. “Rather than just completely demolish it, we knew that it had such a his tory with the town because of all of the folks that used to volunteer their time in it, and we wanted to honor that. We tried to keep the footprint the same.”

The Bell House has received overwhelming amounts of community support, including being recognized as a recipient of the Keep Wimberley Beau tiful Beautification Award.

“I think [the award] was based on what Tracy was able to accomplish with her interior design mind to create this wonderful welcoming storefront when you walk up,” Bruce said.

“It feels like a home where you can operate a business and that’s exactly what our goal was.”

Christmas on Mercer

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Tracy and Bruce Levinson set out to make the Bell House a gathering place for everyone, including the renovated front porch area with a fire pit.

PHOTO BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

A Dripping Springs tradition, Christmas on Mercer, welcomed vendors and members of the community to start celebrating the holidays on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Little Longhorn housed freshly cut Christmas trees in a variety of shapes and sizes for eventgoers to purchase.

PHOTOS BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Above, Hadley Cohen, 8, writes to Santa.

Below, Melanie Rose, a Deer Park, Texas resident smiles with the Grinch.

Wimberley trail lights up for 24th year

BY MEGAN WEHRING

WIMBERLEY

— The holiday season is in the air. Families are invited to at tend the Trail of Lights at the EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens located at 1101 FM 2325 in Wimberley.

The trail, which is now in its 24th year, runs through Dec. 26, features 6 acres of a decorated winter wonderland with twinkly lights for families to enjoy and bring in the new year.

Wimberley has also been listed as one of the top 10 Christmas towns in Texas,

“This Texas treasure is also a Christ mas town. Find some great gifts for the holiday season while also attending the Winter’s Eve Christmas Festival,” the website stated. “However, the one attraction you should not miss while visiting Wimberley in December should be the Trail of Lights at the EmilyAnn Theatre. This magical display features thousands of lights that span over eight acres. There is even a Yule Log at the Trail of Lights, a perfect spot to roast some marshmallows and keep warm between strolling through this incredi

Where to go to receive care

BY MEGAN WEHRING

As the rate of respira tory viruses is increasing throughout the nation, patients may not fully understand where to go to receive care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that from Oct. 1 to Nov. 19, there have been 6.2 to 14 million flu illnesses, 3 to 7 million flu medical visits, 53,000110,000 flu hospitaliza tions and 2,900-8,400 flu deaths.

Influenza-like illness, defined medical visits for fever and cough or sore throat, were high or very high in 35 states through Nov. 19, according to the CDC.

Dr. Karen Smith, a fam ily practice physician for Baylor Scott & White, said that the first step to receiv ing care when you get sick is visiting your primary care doctor.

“If not that, you can go to their partner doctors in the office, nurse practi tioners or physician assis

tants that work with them,” Smith said. “[They] know them and how they take care of patients. Then, if you are lucky to be part of a system like Baylor Scott & White that has extended hour care [or] regional hubs for urgent care, go to one of those.”

She added that it’s im portant to find a primary care doctor when people are not sick.

“Creating a relation ship with a primary care doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant is really important for a lot of reasons,” Smith

Dripping

BY MEGAN WEHRING DRIPPING SPRINGS

tion plan at that meeting because if not, they would need to still follow the one from 2010.

“Instead of looking at the plan in five years, [I suggest] to look at the plan in one year or 18 months or something like that and to do it in a way that has a good town hall project, stakeholder strategy and to also educate the commu nity on what the plan can do and it’s supposed to do,” Minnick said.

Council member Jim Chiles agreed that the city needs to review the transportation plan more

frequently.

“I would agree that we are safe doing it as long as we don’t wait 10 years to look at it again,” Chiles said.

For more information about all of the projects currently in the Transpor tation Master Plan, visit https://www.cityofwim berley.com/318/Transpor tation-Plan.

The Wimberley Trans portation Advisory Board is set to meet on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. and the city council is set to meet again on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m.

explained. “But number one, it gives you access when you are sick and if you can do that, they can guide you through the system. That becomes your medical home.”

Smith highly advises pa tients to stay out of the ER if they are not undergoing an emergency.

“The ER is not a place for the flu because it spreads,” Smith said.

Smith said that patients should go to the ER if they have the following:

• Difficulty breathing

• Can’t keep food down

• Feeling weak

• Dizziness

• Chest pains

“Go to the ER if it feels like an emergency,” Smith said. “If you know you have risk factors, like dia betes or years of smoking, remember that but try to use your doctor’s office for regular illnesses, even flu or COVID, unless you are having dangerous symp toms. That will help us to save our ERs for people whose lives are really in danger.”

CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC

Through Nov. 19, the CDC recorded that respiratory illness medical visits were high or very high in 35 states.

Dr. Karen Smith

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DSHS choir qualifies for area

DRIPPING SPRINGS

- Eight Dripping Springs High School choir students qualified for the area round of the Texas Music

Nelawyn Dalley

Placing in the top five of their respective voice parts to qualify were Anika Cha lak (Soprano 2), Michelle Hinojosa (Alto 2), Isaiah

Hoffman (Tenor 2), Amelie Lawrence (Soprano 1), Camryn Molfino (Soprano 1), Sloane Ruley (Alto 1), Portia Schaeffer-Preston (Soprano 1) and Colin Tuohy (Tenor 1). Ava Azua (Soprano 1), Preston LeBas

(Tenor 1) and Daniel McIv er (Bass 1) were named area alternates. A total of 18 DSHS students compet ed in pre-area auditions. The area competition will take place Saturday, Jan. 7 in San Antonio.

HOME, from

Tracy said that they wanted to create a space to host a rehearsal dinner, bridesmaids' luncheon or a wedding in the Hill Country but they want it to feel like a gathering of friends and family.

“We have a big dining room where we have table extenders, it’s almost like the Last Supper,” Tracy said. “Everybody can be gathered together and it feels like family.”

With her interior design background, Tracy was overjoyed to be creative with the project.

“What I loved was making it as beautiful as I could,” Tracy said. “I put

in European hardwood floors and even the door handles are acrylic and cool. … We want people to feel like it’s special. We love leaving people a gift [or] an itinerary of all of the fun things they can do.”

While change can be unsettling for some, the Bell House has been wel comed into Wimberley.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Nelawyn Dalley, age 87, went to be with our Lord and Savior. She was a lifetime resident of Dripping Springs until February of 2021.

Due to health reasons she moved to Novice, Texas to live with her daughter and son-inlaw, where she passed peacefully Wednesday, November 30, 2022, surrounded by the love of family and friends.

The family will host a visitation at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 10, 2022, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. at Drippings Springs Church of Christ, 470 Old Highway 290, in Dripping Springs with Jacob Rutledge officiating.

Interment will follow in the Mount Sharp Cemetery.

Services are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W. Pecan Street, in Coleman.

She was born Nelawyn Marie Miller on September 23, 1935, in Austin, Texas to Robert Earl Miller and Lourana Marie Bell Miller. Nelawyn grew up in Dripping Springs and graduated from Dripping Springs High

School. She married Elmer Doyle Dalley on November 27, 1955, in Dripping Springs. Nelawyn worked as an oral surgeon assistant and then worked for the Dripping Springs I.S.D. as secretary for the bus barn.

Nelawyn never met a stranger and would have a conversation with anyone. She enjoyed going out to eat and visiting with family and friends. Nelawyn and Doyle were known as “Grandma and Grandpa” to many of the people in Dripping Springs. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Nelawyn is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Earl and Lourana Marie Miller; one son, Robert Charles Dalley; her husband, Elmer Doyle Dalley; one great-great-granddaughter,

Arianna Luck; and her sister, Lourana Fallon Scott.

She is survived by two daughters, Louwyn Alba and husband Sammy of Novice and Elana Dalley of Novice; five grandchildren; 17 greatgrandchildren; and 15 greatgreat-grandchildren and one on the way.

Memorials may be made in memory of Nelawyn to the Dripping Springs Church of Christ, P.O. Box 1, Dripping Springs, Texas 78620 or to the charity of their choice.

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On Saturday, Nov. 5, 20 DSHS students performed as part of the Region 18 choir at the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center after qualifying in October. Students participated in a clinic and performed a concert under the direction of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Dr. Yoojin Muhn.

STAFF REPORT

Educators Association auditions on Tuesday, Nov. 15 in Austin.

The Bell House offers a variety of experiences, including cooking classes from local high-end chefs.

OBITUARIES

Free advertising and waffle fries

BY CLINT YOUNTS

Dang! December crept up on me like an ill-fitting Spee do. I had just taken down my Halloween decorations when one of my grandkids asked me when I was going to put up my Christmas lights. I usually wait a full week after Thanksgiving, allowing my body to shed all the tryptophan and extra weight I accumulated on Turkey Day and several days of leftovers. With the weather being so sketchy these days, I went ahead and climbed up on the roof on that one sunny day we had last week. So, my house is now lit up like drunks stum bling down 6th Street, and I have some time to sit in my recliner, sip on some egg nog and finish my Christmas shopping.

I can’t recall the last time I went into an actual store to purchase a Christmas gift, except for purchasing a fifth of Tennessee snakebite remedy for my son-in-law.

I did recently make a stop at a Goodwill store to look for some great deals, but all I bought was a book to improve my math skills. I reckon I do about 95% of my shopping on Amazon and the other 25% on other websites.

I often get emails from retailers offering great deals from their stores. I don’t of ten buy Christmas presents at Discount Tire, but they keep sending me offers. Do y’all know how hard it is to wrap up four Michelin tires and place them under the tree?

I also get countless offers from Whataburger to buy merchandise with their logo on it. Hey, I do like the #4 meal, cut the pickles and grill the jalapenos, please. But I’m not about to walk around town wearing appar el advertising hamburgers and a Dr Pepper milkshake. And I heard this morning that Chick-fil-A is selling blankets designed with an image of their special sauce

and also pillows covered with chicken nuggets. The guy on the radio said they’re selling a mess of them. I sup pose you could say they’re selling like hotcakes, but those aren’t on their menu.

I have dined numerous times at Whataburger, and you can count the number of times I visited Chick-fil-A on one hand and still have fingers left over to pick your nose. I reckon other retailers do the same thing, selling stuff with their company logo on it and hoping cus tomers wear it to a crowded mall to entice other shop pers to rush over to the food court for a grilled chicken sandwich like the one on your sweatshirt.

I don’t mind spending a few bucks on fine cuisine, but I don’t think I should have to spend hard-earned money on merchandise that should be given away to their best customers. It doesn’t seem right to me that I would buy stuff that essentially is free advertising for these retailers.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I have several caps from Trac tor Supply and Cabela’s, but I got most of them for free. Well, not exactly free. I got ‘em after spending a ton of money on keeping my cows alive and just the opposite for feral hogs.

I don’t mind wearing these caps, but why would I want a cap with a picture of waffle fries on it?

I once bought a cap with the logo of Lone Star beer on it. I don’t recall where I bought it, but I bet it was after I sampled a few long necks and still had enough cash to buy the cap.

Enough of this talk about free advertising. I’ve got some shopping to do. With the weather being cold and damp, I may have to grab my Southern Comfort blanket and settle on the couch for my shopping spree.

Where’s my Tractor Sup ply credit card? They have some boxer shorts with John Deere tractors on them. What a great gift idea!

Dear Editor:

Gee wiz golly, the guy just won’t give up! He persists with his “Bad Boy” private army and his crowd of mesmerized followers.

We lost moral authority with the other Nations of our planet in the four years that the program of “Make America Great Again” was in the White House.

In two years, with a new Administration, we have managed to recoup much that was lost in the preceding four years.

We’ve managed to get back into the Climate Control program and reinstate the Environmental Protection Agency.

We are still at work prosecuting the thugs who broke into our Nation’s Capitol and threatened our Congressional Legislators.

We are in the process of being more humane that the last Administration to those seeking asylum in flight from countries worse than ours.

We are desperately trying to work out some kind of compromise for women to have a say-so over their own bodies after the last Administration managed to tip Judicial Power against Women’s Rights.

We are trying to protect those productive DACA immigrants from deportation. (It appears that many “Christians” in the USA have disregarded their Savior’s advice: “Do unto others as YOU would have them do unto you.”)

In other words, we are working to make the World a better place, a place of kindness and creativity, where ALL CAN LIVE IN HARMONY.

In regards to America being “Great Again”, America WAS GREAT before the last Administration put a shadow on that greatness,

We don’t plan to give up a Democracy that has been maintained through sweat and tears for over 200 years to a misguided crowd backed by a “Bad Boy” private army, prodded on by our last Administration, to throw us into chaos once again.

To KEEP our Democracy and to promote harmony on our fragile planet we must become informed citizens, seeking reliable news such as NPR and PBS, and VOTE as informed citizens. Every vote counts no matter what the misguided tell you.

NOTE; I graciously invite comment.

Taylor Dripping Springs, Texas

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Patrick lays out legislative priorities

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick outlined his goals for the upcoming legislative session, calling them “general concepts,” according to the Austin American-Statesman.

With an estimated $27 billion surplus, the Legislative Budget Board voted last week to boost the Legislature’s spending capacity by 12.3% — the largest increase allowed under the state constitution. But that still leaves the Legislature having about $14.5 billion in the piggy bank above its spending limit.

Consequently, property tax reduction is one of Patrick’s priorities. He is calling for a hike in the homestead property tax exemption from $40,000 to $60,000, as well as an expansion of personal property exemptions for businesses, the Statesman reported.

Other priorities include

CORRECTIONS

Capital Highlights

by Gary Borders

strengthening the state’s power grid, boosting border security and law enforcement measures, such as increasing pay for sheriffs and a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for anyone who uses a gun while committing a crime.

Patrick stressed that the Legislature has the ultimate say.

“So much of what I’m laying out today is not specific, because it’s really up to the members to write the bills in the Senate and the House,” Patrick said. “It’s good that the Legislature is back. We have an extraordinary opportunity, like we have never had before, to chart the future of the state of Texas.”

Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any person, firm or corporation which may appear in the pages of the Hays Free Press will be cor rected upon being brought to the attention of the publisher.

Texas traffic congestion increased in 2021

Delays on the state’s most crowded roadways grew last year, though they are still below pre-pandemic gridlock levels, according to the latest study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. The institute has conducted the study annually since 2009.

This year’s “winner” for most gridlocked stretch is Houston’s West Loop, which held onto the title it garnered the previous year. Rounding out the top five of roadways one might consider avoiding if possible are the Woodall Rogers Freeway in Dallas; Interstate 35 in Austin; and Houston’s Eastex and Southwest Freeways.

Researchers say traffic delays cost a ton of money in lost time and wasted fuel – more than $3.8 billion on the state’s busiest road sections last year, though that is about

10% lower than prepandemic levels.

Delays are not confined to the state’s largest cities. Gridlock affects areas of all sizes, according to the institute, which has compiled a complete list of 1,860 road segments in 23 urban regions across Texas. The list can be found at mobility.tamu. edu.

Lawmakers sign NDAs to get Uvalde info

A half-dozen Texas lawmakers signed nondisclosure agreements to obtain investigative records from the Texas Department of Public Safety concerning the May shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that have thus far been kept secret from the public.

The Austin AmericanStatesman reported that state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, whose district includes Uvalde, was one

LETTERS GUIDELINES

of the six. Others include Sens. Royce West, Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and Paul Bettencourt, and Reps. Dustin Burrows and Tracy King, according to the DPS. Most of the agreements were signed in June or July.

Since the shooting, which killed 19 students and two teachers, parents and others have fought for investigative records that might explain the failed law enforcement response at the school. A coalition of media outlets, including the Statesman, have sued seeking the public release of information from DPS.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

DEADLINES

• The deadline for display advertising and any contributed news copy is 5 p.m. Friday the week prior to publication.

• The deadline for Letters to the Editor and classi fied word advertising is noon Monday the week of publication, though we encourage readers and advertisers to observe the Friday deadline.

phone number where the author can be contacted for verification. Letter writers are limited to one letter per month. Letters can be emailed to news@haysfreepress.com.

Victoria

Wimberley stays perfect ahead of state semifinals

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

HUTTO — The undefeated Wimber ley Texans (14-0 overall, 5-0 district) took home another gold ball on Friday night after beating the Lago Vista Vikings (10-4 overall, 3-2 district) 49-30 during the fourth round of high school playoffs at Hutto Memorial Stadium.

first quarter.

Ball, who had 22 carries for 303 yards, averaging nearly 14 yards per carry, contributed the other five touchdowns for the Texans.

BY WAYLAND D. CLARK

Dripping Springs football season ends

BY WAYLAND D. CLARK

CEDAR PARK — Last Friday night at Gupton Stadium in a 6A Division 2 regional championship, Dripping Springs’ first year

in 6A and best ever football season ended (27-24) after failing to score a touch down to take the lead. With 1:55 remaining in the game, on fourth down and less than a yard, a field goal

Zimmerman named Coach of the Week

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

DRIPPING SPRINGS — In week 14 of high school football, Galen Zimmerman, head football coach of the Dripping Springs Tigers, was named the 2022 6A Coach of the Week by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.

The magazine honors one head football coach with the Coach of the Week Award in each classification and Zimmerman was awarded in the 6A division.

“Coach Zimmerman’s Tigers have more than shown they are ready to compete at the state’s highest levels, improving to 12-1 on the season with a dominant 45-0 win over Harlingen to advance to the regional final round,” the article stated.

“This is definitely a program award! Proud of our coaches, players, support staff and community for making this year one of the best in school history,” Zimmer man said in a tweet. “Blessed to practice another week!”

“People doubted them, but this team never doubted themselves, and that gal vanized this group,” said Doug Warren, Wimberley’s head football coach. “All they have ever done is go out every day and try to get better. They love playing with each other and for each other, and that’s what this team is about, is just strictly about love. And they go out there and love to prove people wrong.”

The Texans were the first to score after sophomore quarterback Cody Sto ever threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Tru Couch. Senior kicker Gage Tumlinson kicked the extra point, and the Texans were up 7-0.

The Vikings failed to get a first down and were forced to punt. The ball landed on Wimberley’s 42-yard line and senior running back Johnny Ball scored on the first drive. The PAT was good, and the Texans lead widened to 14-0 with seven minutes remaining in the

Junior wide receiver Decker Sims returned the ball to the Vikings' 16-yard line, which put them within scoring dis tance. But a resilient Wimberley defense made it impossible for the Vikings to score. They kicked a 31-yard field goal at fourth down, and the score was 14-3.

The Vikings scored again in the sec ond quarter when senior quarterback Bowen Stobb threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Berend Kahlden.

Kahlden carried it all the way to the endzone for a Vikings touchdown, and the PAT was good. With eight minutes left in the first half, Lago Vista trailed Wimberley by four points (14-10).

On the next possession, the Texans answered with a touchdown of their own and the PAT was good. The Texans were up at halftime (21-10).

With six minutes left in the third quarter, the Vikings scored another touchdown, and their 2-point conver sion successfully kept them in the game (21-18).

But senior defensive end Hansen

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD

Faith Assembly of God 1030 Main St., Buda

BAPTIST

First Baptist Church-Buda 104 San Marcos St., Buda

First Baptist Church-Kyle 300 W. Center St., Kyle

Hays Hills Baptist Church 1401 FM 1626, Buda

Sledge Chapel Missionary Baptist Church 709 Sewell, Kyle

Southeast Baptist Church 5020 Turnersville Rd., Creedmoor

Manchaca Baptist Church Lowden Lane & FM 1626

Immanuel Baptist Church 4000 E. FM 150, 4 miles east of Kyle

Center Union Baptist Church Goforth Rd., Buda

Primera Mision Bautista Mexicana Kyle

Baptist Church of Driftwood 13540 FM 150 W.

CATHOLIC

Santa Cruz Catholic Church 1100 Main Street, Buda

St. Anthony Marie Claret Church 801 N. Burleson, Kyle

St. Michael’s Catholic Church S. Old Spanish Trail, Uhland

CHRISTIAN

New Life Christian Church 2315 FM 967, Buda

Iglesia Israelita Casa de Dios 816 Green Pastures Dr., Kyle

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Buda-Kyle Church of Christ 3.5 miles south of Buda on FM 2770

Southern Hills Church of Christ 3740 FM 967, Buda

EPISCOPAL

St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church 725 RR 967, Buda

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church RR 3237 (Wimberley Rd.), Kyle St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 11819 IH-35 South

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

LUTHERAN

METHODIST

PHOTO

Dripping Springs’ senior quarterback Austin Novosad watches after handing the ball off to Jack Tyndall, a junior, who gains extra yardage with a block by senior Boston Papp on Vandegrift’s Ben Booher.

could have tied the game, but the Tigers elected to try to win it with Austin Novosad on a quarterback sneak up the middle.

PHOTO BY ALBERT SANCHEZ

Dripping Springs head football coach Galen Zimmerman with his son.

Vandegrift’s defense was ready and stopped the surge inches away from a score as the Tigers (12-2) fumbled the ball.

Vandegrift (13-1) got the ball back with less than two minutes to play, held on to win and will move on to the state semifinals to meet Katy High School on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Vandegrift’s only loss of the season was a 23-20 loss to the Tigers in the two teams' season opener.

“It hurts and it should hurt,” head coach Galen Zimmerman told the team after the game, “You’ve worked hard and invested a lot but don’t let this diminish what you guys accomplished this season.”

The Tigers got on the board first after a Landon Requard interception when Kade Curry scored

on a 1 yard run and a 39yard Walker Wright field goal earned a 10-7 lead in the first quarter. A 4-yard run by Jack Tyndall and PAT by Aiden Burgess made it 17-7 but the Vipers tied it by half time with an 11-yard touchdown run and a 50-yard field goal.

Kyle Koch caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Novosad to go up 24-17 but the Vipers again tied it with a 27-yard touchdown pass to end the third quarter. A 32-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter gave the Vipers their first lead in the game and a 27-24 win.

Novosad, who is headed to play at Baylor, completed 8 of 13 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. He has passed for 2,911 yards this season, averaging 216 passing yards and 3 touch down passes per game. This

year’s team has had record attendance including a sell out at home against West lake. “These fans cheered us on this whole run. They did everything they could to support us and we’re thankful for that,” Novosad said after the game.

Curry, a senior, rushed for 78 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. Soph omore Jack Tyndall led the team with 32 carries totaling 161 yards and a touchdown. Kyle Koch led receivers with 4 receptions for 59 yards and a touch down. Senior Garon Dun can had 2 receptions for 30 yards and senior defensive back Grayson Jones had an interception in the second quarter. “They played good enough to win and I’m proud of these kids. It’s hard to believe we didn’t score,” Zimmerman said.

Collie recovered a fumble and took it to the endzone for another Wimberley touchdown, keeping the Texans up by 10 with a score of 28-18 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Vikings scored two more touchdowns, but it

wasn’t enough to make a difference in the end. Ball scored the night's final touchdown to put the game away with a final score of 49-30.

Wimberley will face Cuero (13-1 overall, 5-0 district) at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio on Friday at 3 p.m.

TEXANS, from Page 5

PHOTOS BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Above, the undefeated Wimberley Texans (14-0 overall, 5-0 district) took home another gold ball on Friday evening after beating the Lago Vista Vikings (10-4 overall, 3-2 district) 49-30 during the fourth round of high school playoffs at Hutto Memorial Stadium. Below, Wimberley prays as a team after beating Lago Vista.

SEASON, from Page 5

PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK

Macander Evans (No. 77) signals touchdown but Dripping Springs fumbled the ball before crossing the goal line on fourth down with less than a yard needed to score a go-ahead touchdown and lost 27-24 to Vandegrift ending the Tigers season.