December 14, 2022 News-Dispatch

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Bakery says goodbye to beloved space

BY MEGAN WEHRING DRIPPING SPRINGS

– For years, Yauss Berenji and Sascha Biesi have welcomed customers to their bakery as if they were opening their home to them.

But due to rent inflation and the lack of a labor force, the co-owners of Skull and Cakebones made the difficult decision to close the Dripping Springs location.

“Our landlord was trying to increase our rent

heavily and that’s just not sustainable for us. The second issue is the lack of a labor force in this area,” Berenji said. “We are residents of Dripping Springs and we love it out here. When we moved out here seven years ago, we knew that it was going to be a little bit tougher than being in Austin to get labor out here. But progressively, it’s gotten harder and then the pandemic exacerbated that.”

In 2013, Skull and

Inmate dies in officer-involved shooting

BY NATALIE FRELS

KYLE — An officerinvolved shooting occurred on Monday afternoon at Ascension Seton Hays Hospital, according to a press release issued by the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred as a Hays County corrections officer was guarding the door of a pretrial detainee, later identified as 36-yearold Joshua Leon Wright.

Allegedly, in an attempt

to escape, Wright assaulted the officer and ran on foot, the release stated. The officer then discharged his firearm and shot the inmate. Though life-saving measures were initiated by hospital staff, Wright succumbed to his injuries.

Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Sgt. Deon Cockrell told the Hays Free Press that use of force may have been justified in regards to a

Dripping Springs breaks district Toys for Tots record

DSHS volleyball recognized for victory

BY MEGAN WEHRING

DRIPPING SPRINGS

– The Dripping Springs

High School volleyball team did not receive praise just from its fans in the bleachers.

On Dec. 6, the Dripping Springs City Council celebrated the team with a proclamation for winning the Class 6A UIL State Championship.

The DSHS volleyball team jumped to 6A this year – from 2013 to 2022, they competed in the state tournament six times and won the championship in 2015 and now in 2022.

The team advanced to the state tournament with a 43 – 13 record, a tie for the third-most wins in school history. In regionals and semifinals, they defeated Lake Travis in a 3 – 2 five-set victory and the Woodlands in a 3 – 1 set, and ultimately won the championship in a 3 – 0 set against Katy Tompkins.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The Dripping Springs High School Volleyball Team.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

While Skull and Cakebones is closing its Dripping Springs location, co-owners Yauss Berenji and Sascha Biesi love all of their customers. Below right, Biesi holds a cookie as part of its contribution to the Depressed Cake Shop campaign. The platform is designed to raise awareness and promote honest conversations about mental health.

Dripping Springs City Council celebrates with proclamation

PHOTO BY ASHLEY KONTNIER

Dripping Springs ISD wrapped up its annual Toys for Tots drive on Dec. 8. Across all campuses, approximately 25 boxes of toys were donated. In addition to the DSHS Military Club sponsors Lauren Milner (front row, right) and Rene Rodriguez (not pictured,) Caliterra representative Ingrid Rushford (far right) was an integral part of the donation drive by bringing awareness and donations through a community holiday party in November.

Businesses earn Be A Star Awards

BY MEGAN WEHRING

DRIPPING SPRINGS – In 2014, Dripping Springs was the first city in Texas to be designated as an International Dark Sky Community, and the sixth one in the world.

Now, businesses have been recognized for their contributions to the conservation efforts of protecting the night sky.

The city of Dripping Springs recognized the following seven businesses that received the Be A Star Award from the Texas chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) at

the Dec. 6 city council meeting.

The city identified the following properties as those that comply with the award criteria and are great examples of compliance with the city of Dripping Springs Lighting Ordinance.

• Headwaters Professional Office Building 1 &2

• Ranch Road 12 Market

• State Farm - Mark Handley

• 7-Eleven

• Driftwood Ranchside Greeter House

• Dripping Springs Presbyterian Church

• Anthem Apartment Homes

The businesses who were recognized with the award each received a 12” x 9” sign to display on their property that shows their lighting considering nature, their neighbors and their shared view of the night sky.

Photos of the businesses can be found at https://www. cityofdrippingsprings.com/

night-sky/be-a-star. How to eliminate light pollution

The city of Dripping Springs encourages companies, organizations, individual homeowners and residents to help eliminate light pollution to protect the night sky by following the five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting agreed upon by the Illuminating Engineering Society IDA:

• Every light should have a clear purpose

• Light should be directed only where it is needed

• Light should be no brighter than necessary

• Light should be turned on

only during the time it is needed

• Use warmer color lights rated under 3000 Kelvin where possible

To keep interior lighting from contributing to skyglow and bird navigation issues, residents can also:

• Draw blinds or curtains to reduce light spill into the out of doors

• Turn off interior lighting when people are not there, especially on higher stories

• Businesses can substitute task and targeted area lighting for workers during hours of darkness

• Reduce atrium lighting whenever possible

STAFF REPORT

HAYS COUNTY — Ascension Seton Hays made the U.S. News & World Report's newly released list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.

U.S. News evaluated how well hospitals perform in childbirth using C-section rates, newborn complication rates, breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates, routine vaginal birth after cesarean delivery rates, episiotomy rates, whether a hospital meets new federal criteria for "birthingfriendly" practices and whether a hospital tracked and reported their outcomes for patients of different races and ethnicities.

Of the approximately 2,700 U.S. hospitals that provide maternity services, only 297 were recognized by the U.S. News as “High Performing."

“Our maternity services team is committed to providing high quality care to growing Hays County,” said Dr. Jason Bosco, chief of women’s services at Ascension Seton Hays. “We’re proud to be recognized for the work of our committed staff who live our mission everyday and contribute to the excellent care we provide to our patients.”

Ascension Seton Hays was also named a “Best Maternity Hospitals 2021” by Newsweek, in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that reports

See HOSPITAL, page 3

Food bank in need of new facility

BY MEGAN WEHRING

HAYS COUNTY – As the area continues to see exponential population growth, the Hays County Food Bank (HCFB) is in the preliminary stages of acquiring a new facility.

On Dec. 6, Eric Boehning of Ardurra presented to the Hays County Commissioners Court about the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to go toward the HCFB.

Cakebones started out as a wholesale bakery selling cupcakes and then the retail storefront component was added in 2016.

“Opening a retail storefront was really exciting because we had all of these other skills that we wanted to show off and these recipes that lived in my head. We really wanted to get them out there,” Biesi said.

Biesi said they love all of their customers that have supported their business from the very beginning, and those who have just recently walked through the doors.

“We feel really sad leaving them. We love all of our customers. Everyone that comes in, it’s like we are welcoming them to our house. It kind of feels like because we are short-

If later approved by the court, the county would assist the food bank with its capital expenditure and consulting services through a sub-recipient agreement. The award would be $1.18 million with $88,000 earmarked for the professional services/feasibility study and $1.10 million for construction.

The HCFB has been housed in its current 2,200-square-foot facility since the ‘90s, according to HCFB Executive See FOOD, page 3

staffed, there are so few of us but it really does feel like every customer that comes in is just walking into our house and we are serving them,” Biesi said. “We love everyone equally: the new customers and the old customers. We feel so grateful for everyone who comes in our doors.”

Berenji shared that the goal of opening the bakery was to turn it into a “safe space for people of all walks of life.”

This is not the end for Skull and Cakebones; Berenji said that they are working with a local bakery to help them produce their wholesale products. While plans are still in progress, the co-owners are looking at a retail location in South Austin.

“We hope to make an announcement pretty

early on in 2023 about ways we can connect with our customers,” Berenji concluded.

The Dripping Springs bakery, located at 3991 E Hwy 290 Unit A, will be closing on Sunday, Dec. 18.

Hays.

BY MEGAN WEHRING

As people start to arrange flights and travel for the holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there are increased cases of COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Nationally, there are elevated levels of respiratory viruses, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a telebriefing on Monday, Dec. 5. The CDC estimates that since Oct. 1, there have already been at least 8.7 million illnesses, 78,000 hospi-

Director Eleanor Owen. Because there is no loading dock at the facility, the staff can only accept and store so many donations.

“We have outgrown it. We are not able to hold very much food there,” Owen said. “We have needed a building for, I would say, 20 years.”

Commissioner Mark Jones, who also sits on the HCFB board of directors, explained what they are looking at in terms of location.

“The plan is to get more services out at the Village [off Reimer in San Marcos], where it can be kind of a one-stop,” Jones explained. “We have a lot

talizations and 4,500 deaths from flu.

“Flu hospital admissions reported through HHS’s hospital surveillance system, which were already high for this time of year have nearly doubled during the last reporting period,” Walensky said.

“Compared to the week prior, hospitalizations for flu continue to be the highest we have seen at this time of year in a decade, demonstrating the significantly earlier flu season we are experiencing.”

Walensky encouraged those eligible to get a flu shot and COVID-19 booster. She added

that they are seeing lower rates of vaccination compared to the same time last year.

“Last week, we tragically reported two more flu deaths in children. A heartbreaking total of 14 pediatric deaths have already been reported so far just this season,” Walensky said. “So I want to emphasize that flu vaccines can be life-saving and importantly, there is still time to get vaccinated to be protected against flu this season and its potentially serious consequences.”

Walensky also recommended wearing a mask, among other

preventive measures.

“We also encourage you to wear a high quality, well-fitting mask to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, most especially for those in the 5% of the population currently living in counties with high COVID-19 community level,” Walensky said. “CDC continues to recommend masking for anyone choosing to travel by plane, train, bus or other form of public transportation, or for anyone who may be immunocompromised or increased risk of severe disease.”

Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, board

chair of the American Medical Association, said the circulation of Covid, flu and RSV at the same is a “perfect storm for a terrible holiday season.”

While some may be tired of getting additional COVID-19 shots, vaccination is the best way to avoid becoming ill over the holidays, Fryhofer said.

“You could get really, really sick this year and ruin your holiday celebrations if you don’t get vaccinated,” Fryhofer said. “Share your love by not sharing your sickness this holiday season, please get vaccinated. It’s the best way to protect yourself. It’s the best way to protect your loved one’s loved ones, and it’s the best way to protect your community."

there that we have already gotten the site, we just need a building there. …

The current location is owned by the county so the county would receive that property back to do with how they see fit.”

Jamie Lee Case, president of the HCFB board, said that they are not going to stop doing their mobile food distributions.

“This facility that we are currently out of is like a 2,200-square-foot building,” Case said. “That includes office space. We do not have the capacity to accept large donations. Our staff really works with the current footprint the best they can.”

Judge Ruben Becerra laid out his concerns about how the chosen San Marcos location will serve the growing population.

“The need [and] the utility, I’m 100% behind you,” Becerra said.

“We have this 300,000 population. This is the county seat, this is my hometown. But I’m not sure about the location and that’s probably amongst the most expensive real estate. I just was hoping you guys would at least not consider it a done deal for the location, that’s the only part. The need, footprint, capacity, instruments [and] refrigeration, I’m 100%

behind all of it. I’m just asking you to measure twice on location.”

Owen said that they do realize that the location they are looking at is in the southern part of Hays County, but they believe they can serve more people in different capacities.

“We feel it is a strong location because of the Village,” Owen said. “[There] are other social services related that will be next door where we can help individuals, food insecurity is usually not the only thing they are confronting.”

Owen said that they would be open to looking at other places but felt like the location served a good

HOSPITAL, from Page 2

purpose.

Commissioner Walt Smith said that he would like for the HCFB to work with other agencies and groups to serve all of Hays County, including Dripping Springs.

“We have 22 to 26 partner agencies throughout the county,” Owen responded. “We can help to look at their capacity and how we can assist them to be better able to extend their reach.”

Becerra clarified that even though they are making suggestions and asking questions, the court fully supports this project.

“We just want to suggest trajectories that would

on the safety and quality performance of U.S. health care facilities.

Additionally, the hospital recently received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from the group, celebrating their achievements in protecting hospital patients from preventable harm and errors.

Ascension Seton Hays maternity unit offers the full spectrum of labor and delivery care. In 2019, they expanded its women’s services program with a new maternity unit. The new space includes a 10,000 square foot expansion, increasing capacity by more than 50% to meet the growing demand for OB services in Hays

be long-range. With that end in mind, I’d also like to incorporate renewable energy and all of the instruments we can use for capturing and being most responsible with water,” Becerra said. “Not with today’s plans, but 20 years from now, how will this facility work? Will this be sustaining? How much self-sustaining in a disaster when things are frozen out, how can we keep operating? … The more sustainable we move as a county with our efforts, the better we will be for everyone.”

The commissioners court has yet to vote on the ARPA agreement for the HCFB.

County and beyond.

To complement the new facility, Ascension Seton Hays also remodeled existing maternity space to include two additional labor and delivery rooms. They also offer customized birth plans, level II NICU, maternal fetal medicine, spacious birthing rooms, couplet care, access to Dell Children’s Level IV NICU and access to Dell Children’s specialists.

Maternity services at Ascension Seton Hays are part of comprehensive women’s services offered by Ascension, including comprehensive breast imaging and gynecological and breast surgery.

by Charley & Guy Orbison

Dr. Sandra Fryhofer

Dr. Rochelle Walensky

State Capital Highlights: Dec. 14

Highlights by Gary Borders

ban use of the social media app TikTok on any governmentissued device, saying it risks allowing China to gain access to “critical U.S. information.”

The popular video-sharing application is owned by a Chinese company and is used by an estimated 85 million people in the United States.

TikTok maintains the Chinese government has never tried to access the data of its users, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Abbott said he is prepared to work with state lawmakers to make the ban permanent during the next session, and to extend the ban to devices issued by local governments, such as cities and counties.

“We must work together to stop the Chinese government’s efforts to collect, store, and

distribute Texans’ data and personal information,” Abbott wrote in a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan.

TPWD biologists stress testing harvested deer

The recent discovery of chronic wasting disease in Kaufman County has spurred biologists with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to stress the importance of testing deer taken this hunting season to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

The neurological disease is highly contagious and affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. It has been found in 17 Texas counties and documented in both captive and free-ranging deer in 30 states and three Canadian provinces, according to TPWD.

Anyone hunting in an established CWD zone must bring their deer to a check station within 48 hours of

pre-trial defendant, particularly if the incident involves a felon or someone charged with a violent crime.

“I don’t know if he was a felon or a violent felon or if he just had misdemeanor charges,” Cockrell said. “If he was a violent felon, it may be justified. If he’s not … I just don’t have enough details to tell you that.”

According to HCSO, Wright was being held in the county jail for the following charges: unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, bail jumping, failure to appear, reckless driving, criminal mischief and evading arrest and detention.

As per Hays County Sheriff’s Office policy, the Texas Rangers were

harvest for testing. There are about 30 check stations and drop boxes across the state. For more information, visit the TPWD website at tpwd.texas. gov.

State’s largest teacher prep program under fire

The Texas Education Agency is recommending that Texas Teachers of Tomorrow have its accreditation revoked after failing to improve training of teacher candidates. The Dallas Morning News reported the company, which certifies thousands of teachers mainly through online courses, failed to meet demands by TEA that it ensure all candidates receive adequate actual classroom training.

The State Board of Educator Certification met Friday to consider the company’s fate.

Texas Teachers of Tomorrow and TEA are expected to present arguments before an administrative judge, and the case could stretch on for months or even more than a year.

The company has been on

called to the scene to assist with the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.

Cockrell noted that calling in the Texas Rangers to assist with an investigation is “a common thing.”

“A lot of agencies want to be nonbiased and have an outside look at the investigation,” he said. “We are leading the investigation at their request.”

The corrections officer was placed on administrative leave pending the investigation as per HCSO protocol.

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, urging the HCSO to provide answers to reports circulating that Wright had

probation for several months, and TEA found it did not meet the terms of their agreement to improve. The state already faces a teacher shortage that could be exacerbated if the company’s accreditation is revoked.

TABC working with retailers over holidays

‘Tis the season for tippling, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is working with retailers to prevent illegal alcohol sales. TABC plans inspections across the state to ensure retailers are following the law and not selling to people under 21 as well as those who are visibly intoxicated.

“Now is the best time, before the holiday season kicks into high gear, for business owners and managers to educate their staff on ways to prevent illegal alcohol sales,” TABC executive director Thomas Graham said.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, drunk driving was a factor in nearly one-fourth of all traffic deaths last year. Businesses

his feet shackled at the time of the incident, was shot in the back multiple times and while a taser was allegedly available, it was not deployed by the corrections officer.

“Alongside my fellow Hays County residents, I am saddened by the loss of life that occurred at Seton Hospital in Kyle on Monday … and believe that the people of Hays County deserve urgent answers,” he said.

Becerra also requested that the sheriff’s office release all relevant bodycamera footage from the fatal shooting within 10 days of the in-custody death to “importantly enhance public trust and understanding of the context

who violate state alcohol laws face fines or suspension of their alcohol licenses, while individuals could face misdemeanor charges resulting in a fine or jail time.

Holiday happenings at state parks

State parks across Texas are hosting a variety of holiday events in December, including themed guided walks, scavenger hunts and more, according to TPWD. However, anyone planning to visit a state park should reserve their day pass in advance to avoid being turned away from parks that reach capacity. You can do so on the TPWD website (tpwd.texas.gov) or by calling 512-389-8900.

A full list of holiday events at state parks is on the TPWD website.

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

surrounding this tragic loss of life,” he said.

“We’re not the lead investigator … it’s incumbent upon us to respect their investigation. And if we were to release something that would impede or hurt their investigation, we would be doing them a disservice by doing that,” said HCSO Deputy Anthony Hipolito. “We are getting a lot of questions and rightfully so … but we also have to respect their investigation and not release anything that would hurt it or detract from what they’re doing. There’s just nothing else we can release since we’re not really doing the investigation.”

Capital

BY ALBERT SANCHEZ

Wimberley advances to state championship

BY WAYLAND D. CLARK

SAN ANTONIO – Just like a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat, the Wimberley Texans came from behind to defeat Cuero in a 4A Division II Semifinal at the Alamodome last Friday.

With 4:33 in the game and a 42-36 Texan lead, Cuero needed a touchdown and PAT to win the game. Their efforts were in vain as a lastditch pass was intercepted. The win advances Wimberley (15-0) to the UIL State Football Championship game on Friday at 11 a.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington where they will meet Carthage (15-

0) and play for a third state championship. Wimberley won championships in 3A Division I in 2005 and 3A Division II in 2011 and was runner-up in 2019.

Sophomore quarterback Cody Stoever, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns, made his longest run of the day for the Texans' first touchdown after Lane Patek intercepted a Cuero pass. Stoever added another touchdown early in the second quarter on a 23-yard run, but trailed 14-13 after a missed PAT. “He’s an unbelievable kid, a warrior, a

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

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses FM 2770, Kyle

Jehovah’s Witnesses South 10802 Manchaca Rd., Manchaca

LUTHERAN

Living Word Lutheran ELCA 2315 FM 967, Buda

Redeeming Grace Lutheran LCMS FM 1626 & Manchaca Rd., Manchaca

Resurrection Church, CLBA 401 FM 967, Buda

St. John Lutheran Church 9865 Camino Real, Uhland The Well Buda

METHODIST

Buda United Methodist Church San Marcos & Elm St., Buda

Kyle United Methodist Church Sledge & Lockhart St., Kyle

Journey United Methodist 216 Kirkham Circle, Kyle St. Paul’s United Methodist Church 7206 Creedmoor Rd., Creedmoor Manchaca United Methodist Church FM 1626 & Manchaca Rd., Manchaca Driftwood United Methodist Church RR 150 at County Road 170

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Monte del Olivar Christian Center 2400 FM 150 E., Kyle The Connection Church 1235 S. Loop 4, Buda Antioch Community Church Old Black Colony Rd., Buda

Completed & Perfected Faith Church Tobias Elementary Cafeteria, FM 150, Kyle Kingdom United Christian

DRIPPING SPRINGS

Tigers boys

wrestling

teams hosted 10 area teams for their second annual Iron Duals Meet. The Tiger boys finished in 1st with a win over Vandegrift High School 39-28 in the final

Tiger girls placed 4th with Carson Crow and Addison Williams both placing 1st

their weight class. Leander Glenn High School won the girls' tournament.

PHOTOS BY ALBERT SANCHEZ

Above, Tiger wrestler Shane Bookbinder in the 144 pound class with an arm lock on his opponent. Below, Tiger wrestler Alec Rill applies pressure on his opponent from Vandegrift High School as the referee watches closely.

PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK

Wimberley’s defense, Shay Shroyer (No. 55), Brasen Leonard (No. 34) and Johnny Ball (No. 25) smothered Cuero quarterback Mason Notaro (No. 18) late in the fourth quarter forcing an interception on fourth down and eighteen sealing the Texans 42-36 win.

battler and we knew exactly what he was capable of,” head coach Doug Warren said about Stoever after the game, “and he’s gotten better and better each week.”

Cuero scored on its next possession but Patek blocked the Gobblers PAT attempt, then recovered the ball and ran 89 yards for 2 points, making it 2015. Gage Tumlinson kicked a 37-yard field goal but Cuero scored with 34 seconds in the second quarter. A jubilant Cuero crowd cheered as time expired when Tumliinson missed a 48-yard field goal and the Texans trailed 27-18 at halftime.

The Gobblers received the kickoff and Wimberley’s powerful “Code Red” defense, that held Cuero to 9 points in the second half, was more evident as they pressured the Gobblers’ quarterback and a fourth down held Cuero to only a field goal to make it 30-

18 with 7:27 in the third quarter. Johnny Ball had five touchdowns and 303 yards rushing in last week’s playoff game against Lago Vista. The plan was for him to handle the ball more this week in the second half and it started with the Texans' first possession.

“I’m humbled and glad to be a part of this,” said Ball, who averaged more than 13 yards per carry and 193 total yards and a touchdown, said after the win.

Cayden Heatly returned Cuero’s kickoff 29 yards.

Ball hammered Cuero’s defense in the first half and there was much more to come. A couple of runs by Ball, a run by Jack Boyle and a pass from Stoever to Tru Couch set up a 12-yard touchdown pass to Hansen Collie and Tumlinson’s PAT with 3:21 in the third quarter cut Cuero’s lead 30-25. “We’d been doubted from the beginning of the year but had confidence

in ourselves, we worked hard and have earned this. I’m so proud of this team,” an emotional Stoever said after the game.

Facing fourth down and 19 with 1:46 on the clock a sparked up Texan defense of Troy Heugly, Bransen Leonard, Shay Shroyer and sophomore Ty Thames smothered Cuero’s quarterback, forcing a punt. On their first play, with key blocks by Caden Romo and Collie, Ball busted through tackles sprinting 64 yards for a touchdown. The PAT failed but the Texans took a crucial 31-30 lead with 1:26 in the third quarter. Penalties plagued the Texans but turnovers tormented the Gobblers. Cuero’s quarterback was hit by Heugly as he released a pass that was intercepted by Patek which resulted in a 23-yard Tumlinson field goal for a 34-30 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Tigers lose home opener to Bowie Bulldogs

BY ALBERT SANCHEZ

On Dec. 6, the Dripping Springs Tigers opened district play at home against the Bowie Bulldogs.

The Tigers had a great comeback in the 4th quarter and led with seconds remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs inbound the ball and made a 3-pointer. The Bulldogs won the hard fought battle 76-75.

The Tigers' next home game is on Friday, Dec. 16, against Austin Akins High School.

Jack Riser recovered a Cuero fumble on the first possession. It wasn’t a magic trick but Wimberley got a break on the Texans' first play. Ball fumbled and a bounce off the turf allowed an alert Heatly to grab the ball and run 10 yards for the touchdown. Wimberley went for two points on the PAT and Stoever connected with a pass to Riser in the end zone to make it 42-30 with 9:27 in the game.

The Texans’ defense pressured the Gobblers' quarterback but on fourth down and eighteen he completed a pass for a touchdown. The PAT failed giving Wimberley a 42-36

lead. On the first play after the kickoff, you could hear gasps from the Texans fans and coaches after a high snap hit the turf. Stoever recovered the ball but the Gobblers forced a punt on fourth down and fourteen giving the ball back to Cuero.

With two timeouts and 4:33 in the game, Cuero would need a touchdown and PAT to win the game. The punt by Texans’ Wynston Burttschell put the Gobblers on their own 31-yard line. Cuero lost valuable time with Wimberley’s defense chasing the quarterback but he completed a couple of passes and a run to get the

ball to the Texan 24-yard line with 1:29 on the clock and still two timeouts. The Cuero quarterback was sacked on second down and ten and again after a time out on third down, resulting in fourth down and eighteen. With 47 seconds on the clock he threw an interception to Zach Patek, sealing the Wimberley win.

“This is always the expectation of this program. There are people who doubt us but these coaches and kids never do. They’ve hung in there, done all we asked them to do and gotten better each and every week,” Warren said. “Now we’re looking to go 16-0 and why not.”

walks well on a leash. He’s a dreamboat dog!

Lavender, 2-year-old, Domestic shorthair mix, Female: Looking for the perfect lap cat? Look no further! Lavender is happy to crawl into your lap and purr. She thoroughly enjoys a scratch or two behind the ears, if you’re willing! Lavender is great with cats, especially young kittens! She’s often found hanging out with kittens who need some company. Lavender is a special kitty - sometimes her curiosity gets the better of her! In her previous home, Lavender tried to eat objects around the house. Because of this, she should not have small cat toys and her future home should monitor her around the home.

aka Mr. P, is one of a kind! This pup has been at PAWS since the end of July and has only continued to show what a sweet, gentle, goofy boy he can be. Mr. P has recently found his rise to fame as he’s participated in filming for a commercial as well as in a Grinchthemed photo shoot for the City of Kyle. During those outings, Mr. P did well with all that he met! He even tolerated wearing antlers during his photos. Mr. P is great with other dogs, has had good interactions with the children he’s met and

Committed to your pet’s health since 1978

PHOTO BY ALBERT SANCHEZ

Tiger Davis Budge (No. 13) drives to the basket as Bulldog Karsten Ivey (No. 15) defends.

PHOTO BY WAYLAND D. CLARK

Cuero’s Kenneth Jackson gives chase as Wimberley’s Johnny Ball sprints 64 yards for a touchdown to give the Texans a crucial 31-30 lead late in the third quarter. Ball had 14 carries for 193 yards.