LH INDEPENDENT 10-7-21 by The Liberty Hill Independent

, l l a F y p p a H ! ! l l a ’ Y

MU CH • GRAVEL MULCH GR OPSOIL • SAND TOPSOIL COMPOST ROCK • TURF COMPO OMPO T • RO GREEN WASTE W STE DUMP DUMPSTERS CURBSIDE DELIVERY

2021

Volume 34, Issue 46

www.LHIndependent.com

News@LHIndependent.com

October 7, 2021 | 50 Cents

City’s P&Z denies sidewalk variance

Canady’s residency questioned again

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer More than a year has passed since it was last discussed, but the residency of Council member Kathy Canady is once again being questioned—this time by fellow members of the City Council. Council member Crystal Mancilla said Oct. 4 it has been brought to her attention by some constituents that Canady’s residence is listed as her business address, the Quick Service Garage at 1100 Loop 332. Because citizens have asked about it, Mancilla said she wanted to have a public conversation with City Attorney Marianella Joseph present. “This is a time for us to come together and get this out in the open, talk about it and hash it out,” she said. Joseph said she was asked to guide the conversation regarding the concerns surrounding Canady’s residency. “This has been brought up to council before and evaluated by the former city attorney, and there are also [Liberty Hill Independent] newspaper articles that have talked about this,” she said. “There was also a grievance ﬁled by a former city employee that was put up to council and council decided the investigation was not to be continued. The reason for this conversation tonight is to ask questions speciﬁcally about [Canady’s] residency and for [Canady] to have an opportunity to provide to this new Council information regarding [her] place of living.” Canady said nothing has changed since the last time she was asked about her residency, so she wasn’t sure why she was being asked again. “It has been brought to my attention with constituents that have businesses in the city limits, but don’t live

See CANADY, Page 4

2021 LHHS Homecoming Royalty

Seniors Lloyd (LJ) Johnson and Brooke Becker were elected Homecoming King and Queen and presented during the football game Friday. The Homecoming Week festivities concluded with a dance following the Panthers big win over Austin Travis. (See more in Sports, Page 5)

See PLANNING, Page 4

Major elected to Region 13 seat on TASB Board of Directors

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer If you know Kathy Major, then you know exactly where her passion lies -- public education. Major has dedicated most of her life to advocating for students and making certain they are given the chance to gain an excellent education. She has spent more than three decades in the Liberty Hill Independent School District, where she worked as a teacher, assistant principal, and lastly as principal at Liberty Hill Intermediate School from 2000 to 2017. In 2018, she was elected to the LHISD Board of Trustees, where she now serves as vice president, and in 2020, she joined the Liberty Hill Education Foundation as a Board liaison. Now, Major has also been elected to a three-year term on the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Board

City awards bid for swim center to local contractor

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer After years of planning and delays, the City of Liberty Hill has ﬁnally awarded the bid for the community swimming pool to Liberty Hill-based STR Constructors. The project, which will be built at City Park on CR 200, has been in the works since 2018. It broke ground in June 2019, but was delayed due to budget constraints and multiple redesigns. In fall 2020, the Council set the swim center budget at $1.8 million, with $1.3 million coming from bonds and $500,000 coming from a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant.

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

By RACHEL MADISON Staff Writer The Planning & Zoning Commission denied a sidewalk variance request Oct. 5 for the soon-to-be-built Liberty Hill Veterinary Clinic. The variance request was submitted by Sean Friend of civil engineer group Cunningham/Allen, Inc. to omit the requirement for sidewalks along both the Highway 29 and Loop 332 street frontage due to difﬁcult topography, including ditches and a creek. The clinic will be located at 13575 SH 29 West. Friend requested to pay a fee in lieu of installing the sidewalks. The estimated cost for the sidewalks is $9,600 for the SH 29 frontage and $6,150 for the Loop 332 frontage. However, because the City does not currently have a fee in lieu ordinance or program, said

Architecture firm Halff Associates designed—and redesigned—the project, which will include a play area for young children, splash-pad style amenities, swimming lanes, a tanning shelf and a beach entry. The project will also include a pavilion, restrooms, vending and storage spaces. Brian Binkowski, of Halff Associates, said after going through an extensive redesign to better reflect the City’s budget for the project, the project could finally go out for bid in two parts. The bids were discussed at the Sept. 22 City Council meeting. The first part was for the swim center itself, and the second part was for the lift station and force main that will service the facility. “Those are two separate projects, and contractors did have

See SWIM, Page 4

of Directors for Region 13. A position opened earlier this year, and Major decided to apply. She was endorsed by her fellow LHISD board members and did an extensive interview with members of TASB’s nominations committee. There are 55 school districts in Region 13, and four candidates sought the position. “We all had to go in for the same interview and answer the same questions, and somehow I emerged out of that as the recommended candidate,” Major said. “All four of us had an opportunity to give a speech at this year’s delegate assembly [in September]. From there, I was elected based on the majority vote.” TASB has been around since 1949 and is a voluntary, nonproﬁt, statewide educational association that serves and represents Texas school boards. The organization’s primary

goals are to share information through publications and training to help school board members serve their communities more effectively, and to speak with a unified voice to decision makers to chart the best future for public schools. In her new role with TASB, Major is looking forward to doing just that. “What’s best for [Liberty Hill] might not be best elsewhere, but ultimately what is right between districts doesn’t change much, like accountability, treating people right, making common sense decisions and working for excellence,” she said. “TASB provides trainings on all of that, plus legal, finance, safety and personnel. I want to do those same things—fight for things that are right for public eduRACHEL MADISON PHOTO cation. I truly believe public LHISD Trustee Kathy Major was recently elected to the Board education is the backbone to a of Directors of the Texas Association of School Boards for Region 13. Major looks forward to using her passion for education See MAJOR, Page 3 to advocate for school boards and students across Texas.

After years of delays, the City has awarded a bid to local contractor STR Constructors to build the swim center at City Park on CR 200. Construction is set to begin this month and be completed by May 2022. (Courtesy Graphic)

Page 2

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Shin Oak Ridge Bulletin Board Send news to: News@LHIndependent.com

Community invited to support Project Graduation

Project Graduation invites the community to participate in upcoming fundraising events to support a safe graduation night celebration for the Lib-

erty Hill High School class of 2022. Student volunteers will be at Mojo’s on Oct. 11 and a portion of all sales will beneﬁt Project Graduation. Volunteers will be at the Oct. 15 home football selling 50/50

tickets, there will be an event tion can be found at www.lhat Pep & Punch on Oct. 27, projectgrad.org. and we will host a Car Show at the high school on Nov. 6. Greenleaf Fisk There are opportunities for students and parents to vol- Chapter meets Oct. 9 The Judge Greenleaf Fisk unteer as well as sponsorship opportunities. More informa- Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas will meet Oct. 9 at the Cross Tracks Methodist Church at 101 Church Street at 10 a.m. The program will be presented by District V Representative Sherry Jenkins.

Learn to Fish Oct. 9

Liberty Hill Garden Club resumed meetings in September after summer break. The 2021-2022 club officers were installed in May with LHISD Superintendent Steven Snell (left) officiating. Officers are Jeanette Roache, President; Lynn Waller, Treasurer; Sharon Bary (standing in for Joyce Hoffman, Secretary), Penny Villanueva, Programs; Debbie Swierc, Membership; Vicci Conway, Parliamentarian; Sheryl Farley, Historian and Carolyn Rivers, Chaplain. Location, time and details can be found on the Club website: http://www.libertyhillgardenclub.org. (Courtesy Photo)

FOOD DRIVE FOR OPERATION LIBERTY HILL

HAUNTED HOUSE ON GRANGE 109 Grange street, liberty hill

Reserve your tour online! www.tickettailor.com/ events/109grange/576884 FOR MORE INFO VISIT OUR FB PAGE:

HAUNTED HOUSE ON GRANGE

We Love Giving Back And Caring For Our Community!

Williamson County is hosting its annual Learn to Fish Day from 8 a.m. to 12 Noon on Oct. 9, in the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, located at 3005 CR 175, Leander. Children of all ages will be able to spend time learning various ﬁshing tips and tech-

niques from local experts. The Learn to Fish Day event is free and open to the public. All activities are in preparation for the day’s objective -- to catch and release a fish. Angler hopefuls will be guided through learning stations that emphasize the use of basic tackle, appropriate bait selection, knot tying, boat casting, conservation ethics, and general outdoor/water safety. Additional activities such as “backyard bass” will also help participants hone their fishing skills. Please allow at least an hour or more to fully enjoy the event. We recommend an early arrival to gain the most from the program. Fishing poles and tackle will be provided so please leave personal fishing gear at home. Loose, comfortable clothing, a hat or visor, and shoes other than flip flops

are suggested. The use of insect repellent is advised along with sun block. Commissioner Cynthia Long hopes the event will inspire families to spend quality time with children discovering the outdoors and engaging in the lifetime recreational activity of ﬁshing. No pre-registration is necessary. Upon arrival at the park, all participants are asked to stop at the registration table to pick up materials needed for the stations. Williamson County’s Learn to Fish Day is funded through the donations of private individuals and corporations. For more information, contact the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department at 512-943-1920 or the Commissioner’s ofﬁce at 512260-4280.

Liberty Hill Police Blotter Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department

Week of Sept. 27- Oct 3 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of 614 incidents resulting in seven cases, 87 citations, 69 warnings and one arrest. Weekly Highlights: - On Sept. 27 at approximately 7:18 AM, officers responded to the 11000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Sept. 27 at approximately 10:57 AM, officers responded to the 18000 block of W. SH 29 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, with an accident. - On Sept. 27 at approximately 2:05 PM, officers responded to Panther Path for a suspicious vehicle. - On Sept. 27 at approximately 7:57 PM, officers responded to Hillcrest Lane regarding a missing person. - On Sept. 27 at approximately 9:50 PM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious vehicle. - On Sept. 28 at approximately 12:11 AM, officers responded to Palo Duro Ct. to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Sept. 28 at approximately 6:52 AM, officers arrested a male adult with outstanding warrants, as the result of a traffic stop at the 15000 block of W. SH 29. - On Sept. 28 at approximately 10:32 AM, officers responded to the 10000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Sept. 28 at approximately 3:37 PM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Sept. 28 at approximately 11:35 PM, officers responded

to Arrowhead Vine St. to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Sept. 29 at approximately 7:22 AM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Seward Junction Loop to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Sept. 29 at approximately 2:04 PM, officers responded to the 15000 block of W. SH 29 for a 911 silent call. - On Sept. 29 at approximately 3:38 PM, officers responded to Tequilana Pass for a welfare concern. - On Sept. 29 at approximately 5:50 PM, officers responded to the 13000 block of W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Sept. 29 at approximately 11:12 PM, officers responded to the 2000 block of RM 1869 for a disturbance. - On Sept. 30 at approximately 12:58 AM, officers responded to Brady Creek Way to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Sept. 30 at approximately 7:15AM, officers responded to Independence Ave regarding a runaway. - On Sept. 30 at approximately 11:42 AM, officers responded to Stonehouse Drive to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Sept. 30 at approximately 1:05 PM, officers responded to Hillcrest Lane for an animal cruelty complaint. - On Sept. 30 at approximately 7:47PM, officers responded to the 100 block of US 183 for an accident. - On Oct. 1 at approximately 12:41 AM, officers responded to Tequilana Pass for a suspicious incident. - On Oct. 1 at approximately 7:30 AM, officers responded to

Deserti Dr. for a disturbance. - On Oct. 1 at approximately 8:51 AM, officers responded to the 100 block of US 183 for an accident. - On Oct. 1 at approximately 2:48 PM, officers responded to Neal Road to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Oct. 1 at approximately 6:25PM, officers responded to the intersection of US 183 and W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Oct. 1 at approximately 7:48 PM, officers responded to Green Bur Oak Loop for a disturbance. - On Oct. 2 at approximately 4:56 AM, officers responded to the intersection of US 183 and W. SH 29 for an accident. - On Oct. 2 at approximately 11:26 AM, officers responded to the 400 block of CR 279 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. - On Oct. 2 at approximately 2:38 PM, officers responded to the 15000 block of W. SH 29 for an assault complaint. - On Oct. 2 at approximately 8:26 PM, officers responded to Beech Creek Ln. to assist the Leander Police Department. - On Oct. 3 at approximately 3:44 AM, officers responded to the 12000 block of W. SH 29 for a traffic hazard. - On Oct. 3 at approximately 9:06AM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH 29 for a disturbance. - On Oct. 3 at approximately 2:31 PM, officers responded to Russell Street to assist the Liberty Hill Fire/ EMS. - On Oct. 3 at approximately 7:57PM, officers responded to the 1000 block of CR 281 to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

THE INDEPENDENT IS THE ONLY LOCAL TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE!

Thanks Operation Liberty Hill! Georgetown • Round Rock • Cedar Park • Pflugerville • Liberty Hill

FirstTexasBank.bank

Support Local Journalism. SUBSCRIBE NOW lhindependent.com/subscriptions

The Liberty Hill Independent YOUR AWARD-WINNING HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

~~ A Publication of Texas Independent News Corp. ~~

(512) 778-5577

Send Email: news@lhindependent.com www.LHIndependent.com www.LibertyHillLiving.com PO Box 1235 | 921 Loop 332 Liberty Hill, TX 78642

The Liberty Hill Independent is published every Thursday at 921 Loop 332, Liberty Hill, TX 78642. Periodical Postage Paid at Liberty Hill, Texas. Publication #018932 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Liberty Hill Independent PO Box 1235, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Shelly Wilkison - Publisher/Managing Editor Stacy Coale - Creative Director / Media Specialist Scott Akanewich - Sports Editor Rachel Madison - Staff Writer Kristen Meriwether - Staff Writer

DEADLINE Noon Monday prior to Thursday publication

2021

SUBSCRIPTIONS

$25 per year in Williamson County, $29 per year in Texas outside of Williamson County, and $32 per year outside Texas.

ADVERTISING

DISPLAY RATES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Liberty Hill Independent welcomes letters to the editor, but requests that letters be limited to 300 words or less and address issues rather than personalities. Unsigned letters or those deemed unacceptable by the publisher will not be published. Children under the age of 17 must have signed parental permission. Phone numbers and addresses must be included for verification purposes. Opinions expressed in the articles, letters and columns do not reflect the views of The Liberty Hill Independent or its owners.

The entire contents of each issue of The Liberty Hill Independent, including editorial and advertising copy, is protected under the Federal Copyright Act. Reproduction of any portion of any issue will not be permitted without the express written permission of The Liberty Hill Independent.

Follow The Independent on Social Media!

Facebook.com/LibertyHillIndependent

@LHIndependent

Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 3

It’s not just the light, it’s the odyssey

By WILT CUTTER Columnist The first humans who made the footprints along the newly discovered trail at White Sands, New Mexico were here in North America 23,000 years earlier than all the smart people had originally thought. Wonder what they thought of the Equinox that year? The change in the light there in the mountains could not have gone without notice. Did their great-grandchildren build the ruins at Aztec with windows that illuminated in October? If you aren’t glued to the 2021 calendar you might miss the first, tiny, intimate signs. At first I felt something different like someone standing over my shoulder, maybe someone with something to say but didn’t quite know how to share. Knowing that my back was to the patio door and there was no one awake in the house but me…I thought perhaps I just needed more coffee. Or maybe I was forgetting some-

thing and needed to be reminded before hitting the traffic. It was an entire day before I noticed it was the light. The light of a thousand years standing in the morning live oaks right off the back porch and just inches from my hands. But mostly it expanded, everything. The ground was so much closer and more of it. A sense of more. The measurement of something that was but that will be no more, a lengthening of light but a shortening of days. Of knowing more but having less. With so much light comes internal reflection. The slightest change to the air. Change, the inevitable sense of growth, of having been somewhere and therefore headed somewhere. And the inability to influence any of it. I wanted to call my father and hear him tell me that it was called Fall because that’s when you had all your crops “laid by.” People don’t talk like that anymore. Scotland, North Carolina, Mississippi, Reilly Springs, Texas. He’s gone but his words are alive in the Fall and nobody left to understand the dialect much

less the endless homeless idioms that no longer connect to any language. People stare at me politely when I say things that would have made perfect sense in 1925. After Equinox the October light spills out across the land in front of you. Maybe you don’t notice there in the car next to me as you’re applying mascara, driving with your knees with your window down, your accompanying Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber doing “Stay.” But the light is all over you in the car seat and on your baby buckled in safely in the back. Maybe you don’t even know why you woke up early, or why you are squinting. Leaves fall into carpets of ancestors. Footballs fall into hands, and stadiums shake. “Cheerful and yet profound, like an October afternoon,” said Frederick Nietzsche. Wilt Cutter is the only man in the world whose name is his profession. He ﬁnds beauty in the naturally occurring poetry of the Shin Oak Ridge and its people. His typewriter hates injustice.

staff notebook Our views and other news and musings from THE INDEPENDENT Staff

Here at your hometown newspaper, we receive all kinds of news tips, requests and feedback from our readers. This week, my favorite came to my inbox early this morning from Megan Lacy, whose son Jack, age 6, lost a tooth last night. “I’m reaching out because I jokingly said we would get my child’s photo in the paper when his second top front tooth came out in a week. Well it came out tonight, and he sweetly inquired, ‘so when do you think it will be in the paper?’” Congratulations, Jack, for losing a baby tooth! We are honored to report this great accomplishment in the newspaper. And special thanks to parents Megan and James Lacy for appreciating the value of the hometown paper. .... The October edition of Liberty Hill Living magazine arrived in mailboxes this week. Produced by the journalists and creative team here at the newspaper, the magazine -- now in its seventh year of publication -- truly is a celebration of what makes our

community special. Because we live and work, and are invested in Liberty Hill, we enjoy sharing with you the stories that make our hometown special. Jack Lacy lost his second top ~ Shelly Wilkison, Publisher front tooth Tuesday night.

Community celebrates National Night Out

KRISTEN MERIWETHER PHOTO

Hundreds of area residents interacted with local ﬁrst responders at the annual National Night Out Tuesday at Liberty Hill Middle School. Representatives from CareFlite, the Liberty Hill Police Department, Liberty Hill ISD Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce and more attended the event, which featured a Tug-of-War and activities for all ages.

MAJOR

Continued from Page 1

strong country.” Major said she wants to help Texas school boards, as well as the Liberty Hill community, learn how to communicate effectively without anger. “I want to be strong enough to do that,” she said. “I want to be part of the solution to listen to people who differ from me. Most people have something that’s relevant in their argument that you need to address. I also want to help keep education strong in our state. We need to keep our standards high and just con-

tinually grow in excellence. Good enough isn’t good enough. We should always be striving for more.” Major added that she wouldn’t have applied for the TASB position if she didn’t feel LHISD’s school board was strong. “Our Board is exceedingly strong and high functioning,” she said. “People won’t always agree with us, but we work together as a team. That all ties in together with TASB. If we want our state to be the best, then we have to

have people modeling that at every level.” Major said ultimately, nothing makes her more proud than the students in LHISD, and the opportunity to serve with TASB will give her another avenue to help make the best local decisions possible for them. “This is a huge privilege and opportunity, and I want to do it right,” she said. “I hope at the end of three years, people can say they are proud. As long as I can work for kids, I will.”

Liberty Hill & Surrounding Communities

Clawson Disposal, inC. Residential * Commercial * Roll off

Request Refills Online

(512) 746-2000

NOW OFFERING CURBSIDE PICKUP! Mon-Fri 9am-7pm Saturday 9am-1pm 512-548-6838 | 13740 W. Hwy 29, #4 | Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Libertyhillpharmacy@gmail.com | LibertyHillPharmacy.com

301 County Road 307 PO Box 416 Jarrell, Texas 76537

DOMESTIC • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL R.V. Fuel | Bottle Filling | Gas Piping in Home Propane Tanks | Grills & Replacement Parts | Gas Logs

ACTION PROPANE, INC. We Provide Keepfull Routing Service

Jarrell (512) 746-2000 Leander (512) 259-1709 FAX (512) 746-5807

512-259-1196

Murray Hoggarth • Wanda Hoggarth 2601 S. Hwy 183 | Leander, TX 78641

An Overall Inspection is your Best Protection!

Your Official Texas Sticker Shop

BERTRAM ELECTRIC, LLC.

Locally Owned & Operated GO PANTHERS GO!

512-548-6773

123 Holmes Rd, #3, Liberty Hill (behind Wag-A-Bag)

Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 / Sat 7:30-3:30

P.O. Box 953, Bertram TX

KEN COFER Professional Real Estate Inspector Certified Infrared Thermographer Insured & Bonded - TREC #20262

Overall Inspection Services, LLC

www.overallinspectionservices.com

You provide a service. We provide a voice. Make sure your customers can ﬁnd you when they need you.

Call 512-778-5577

License# 6P054793

Support Local Journalism. 512.778.5577 lhindependent. com/subscriptions

BUSINESS DIRECTORY YOUR LOCAL RESOURCE FOR LIBERTY HILL AREA BUSINESSES

WANT TO SEE YOUR AD HERE?

Page 4

CANADY

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Continued from Page 1

in the city limits, that they would like to have voted,” Mancilla said. “That’s great, good for them if they have a place to live in their business,” Canady replied. Mancilla then asked if a business can also be a place of residency. Joseph said she didn’t feel comfortable having a legal position at this point, because she has not evaluated all the facts. “What I want to do tonight is ask questions,” she said. “We are dealing with two things. One is the zoning for the property where [Canady is] living, and the other is the legal requirements to serve as a council member. Based on a document I’ve seen, I have some questions regarding if you have lived at [your business] before being appointed to the council until today.” The document Joseph referenced is a loan document signed by Canady on May 29, 2019, for a “Designation of Homestead and Affidavit of Nonhomestead.” On the affidavit, Canady claims 402 S. Boundary Street in Burnet as her homestead property. The address is a triplex near downtown Burnet. In signing that document, Canady swore that “(She) does not now and does not intend ever to reside on, use in any manner, or claim (her) Nonhomestead Property as a business or residence homestead.” The document also states that “the above-described Homestead Property is designated as the homestead of (her) family,” and “(she) now owns and resides on, uses, claims, and designates (her) Homestead Property as (her) only legal homestead, exempt from forced sale under the Constitution and laws of Texas.” “I have never lived in Burnet,” Canady said, adding that she’s lived in her garage for the last three years. “[This affidavit] was required by the title company to be signed to close the loan I needed with my investor. It protects my investor. When we started to close, I said I live here (in Liberty Hill), and they said, ‘You can’t live here; you have to say you live somewhere else to dispel the homestead issue.’ I had to close because I had a very short window

PLANNING

of time. I was told people do it all the time, and ‘When you walk out of here, you’re done,’ so I did. But I don’t live there, I live here.” The title company listed on the affidavit is Independence Title in Liberty Hill. Council member Chris Pezold argued if someone holds public office, then they should be held accountable, adding that the affidavit is fraudulent. “It blows me away that this notary signed this document,” he said. “This is out there floating around and these people who elected me don’t know what’s going on. But what’s going on is this is favoritism. I have friends here who have businesses and can’t vote.” “It’s not favoritism,” Canady said. “It’s not fun. It’s what you do when you have to. If they want to live in a small, cramped area of their business, that’s their business and they can vote all they want.” Canady added that the affidavit is a document that is between her and her investor, but Pezold said that’s not the case. “It is until you are appointed for office and you’re on the dais making decisions,” he said. Joseph asked if Canady’s intention has always been to live in Liberty Hill. “Yes, that’s why everything is in this [Liberty Hill] address,” Canady said. “My voter card, my driver’s license, my mail—everything is in that address.” Joseph then asked Canady, who was appointed to the Council in July 2019, what her understanding is for the zoning of her garage. Canady’s response was that in the past, people often lived in their automotive shops to protect their vehicles or lived upstairs above their businesses and added that the entire downtown district was grandfathered in to allow people to live in their businesses because of this. “I requested a zoning letter from the city engineer because the paper (The Liberty Hill Independent) keeps bugging me, and as soon as somebody decides they want to cause drama, guess who gets picked on?” she said. “I decided to get it in writing, so I paid my $50 and requested

the letter and got it.” City Administrator Lacie Hale said any property owner can request a zoning verification letter. She added that the zoning for Canady’s garage is C2, which has listed uses of both residential and commercial based on the City’s Unified Development Code (UDC). According to the UDC, the C2 zoning category does allow for both business and residential use, but the property must be designated a business or residence and may not serve as both. “C2 can be for living or business, not both,” Pezold said. “We don’t have a mixed-use ordinance. If you look at it, it’s clear on that. This should be a disqualifier.” Mancilla also asked if there was an ordinance that states that someone can’t live in certain types of businesses, such as auto garages. Joseph said she wasn’t familiar with all the ordinances and zoning requirements for the City, and Canady argued that no ordinance like that has been found. “It was a lie; that’s never been found that there are certain select businesses you can’t live in,” she said. Joseph said she would investigate this for a definite answer, as well look into what type of permit was grandfathered in for Canady before the UDC was adopted. “This was an informational and fact driven conversation,” Joseph said. “As we move forward, I hope Kathy will cooperate and provide dates and chronology, and staff will look into zoning. I don’t think we have all the facts. The law is broad in residency requirements and zoning. It’s premature to make a decision. Council should visit this issue again once we have done proper fact finding and provided information, but that’s not tonight.” The City’s Unified Development Code Section 4.12.02, which is posted on the City website, contains a list of prohibited home occupations including “Automobile or mechanical paint or repair shops.” For more on this story, visit www.LHIndependent.com

Continued from Page 1

Director of Planning John Byrum, the City cannot accept a proposed fee in lieu payment from the applicant. “Staff recommends omitting the sidewalk requirement along the Highway 29 frontage due to the topographic nature of the land but requiring sidewalks on the back of the property along Loop 332 and not accept the fee in lieu, for this development,” Byrum said. The commission voted unanimously to accept staff’s recommendation and send that recommendation to City Council for approval. “There is a school across from [Loop 332] and at some point we will need sidewalks there,” said Commissioner Diane Williams. Commissioner Steve Messana added that in the future, there also needs to be con-

sistency when it comes to “difficult topography” being a reason for not including sidewalk. “It’s definitely difficult topography, but similar topography is on the other side of the road and we have a sidewalk there,” he said. “This is specifically needed for consistency, because if we granted this, then the next person who comes along could say it’s difficult topography as well.” Also at the meeting, Williams spoke about a meeting she had attended with TXDOT where traffic challenges along SH 29 from the west end of Loop 332 to the east end of Loop 332 were discussed. “We talked about the need to start putting sidewalks on Highway 29 because it gives you a buffer for the future,”

of millennials overestimate the cost of life insurance by more than

5x the annual cost. Contact us today for a quote.

McCoy Agency Honest, Local & Trusted David & Christa McCoy, Wendy Neill

12780 W Hwy 29, Liberty Hill • 512 900-4422 www.farmersagent.com/cmccoy

she said. “Also, another major takeaway was looking at platting. TXDOT realizes the City likes to put commercial along the highway, but that increases trafﬁc and accidents. They suggested making sure there are cross access requirements in platting so we’re not seeing more and more driveways on 29 and then saying it’s TXDOT’s problem.” Williams requested the planning department present more on what was discussed at the meeting with TXDOT in a future Planning & Zoning meeting so the commission knows how it can help TXDOT with Highway 29’s future.

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Chamber welcomes Viridian Rowe

The Liberty Hill Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed the boutique, Viridian Rowe, with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Owners are Kellie Olisky and her sister Kristal David. The boutique is located at 10 CR 279 in downtown Liberty Hill.

SWIM

Continued from Page 1

the option to bid for both,” he said. “Four contractors were successful in bidding for the swim center project.” Binkowski said based upon contractor qualifications, references and an evaluation of bid unit pricing, his firm recommended Austin-based Gilger Contractors be awarded the contract for the project at a base bid amount of $1,992,600. He added that Gilger has constructed other local amenity centers, like the one at Orchard Ridge subdivision. The firm also built Liberty Hill City Hall. Council member Tony DeYoung said even though Gilger had the lowest bid, he wanted to award the project to the contractor the Council felt was best for the project, adding that he gives a lot of credence to local businesses, citing STR Constructors was based in Liberty Hill. Binkowski said his firm’s recommendation came from the local government code, which requires the lowest bid or best value for the municipality to be the awarded bid. “We have to award based on the lowest bid,” he said. “If we had done a [competitive sealed proposal] process, that would have allowed us to look at experience, local presence and price. It was all taken into consideration, but based on the pricing and feedback I received from City staff, this is the bid we went with. Maybe it needs to be rethought.” John Robinson, CEO of STR Constructors, submitted a letter to Mayor Liz Branigan before the Sept. 22 meeting because he felt his business was the best value contractor for the job. In the letter, Robinson said, “We were the second lowest bidder. However, the lowest bidder only beat our cost by $5,400. It was just brought to my attention that this project is going to be awarded to the lowest bidder whose business address is a P.O. Box in Austin, Texas.”

At the meeting, Robinson added that the differences between the bids is less than half a percent of the project’s value, and he argued that his company’s bid was a “hard cost” at $1,998.000.06, meaning if the project goes over that total, they are responsible for the additional costs. He added that Gilger Contractors had a line item on their bid for splash features with a cost of $26,981.80 with a “contractor allowance,” meaning the contractor could increase the amount they had bid for those speciﬁc features—and it would be the City’s responsibility to pay that difference. STR Constructors’ cost for the splash features is a hard $50,000, Robinson said. “The word allowance is bothersome to me,” Council member Crystal Mancilla said. “A bid came through and an item was put on here that could impact the City in a negative way, and in all reality it may not be the low bid because of that. I understand we have two great companies, but if we’re talking about being up front and clear, I don’t want the project to end up costing more. I know where my vote lies.” Chris Cormier, project manager at Gilger, said when his company does local projects, like City Hall, they use as many local subcontractors and workers as they can. “We want our guys to be local, too,” he said. Council member Chris Pezold added that while Gilger’s bid was the lowest, it was easy to see “a hole” because of that allowance, which caused the Council to question that bid. “This is an incomplete bid,” he said. “When the numbers are this close, and there’s an item like [the splash features] that could easily ellipse, I would view this bid as incomplete. There is no room for contractor allowance on bids.” Robinson added that if all the subcontractors for Gilger would have submitted respon-

sible bids, there wouldn’t be an issue, because the numbers would be set. “Every other jurisdiction out there would not accept that proposal,” he said. Council member Kathy Canady said the swim center project has “been a train wreck from the beginning” and made a motion to award the contract to STR Constructors, adding that she wasn’t pleased with Gilger’s work on City Hall, because the building has thin walls and multiple leaks. “Did we compare their experience?” she asked. “If we have problems with City Hall, how do we go about that?” City Administrator Lacie Hale said the City’s maintenance team has corrected the leaks, one that was on the balcony and one just outside City Secretary Nancy Sawyer’s ofﬁce, and added she can’t speak to the thinness of the walls. Council voted unanimously to award the contract to STR. Council member Angela Jones said in the future, to prevent issues like this, Council should have the ability to view the top three bids so they can get an idea of what is being proposed and they can ask questions. The second project, for the lift station and force main, received six bids, four of which were the contractors that bid on the swim center project, said City Engineer Curtis Steger. The lowest bidder for the project was Patriot Underground, LLC, at a cost of $203,445. DeYoung asked if the six bids were “apples to apples,” to which Steger said yes. Canady made a motion to award the bid to Patriot Underground. The motion passed unanimously. The swim center is expected to begin construction this month and should be completed by May 2022. The pool is expected to open to the public in June 2022.

READ THE INDEPENDENT! Complete local news and sports coverage, www.LHINDEPENDENT.COM/SUBSCRIPTIONS

SPORTS

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, October 7, 2021 Page 5

Fullbacks combo of speed, power

Panthers taking advantage of ‘thunder and lightning’

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor When Logan Dyer took a handoff inside his own 5-yardline during Liberty Hill’s home game against Travis last week, the last thing on his mind was the end zone, which was 94 yards away. However, after eluding one tackler after another, the Panthers’ junior fullback found himself joyously celebrating after having crossed the goal line at the opposite end of the field from where he started. Dyer said he had only one thing on his mind as the yard lines kept passing beneath his feet on his long journey to the promised land. “I looked up and saw open grass in front of me and I had two lead blockers,” he said. “So, I was just thinking ‘don’t get caught from behind.’” Dyer didn’t get caught and later added a more conventional 4-yard plunge for his second score of the game in the Pan-

Liberty Hill’s Logan Dyer (#12) scored on a 94-yard touchdown run during the Panthers’ 63-0 longest run of his varsity career. thers’ 63-0 victory, which was carries for 373 yards and three tackle by trade – into the offollowed by another pair of touchdowns, while Torno has fensive backfield during the touchdowns from fellow full- 118 yards on 15 attempts and LBJ game three weeks ago and back Drake Torno, from two three touchdowns. the move has reaped immediand 40 yards, respectively. Liberty Hill head coach Kent ate dividends in the form of a On the season, Dyer has 52 Walker inserted Torno – a nose dangerous one-two punch that

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

home victory over Travis – the

has kept opposing defenses off balance due to the diversity each one brings when carrying the ball. “It gives people problems when you have interchangable

fullbacks,” said Walker. “I call them our thunder and lightning.” Dyer said the differences between his and Torno’s running style is indeed a contrast in forms. “I think for me, it’s my speed and quickness,” he said. “Drake is able to just run through people with his power and toughness – he’s just a classic, gritty football player – so it’s been good because we each bring something different.” Despite his recent run of success in running with the ball, Dyer embraces the primary responsibility of a fullback with open arms. “My job is to block first,” he said. “There’s nothing like getting up in there and cutting someone.” Dyer stands 5-foot-8 and weighs in at 160 pounds – with the latter number making him a bit light for someone in his position, but the disparity in pounds compared to his opponents can be compensated by proper form. “I know I just have to stay low on my man,” said Dyer. “It’s an effort thing, which is what I tell myself.” Dyer also plays baseball for

See FULLBACKS, Page 9

Middle blocker adjusts to outside

Junior hitter continues to grow

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Morgan Poulain has always been the tallest girl – not to mention one of the tallest kids, period – in her class or on her team. These days, the Liberty Hill junior volleyballer stands 6-foot-2 in commanding quite a bit of attention when she takes the court. However, this season as opposed to her customary middle blocker position, Poulain has been launching lasers from the outside after being one of the Lady Panthers who has stepped in at that spot in the absence of injured senior Emma Becker. Not to mention, all of this has transpired during her first full season as a member of the varsity squad after putting her time in and paying her dues on the freshman and JV reams the ALEX RUBIO PHOTO past two years. Morgan Poulain (#18) has adjusted well after moving from middle blocker to outside hitter this But, just because she wasn’t season.

yet playing matches with the big girls doesn’t mean Poulain wasn’t getting to know her future teammates. “I got to practice with the varsity when I was still on JV,” said Poulain. “Which made it much easier to acclimate to the environment this year.” After senior starting middle blocker Lilli Wilkins was lost to a season-ending injury midway through last season, Poulain found herself on the varsity bench after being called up and got sporadic playing time, but it wasn’t until this year when she became a fullfledged varsity player – a process she said was made much easier due to the atmosphere that is present in the team. “It was very welcoming by the seniors,” said Poulain. “We’re better as a team together, so that was really helpful.” According to Liberty Hill head coach Gretchen Peterson, one of the primary factors in

Poulain’s rapid ascendancy is her fearlessness. “Morgan’s a very confident person and isn’t afraid to make mistakes,” said Peterson. “She’s really disciplined and has a high volleyball IQ – you wouldn’t know it’s her first year on varsity just seeing her play because she has the right mindset and has handled it very well.” Poulain knew she needed to be patient while still on the JV with players like Wilkins and Ailie Hair in front of her on the Lady Panthers’ depth chart, but following filling in for the former last season, she’s now lined up alongside the latter on Liberty Hill’s front row and has formed a fierce partnership with her fellow 6-footer as the campaign has progressed in causing headaches for opposing offenses and defenses. “When a player like Ailie is

See BLOCKER, Page 9

Younger sister surpasses older in Panther pecking order Sophomore stringer excels at both singles and doubles

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Earlier this season, India Young rose up the ranks of Liberty Hill’s tennis team by ascending to the lofty residence of the Panthers’ No. 1 girls’ singles player. However, it was who she passed in the Purple-and-Gold pecking order that was perhaps more notable than the actual accomplishment itself. Despite only being a sophomore in her first season in the program, Young passed up senior sister Ellis on the depth chart in assuming the mantle of top gun and has run off a string of results fitting of a top-seeded player ever since. Young said the switch was made after the sisters consulted with one another and decided it was the best course of action moving forward. “Ellis said it was smarter for me to be No. 1 because I’m more consistent,” she said. Liberty Hill head coach Sherry Rhoden said Young already has a lot of miles on her tennis odometer despite her relatively young age. “India has tons of court experience,” she said. “She wants to win everything and has high expectations for herself.” Rhoden added she had an

inkling of what Young was capable of, but needed to see her in action firsthand before she was completely convinced following her transfer to Liberty Hill from the Meridian School in Round Rock before this season. “I had heard good things,” she said. “But, I was wondering how she would handle the initial pressure of being brandnew to a school and being put in the No. 1 spot right away.” So, Rhoden waited and left Ellis as No. 1 to begin the season in order to provide India with a chance to properly acclimate to her new surroundings – a move that has paid off ever since she made the switch. “I wanted to start Ellis out as our No. 1 because she’s a senior,” said Rhoden. “But, even last season she told me her sister could already beat her.” The sisters still share the court, though, as the Panthers’ No. 1 girls’ doubles team – something India said she prefers over going it alone. “We know each other so well as far as our strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “For example, Ellis is better at the net and I’m better at the baseline.” While India is a brunette and Ellis a redhead, there’s another

SCOTT AKANEWICH PHOTO

Sophomore India Young, right, surpassed senior sister Ellis as the Panthers’ No. 1 girls’ singles player this season and the pair remains Liberty Hill’s No. 1 girls’ doubles team. stark difference between the right-handed,” she said. quandary for those across the two – one that gives the duo “Which means we can both net. an advantage over their oppo- use our forehands easier.” “Being a lefty is a major nents, said Young. Young’s status as a southpaw strength because players aren’t “I’m left-handed and she’s also provides an additional used to seeing it,” said Young.

“Especially when I serve because your ball spins the other way, which is confusing to them.” Young first picked up a tennis racket at age three, but didn’t start playing competitively until she was eight and also played basketball and volleyball along the way, but although she decided to stick exclusively with the hardcourts once she reached middle school, her heart remained on the hardwood, she said. “Basketball is still my favorite sport,” said Young. “But, I realized I was better at tennis.” Young said one of the primary strengths of her game is to stay level-headed during matches that can sometimes seem like an emotional roller coaster – although it’s certainly taken work to achieve such a level of coolness under pressure. “It’s something I’ve been working on for a while,” she said. “I used to get angry and frustrated, but now I can keep the ball under control and not make unforced errors.” Young may have already reached the top of the Panthers’ tennis ladder, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to be satisfied with her current ranking, she said. “I have to stay very focused on the court,” said Young. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and want to do good no matter what.”

Page 6

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

McCallum up next for Panthers

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Liberty Hill will travel to Austin to face the Knights

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor In the ﬁrst two district games of the season, Liberty Hill has scored 125 points without allowing a single marker to the opposition in back-to-back shutouts of Crockett (62-0) and Travis (63-0). However, next up for the Panthers is a matchup at House Park in Austin against a McCallum team that is coming off a 20-13 away victory over Marble Falls in its district opener and Liberty Hill head coach Kent Walker believes his squad will ﬁnally be tested, he said. “McCallum’s a good football team with kids who play extremely hard and have a coach who does a good job,” said Walker, of the Knights, who are 3-2 overall and 1-0 in district. “They have a three-year starter at quarterback who’s a dual threat and quite a few running backs they can rotate in and out of the game. Defensively, they have a very good inside linebacker and safety. Overall, just a good team who has continued to get better as the season has progressed.”

Indeed, McCallum began its season with a narrow 14-13 win over Anderson, but then suffered consecutive losses against Lehman (38-24) and Connally (24-17) before rebounding with a 23-15 win against Tivy in the week leading up to its conquest of the Mustangs, so Walker is justiﬁed in his wariness of this week’s opponent. But, the Panthers have also cleaned up their collective act since the 41-34 home defeat to LBJ three weeks ago and the pair of blowouts has allowed Walker to sub his starters for much of the second half of both contests in getting them rest while giving backup and junior varsity players an opportunity to see valuable playing time. “We deﬁnitely got something out of those games,” he said. “We’ve been able to heal up the past two games, which is a good thing.” At this point in the campaign, Walker said it’s critical to recognize when players are banged up and handle each situation accordingly. “You can do one of two

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Liberty Hill’s Tanner Cearley (#50) recovers a fumble while teammate Lloyd Johnson, Jr. (#17) closes in on the play during the Panthers’ 63-0 home victory over Travis last week. things,” he said. “You can be smart and know when to hold certain guys back or you can be stubborn and just say ‘Well, this is how we go about it no matter what.’ You have to take care of your players. Some kids will tell you about an injury and some won’t.” Saturday morning’s weekly ﬁlm session always reveals to Walker and his coaching staff

what can still be improved upon even in the midst of lopsided results like the past two weeks – for example, Travis connecting on a pair of long passes early in the contest – the result of some secondary shortcomings, he said. “On those plays, our defensive backs’ eyes were too much in the backﬁeld,” said Walker. “Film study always shows up

the little things we still need to get better at.” Noah Long leads Liberty Hill with 715 yards on 96 carries and 10 touchdowns on the season, while fullback Logan Dyer has run 52 times for 373 yards and three scores and senior Grady Flinn has 235 yards on 23 attempts and a touchdown. Senior linebacker Andon

Thomas leads the Panthers’ defense with 79 tackles, while senior Reid Bynum has racked up 48 and senior Aaron Brewer has 41 stops. Walker is looking forward to the opportunity for his team to be challenged once again. “We just want to go out there and execute what we’re supposed to do,” he said. “So, it should be a good one.”

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

Homecoming halftime offers memorable student performances

Panther fans enjoyed the halftime festivities at Friday’s Homecoming game. From high-kick routines performed by the Liberty Belles to a special tribute to the late Coach Jeff Walker by the Liberty Hill High School Panther Band, the home crowd stayed on their feet cheering on student performers.

PANTHER R GAMES FOR OCT. 7

PICKS

Bret Smith

DJ Keegan

Jamie Etzkorn

JD Davis

David Sabino

Seth Slye

Scott Akanewich

Owner Goosehead Insurance

Owner Tetris Cleaning Services

Owner Jamie Etzkorn Law

Owner Davis Tire & Automotive

Chef / Pizza Guy Sabino’s Pizza Pub

Graphic Designer Two Brand It

Sports Editor Liberty Hill Independent

1. Liberty Hill at McCallum

Liberty Hill

2. Cedar Creek at East View

East View

Cedar Creek

East View

Weiss

Leander

Weiss

Hendrickson

Georgetown

Hendrickson

Georgetown

Texas

Oklahoma

Texas

Oklahoma

Texas

6. Arkansas at Mississippi

Mississippi

Arkansas

Mississippi

7. Penn State at Iowa

Penn State

Iowa

Penn State

Iowa

3. Weiss at Leander 4. Georgetown at Hendrickson 5. Oklahoma at Texas

8. TCU at Texas Tech

TCU

Texas Tech

TCU

Texas Tech

Atlanta

N.Y. Jets

10. Green Bay at Cincinnati

Green Bay

11. Denver at Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Denver

Pittsburgh

12. Buffalo at Kansas City

Kansas City

Buffalo

Kansas City

9-3 31-15

10-2 30-16

7-5 31-15

11-1 28-18

9-3 27-19

9-3 30-16

5-7 23-22

9. N.Y. Jets at Atlanta

LAST WEEK’S RECORD OVERALL RECORD

POLLS OPEN EVERY TUESDAY

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

at www.lhindependent.com/panther-picks

Congratulations to last week’s winner: ROCKY SANCHEZ!

WEEKLY WINNER RECEIVES A TEE FROM TWO BRAND IT (up to $20 value)

A PERFECT BALLOT WINS $50 CASH!

THE POWER OF CHOICE

YOUR LIBERTY HILL TIRE & AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR EXPERTS

FULL SERVICE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP GENERAL MAINTENANCE SERVICES HEATING & A/C REPAIR ELECTRICAL SERVICES TRANSMISSION & ENGINE REPAIR TIRE SALES, ROTATION & BALANCING

1. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5PM FRIDAY BEFORE THE WEEKEND GAMES. 2. The entry with the most games correct will be the winner. Weekly winner receives their choice of tee from Two Brand It (value up to $20). A perfect ballot with the correct tiebreaker wins $50. 3. In case of a tie, the tie-breaker will be used. The tiebreaker is a combined score of the two teams in the final game. A tie will be considered a loss unless it is chosen as a tie. 4. Any incorrectly listed game will not be considered. 5. One entry per contestant.

Carpet Cleaning • Water Damage Restoration Tile & Grout Cleaning • Disinfection Services FREE ESTIMATES - CALL TODAY!

512-825-4005

815 Loop 332 Liberty Hill | TetrisCleaningServices.com

PANTHER 14 big screens Drive-thru or dine-in Craft brews on tap Order online: SabinosPizzaPub.com 2082 US Hwy 183 • (512) 548-6963

GEAR Custom Apparel • Embroidery Screen Printing Vinyl Printing & Decals

14262 W State Hwy 29 • Liberty Hill • Mon-Sat 10-6

BRET SMITH | 512-548-6900 bret.smith@goosehead.com

The Caring Downtown Attorney

Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page 7

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

Senior uses feet, hooves, wheels to run, ride the trails

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Eimilie Taylor finds herself quite at home indeed on trails. However, the Liberty Hill senior’s mode of transportation on dirt has varied over the years, from horses to ATVs to her own feet as a member of the Panthers’ cross country squad. These days, Taylor is focusing on her Purple-and-Gold duties, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still have fond memories of her equestrian days – including barrel racing, which it turns out can be quite dangerous, she said. “Oh, yeah, it can be scary,” said Taylor, who competed in the rodeo ring four years. “Accidents can happen out of nowhere.” Like the time she was out for a ride and found herself flying through the air after being bucked off before landing on a railroad tie and suffering a bruised back. “Sometimes they just decide they don’t want to be ridden that day,” she said. “I had to

take a pillow to school for a week.” Then there was another horse named Thor, who Taylor had a rocky relationship with, she said. “He hadn’t been ridden much,” said Taylor. “I could tell on certain days what kind of mood he was in by his attitude.” Taylor moved to Liberty Hill in third grade and shortly thereafter became enamored with running. “I had planned on getting into it since I was 10,” she said. “But, then I didn’t start until junior high.” When she finally did take up the sport, it was exclusively on the track – where she still competes in the 400 and 800 meters and the 4x400-meter relay – but, eventually, Taylor was enticed to join the Panthers’ cross country team in addition to her exploits on the oval. “I had friends like (former teammate) Mackenzie Webb and (current teammate and senior) Emma Hiebner, who were telling me I should try

cross country,” said Taylor. “But, I still waited until my junior year until I finally had the motivation to do it.” According to head coach Kim Holt, the commitment required to be a cross country runner is unlike any other athletic endeavor. “It takes a lot to buy into what we have the kids do – getting up early to practice in the morning and everything,” said Holt. “Some of them work after school, too.” However, despite the odd hours and pre-dawn training sessions, Taylor has bought in wholeheartedly and said she genuinely loves the environment around the team. “Cross country is such a family atmosphere,” she said. “Which is good because it’s so hard on us mentally.” Aside from the camaraderie aspect of her participation, Taylor uses the trails to help her on the track – but her experiences there also help her when she’s off-road, she said. “My build is more that of a sprinter than a distance run-

ABBY GLENN PHOTO

Eimilie Taylor began running cross country to help her track times, but has since embraced the trails due to the family atmosphere the Panthers’ team provides. ner,” said Taylor. “So, I have career path she wants to take, properly saddle a steer, then a really good kick at the end of but said she enjoys the two mount it before the other teams races and can pass tired peo- agriculture classes she’s cur- do. “One of the other steers ran rently enrolled in, which is right at and over me and I got a ple.” There’s also the matter of the only fitting with her affinity concussion when my head hit unusual spelling of her first for animals – although she re- the ground.” name. cently got a little too close for But, despite the bumps and “I’m mostly Scottish and comfort with an ornery steer bruises from her animal interIrish,” said Taylor, whose fa- during last summer’s Liberty actions, Taylor isn’t going to shy away from further equine ther is an Air Force veteran Hill Rodeo. who met her mother while sta“It was in steer-saddling and experiences. tioned overseas. “My mom is I was holding the rope,” she “I’m trying to get back into originally from England.” said, of the event in which it again,” she said. “Because I Taylor isn’t sure yet of which three-person teams attempt to really liked it.”

SCOTT AKANEWICH PHOTO

A large “LH” logo burns at the conclusion of the Liberty Hill Homecoming Parade and Community Pep Rally, at which all of the Panthers fall sports teams were honored in anticipation of the home football game against Travis on Oct. 1.

LHHS Homecoming proves profitable for Panthers

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Last Friday was perhaps our favorite day of the entire Liberty Hill sports calendar, as it was Homecoming, which provided a plethora of Purple-and-Gold pleasure in the form of a trio of Panthers’ sporting events going on simultaneously and in doing so, created a captivating convergence of competition. Of course, the crowning event of the day was Liberty Hill’s football game against Travis, but before that, the Lady Panthers’ volleyball squad hosted district opponent Marble Falls in the Purple Palace and it was even “Dads’ Night” to boot, as the varsity players had their fathers stand with them on the court during team introductions. Ever notice how whenever an athlete looks into the camera during a game, it’s always “Hi, Mom?” Well, what about Dad? Good for Pop to get props on this occasion (with all due respect to Mom, too, of course). Anyway, the Lady Panthers pummeled the Mustangs with the kind of court beatdown unlike we’ve ever witnessed in the form of a straight-sets victory in which the visitors failed to hit double-digits in all three stanzas. In fact, the combined score was 75-19 and we couldn’t help but wonder at the time if that would be the biggest margin of victory of the evening with another gridiron slaughter on the schedule for about an hour later. Speaking of time, the varsity volleyballers played before

the JV squad took to the court in order to be done handling their business in time to pop over to Panther Stadium for said football game and they must’ve sensed the time-sensitive nature of the situation in ending the match in just under an hour, which allowed head coach Gretchen Peterson and her charges plenty of time for a quick post-match snack before heading over to the game. Meanwhile, another Purpleand-Gold squad was getting some work done, as the Panthers’ tennis team was hosting Cedar Park in the semifinals of the district tournament and defeated the Timberwolves in dramatic fashion by a score of 10-9 in gaining a berth in the finals against Georgetown. Tell you what. After the Lady Panthers smacked down their Cedar Park counterparts on the volleyball court – for the third consecutive time, no less – only a few days earlier, nobody in Green-and-Black probably wants to see the color purple again for a while, as the country kids prevailed over the city slickers once again. Good for Liberty Hill head coach Sherry Rhoden in continuing to build a winning program and one that will hopefully challenge Georgetown for district supremacy in the near future. During the volleyball match against Marble Falls, Peterson had the luxury of being able to empty her bench due to the lopsided nature of the match (a harbinger of what we were going to witness a few hours later on the gridiron), which meant players who usually don’t get to play that much got to play more and those who rarely see the court got some run – including seniors like Peyton Lilienthal and Reese Williams,

who have been good soldiers by continuing to be valuable members of the program by working hard in practice and being good teammates despite limited playing time. Good job, ladies. Finally, we headed over to the stadium and bumped into Liberty Hill Football Boosters member Shawn Lapuszynski on the way in, who we surveyed for a score prediction, with the answer being 62-0. Turns out he was only off by a point, as the Panthers thoroughly manhandled the Rebels, 63-0, in a contest that was more non-competitive than the 1984 Presidential election (the score of that one was 49-1, for the record). Considering the fact the Panthers had outpointed Travis last year in a squeaker by a score of 86-0, we thought 72-0 this time around was about right, but that’s why we don’t bet on sports, as we overbid Price-isRight style, while Lapuszynski was just about on the money. In fact, the only drama of the entire evening was at halftime when senior Lloyd Johnson beat out fellow Panthers defender Andon Thomas in being crowned Homecoming King in joining volleyballer and swimmer Brooke Becker, who was crowned Queen to form a royal couple the likes of which the British monarchy would be jealous of. Smiles, everyone, smiles! Back to the games, though. Three events across three sports with a combined score of 147-28. We would say that’s a proper way to celebrate Homecoming, indeed and a great testament to the athletic program we all have here in Pantherville to enjoy.

No one covers the Panthers better than THE INDEPENDENT! Subscribe (512) 778-5577

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Caynyon Jolly (#34) throws a ballcarrier to the ground during Liberty Hill’s 63-0 victory over Travis at Panther Stadium.

Panthers run roughshod over Travis Rebels, 63-0

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Anyone who arrived at Panther Stadium expecting to see a competitive football game when Liberty Hill hosted Travis last Friday certainly wasn’t disappointed. At least for the first 16 seconds of the contest, which was all the time it took senior Carter Hudson to run back the opening kickoff 68 yards for the first points of the evening in a 63-0 Panthers victory over the Rebels. Liberty Hill head coach Kent Walker was simply happy his side emerged victorious regardless of weak opposition that failed to challenge them for the second straight week following a 62-0 victory over Crockett to open the district schedule. “We’re 2-0 in district, which is the bottom line,” he said. “Also, we’re as healthy now as we’ve been all year.” For the second week running, by the end of the game, the Panthers’ varsity backups and JV players who had been called up for the contest were running the show with players such as Ben Carter, David Morris, Tanner Cearley, Justin Lovell and Caynyon Jolly seeing significant action. In fact, sophomore quarterback Carson Hollen scored Liberty Hill’s final touchdown of the night on a 20yard keeper around the left side long after the starters had cooled their jets on the sidelines after building a 49-0 halftime advantage. However, despite the lopsided score at the break, Travis had actually run 38 offensive plays to the Panthers’ 12 due to the short fields the Liberty Hill offense was given to work with time and again after Travis miscues in its own territory – including five oneplay scoring drives. One exception was when the Rebels put together their only sustained drive of the

evening in moving the ball from the Panthers’ 43-yard line after recovering a Liberty Hill fumble all the way to the 2 courtesy of a pass interference call in the end zone. Alas, the visitors would fail to score on four straight plays and fumbled the ball back to the home team on a 4th-andgoal from the 3-yard line on what ended up being their best chance to put points on the board the entire game when it was still only 7-0 with a chance to tie things up. Following that flub, Panthers junior fullback Logan Dyer took a handoff from senior quarterback Will Szewczyk on the next play and rumbled 94 yards to double the lead. Following yet another Travis fumble, Joe Pitchford scored from three yards out and it was 21-0 after one period of play. Noah Long scored on a seven-yard run on moments into the second quarter to make it 28-0 before Drake Torno blocked a punt which was recovered by Joseph Ramon and was immediately followed by Dyer’s second score of the game, this one from four yards out and a 35-0 lead. But, Torno was just getting started stamping his authority on the proceedings as the senior nose tackle/fullback scored on back-to-back offensive plays on touchdown runs of two and 44 yards in providing his team with a 49-0 halftime lead. Gavin Salinas scored on a 42-yard run in the third quarter and Hollen scored his six points in the fourth to close out the scoring. Notable on the final two scores of the night was the varsity debut of sophomore kicker Connor Hawkins, who nailed a pair of extra points after starter Ethan Minix had made his way to the sidelines for the balance of the game. Walker said getting the

young players on the field was paramount due to a scheduling snafu this week. “Unfortunately, our JV game against Jarrell was canceled this week,” he said. “So, it was good for them to be able to come in tonight and get some playing time.” Dyer was one of the Panthers’ few starters who saw the field the entire second half, with an 11-yard run in bringing his haul for the night to a team-best 114 yards on four carries, as 10 different Liberty Hill ballcarriers combined for 319 yards rushing on the evening. Walker said he along with Torno have now formed a formidable duo in the Panthers’ backfield with each bringing a different dimension for defenses to deal with. “Those two are kind of like our thunder and lightning,” he said. Senior Andon Thomas led Liberty Hill with 14 tackles, while Lloyd Johnson, Jr. added 10 stops on the night. Liberty Hill (4-2, 2-0) will next travel to House Park in Austin to face McCallum, who are 1-0 in league play after the Knights’ 20-13 road win over Marble Falls on Friday and Walker is taking nothing for granted moving forward, he said. “We have a tough test ahead of us,” said Walker, of backto-back games against McCallum and Marble Falls. “But, we’re excited about this week.” The Panthers’ wore their allgold uniforms for the occasion to celebrate Homecoming, but even though the color was different, the message to his players before the game was the same, he said. “Usually, I tell them to be a purple blur,” said Walker. “Tonight, I wanted them to be a gold flash.”

Page 8

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Lady Panthers defeat No. 3 Rouse in straight sets

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor LEANDER -- When the final point of the match hit the floor of Liberty Hill’s 3-0 (2522, 25-23, 25-20) road district win over Rouse, the players on the Lady Panthers’ bench flooded onto the court to join in a joyous celebration with their teammates after having just defeated the No. 3-ranked Raiders in a match the visitors controlled from the outset. In fact, Rouse only led by a single point on two different occasions throughout, with the first not occurring until late in the second set. Maddi Rowley led the Lady Panthers with 10 kills on the night, but it was the Liberty Hill defense which was the critical element in ultimately leading to victory, said head coach Gretchen Peterson. “Our defense stepped up tonight in a way which made our offense more effective,” she said. “They really slowed the ball down and allowed our back-row players more time to make plays.” Rowley said the victory will provide her and her teammates with quite a shot in the arm as they embark on the second half of the district schedule. “It’s a huge win because it gives us so much confidence,” she said. “I think now we’re going to win out in district.” The evening certainly got off on the right foot off the right fist of senior Bailey Becker in the form of back-to-back aces to begin the proceedings, before Rowley quickly went to work in collecting three kills in the opening moments, which included a double-block at the net by Becker and Emma Parsons, as the visitors led by as many as five points. Ailie Hair also made her considerable presence felt with a pair of aces and a block along the way, while Rowley had two blocks in helping close out the opening set after the Raiders had managed to level the score at 16-16 before Liberty Hill pulled away for the set victory. Hair blocked a shot for the first point of the second stanza, then added a kill, along with a pair of Rowley bombs sandwiched around a Parsons stuff and the Lady Panthers led by as much as 12-5 after Gigi Mason contributed a pair of kills off the bench. But, Rouse showed resolve by going on a 5-0 run to close the gap to 12-10, which prompted a time-out by Peterson to settle her troops and the move immediately paid off, as Mason hammered home another pair of winners. After Hair collected another block and a kill, the Raiders fought back once again and actually took their first lead of the match at 19-18, but the advantage didn’t last long as Becker and Mason got backto-back kills, followed by another two from Rowley before Kealy Dirner put a bow on the set with a kill and a block. Certainly one felt a Rouse comeback was in the cards, but it never materialized, as the Lady Panthers kept the hammer firmly down throughout the third and final set, with senior defensive specialist Haley Kuhlmann continuing to repel repeated Raiders attacks, while the quintet of Rowley, Hair, Mason, Parsons and Dirner successfully defended the Liberty Hill fortress the rest of the way in claiming a famous victory over their fierce rivals. Rowley attributed the Lady Panthers’ maintained intensity to refreshers they received over the course of the evening. “We used our huddles before each set as reminders of what we still needed to do,” she said. “What that did was give us the ability to start each set confident and knowing we could go on a run.” Peterson said the newfound ability to keep focus and concentration levels high was perhaps the biggest difference between the victory and the four-set home defeat in the teams’ first meeting of the season – along with a healthy dose of confidence and self-belief. “I think the first time we played them, we made it bigger than it needed to be,” she said. “We know Rouse is a good team and we have a great amount of respect for them,

Thursday, October 7, 2021

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Maddi Rowley (#11) led Liberty Hill with 10 kills in the Lady Panthers’ 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-20) district road victory over No. 3 Rouse. but this time instead of just going out there, playing hard and settling for having a good attempt, we said to ourselves ‘Why can’t we go out and attack and win this?’” Mason added nine kills, while Hair had four aces and eight blocks to go with 33 assists from Parsons and 16 digs from Kuhlmann, with Rowley adding 12 digs in the win. Liberty Hill (33-8, 7-1) moved into a first-place tie with Rouse atop the district, but Peterson isn’t going to let her players think they’ve achieved anything yet, she said. “We still have to beat Cedar Park, Leander and Georgetown again,” said Peterson. “There’s plenty we can still fix and get better at.” How far the Purple-and-Gold advance once the playoffs roll around remains to be seen, but for the time being, at least, they had every right to madly celebrate, said Peterson. “We’re going to enjoy this one, but we still need to be ready to go back to work,” she said. “Beating Rouse can’t be the pinnacle of our season.” LHHS 3, Marble Falls 0 If anyone attending Liberty Hill’s home volleyball match against Marble Falls was concerned with still getting over to Panther Stadium in time for the opening kickoff of the football team’s Homecoming game last Friday, no worries. In about as one-sided of a match as one will see, the Lady Panthers quickly sent the visiting Mustangs packing with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-8, 25-8) victory which took just under an hour to complete. Hair led Liberty Hill with 11 kills along with six aces and two blocked shots in a contest which saw Peterson empty her bench as the entire roster got into the match. Senior Peyton Lilienthal said she and her teammates approached the match accordingly.

“We came in with a very wellthought out plan,” she said. “Matches like this get everybody experience for the girls who aren’t starting.” Along with the usual cast of characters, reserves such as senior Reese Williams and sophomore Mason were strategically deployed throughout the proceedings, with the former collecting three kills in the second set, while the latter contributed five kills and an ace to the cause. However, early on it were the familiar faces who set the tone for the evening, as Morgan Poulain pounded a kill after the visitors had taken their first – and only – lead of the match by winning the opening point of the match. After that, it was Hair and Rowley who took turns dominating the net until Hair closed out the opening set with backto-back aces. In the second stanza, it was Becker (two kills, block) and Carson Glenn (kill, ace) who got a chance to shine, along with blocks on consecutive points by Poulain and a Dirner kill to close the set. Mason began the third set with a kill and an ace on back-toback points before Hair served three aces in a four-point span, followed by Parsons hammering a kill and Keegan Walton adding an ace. Fittingly, Rowley and Hair sealed the result with a kill and an ace, respectively. Peterson said it was important for her side to remain focused coming off a win at Cedar Park in the lead-up to a meeting with No. 3 Rouse. “We wanted to make sure we still executed the same as we always do, so we wouldn’t be out of our normal rhythm,” she said. “We did a lot of good things and all our players came in and did a good job – we need to keep to our standard regardless of who’s on the other side of the net.”

SALES

SERVICES

SUNDANCE ESTATES COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE. Saturday, Oct. 9, 7am3pm. Highway 29 behind Sonic. Gates open at 7am. (10/7p)

COMPUTER TUTOR At your place, at your pace, I can help you with your computer, iPhone, iPad, or tablet. Helpful tips and tricks. Reasonable rates. Call Karen, 432553-2468. (12/23p)

EMPLOYMENT REUNION RANCH NOW HIRING TEAM LEADER Seeking full-time maintenance foreman at a beautiful event venue. Experience and handyman skills wanted. Call (512) 515-6200 for an interview. (10/14p) LOOKING FOR A CHANGE in pace or a new career? Enjoy working with People, Have Customer Service, Sales/Marketing, Accounting/Bookkeeping and/or Computer Skills? Interested in Learning a New Skill? We Have the SOLUTION. Our finance center will start training on October 4th. Please call/ text 512.863.7767 for more details. (10/7p)

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CITY OF LIBERTY HILL SOLICITATION #LH-202110-19 The City of Liberty Hill is soliciting proposals to provide Mowing and Grounds Maintenance Services for CityOwned Properties and Certain Rights-of-Way (ROW). Please submit your signed and sealed proposal of services and a statement of qualifications for the proposed services to the following: City of Liberty Hill City Hall

ABBY GLENN PHOTO

Senior Jacob Russell is rounding into form after missing three months with knee tendinitis, which kept him from running for three months over the summer.

Peaking at the right time Senior Jacob Russell rounding into fine form

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Not running over the summer is the worst thing a cross country runner can do. Sometimes the miles aren’t put in for a variety of reasons ranging from choice or perhaps other sports or family commitments, while at others the hiatus is forced due to injury. For Jacob Russell, the latter was the case. Back during track season of his junior year last spring, Russell developed tendinitis in his knee – a condition which forced him to the sidelines for the remainder of that campaign and carried over into the dog days of summer when every mile runners put in during the hottest months of the year end up paying dividends once fall rolls around. However, after three months off, which included physical therapy and regular visits to a chiropractor, Russell’s knee had healed, but the long journey of recovering his fitness level had just begun. “All that time I couldn’t run, I was getting really anxious because it felt like I wasn’t making any progress,” said Russell, of his therapy regimen. “But, I couldn’t rush my progress – I had to just sit there and work the small muscles.” Still, once the season started, Russell didn’t seem to show much rust in finishing 21st in a field of 144 at the Temple Invitational, but his time of 17:22.80 was only fifth among the Liberty Hill runAttention: Jay Holmes 926 Loop 332 Post Office Box 1920 Liberty Hill, Texas Proposals must be received by the City no later than 2:00 PM on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 to be considered. The City reserves the right to negotiate with any and all individuals or firms that submit proposals. A consensus score will be used based on weighted criteria. A mandatory pre-solicitation meeting will be held Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at 9:00 AM at the City of Liberty Hill City Hall – 926 Loop 332, Liberty Hill. Complete information can be found at https://www.libertyhilltx.gov/bids.aspx. Questions regarding this Request for Proposal may be made to Jay Holmes, Public Works Director – jholmes@ LibertyHillTX.gov. (10/14) LIBERTY HILL ISD IS SEEKING PROPOSALS for Custodial Services. All interested proposers please see RFP #22-005 available at www.libertyhill.txed.net click

ners entered in the race. By the next race a week later at the Vista Ridge Invitational, Russell had moved up to fourth in the Panthers’ pecking order in 17:10.50, shaving 12 seconds off his time from the previous race. At the Pro-Fit Invitational back in Temple, Russell held his position as Liberty Hill’s No. 4, but took another seven seconds off at 17:03.70. When the Panthers hosted their own race – the Liberty Hill Invitational on Sept. 11 – Russell had moved up to second on the team behind junior Brandon Escobar with an 11th-place result in 16:45.50 – another 18 seconds faster. After a 13th-place finish at the Islander Splash in the heat and humidity of Corpus Christi – an event in which Liberty Hill’s boys’ team finished second in a field of 36 schools – it was on to Old Settlers Park in Round Rock for the McNeil Invitational. Russell crossed the finish line in fourth place in a time of 17:05.20 and for the first time all season, he was finally the Panthers’ highest finisher – a result which told him one thing, he said. “I feel like now I’m back to where I was in the middle of last cross country season,” said Russell. All season, the Panthers’ boys have been a solid presence in the top five of the team standings at each race they’ve run in and with the district meet on Oct. 14, a healthy and back-in-form Russell will only bolster the

Panthers’ chances of advancing to the regional event and perhaps even the state championships. Liberty Hill head coach Kim Holt said Russell will continue to improve down the stretch of the season because that’s simply who he is. “I knew it was just going to take time for Jacob to make it back because he didn’t run for three months,” she said. “But, I knew he would eventually be back where he wanted to be.” Where Russell wants to be is challenging for a state title with his teammates, but before they can do that, the Panthers need to deal with their neighbors from up the road in Georgetown, who defeated them at their home meet in their first matchup with the Eagles so far this season – taking home five of the top 10 spots in the finishing order in the process. “The biggest thing for us to beat them is practice,” said Russell. “We all need to run together and finish together.” Russell said the runner-up result in Corpus Christi restored some of the swagger that had been lost after defeat to Georgetown a week earlier. “After that, we have our confidence back because all of us had good races down there,” he said. “We also have an older team with a lot of juniors and seniors who have experience.”

CLASSIFIED ADS $15/week for Minimum 30 Words Additional Words $0.20 Deadline: Noon Mondays

NEWS@LHINDEPENDENT.COM

Departments - Business Office - Purchasing - Current Bid Opportunities Or request a copy by emailing: proposals@libertyhill.txed.net. (10/7) LIBERTY HILL ISD IS SEEKING PROPOSALS for Athletic/PE Supplies and Equipment. All interested proposers please see RFP #22-004 available at www.libertyhill. txed.net click Departments Business Office - Purchasing - Current Bid Opportunities Or request a copy by emailing: proposals@libertyhill.txed.net (10/7)

(512) 778-5577

MISSING PROPERTY If you believe the police department may have a found item that belongs to you, you can call the Property Division directly at 512-548-5530 or email at ekrause@libertyhilltx.gov. When contacting the Property Division, describe the item(s) you are looking for, in detail, and we will let you know if we have it. If we do, we will make arrangements to get it back to you. (10/28)

SUBSCRIBE 512.778.5577

Thursday, October 7, 2021

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

TENNIS BRIEFS Panthers ﬁnish second in district tourney

Liberty Hill’s tennis team was defeated in the ﬁnals of the district tournament by Georgetown, 10-2, on the Eagles’ home courts, but will still move on to the bi-district round of the state playoffs as a result of its runner-up ﬁnish. In girls’ singles, No. 2 Ellis Young lost 0-6, 2-6, No. 3 Sophie Sherman lost 0-6, 0-6 and No. 4 Jennifer Merrill lost 3-6, 4-6. In boys’ singles, No. 1 Joseph Sherman lost 2-6, 1-6 and No. 5 Will Gray lost 0-6,1-6. In girls’ singles, No. 1 I. Young/E. Young lost 3-6, 4-6, No. 2 Peyton Buckley/Merrill lost 2-6, 2-6 and No. 3 Ava Ortega/Eliza Homorodi won 6-4, 6-1. In boys’ doubles, No. 1 Pat-

rick Fay/Ethan Wukasch lost 4-6, 4-6, No. 2 Gray/Colin Garner lost 3-6, 4-6 and No. 3 Tyler Williams/Will Snell lost 2-6, 3-6. In mixed doubles, No. 1 S. Sherman/J. Sherman won 7-6 (7-1), 6-1. Liberty Hill head coach Sherry Rhoden was pleased with the progress the Panthers program continues to make moving forward. “I’m a super-proud coach tonight,” she said. “Our kids stepped up tonight and played so much better – this team is leaving a legacy for the Panthers tennis program – we no longer feel like the underdog to Georgetown. With a few more resources and some more time, we’ll become champions. As for now, we’re in the building phase because we’re in the business of building champions.”

LHHS 10, Cedar Park 9 The Panthers hosted Cedar Park in the semiﬁnals of the district tournament and prevailed by a 10-9 score to move on to the ﬁnals against Georgetown. In girls’ singles, No. 1 India Young won 6-1, 6-1, No. 2 Ellis Young won 6-0, 6-0, No. 3 Sherman won 6-0, 6-0, No. 4 Merrill won 6-2, 6-0, No. 5 Ella Bodnar won 6-1, 6-0 and No. 6 Buckley won 6-1, 6-2. In boys’ singles, No. 1 Sherman lost 2-6, 3-6, No. 2 Fay lost 1-6, 5-7, No. 3 Wukasch lost (4-7), 1-6, No. 4 Garner lost 3-6, (9-11), No. 5 Gray lost 1-6, 2-6 and No. 6 Michael Evans lost 3-6, 2-6. In girls’ doubles, No. 1 E. Young/I. Young won 6-0, 6-0, No. 2 Merrill/Buckley won 6-0, 6-0 and No. 3 Homorodi/ Ortega won 6-2, 6-3.

Page 9

SCOTT AKANEWICH PHOTO

Liberty Hill’s girls’ doubles team of Ava Ortega and Eliza Homorodi won their match in the ﬁnals of the district tournament against Georgetown, 6-4, 6-1. In boys’ doubles, No. 1 Wuksasch/Fay lost 2-6, (4-7), No. 2 Gray/Garner lost 1-6, 1-6 and

No. 3 Snell/Williams lost 4-6, 2-6. In mixed doubles, No. 1 S.

Sherman/J. Sherman won 6-0, 6-1.

9TH FOOTBALL BRIEFS

Liberty Hill 30, Travis 6 The Panthers’ freshman football squad played at Travis last week and defeated the Rebels by a score of 30-6. Offensively, Jaxson Scott caught a Liberty Hill touchdown pass on the ﬁrst play of the game from Austin Fulford, while on the defensive side, Damian Zapata led the Panthers in tackles to go with interceptions by Scott and Daniel Rodriguez. Liberty Hill’s junior varsity had the week off after its game against Jarrell was canceled.

FULLBACKS

Continued from Page 5 Liberty Hill, unlike many gridiron teammates who focus strictly on football year round, a decision that is based on a pair of factors, he said. “I grew up playing baseball and it’s one of my favorites,” said Dyer, who patrols center ﬁeld for the Panthers. “But, it also gives me a break from football and it’s where I think my future is.” Walker said he encourages athletes to engage in more than one pursuit if that’s what they desire. “Multi-sport guys are fun to coach,” he said. “We want kids to have fun and enjoy high school by playing as many different sports as they can.”

BLOCKER

Prior to his ﬁeld-length scoring sprint against Travis, the longest varsity run Dyer had to that point in his Panthers career was 29 yards – a mark he obliterated before he even reached midﬁeld, although the extra mileage didn’t take as much out of him as he might have anticipated, he said. “I wasn’t as tired as I thought I was going to be,” said Dyer. Walker said the play was a result of the philosophy of Liberty Hill’s running game. “We draw up every play like it’s going to be a touchdown,” he said. “I tell our running backs to get four yards – anything they get after that is theirs.”

Continued from Page 5

really hot during a match, the block will follow her,” said Poulain. “So, it leaves a split in the block to hit through.” During the Lady Panthers’ victory over district rivals Cedar Park, the dynamism of the duo was evident, as time and again, Hair and Poulain frustrated the Timberwolves by pounding shots at them while repelling returns – causing there to be some understandably hard feelings after particular points, she said. “Sometimes, you’ll give a girl a stare,” said Poulain. “They might say ‘Don’t look at me like that’ or call you the B-word.” All in a day’s work for a frontline player and for Poulain, she said the added bit of animosity gets her even more ﬁred up. “When Ailie gets a really good block, it builds up my adrenaline,” said Poulain. “I can swing faster and jump higher, but even when I’m angry, I know I have to keep being level-headed.” As for if she would rather rain a kill down on an opponent or sent one back where it came

from, the choice is clear, she said. “I prefer a stuff block because I get a real glory feeling like ‘Yeah, I just completely shut her down,’” said Poulain. “With a kill, you just hit the ball to an open spot.” Poulain added the mechanics of her swing have had to change upon her move from the middle of the net to the outside in order to better take advantage of her new position on the court and how the ball arrives for her to hammer home. “In the middle, your swing has to be fast and short because you’re going up with the setter,” she said. “But, on the outside, you have to wait longer for the ball to get there, so your arm swing needs to be longer and slower so you can get up and over the ball.” In addition, an outside hitter is expected to set up the block with the middle blocker adjusting to where she is and sliding over accordingly, which means Poulain is now the initiator instead of the reactor, which has required a bit of an adjustment, she said.

Unleashing a new Panther

SCOTT AKANEWICH PHOTO

Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steve Snell, McCoy’s Store Manager Matthew Pool, Liberty Hill High School Principal Jonathan Bever and Liberty Hill High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Kent Walker with a wood carving donated by the store chain to be put on display at the high school. McCoy’s also donated 400 stadium seat cushions to the Liberty Hill football program.

“As an outside, you have to determine where the play is going to be and it’s been hard,” said Poulain. “All my training has been as a middle.” Peterson said synergy like that has been needed as the Lady Panthers have found themselves up against the rugged competition they now face in district play. “Morgan’s deﬁnitely cerebral and our block as a whole this season has been good,” she said. “It has to be against these kinds of high-octane offenses.” Another aspect Poulain has needed to adjust to is the pace at which the game is played at the varsity level, she said. “When I was still playing on JV, everything was so much slower,” said Poulain. “But, by practicing with the varsity, it helped me get up to speed.” Of course, now Poulain is practicing with her new varsity teammates instead of simply practicing against them as a member of a lower squad – which means many times the shots she faces in practice can do more damage than the ones

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

The Lady Panthers celebrated their big district win over Rouse Tuesday. The team wore pink this week for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. in matches, she said. Poulain said it’s never been “I’ve always enjoyed being “Every day, I have to block awkward for her to always be tall and sometimes wished I against Maddi (Rowley) and the tallest in a crowd – in fact, was even taller,” said Poulain. Ailie (Hair),” said Poulain. she’s learned to very much like “I’ve really come to embrace “So, my hands get pretty beat looking down at her peers, she it.” up.” said.

Shop the Holiday Wonderland at the Yellow House!

14262 W. State Hwy 29 • Mon-Sat 10-6

www.SimplyHomeTX.com 15280 W Hwy 29 | Liberty Hill, TX

Page 10

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

HOMES AROUND THE HILL Kempner Ranch - 40 acres 2 Homes/Guest House - 4.95 acres Liberty Hill - 76 acres Little Gabriel River Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Florence Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Amifast Ind Park Amifast Ind Park Amifast Ind Park Amifast Ind Park Amifast Ind Park Amifast Ind Park Summerlyn West, Leander Grayson, Leander Watson Place, Bertram - 5 acres Home + In-Law House, No HOA - 10 acres Cloudwood Ranch Lot - Briggs Marble Falls Bertram - 10 acres Hidden Meadows - 2 acres Sunset Oaks - 3 acres Silver Creek Ranch - 2 acres Mesa Vista Ranch Highland Lake Estates - Lago Vista Hornsby, J - 4.6 acres Liberty Hill - 17 acres Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Mesa Vista Ranch Flores Luciano Cabasos Durham Park Florence Buttercup Townhomes Durham Park Carriage Oaks - 1 acre Hillcrest Cantarra Meadows/Pﬂugerville Palmera Ridge - Leander Palmera Ridge - Leander Llano Iron Oak - 2 acres Summerlynn - Leander Near Downtown Liberty Hill University Park - Georgetown San Gabriel River - 3/4 acres Cloudwood Ranch Lot - Briggs Liberty Hill - 2.2 acres

Homes for Sale

820 Panther Creek 1601 CR 256 4060 CR 201

6BR/5BA 4BR/4BA 3BR/2B - Barndominium & Shop Acreage / Lots / Property for Sale 420 Iva Bell Lane Barn TBD Lobella Bloom Bend Lot 91, Block 1 Phase III TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 71, Block 1 Phase III TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 74, Block 1 Phase III TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 75, Block 1 Phase III TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 79, Block 1 Phase III TBD Red Yucca Ct Lot 83, Block 1 Phase III TBD Red Yucca Ct Lot 85, Block 1 Phase III TBD Red Yucca Ct Lot 87, Block 1 Phase III TBD Red Yucca Ct Lot 89, Block 1 Phase III Tract 3A N Hwy 195 No restrictions, Ag exempt TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 72, Block 1 Phase III TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 73, Block 1 Phase III TBD Yellow Senna Pl Lot 76, Block 1 Phase III TBD Red Yucca Ct Lot 88, Block 1 Phase III Commercial Property for Sale 100 Bevers No restrictions, water available 110 Bevers No restrictions, water available 118 Bevers No restrictions, water available 126 Bevers No restrictions, water available 129 Bevers No restrictions, water available 145 Bevers No restrictions, water available Under Contract / Pending 164 Green Egret Way 144 Syrah Court 240 Floyds Run 2150 CR 282 Lot 12 Cloudwood Ranch Rd 337 Granite Row CR 321 1103 CR 204 631 CR 269 644 Silver Creek Dr TBD Yellow Senna Pl 20701 Harrison Cv 1840 CR 226 17600 W State Hwy 29 TBD Yellow Senna Pl TBD Yellow Senna Pl TBD Yellow Senna Pl TBD Yellow Senna Pl TBD Yellow Senna Pl TBD Yellow Senna Pl TBD Red Yucca Ct TBD Red Yucca Ct 550 Stadium Dr 1540 W Hwy 29 500 CR 288 Tract 4B N Hwy 195 401 Buttercup Creek Blvd 550 Shin Oak Lane 105 Cavalier Lane 120 Crestview Dr 13500 Kearns Dr 2201 Bonavista Way 2200 Bonavista Way 504 E Green St 232 Oak Hill 104 Falcon Lane 3103 CR 1869 2006 E 18th St 121 River Rd Lot 22 Cloudwood Ranch Rd 140 Shin Oak Lane

4BR/2.5BA/Ofﬁce/2 Living 3BR/2.5BA 4BR/3BA 2BR/3BA + 3BR/1BA - Pool Lots of trees 3BR/2BA River front & trees 3BR/2BA 3BR/3BA 3BR/2BA - Pool Lot 80, Block 1 Phase III Electricity & water available 4BR/2BA 3 Homes & Barn Lot 92, Block 1 Phase III Lot 70, Block 1 Phase III Lot 77, Block 1 Phase III Lot 78, Block 1 Phase III Lot 81, Block 1 Phase III Lot 82, Block 1 Phase III Lot 84, Block 1 Phase III Lot 90, Block 1 Phase III Cleared & level Sold!

2BR/1BA Trees, electric, water No restrictions, Ag exempt 2BR/2.5BA Wet weather creek 4BR/4BA 3BR/2BA 4BR/2BA - Game Room 3BR/2BA - 2 car garage 3BR/2BA 3BR/2BA 4BR/4BA 4BR/2.5BA - 2 car garage Commercial, Mixed Use 3BR/2BA 3BR/2BA Lots of oaks, backs to creek 3BR/2BA + pool

$1,200,000 4483 sq ft $ 995,000 3112 sq ft $1,999,000 1624 sq ft

Cheryl Stephens Cheryl Stephens Tammy Wise

$1,200,000 $ 201,000 $ 203,000 $ 212,000 $ 275,000 $ 229,000 $ 201,000 $ 285,000 $ 404,000 $ 202,000 $ 338,168 $ 219,000 $ 210,000 $ 418,000 $ 248,000

20 acres 2.01 acres 2.03 acres 2.12 acres 2.75 acres 2.29 acres 2.01 acres 2.85 acres 4.04 acres 2.02 acres 11.3 acres 2.19 acres 2.10 acres 4.18 acres 2.48 acres

Amy Gandy Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Dax Oglesby Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise Tammy Wise

$ $ $ $ $ $

1.05 acres 1.04 acres 1.04 acres 1.05 acres 4.49 acres 3.110 acres

Shane T. White Shane T. White Shane T. White Shane T. White Shane T. White Shane T. White

550,000 460,000 365,000 275,000 980,000 680,000

$ 489,000 2709 sq ft

Kristen Childers

$ 810,000 3118 sq ft

Tammy Wise

$ 375,000 1482 sq ft $ 970,000 3353 total sq ft $ 255,000 7.74 acres $ 379,009 1913 sq ft $ 425,000 10 acres

$ 450,000 1641 sq ft $ 500,000 2984 sq ft $ 699,000 2306 sq ft

$ 201,000 2.01 acres $

60,000 .394 acres

Thursday, October 7, 2021

SUBSCRIBE 512.778.5577

Sabrina Jordan REALTOR®

512.680.0375 cell sabrinajordan.kwrealty.com RESIDENTIAL, LAND, FARM & RANCH HOMETOWN ROOTS HOMETOWN VALUES

SELLING L LIBERTY HIL FOR 40 YEARS!

BUYING OR SELLING A HOME?

Adrienne Hughes Sabrina Jordan

Cheryl Stephens Dax Oglesby

Shane T. White Shane T. White Shane T. White Amy Gandy

Tammy Wise

Dax Oglesby Shane T. White 1800 sq ft Tammy Wise 2.07 acres Tammy Wise 2.03 acres Tammy Wise 2.37 acres Tammy Wise 2.17 acres Tammy Wise 2.01 acres Tammy Wise 2.01 acres Tammy Wise 2.01 acres Tammy Wise 2.04 acres Tammy Wise 1.337 acre Side-Pad Shane T. White

RE/MAX Town & Country 13561 W. Hwy 29, Liberty Hill shanetwhite@remax.net www.ShaneTWhiteTeam.com

$ 379,000 2432 sq ft $1,600,000 $ 207,000 $ 203,000 $ 237,000 $ 217,000 $ 201,000 $ 201,000 $ 201,000 $ 204,000 $ 750,000

$ 250,000 1180 sq ft

Shane T. White

$ 564,300 20.9 acres

Dax Oglesby

$ 225,000 2.19 acres $ 275,000 1280 sq ft $ 175,000 2 acres

$ 560,000 2453 sq ft $ 235,000 1568 sq ft $ 420,000 2507 sq ft $ 430,000 1855 sq ft $ 510,000 2100 sq ft

$ 200,000 1671 sq ft $ 765,000 2800 sq ft $ 350,000 2044 sq ft $ 350,000 968 sq ft

$ 315,000 1404 sq ft $ 230,000 1440 sq ft

$ 197,500 4.25 acres $ 430,000 1611 sq ft

512.515.5263

Shane T. White Shane T. White Amy Gandy

Amy Gandy Shane T. White Cheryl Stephens Amy Gandy Amy Gandy Sabrina Jordan Dax Oglesby Dax Oglesby Dax Oglesby Dax Oglesby Cheryl Stephens Cheryl Stephens Dax Oglesby

LIBERTY HILL’S REAL ESTATE GUIDE Feature your property listings weekly! (512) 778-5577

San Gabriel

Real Life. Real People. Real Estate.

Realt y Gr oup

Serving Williamson, Burnet and Travis Counties Residential • Farm and Ranch Minerals • Land and Leasing

Is NOW the time to sell your home? Call us ... We know the answer! Kristen Childers REALTOR®

REALTOR®

(512) 501 501-0777

Dax Oglesby

Team Realty of Texas | REALTOR®

AustinAndHillCountryRealEstate.com

(512) 635-7529

www.DaxSellsTexas.com daxoglesbysgrhomes@gmail.com

900 Quest Parkway Cedar Park, TX 78613

Love thy neighbor.

“Our family of seasoned professional agents is what makes us unique. We’re here to help you, whether it’s selling your property or assisting in finding and purchasing the home of your dreams.”

Adrienne Hughes

Cheryl Stephens

512-810-0185

512-417-0026

Broker/Owner

Tammy Wise

Realtor ®, GRI, MRP

3106 Ranch Road 1869 | Liberty Hill, TX 78642 | www.Hughes-and-Company.com

From Waco to New Braunfels, Llano to LaGrange and everywhere in between.

Amy Gandy, Broker/Owner | MCNE, CLHMS 512-589-9005 | amy@agandyandco.com www.agandyandco.com