Liberty Hill Independent Monthly - December 2022

Turkey time

Local farm raises poultry all year to sell for holiday tables

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

At Grouchy Goat Farms in Liberty Hill, you will definitely see your fair share of goats. Horses, pigs, chickens and ducks, too. But amongst all the typical farm animals, you will also get to see something a little out of the ordinary for Central Texas—a flock of turkeys.

Justin and Lindsey Rosewell, owners of Grouchy Goat Farms, added turkeys to their farm about six years ago when they realized more and more people were turning back to farmers to source their food. And during COVID, that notion got even more popular.

“Raising turkey got big during COVID because of a nationwide turkey shortage,” Justin Rosewell said. “I started out doing about 50 birds for customers each year, but in 2021, we did our biggest year ever with 200 birds.”

The Rosewells raise heritage bronze turkeys because they can actively lay fertilized eggs and hatch them. Broad breasted white turkeys, which are the most popular type of turkey found at grocery store chains, can’t breed because they are too large. That’s why those birds are typically raised by large commercial poultry operations, because they can be artificially inseminated, while some of the smaller, but more flavorful, breeds are raised by farmers and homesteaders.

“The heritage bronze breed was bred in

the 1800s,” Justin Rosewell said. “Back then, chickens weren’t considered table fare. People bred chickens for eggs, and turkeys were what people had on their tables. Nobody really ate chickens.”

The Rosewells free range their turkeys, which gives them more space to grow and interact. While turkeys can be more susceptible to parasites than chickens, raising turkeys has many similarities. If you’ve raised chickens before, then you can raise turkeys, but you can’t treat turkeys like chickens, Rosewell said. You have to cater to them a little more.

Turkeys struggle in both extreme hot and extreme cold temperatures. During the summer months, Rosewell puts out large, shallow pans of water the turkeys can use to splash themselves and stay cool. When poults (baby turkeys) are born, they are kept in a brood house with heat lamps on them all day and night for their first three weeks of life.

Turkeys only breed in the spring, Rosewell said. Each hen can lay up to 20 eggs, as long as Rosewell gathers the eggs daily and moves them into an incubator. Hens typically lay their eggs between March and May. Once the eggs are placed in the incubators, they sit for about 30 days at 100 degrees and 50 percent humidity until they hatch.

Rosewell hatches between 150 to 200 each spring. He keeps a few to replenish his own flock, but the majority of the birds are sold on a

(Top) A Liberty Hill turkey farm is home to heritage bronze turkeys that are raised free-range, giving them more space to grow and interact. (Above) Grouchy Goat Farms owner Justin Rosewell says turkeys only breed in the spring with a hen laying up to 20 eggs. Once placed in incubators, eggs sit for about 30 days at 100 degrees until they hatch. PHOTOS BY RACHEL MADISON

reservation system for holiday tables later in the year. Once the poults hatch, it takes about eight months for them to get to the right weight for butchering, Rosewell said.

He keeps track of his turkeys’ weights by pulling a sample of birds weekly to do a weigh in called adjusted daily gain.

“As long as their adjusted daily gain is about .2 pounds per day, then I don’t start messing with supplementing their feed. We watch their weights and when each bird gets around 22 pounds, it’s time to kill it. That way it will dress out for the holiday table at about 16 to 18 pounds, which is the size most people want at the grocery store.”

Rosewell processes every single turkey himself.

“What I see people is exactly like what you get at H-E-B,” he said. “I sell it by the pound, and I vacuum pack all of them and they come frozen just like at the store.”

In order to process the birds himself, Rosewell had to be inspected by a health inspector, and have all the proper permits and licenses that a butcher would have.

Rosewell said most people like knowing how their birds have been raised and what they’ve eaten, especially in the Austin area.

“If you can find a good market and cater to that market, then you will sell out of everything,” Rosewell said. “We’ve found that people have gotten away from going to the grocery store and are going back to the farmers and buying direct from producers.

It’s better food, better business for the local economy, and you know the quality of what you’re getting. A lot of times, you can even seen the animal you’re going to buy while it’s still alive.”

It takes Rosewell between 30 to 45 minutes to process a single bird. He processes all of the turkeys in early October so they can be to his customers in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Rosewell uses a commercial scalding pot and plucking machine which expedites the process significantly, he said.

“You want to scald and pluck them immediately after they die, before they get into any rigor,” Rosewell said. “You don’t want to process or pack them while they are in rigor or they won’t taste right.”

Rosewell added that the butchering and processing portion for turkeys can be a big learning curve, and many people who farm don’t want to be part of that process. In that case, those farmers typically sell live poultry to butchers and have them do the work instead.

Turkeys are more friendly than most other types of poultry, Rosewell said, adding that its probably because they are the largest bird in the poultry family.

“They are the only breed of poultry you can come outside and have a conversation with,” he said. “They’ll talk back to you. They are very friendly and have interesting personalities—they are their own unique

animal.”

Turkeys are very clean birds, constantly grooming themselves and fluffing their feathers, and the toms are known for always strutting.

“They are constantly strutting and putting on a show,” Rosewell said. “I’m not sure

who they are putting on a show for, but they always are.”

To learn more about turkey farming, or to find recipe ideas for preparing a holiday bird, visit Grouchy Goat Farm’s website and blog at www.grouchygoatfarms.com.

(Above) Justin Rosewell of Grouchy Goat Farm in Liberty Hill feeds his flock. Rosewell said it takes about eight months for turkeys to grow to the desired weight in time for holiday butchering. (Below) Turkeys are very clean birds, Rosewell says, constantly grooming themselves and fluffing their feathers. PHOTOS BY RACHEL MADISON

Latest business openings and what’s coming soon to Liberty Hill

Massage. The business began in early 2022 with Alex focusing on the business side while Gabby focuses on both physical and massage therapy techniques to provide total body healing and relaxation.

ON THE MOVE

school in 2023 to include a full-size gymnasium, locker rooms, a storage area, 14 classrooms, an art lab, a science lab, a STEM lab, five offices and a teacher work room.

The Clubhouse

15390 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Willy’s Backyard

1004 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

Whiskey Barrel Pub has expanded its offerings with a new outdoor area for dining and entertainment, officially open as of Dec. 3. Named Willy’s Backyard after the pub’s mascot, the outdoor area includes a stage for live music, a food and beverage trailer and televisions. The outdoor space is dog friendly.

RETAIL

of brothers Brian and Darin Coulter in Liberty Hill. The company offers custom, laser-engraved products that are personalized for each customer’s needs, including drinkware, ornaments and cutting boards.

SERVICES

^ MidTex Glass

1775 CR 279, Liberty Hill

MidTex Glass was opened recently by Everett Pieri (above), who has over 10 years of experience in the glass industry. Through his company, he offers everything from window glass replacement and custom mirrors to showers and display cases.

Angie’s Tiny Paws

205 River Road, Liberty Hill

Angie’s Tiny Paws offers full-service grooming to its fourlegged customers, including baths, haircuts, nail trims and more.

OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS

K&R Glass

Mobile, Liberty Hill

Capital Title

13987 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

^ Royal Bliss Day Spa

3103 RR 1869, Liberty Hill

Royal Bliss Day Spa celebrated its third anniversary in November. The spa also recently added on several new services for clients, including chemical peels, Hydra Facials and more.

Empowered Women’s Fitness Center

100 West FM 243, Bertram

Bertram-based Empowered Women’s Fitness Center has moved into a new larger space to accommodate more fitness classes.

Ivy Nails and Spa 719 Hwy. 183, Liberty Hill

Ivy Nails and Spa was recently upgraded to include several new pedicure chairs for both adults and children.

By the end of 2022, The Clubhouse, which offers baseball training programs, plans to incorporate several upgrades, including an outdoor agility field, sports simulator room, lounge area, retractable batting cage and more.

Williamson County Emergency Rescue Service

Taylor Ratcliff was recently named the new WilCo EMS director. Ratcliff is an emergency medical physician for Baylor Scott and White and is the county’s third medical director since the EMS program was founded in 1975.

^ Rent A Teepee

Mobile, Liberty Hill

This Liberty Hill business provides customers with child-size teepees for birthday parties and sleepovers. The business installs and decorates the teepees before the party, and breaks them down afterward.

Hill Swag

Mobile, Liberty Hill

Hill Swag is a family-run business

^ GD Beauty & Massage

348 La Dera Drive, Liberty Hill Gabby & Alex Rancel are the couple behind GD Beauty &

^ RXR Mini Tunnel Car Wash

320 Grange St., Bertram

Vista Family Eye Care

TBD, Liberty Hill

Renken Dentistry

13001 Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill

GT Landscaping 4301 CR 236, Liberty Hill

Jaded Spaces

Mobile, Liberty Hill

^ Bright Fire Cigars

2015 Loop 332, Liberty Hill

Bright Fire Cigars is moving to a new standalone location from Highway 29 to Loop 332. The business will move into its new home following cosmetic changes to the building, which formerly housed Shin Oak Realty.

Crosstech Automotive Highway 29, Bertram

Crosstech Automotive will be moving to a new, larger location on Highway 29 in Bertram in early 2023. The business also recently expanded its services to include full-service body repair.

Divine Savior Academy 23857 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Liberty Hill

Divine Savior Academy recently announced it will be expanding the

^ A. Gandy & Co. Real Estate

111 Grange St., Liberty Hill

Christine McCarty was recently announced as the new transaction coordinator for real estate company A. Gandy & Co. McCarty has had her real estate license since 1998 and has worked in residential sales, as well as the title and mortgage sides of the business.

Gabby Rancel

Willy's Backyard at Whiskey Barrel Pub

Christine McCarty

Community leaders share favorite holiday memories

BY RACHEL MADISON AND SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITERS

Liz Branigan, Mayor City of Liberty Hill

“One of my favorite Christmas memories was Christmas 2014 when we put up the first City Christmas tree. Our public works employees built a tree using a tall pole with strands of lights attached at the top and fanning out.

“The choirs of three local churches sang carols as the lights came on. My older grandchildren spun in circles under this tree as I danced with my baby grandson in my arms.

“Afterward, my family and friends walked over to my house for brisket and tamales. That year my neighborhood also held a progressive Christmas dinner. We walked house to house for different courses, and everybody’s specialty was served.  Mine was gumbo. The others featured barbecued brisket, cornbread, beans, homemade biscuits and cheesecake. During the dinner, we stopped at the house of a sick neighbor to sing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.

“Another Christmas memory is one year when we walked about caroling. We approached a particular house and as we walked up out came a person with pink plastic curlers in her hair wearing an old bathrobe with a puppy in her arms.  She turned to face the choir standing on the street, so we sang to her.  I tried not to laugh as we were singing.

“Christmas is wonderful and joyful in all times and places.”

Royce Graeter, Police Chief City of Liberty Hill

“Being with friends and family is always the best thing about Christmas for me. Besides our families at home, our police department family also gets together and celebrates with each other, our spouses and our kids.

“All the police department staff being able to collect Blue Santa donations and help get gifts to children is always a very memorable part of Christmas here in Liberty Hill for me. Each year I get to dress up as

Blue Santa and ride my motorcycle through all our neighborhoods.

There are always some great interactions while I’m out doing that, and the community seems to enjoy it.

“One year, I believe it was 2020, I was riding through a neighborhood and saw a young boy and his dad on the sidewalk, about a block down the street. As the boy saw me approaching, he got very excited and took off running into the garage. He came back out with a bicycle that looked like a motorcycle and hopped on it so he could ride beside me on the sidewalk.

“There are a lot of interactions like that, and they are always fun.”

Paul Brandenburg, City Administrator City of Liberty Hill

“My favorite Christmas memory would have to be every Christmas morning of our four kids coming down the stairs to Christmas music, a crackling fire, decorations and a beautiful tree with presents stacked underneath it.

“The joy, excitement, and spirit of those four kiddos will live with me forever, even now, as they have grown up and moved on with the next chapters in their lives. The ornaments that they made or were given have been passed on to them to put on their own trees as a tradition. While distance may now separate us, they will always have a place at Mom and Dad’s home, and stairs to come down on Christmas.”

Susan Baker, Executive Director

Operation Liberty Hill

“You never know what life is going to throw at you or gift you. My favorite Christmas is not a past event. On Oct. 7 of this year, my husband of 43 years, James, woke up with extreme abdominal pain.

“We went to the emergency room where he had to be sedated and intubated. I was

asked for directives and was told that on a scale from one to 10, James was a nine on the critical scale. They said they would do everything they could to save him.

“I was ushered to an empty room while they prepared James for surgery while we waited for the surgeon. I paced back and forth in that little room repeating ‘Jesus save him, Jesus save him’. After emergency exploratory surgery, they found a duodenal perforated ulcer the size of a thumb. The amazing surgeon patched the ulcer and made a loop around the area to avoid the bile duct. His 12-inch incision was hard to look at. He was also on a ventilator for seven days.

“The day he woke up was the best gift God could have given me and the gift of life was of course the best gift James has ever received. After a week in the intensive care unit, another week in the hospital and a week in a rehab facility, he is healing a little more each day.

“It will take time for a full recovery, but we are grateful for every moment we have on this earth now. Don’t take the people you love for granted. The length of our time on earth is not guaranteed.

“There is no Christmas gift that can compare to the one I’ve already received. Thank you, Jesus, for answering my pleas and thank you for being the true reason for every season.”

Derrick Norris, Senior Pastor Andice Baptist Church

“Christmas is a special time of the year. It’s a time for family and friends to come together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. When I look back on my life, my childhood was not so great, no mother, no father, I lived with my grandparents back in Louisiana. My parents had gotten a divorce when I was only 10 months old. I joined the military at 17 years old and traveled the world celebrating Christmas all around the world. We were serving the military in Germany when our youngest son was born so my mom came out to visit for Christmas. It snowed so much she was not able to leave until sometime in January. My mom struggled with depression and drinking when I was young. My prayer was that she would one day know Jesus as I did.

“Years later my mom quit drinking and led a fairly normal life and visited regularly at Christmas and it was always a special time. I continued to pray for her to one day accept the Lord.

“In 2001, my mom developed stage 4 lung cancer and came to live with us in California. She would join us for church each Sunday and it was around Christmas of 2001 she gave her life to Jesus. We were able to baptize her at Christmas time and it was one of the most memorable and special Christmases ever.

“One other great Christmas memory was getting to spend my first Christmas with my dad in 1998. Both have gone home to be with the Lord but the memories live on forever. This Christmas no matter what

Megan Parsons’ niece, Ella, partakes in the family’s Christmas cookie-making tradition. (Courtesy Photo)

her

it didn’t occur

a serious

kind of relationship you have with your parents, reach out with the love of Christ. Life is too short not to be around those Christ has given you to love. Speaking of love we would love to invite you to our Christmas Eve Service at Andice Baptist Church on December 24th at 6:00pm. And join us for our Christmas Service on Christmas morning at 11:00am. May you feel God’s love this Christmas. Praying God blesses you in a great way this Christmas.”

Megan Parsons, President Liberty Hill Independent School District Board of Trustees

“Since I was a kid my family has always loved to bake and decorate cookies around Christmas. We use the same recipe passed down from a family friend for the dough. We roll it out and use Christmas cookie cutters to make all the fun Christmas shapes. Once they’re baked, we decorate with icing, sprinkles and all the fun extras that make Christmas cookies so great! I’ve done this with my own kids through the years and most recently have gotten to do it with my niece and nephew.”

Steve Snell, Superintendent Liberty Hill ISD

“One of my favorite Christmas memories is

from when we were living in Lake Jackson back when I was a principal. Every year we would have a Christmas party at someone’s house with about 20 kids and hire a Santa and Mrs. Claus to visit. Our son Will was three and our daughter Madison was six at the time. Anyway, the house had an abovethe-ground pool and Will wanted to go in but we told him he couldn’t because it was too cold. But, he still climbed up the ladder and was sticking his arms in the water. When it was time for him to go see Santa, he wanted no part of it, so I had to go pick him up and put him on Santa’s lap with his sleeves soaking wet from the pool – the look on his face was priceless, while his sister was all smiles. It was a classic ‘Naughty and Nice’ moment.”

Tim Fleming

The Hair Stop Salon & Barber Shop

“I grew up in Germany because my dad was in the Army, so there we would get up on Christmas Eve and open one present each. Then we would wake up at midnight, instead of waiting for the morning to open all the rest of our presents and go back to sleep again. Instead of turkey, the traditional dinner would always be rabbit – which is big in Germany – or goose.”

apply, send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples by email to news@LHIndependent.com. Look for the Classifieds online!

(Above left) Growing up in Germany, Tim Fleming and his family would open presents at midnight on Christmas, then celebrate later in the day with a dinner of rabbit or goose. (Above center) Police Chief Royce Graeter says among his favorite holiday memories are those created as Blue Santa every year. (Above right) One of Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steve Snell’s favorite Christmas memories is when son Will was more interested in the swimming pool than visiting with Santa along with older sister Madison. (Right) Operation Liberty Hill Executive Director Susan Baker says while

at Christmas, she is most thankful for the recovery from

and sudden illness of

husband, James Baker. (Far right) Pastor Derrick Norris encourages others to reach out to family members during the holiday season. (Courtesy Photos)

Local ‘Packer Backer’ cultivates collection of memorabilia

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

Before entering the home of Jim Jones, one gets a glimpse of what awaits inside, as the first Green Bay Packers logos are visible from the driveway as the door swings open to be greeted by the 58-year-old Liberty Hill resident.

Once inside, it’s nothing but Green-andGold for 360 degrees as Jones’ collection of anything and everything related to the iconic, Wisconsin-based NFL team immerses you in a sea of memories that features jerseys, helmets, figurines, vintage publications, decorative ornaments and countless other trinkets emblazoned with the famous “G”.

Originally from Chandler, Arizona, Jones began following the Packers at age 10 during the glory years of Vince Lombardi leading the franchise to victories in the first two Super Bowls.

In fact, the very first piece of memorabilia he collected was a game program from that first Super Bowl in 1967 – which at the time was known simply as the “AFL-NFL World Championship Game” – as the latter-day term for the annual contest had not even been coined yet.

As a youngster growing up in a place without an NFL franchise, why did he choose Green Bay in the first place to pledge his allegiance to?

“My grandpa was a big Cleveland Browns fan and they were rivals of Green Bay,” said Jones. “All I heard about was the Packers – I didn’t even know what a Packer was.”

For the record, the team’s name originated from Green Bay’s meat-packing industry back in the early days of the NFL’s existence.

Jones and wife Odena left Arizona for stops in Northern and Southern California before moving to Texas and in particular, Liberty Hill, six years ago, but despite his changes in geography over the years, his colors have remained the same and his extensive collection has gone with him.

An extensive array of die-cast vehicles adorned in team colors occupies one table, including cars, trucks and planes, while another is host to a wide variety of magazines and game programs from over the years.

The entertainment center that houses the couple’s television is a cornucopia of items ranging from collector plates to various mugs, glasses and bottles to a miniature scoreboard that mimics the one at Lambeau Field, which the Packers have called home since 1957.

Speaking of which, Jones traveled to the historic venue for his first game there in December 2004 and said he was overcome with emotion as soon as he laid eyes on the stadium he had seen so many times on television.

“My wife and daughter were in the back seat and my son and I were in front,” said Jones. “As soon as we got there, we stopped, looked at the stadium and started crying.”

The result that day was enough to make it worth braving sub-freezing temperature, he said.

“We beat Detroit, 16-13,” said Jones. “But, it was so cold – 30 degrees with a 30-mph

wind.”

How serious is Jones about the Packers?

Green Bay is the NFL’s only community-owned franchise and Jones has his piece of the pie in the form of a framed certificate in one corner of his home representing the single share he proudly owns.

Jones also has a tattoo on his right forearm with the team’s logo – a gift from a family member.

“My son, who was in the Army, got home from Iraq and said he left $100 for me at a local parlor,” he said. “So, I went in and got it – that was about 16 years ago.”

On game days, Jones said he properly utilizes his variety of jerseys with the names and numbers of various Packers players over the decades.

“I’ll wear one jersey when the Packers are on offense and a different one when they’re on defense,” he said. “But, I won’t go as far as to match if they’re wearing green or white.”

Upon moving to Texas, Jones said he anticipated getting grief from the legions of Dallas Cowboys supporters in the Lone Star State, but that hasn’t necessarily been the case.

“When I got here, I thought I’d get a rash of baloney,” he said. “But, even when somebody does say something, it’s in a friendly way.”

According to Jones, his favorite piece of memorabilia is a photo of Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brett Favre that is autographed by the former Green Bay signal-caller, although he said he prefers the man currently under center for the Pack.

“Aaron Rodgers is better,” he said. “But, Favre was just so darned fun to watch, so he’s my favorite.”

Of course, no collection of Packers memorabilia would be complete without the famous foam “Chessehead” hat Green Bay’s fans have come to be synonymous with, which sits on a shelf under a table that features various bobbleheads and other figurines of Packers coaches past and present.

Jones currently counts approximately 450 items in his collection – with the majority of them on display – but said he never envisioned over a half-century ago when he started his collection that it would ever grow to what it is today.

“I never thought I would have all this stuff,” he said. “But, it just started snowballing and the best part of it is getting to show it all off.”

(Left) Jim and Odena Jones are devoted Packers fans. (Right) Liberty Hill resident Jim Jones has a collection of Green Bay Packers memorabilia numbering about 450 pieces he has acquired over the past 50 years. (Below) Jones shows off the first piece of memorabilia he collected -- a Super Bowl I game program along with a Packers tattoo proving his allegiance. PHOTOS BY SCOTT AKANEWICH

LOOKING BACK: Local woman published book claiming kin to the outlaw Jesse James

BY JAMES WEAR COLUMNIST

It’s been nearly a quarter of a century since the morning I sat down and visited with the late Betty Dorsett Duke regarding her book Jesse James Lived and Died in Texas. Mrs. Duke, who passed away in 2015, made a strong case in her book that her great-grandfather, James L. Courtney, and Jesse James were one and the same person. Mrs. Duke claimed that James faked his death in Missouri and moved to Texas where he lived a quiet life as a farmer until his death in 1943 at the age of 96. Of course, not all historians buy into Mrs. Duke’s theory. My recollection of my interview of Mrs. Duke was prompted by a recent documentary on the Fox Business Network that was less than kind in its retelling of the Jesse James story, painting him as a veteran of the Confederate Army who sought revenge on those who wronged his family and friends after the Civil War ended.

Hollywood has been far romantic in its various versions of the Jesse James legend, often depicting him as a Robin Hood sort of Western hero.

In the book’s preface, Mrs. Duke summed up much of her feelings, writing that, “This has been a complicated and confusing process for me, but worthwhile. If I hadn’t heard the story about my great-grandfather’s true identity all of my life, I would have never tried to solved the mystery of what really happened to America’s most famous outlaw…”

Back in 2014, Mrs. Duke wrote, “For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard that my paternal great-grandfather, known as James L. Courtney in Texas, was really the famous outlaw Jesse James. This is in part my story, but primarily it is the story of the man I knew as Grandpa Courtney…

“I will refer to my great-grandfather throughout this writing as Grandpa, because the family knew him as Grandpa Courtney. Grandpa told his daughter Ida; my grandmother, his true identity, and she passed that information down to her children. Then my father; Jesse W. Dorsett, kept the story alive by telling his children. Now it’s my turn.

“As a child, I had no reason to doubt the story, but as I grew older, I began to ques-

tion the family account. History reports that Jesse was shot dead by Bob Ford on April 3, 1882, at age 34 and was buried in Kearney, Mo.  Grandpa lived to be 96 and is buried in Blevins, Texas. I decided to chalk up the story as yet another one of those Texas tall tales. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered the family story about Grandpa being Jesse James is probably true.

“In 1995, I became interested in genealogy and recalled Daddy saying that in 1871 Grandpa rode up to the home of Thomas Hudson Barron (an early-day captain of the Texas Rangers) with saddlebags full of gold on both the horse he was riding and the one he was leading.  On October 31, 1871, Grandpa married Barron’s daughter, Mary Ellen, and they settled in Blevins, Texas, about 30 miles south of Waco.

“Grandpa and Mary Ellen had eight children – six girls and two boys. He farmed, raised cattle, hunted and was an avid beekeeper. From all appearances, he was just an ordinary farmer – that was what he wanted everyone to believe. But as my research showed, “ordinary” he was not:

“Grandpa paid $800 in gold for a 160-acre tract of land that he purchased from Barron in 1874.

“When someone would ride up to his house after dark, Grandpa would blow out all the coal-oil lanterns and lie down across the doorway with his pistol cocked.

“He had gold and silver buried in different locations, and maps with encoded messages documenting their location.

“George Roming of El Paso personally saw at least 30 bars of gold, weighing 15 to 20 pounds each, stacked on a shelf in Grandpa’s barn.

He had five-gallon buckets of silver dollars sitting around his house.

“He had more than $50,000 in ‘greenbacks’ in one of his trunks that he made his son count every day.

“When a new piece of farming equipment appeared on the market, he purchased it.”

Two of Duke’s children have carried on with her work. Her son, Daniel J. Duke, has written three books, including Secret History of the Wild, Wild West—Outlaws, Secret Societies and the Hidden Agenda of

Jozie Belle Wilson

The Matthew Wilson family mourns the sudden loss of their daughter and sister Jozie Belle Wilson, 15, of Liberty Hill, Texas.

Survived by her father Matthew, mother Marisa, and younger sister Cassidy, the Wilsons are supported in their grief by friends, family, and co-workers in the communities of Liberty Hill and Georgetown. Mr. Wilson serves the City of Georgetown as a captain in the city’s fire department. Marisa is a dental hygienist at West Family Dentistry in Liberty Hill and Cassidy is an 8th grader at Liberty Hill Middle School.

Jozie -- a sophomore animal science major at Liberty Hill High School – was JV captain of the Panther tennis team and played flute in the school’s marching band as a freshman.

Her passion for the outdoors and animal husbandry was evident through her active membership in the Liberty Hill FFA. Jozie showed market lambs and was a skilled animal and wool judge. She served as a camp creator and leader at Living Grace Canine Ranch in Bertram and also operated a pet and farm-sitting business with her 13 year-old sister. She enjoyed competitive shooting, and was active in gymnastics, martial arts, cheerleading, softball, and dance when younger.

Described as an introvert who preferred spotlighting the achievements of others rather than her own, Jozie was steadfast in her beliefs and unwavering in her gracefilled support of family, friends and others in need.

Family time was particularly meaningful to Jozie, and in addition to Matt, Marisa, and Cassidy, she is survived by the following members of the extended family:

From St. Charles county Missouri, grandparents Ted and Jane Wilson; aunt, uncle and cousins Traci, Corey, Caleb and Olivia March; great-grandmother Carol Wilson, preceded in death by great-grandfather Paul Wilson and great-grandmother Geraldine Sweares.

From Alvarado, Texas, aunt, uncle and cousins Robyn, Shawn, Avery, Dylan and Blake Fox.

From Milam County, Texas, grandparents Butch and Lauri Ditto; grandmother Donna Ditto; uncle, aunt, and cousins Daniel, Melanie, Jaxon, and Cooper Ditto; great-grandmother Angie Menzel, preceded in death by great-grandfather Curtis Huddleston and great-grandparents Truman and Florence Ditto Sr.

Those wishing to celebrate Jozie’s life are asked to do so with donations rather than flowers. Contributions can be sent to Jozie’s FFA and Tennis teams:

FFA: Put “JBW LH FFA Donation” in comments. Two ways to donate: Venmo: @ LibertyHill-LHLA PayPal: lhlivestockassoc@ gmail.com

Tennis: Put “JBW donation” in the comments. Venmo @LHTennis-BoosterClub

Or if mailing, address is: Liberty Hill Tennis Booster Club, P.O. Box 153; Liberty Hill, TX 78642

John 11:35 reads “Jesus wept.”

While we are weeping as well, we take comfort in the knowledge that Christ smiled as He welcomed our tender-hearted, talented, much-loved Jozie to his kingdom. Jesus needed more help with the animals in heaven and He called the right girl home.

Services for Jozie were held at Rock Pointe Church in Liberty Hill on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

Working canines provide variety of services at LHHS

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER

Service dogs have long held a place in their handlers’ hearts, along with those they serve – be it a police K9, a therapy dog or any of the myriad kinds of canines that serve a variety of purposes.

Liberty Hill High School currently has a trio of four-legged servants, with each performing a distinctly different role as the result of specialized training designed to bring about the desired results.

One is a working dog, another specializes in helping provide comfort and yet another guards against medical emergencies – and each one has a story.

On the beat

Anyone who spends any time at all on any of the eight campuses spread across the Liberty Hill Independent School District knows Nosek, the gregarious, playful Belgian Malinois that functions as the K9 for the LHISD Police Department.

Nosek is a working dog trained to detect various kinds of drugs and paraphernalia while patrolling the halls of the high school with his handler and owner, Sgt. Jason Wolf, of the LHISD PD, who said there are two characteristics a working dog needs to be proficient.

“The biggest things are temperament and energy,” said Wolf. “A dog needs to have the right kind of temperament to be able to go through the training process and the energy to go out and work and not get tired. But, most of all, you need a dog that is willing to work.”

Working dogs have an inner mechanism known as a “toy drive” – an instinct that creates a relentless desire to seek out and find particular objects they are fond of.

For Nosek, his favorite is a black rubber grenade he will chase down with an unrelenting pursuit until it’s firmly in his mouth and is focused on nothing more then securing it – the exact trait that enables him to sniff out and find the different kinds of narcotics he’s trained to detect.

School police conducts random checks around the high-school campus, which is

when Nosek springs into action doing what he does best – searching and finding, said Wolf.

“For example, if he goes into a room, all the drawers will smell the same to him, except for the one that has one of the drugs he’s trained to detect because his nose is so sensitive,” he said. “When he finds something, he’ll usually just sit down near it.”

However, during his travels around the district, Nosek will often times find himself chasing other various objects, such as foul balls at Panthers baseball and softball games, outracing young spectators that usually track them down.

According to Wolf, one of Nosek’s biggest strengths is his ability to function around all the school-age children he comes into contact with on a daily basis.

“He’s very good around kids,” said Wolf. “I think a lot of them know him better than they know me.”

Interestingly enough, his name suggests his job description, as “Nosek” is Polish for “nose,” – he was born and bred in Poland – although he responds to commands in Czech.

Despite his serious business while on the job, though, Nosek is a playful spirit that always manages to brighten up whatever situation he finds himself in, said Wolf.

“With as goofy and funny as he is, it’s hard to have a bad day when he’s around,” he said. “He’s my sidekick.”

When his work for the day is done, Nosek heads home with Wolf to his 5 1/2-acre home where he has plenty of company, as he is one of 14 dogs Wolf houses in his own private kennel, along with many other animals including horses, goats and donkeys,to

name a few.

But, when the sun rises the next morning, it’s back off to work again – for both man and dog.

“You know, that’s one of the best things about my job,” said Wolf. “I get to take my dog to work with me.”

Canine comfort

When a student at Liberty Hill High School finds him or herself in Missy Whitsett’s office, they have been referred because they are struggling with multiple stressors including, but not limited to, academic pressure, family situations, social pressures and anxiety.

Whitsett is the school’s mental health counselor, in charge of corralling teenage emotions gone wild in her calm, soothing surroundings decked out in all manner of unique trinkets and various objects designed to relax the minds of her students.

However, a few brand-new items have been added to her collection, not the least of which is a crate in one corner of the room that serves as shelter for Gus, an Australian

Cattle Dog/Brittany Spaniel mix that acts as a therapy dog – a calming companion that can ease the tension that sometimes exists when a student finds him or herself in her office, said Whitsett.

“It really depends on what each student needs in the moment,” she said. “For every person that comes in her, it’s different.”

Currently, Gus is going through the Animal Assisted Counseling Academy program at Texas State University to become a certified therapy dog, but that doesn’t mean he can’t already offer what a troubled student needs – even for just a moment.

“Some people just need a dog to sit on their foot to feel better,” said Whitsett. “For others, it might me to brush or pet him, play a game or teach a skill. Sometimes, it seems like, on some level, Gus knows exactly what his job is.”

Whitsett said she can sometimes use Gus as a gauge for how a student is feeling.

“I’ve learned a lot about dog psychology through my years of training at Texas State and with other professional dog trainers,”  she said. “You can learn how to read a dog’s

Liberty Hill High School student Cameron Cousins and Oce, a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix that serves as a medically-tasked service dog due to her cerebral palsy and epilepsy, are an inseparable pair. (Courtesy Photo)

body cues and incorporate that into your counseling. For example, he can tell when a student is getting anxious – body position, his eyes, ears or tail will do certain things and it’s my job as a handler to know these things so that I can guide and facilitate a safe, healthy and beneficial interaction for the student and for Gus.”

Of course, it’s been said the way to a dog’s heart is through their stomach and Gus is certainly no exception – in fact, there’s a particular treat he simply can’t get enough of, said Whitsett.

“Gus loves cheese,” she said. “Especially cheddar.”

Sensing the invisible Cameron Cousins walks the halls of Liberty Hill High School attending classes just like any other student.

But, the junior is differentiated from her classmates by the company she keeps in the form of Oce, a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix – a medically-tasked service dog – that is trained to know when Cousins is about to suffer a seizure, the result of her cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

“When I was born, I had a collapsed lung, so my brain wasn’t getting enough oxygen, which caused a stroke,” said Cousins. “So, that part of my brain is dead, which is what

causes my cerebral palsy.”

Amazingly, Oce can sense a chemical change inside Cousins’ body that is the early warning of a seizure and alerts her to be ready before she even realizes what’s happening herself.

Cousins said this skill is the result of intensive training Oce underwent to familiarize himself with her body chemistry.

“When Oce was training, we sent them clothing items and blankets that belonged to me,” she said. “We sent ones from when I was feeling normal and others from when I was having a seizure, so he learned how to tell the difference.”

Cousins’ body gives off an odor undetectable by humans when she is about to suffer a seizure – one Oce can recognize and make her aware of.

“It’s like an early-warning system,” said Cousins. “I can have focal seizures, when I’m conscious of what’s happening and absence seizures, which is when I’ll just stare off into space, then go black and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Cousins has had Oce at her side since fifth grade after traveling to Ohio to participate in his training, which was where the chemistry between the two was first forged, she said.

“I went there for two weeks,” said Cous-

ins. “I’m actually afraid of dogs, but at one point, we had one of those ‘Lassie’ moments and immediately had a bond – there was a connection and we had a lot of trust.”

Perhaps the primary factor in the cohesion between the pair is the similarity in personality types, she said.

“I’m a very calm person – I kind of like to just go off and do my own thing,” said Cousins. “In class, Oce will just lay down by my desk and sleep.”

Earlier on in her educational experience – before she had Oce – Cousins said she struggled with not fully understanding her

condition and the limitations it placed on her.

“I never really fit in and I didn’t know why,” she said. “I got bullied pretty bad, but that all stopped when I got Oce in fifth grade.”

Ever since, the pair is virtually – and in many cases, literally – inseparable.

“Oce never leaves me alone – when I’m at home, I can switch rooms and he’ll always follow me,”said Cousins. “He gives me a lot of comfort and a feeling of protection – I always feel safe.”

(Above) Missy Whitsett, Liberty Hill High School’s mental health counselor, will use Gus, an Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler, as a certified therapy dog once his training is complete. PHOTO BY SCOTT AKANEWICH (Right) Nosek, a Belgian Malinois, functions as a K9 for the Liberty Hill ISD Police Department and is trained to detect various drugs. (Courtesy Photo)

Bullying: Does LHISD have a problem?

In aftermath of student suicide, many parents say yes and district officials respond

BY RACHEL MADISON STAFF WRITER

Is bullying a problem in the Liberty Hill Independent School District? If you ask City Council member Will Crossland and his wife, Amanda Crossland, that answer will be a definite yes. The Crosslands lost their son, Jaycee, a 15-year-old sophomore at Liberty Hill High School, to suicide in October after learning he had been bullied by his peers for coming out as gay just a couple of weeks prior.

Since his death, the Crosslands, particularly Amanda, have been advocating for ways to improve how students are treating each other across all campuses. She has created an online group called Jaycee’s Hope, which she plans on turning into a nonprofit organization, and has used that platform, among other social medias, to gather stories from parents and students within the district who have their own bullies.

Amanda Crossland said going through this process has opened her eyes to the issues of bullying that kids are being subjected to in and out of school, and through her new organization and by meeting with LHISD officials, she hopes to spark some real change, including how these cases are handled by administrators.

Bullying in LHISD

While the district does have a student code of conduct with an extensive section on bullying, some parents feel like the protocol isn’t being followed as it should be.

Kristie Rickard moved her family to Liberty Hill after hearing about the wonderful culture and community the school district provided, but said once her daughter, Simone Burns, started at Liberty Hill Middle School, her perspective on the community changed.

“Other kids spread rumors about my daughter, they told her she was fat and ugly, and even told her to kill herself,” Rickard said. “They would make fun of her in passing and call her a whore and a slut. I was at the school almost daily telling administration she was being harassed.”

Rickard said she doesn’t feel like officials did as much as they could, even though she reported what was going on.

“I have never received an answer from the district as to what they were going to do to resolve the issue or make it better,” she

said. “We just kept hearing ‘kill them with kindness, be patient, things will change.’ Are you kidding me? They were basically telling my daughter this was acceptable behavior.”

Rickard said this year, she transferred her daughter to a school in Leander Independent School District because LHISD wouldn’t do anything to help her feel safe.

“She missed 173 days of school in one school year last year in sixth grade,” Rickard said. “We got no resolution, and my daughter begged me to move her to a new school.”

Rickard said she has contacted the TEA as well as the Texas State Board of Education to file a formal complaint. She is also planning on hiring an attorney to help her navigate through the concerns she has about her daughter’s treatment within LHISD.

Another Liberty Hill parent, April Neves, said her sixth-grade son, who she wants to remain anonymous, has also been bullied.

“He got punched on the bus, had an issue in gym class where some girls were picking on him and hitting him, and one kid even ‘pantsed’ him in the locker room,” Neves said. “Those things have been figured out and handled by the district, but he now has another bully that we are currently in the process of pressing charges against.”

Neves said the student is known for poking his finger into other students’ behinds without them knowing, as well as making “humping” motions on their legs.

“We signed a paper that says that boy can’t even make eye contact with my son, but we are pressing charges for my son and for the kids that can’t speak up and are scared,” Neves said. “If we don’t do something now and this kid doesn’t learn from this now, I don’t want to think what will happen in high school.”

Neves’ daughter, Teagin Neves, is a freshman at LHHS who plays basketball and is a part of the FFA. She has been attending LHISD schools since fifth grade, and said she has seen multiple incidents of bullying.

“I have been personally involved in this bullying and while my bullying was not super severe, I did have feelings of not wanting to go to school because of it,” she said. “It is sad for me to say that throughout the almost six years that I have been attending Liberty Hill that no one has stepped up to the extreme bullying issues within the district. I believe that in the high

school alone there are over 100 kids being bullied because of the way they look or the way that they dress.”

Teagin Neves added that cyberbullying has gotten out of hand, because some of the accounts that are used for bullying are untraceable.

“I want to speak up against the issue,” she said. “Most kids are scared to speak up against the issues because they will be made fun of or called a ‘snitch,’ but I am fine with being the ‘snitch’ because this is a severe issue in this school district and it needs to be stopped immediately.”

How does the district respond?

Superintendent Steve Snell said bullying within LHISD “is not tolerated.”

“The challenge with bullying is that when a kid gets bullied they might not report it to anybody at school or home,” Snell said. “In the past, bullying would occur at school but students always had a place that was safe, like home or church. Now bullying happens in so many forms. With cell phones and social media kids can’t escape from it. It comes to them 24 hours a day. None of it is good or what we want in schools.”

Snell added that across the district, teachers and staff are actively working with students to be nice to each other and build each other up.

“I think our schools do a good job of offering things to help kids connect,” he said. “The last couple of years with COVID created more isolation, and I think our teachers do a good job supporting the kids through that.”

Snell said every bullying case is treated differently. Bullying and harassment consequences are listed in the student code of conduct and parent/student handbook, which can be accessed by anyone on the LHISD website.

“There is an official bullying report we do, and then we have district protocols in place that we go through at the campus level,” Snell said. “We contact the kids involved and their parents. There are two parts to it. If you are bullying someone, there are consequences, but there’s also an education piece so that you can understand the behavior you are engaged in is not appropriate.”

Jamie Richardson, the counseling coordinator for LHISD, said if a school counselor becomes aware of a bullying situation, the assistant principal is notified to take care

of the issue on the disciplinary end, while on the counseling end, the goal is to provide students with support.

“In many cases we aren’t just providing support to the student who is being bullied, but we also reach out to the student who is doing the bullying because there is usually something going on there, too,” she said.

“We want to help them get to a place where they understand bullying is not a wise decision and understand why they are lashing out in such a way.”

LHISD Trustee Kathy Major said the school board’s role is to provide support to what district officials are doing, while also addressing it for the serious issue that it is.

“The board and the school district at large are keen on reducing bullying to the maximum extent, and as a board we are ready to help oversee proactive plans moving forward, and be in support of the district and what they need to make those plans happen.”

How has bullying changed?

Major, a retired Liberty Hill principal, said bullying has been around as long as people have been socially involved, which means it’s not a problem that can be solved overnight. Add to that the extra layer of social media that’s a big part of students’ lives now, and it makes bullying that much easier.

“Social media is a platform for bullies because they can say anything they want and there’s not really an accountability for it,” Major said. “It’s so immediate it gets to people right away. Just about anybody at any age can use social media to gain some sport of power, which is where bullying is centered.”

The Crossland family was joined by friends and supporters at the State Capitol recently to bring awareness to teen suicide. (Courtesy Photo)

Lady Panthers’ playoff performance one to be proud of

Liberty Hill advanced to the Class 5A state tournament

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

When the season began, the Lady Panthers’ volleyball team was adjusting to a new head coach with a new core of players a er having lost a group of seniors who had formed the nucleus of the squad the year before.

But, Marie Bruce entered her first season as head coach with high hopes.

Suffice to say, her team not only met her expectations, but exceeded them in advancing to the Class 5A state tournament.

According to Bruce, her squad’s potential combined with work ethic and belief propelled them to lo y heights.

“Going in, I knew our team was super-talented,” said Bruce. “But, they’ve really bought into me and what I want from them. Most of all, they believe in themselves.”

In the end, the Lady Panthers were defeated by Reedy in the state semifinals by a score of 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-12), but that certainly didn’t diminish a season that saw them finish with an overall record of 42-11 and a second-place district finish with a mark of 11-3.

Liberty Hill finished runner-up in the district standings by virtue of its pair of defeats at the hands of Rouse, but when the Raiders once again stood in their way in the regional finals, the Lady Panthers exacted revenge on their rivals with a stirring 3-1 (11-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-22) victory.

Bruce said once her team dropped the opening set, they knew they needed an all-out effort to get back into the match and eventually prevail.

“We had to reset ourselves a er that first set and remember our game plan,” she said. “With every match being win-or-go-home, that’s even more reason to leave it all out on the court.”

Leading the way against Rouse was junior outside hi er Gigi Mason, who collected 19 kills, while Taylor Gaines hammered home 11 and Kealy Dirner eight.

While Dirner has been among the Lady Panthers’ kill leaders all season, Bruce said Gaines has steadily improved her play as the campaign has progressed and is now an integral part of the Liberty Hill rotation.

“Taylor has been huge for us in the playoffs,” she said of the sophomore outside hi er. “Especially against Rouse.”

Ge ing started

Going into this season’s Class 5A state playoffs, the Lady Panthers were determined to avoid their postseason fate of the past four years when they exited with opening-round losses.

Following a 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-22) victory over Tivy at LBJ High School in Johnson City, the Purple-and-Gold could rest assured when their heads hit pillows, knowing they would indeed live to fight another day a er having vanquished the ghosts of previous postseasons.

“There is so much pressure off our shoulders now,” said Dirner, who led Liberty Hill with 11 kills. “When the match started, I

was nervous like, ‘This is really happening.’”

Throughout the match, Dirner’s net presence and serving skills were on display – along with her defensive prowess in repelling several howitzers off the swings of Tivy hi ers to keep plays alive that were seemingly ticketed for the hardwood – a fact that wasn’t lost on Bruce in the a ermath.

“We’ve been pu ing a lot of pressure on Kealy to be a more well-rounded player,” said Bruce. “We’ve wanted her to realize her complete role on the team and tonight she stepped up big for us.”

Dirner admi ed the additional responsibilities can be a bit burdensome, but embraces the concept of helping her team win in a variety of ways.

“It’s difficult to do,” she said, of ge ing low to dig balls off the floor in addition to flying high above the net. “But, as a hi er you’re a be er player if you play defense also.”

Moving on

With their first-round playoff exit jinx

firmly in the rear-view mirror following their opening-round victory over Tivy, the Lady Panthers carried that momentum over into an area-round match-up against Harlandale – a 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-12) victory over the Indians that propelled them into the regional quarterfinals.

Mason led Liberty Hill with 13 kills in a match the Purple-and-Gold firmly controlled from the outset against the District 28 champions.

Bruce praised Mason for her ability to recognize when to put the hammer down and when to take some pace off her shots depending on the situation.

“Gigi knows when to be smart and when to be aggressive with her swings,” she said.

“I think that comes with just more maturity and thinking through situations.”

According to Mason, she was simply part of a well-oiled machine in the win.

“Everybody had great energy tonight,” said Mason, who entered the match leading the Lady Panthers with 376 kills on the

Ultimately, Liberty Hill finished third at the Class 5A state tournament at the end of a highly successful season. (Courtesy Photo)

Coming off a high

Lady Panthers hoops looks to build off postseason run

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

Last season, the Lady Panthers made a dramatic playoff run all the way to within a game of qualifying for the Class 5A state tournament – all the more remarkable considering they failed to even make the postseason the previous year.

But, a new season is like the morning sun rising at the outset of a new day.

What happened yesterday no longer matters.

It’s what comes next that does.

Which is why this season is a script flip for Head Coach Chris Lange, as in coming off a memorable campaign instead of a disappointing one.

However, the fact still remains.

As wonderful a ride as it was, this year presents a massive challenge for a team that lost eight seniors – and four of its starters – to graduation.

“We only have three seniors this year,” said Lange, of forwards Abbie Billingsley and Kelsey Bullock and center Payton Hanson. “So, the message we’re trying to get across to them is to remember how hard it was last year.”

Indeed, last season began with muted expectations coming off the non-playoff campaign the previous season, but Lange said as the season wore on, everything slowly, but surely fell into place.

“Early on, we took some lumps, but we stayed together,” he said. “Little by little, the pieces came together – we stayed the course and by the end of the year we were a different team.”

Stepping up

Billingsley was a backup for most of last season during her first on the Lady Panthers’ varsity, playing behind starter Kenzy Wise, but when the senior was injured in the playoffs, Billingsley was asked to step into a bigger role and responded.

Now, the starting job is hers from the get-go and the 3-point sharpshooter is planning on taking what she gleaned from that experience and using it this time around, she said.

“I think the biggest thing I learned was how to stay calm in pressure situations,” said Billingsley. “Also, to be able to keep my teammates calm.”

As a senior herself now, Billingsley is taking more of a role in guiding her younger

teammates through the same trials and tribulations she experienced as an underclassman.

“Back then, I was so scared to talk – I don’t think any of the seniors even knew my name,” she said. “I always thought the best player on the court was the one that was supposed to be most vocal, but now I know that’s not true. Also, I’m a lot more confident now.”

Moving forward

One player that is back this year is sophomore point guard Gabby Mundy, who took over the starting role midway through last year and never looked back in playing with a poise beyond her inexperience at the varsity level.

According to Lange, Mundy can only continue to get better.

“Gabby’s definitely going to improve as we go along and she gets more and more minutes on the court,” said Lange. “I was a little surprised she did so well last year –especially with some of the tough teams we had to face – but after awhile I had a really good feeling about her.”

Lange said perhaps the best aspect of last season’s team was the absolute buy-in he had from everyone up and down the entire roster – a formula that produced fabulous chemistry and one he will try to replicate with this year’s team.

“You hope the girls going into those open spots will have the same kind of attitude,” he said. “We’re just trying to push them forward.”

District competition

This season, the Lady Panthers find themselves in a new district, with Georgetown and East View gone and replaced with Lockhart and Lehman.

However, defending state champions Cedar Park – who defeated Liberty Hill in last year’s regional finals – remain, although Lange doesn’t view the Timberwolves as the league favorite.

“I think Glenn is No. 1, then Cedar Park,” said Lange. “After that, it could be anybody.”

Lange added last season’s modest goal of simply making the playoffs with a No. 4 seed increased to something more as his team worked its way down the final stretch of the regular season.

“We had those two tough losses to Georgetown,” he said, of a 33-31 home overtime defeat to the Eagles and a 29-25 away setback to their nearby neighbors. “But,

when we beat Glenn the first time (a 41-24 road win over the Grizzlies) and we moved ahead of them into third place, it was like ‘Okay, it’s on now.’”

However, it was a victory even earlier on Lange highlighted as a turning point for what the Lady Panthers were truly capable of accomplishing.

“We went down to the Lake Travis tournament after we were already a couple games into district and we beat them,” he said, of a 40-31 win over the host Cavaliers. “They’re a strong (Class) 6A school – I think that sent a message that maybe we could do

something.”

Looking back one last time

Lange said moving forward, he will always look back on last season as a truly special one.

“Last year was easily the most enjoyable of my career,” he said. “Nothing against the other teams I’ve had, but the relationships I had with those girls and how we had each other’s backs was special and better than any wins or losses. You’re asking young people to trust you and you’re trusting teenagers in return – it was a lot of fun and very rewarding for coaches and players.”

(Top) Senior Abbie Billingsley (#12) got valuable experience during last season’s playoffs after stepping in for an injured starter. (Above) Sophomore point guard Gabby Mundy (#2) is the only returning starter from last season’s team that advanced to the Class 5A regional finals. PHOTOS BY ALEX RUBIO

Continuing a winning culture

Panthers football program on a never-ending mission

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

Once Liberty Hill was defeated in last season’s Class 5A Division II state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, it didn’t take long for Panthers head coach Kent Walker to start thinking about next season.

“Maybe the next week,” said Walker. “Or on the ride home.”

The latter answer is more likely for a program that settles for nothing less than the highest of standards.

While other teams may be satisfied with merely a winning record or a playoff appearance, the Purple-and-Gold always has its sights set on a much loftier goal.

According to Walker, that mentality was instilled in the program by the man the field at Panther Stadium is now named for.

“All of that started with (former Liberty Hill head) Coach (Jerry) Vance,” said Walker, of the coach that led the Panthers to a pair of state championships in 2006 and 2007. “He established a culture here.”

It’s a mindset that has been carried on since Vance’s retirement following the 2016 season first by head coach Jeff Walker and now Kent Walker – but there’s more to it than that.

“We have great kids, great coaches and a great community,” he said. “All of them have bought into it.”

However, as Liberty Hill continues to grow by leaps and bounds, is there a danger of losing that all-important “small-town feel” element?

“Sure there is and it’s a scary thought,” said Walker. “But, regardless of how quickly or rapidly we keep growing, we’ll still always keep doing what’s best for the kids.”

This season, in order to test his team early during its quest for a return to the state title game, Walker scheduled perhaps the most difficult non-district slate the program has ever seen, including home games against Wagner of San Antonio and Georgetown and road contests versus Hutto and Rouse, with the Panthers winning three of four.

But, even in victories, Walker and his staff are never completely satisfied, which fuels the fire of constant improvement.

“You can always go back, look at film and see things we need to get better at,” he said. “We struggled early on in the year, but we’re

a lot more confident now.”

After its first two seasons as a Class 5A program were spent in a non-competitive district, this season provided a fresh start – one that included district opposition that was a bit tougher, including a 56-49 home win over Veterans Memorial of San Antonio and a 35-14 road win against Lockhart.

But, for this team – and this program –the non-district and district portions of the schedule each year are simply a precursor to the postseason, where the stakes and the reward are exponentially higher.

“There’s always added pressure in the playoffs,” said Walker. “But, we still don’t deviate from our routine and what we do to get ready for games. Our players know the expectations and none of that changes.”

Keeping a razor-sharp focus on the job at hand from day to day is critical, with no thoughts of what lies ahead – only what is right in front of you at the moment.

“Distractions are the enemy of greatness,” said Walker. “We don’t talk about winning a state championship. All we do is work hard to get better every day and when you do that, the rest usually takes care of itself.”

So, at season’s end this year – whenever that may be – Walker said he’ll be happy under one condition.

“We want to win every game, but winning isn’t the end-all, be-all,” he said. “We can be frustrated with the outcome, but if our kids give it all they have and play the game the right way, that’s what really matters.”

(Above) Whenever Liberty Hill’s football team takes the field, it brings with it a culture of excellence fueled by ambitious expectations and high standards – which usually leads to winning. (Below) Senior quarterback Reese Vickers (#16) has taken on more rushing responsibilities as the season has progressed giving the Panthers an additional threat out of the backfield. (Below right) Head Coach Kent Walker and his team have been on a mission to return to the Class 5A Division II state championship game. PHOTOS BY ALEX RUBIO

Marching on to excellence

Liberty Hill High School Band captures area title

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER

When Shawn Murphy arrived to take the reins of the Liberty Hill marching band in the fall of 2021, he had a vision for what he wanted his new outfit to look like when it performed under the lights on a Friday night.

It was an ambitious one that would take time to implement – or so he thought, anyway.

“At the beginning, I had a five-year plan for what we wanted to accomplish,” said Murphy. “So, we’re a little bit ahead of that.”

This fall, the Panthers band advanced to and won an area championship in only Murphy’s second year in charge – the furthest a band could go in a year when the UIL isn’t staging a state championship.

The band has put on a program entitled “American Soldier”, a tribute to military service members complete with visuals and sound effects to simulate soldiers moving around a battlefield to go with an original score.

According to Murphy, selecting the proper subject content for a program is a critical element in producing a successful show.

“You have to make sure you know your audience and what’s right for them,” said Murphy. “Last season, we did the (former Liberty Hill head football coach) Jeff Walker tribute with the same idea.”

However, the tipping point for tailoring this year’s show was an occurrence from last football season that left quite an impression on Murphy, he said.

“We had a home game right after the Marines were killed overseas,” he said, of the Aug. 26 suicide bombing that took the lives of 13 service members at the Kabul, Afghanistan, airport, including Army, Marines and Navy personnel. “The players ran out onto the field carrying flags from the different services and it was such a moving moment for me – that was when the wheels started turning in my head.”

Murphy added that a family tradition of military service also influenced the choice.

“My dad was in the Army right after Vietnam and my grandfather was in the Navy during World War II,” he said. “I grew up hearing stories from them about the camaraderie of the guys they served with – I realized at a young age how lucky we are to be living in this country.”

Having a blueprint

Imagine what it would be like to coach three football teams worth of players all at once and one gets somewhat of an idea of the scope of Murphy’s responsibilities for the 130 members of the Liberty Hill marching band.

As for determining what are realistic goals for them as a unit, Murphy said it’s an ever-changing blueprint.

“What we’re trying to do is always a moving target,” he said. “We don’t aim for what we’re capable of at the beginning of the year, but what we’ll be able to do by the end – in other words, what’s achievable with work.”

Murphy uses a method that involves first mastering the basics before expecting his musicians to be able to grasp more complicated schemes – one that isn’t all that different from what those they share the gridiron with do, he said.

“Early on in the year, we go slow, like a stripped-down playbook, so to speak,” said Murphy. “After that, we begin to add in wrinkles as they get more confident.”

Of course, along with that comes the synchronicity that is expected from a marching band moving in precision.

“It’s all about doing the same thing, the same way at the same time,” he said. “The bands that do that best are the ones that get rewarded.”

Relentless reworking

Just like a football team will review film after games to evaluate its performance, the band does the same thing.

“Every Monday we look at film of our last performance – we’re always adding or changing something based on what we see,” said Murphy. “The kids come in and expect that – it’s critical to be able to tailor your show to the strengths of the band we have.”

Murphy certainly isn’t alone in the pursuit of excellence, as assistant directors Ashlynne Turner (woodwinds), Justin Zimmerman (percussion) and Evan Turner (color guard) each have their own area of expertise – much like assistant coaches that specialize in particular positions on the field.

“Our job is to teach them,” said Murphy, who oversees the brass section. “With our system, we can make them better and they become better because they have to. We have our sights set on being a state-finalist band and our success this year sets us up for the future.”

Murphy said the band’s accomplishments this year are a testament to the work ethic and desire of everyone involved.

“We couldn’t have done what we’re doing now 12 months ago,” he said. “We have the elements, so now all we need to do is push ourselves higher – the pieces are in place and that’s when the magic starts to happen.”

Support system

Murphy attributed much of the band’s success to the legions of supporters it has in backing them up with whatever they need.

“Our kids are ready to be good,” he said. “All they need is a system and the support to go along with it and our booster club serves in that role.”

In addition, the seeds for high school success are sown at the middle school

level, with band director Michelle Scroggie and

Jared

Liberty Hill Middle School, and

Hill and

Perrin in the same roles at Santa Rita Middle School. They are grooming the next generation of Purple-and-Gold marchers, said Murphy.

“We have middle school kids that can’t wait to be in the high school band,” he said. “It’s a great time to be a Panther.”

Murphy said the high standards that for so long have been part of the Panthers athletic program is starting to spill over into other areas.

“Liberty Hill is a special place – we want to be good at everything – and that includes fine arts and band,” he said. “I believe we’re in the right place at the right time to do well.”

(Above) LHHS marching band captured an area championship recently with its show “American Soldier”. (Below left) Each section of the band must be coordinated separately, then orchestrated with the others in forming a cohesive performance (Below right) Director Shawn Murphy has organized his musicians into an award-winning unit in just over a year since taking over the program. PHOTOS BY ALEX RUBIO

assistant

Clarkson at

Lisa

John

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the Elites

Daniel and his sister, Teresa, have also wri en The Mysterious Life and Faked Death of Jesse James in which they continue to offer evidence that the outlaw lived out his final years in Texas under a fake identity.

According to a narrative promoting that book, the brother-sister duo “present the results of more than 20 years of exhaustive research into state and federal records, photographs, newspaper reports, diaries, and a 1995 DNA test in search of the truth behind Jesse James’ demise.

“Explaining how the accepted version of the history of Jesse James is wrong, the authors confirm their family’s oral tradition that James faked his own death in 1882 and lived out his remaining days in Texas. They methodically unravel the legend surrounding his death, with evidence ve ed by qualified experts and civic authorities. They share the journal of their great-great-grandfather, kept from 1871 to 1876 and verified to be wri en in James’s handwriting. They reveal forensically confirmed photographs of James before and a er his supposed killing, including one of James a ending his own funeral. Examining James’ life both before and a er his faked death, they

provide an account of where he lived and who he associated with, including his interactions with secret societies. They compare the contradictory newspaper reports of James’ death with accounts by his family and associates, which support that the man buried as James was actually his cousin, and reveal how James tricked authorities into believing he had been killed.

“Further supporting their claim, the authors debunk the DNA test results of the exhumation of James’ body in 1995. The Dukes detail the ways in which the test was fraudulent, an assertion supported by the deputy counselor for Clay County at the time of the testing. Backed by a wealth of evidence, the descendants of Jesse James conclusively prove what really happened to America’s Robin Hood.”

There are volumes of work available on the web regarding the Jesse James controversy, and one suspects one motivating factor of those backing the belief that he died in Missouri could be traced to the amount of tourism dollars that flow into various sites in that state. Whoever one chooses to believe, it remains a fascinating subject for those interested in the history of the Old West.

Christmas Worship Guide

DECEMBER 4

ROCKPOINTE CHURCH

LIBERTY HILL

170 CR 214, Liberty Hill (512) 259-8872 | rockpointechurch.com

• FREE Professional Family Christmas Photos 9-11am

DECEMBER 11

CROSSTRACKS CHURCH

101 Church St., Liberty Hill (512) 515-0070 | crosstrackschurchumc.org

• Christmas Potluck 5:30pm (Santa is joining us)

• Christmas Concert/Cantata at 7pm

• Christmas Tree Lighting with hot cocoa & sweets

DECEMBER 24 -Christmas Eve

ANDICE BAPTIST CHURCH

Bully

Snell said it’s hard to say if bullying has go en worse in the district over the four years he’s been superintendent, but what he can say is that the amount of bullying cases are very underreported. But why don’t students report when they’re bullied? Snell said when he talks to them personally, they say they just don’t want any drama.

“If we are truly going to have a culture of no tolerance then it has to be reported,” he said. “Kids are savvy and a lot of times this doesn’t happen in front of adults, which is why it’s so critical to report it. Call or email the administration or a teacher, and we will act on it.”

Richardson has worked at four different school districts in the counseling arena but has only been part of LHISD since August 2021. She said she can’t answer whether or not there is a bullying problem in LHISD, but she said she has not heard from her counselors that they are seeing a disproportionate amount of bullying so far this year compared to last school year.

“What I can say is that the introduction of social media has increased the access to bullying,” she said. “We can have filters on their campus devices, but we can’t control what students are doing on their personal devices outside of school.”

Are changes being made?

Since joining the staff at LHISD, Richard-

6570 FM 970, Florence (254) 793-2557 | andicebc.org

• Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 6pm

CONNECT CHURCH

491 Santa Rita Blvd, Liberty Hill ghbc.org/connectchurch

• Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7pm

CROSSTRACKS CHURCH

101 Church St., Liberty Hill (512) 515-0070 | crosstrackschurchumc.org

• Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7pm

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH 3600 RR 1869, Liberty Hill (512) 515-5579 | fellowshiplh.com

• Christmas Eve services 3pm, 4:30pm & 6pm

THE HILL CHURCH

111 Holmes Road, Liberty Hill thehillchurch.church

son and the campus counselors have standardized the practice of offering guidance lessons in prevention.

“It had been happening previous to that, but it was happening more loosely,” she said. “Now we make it a point to make it a part of our guidance lessons from kindergarten through 12th grade.”

Richardson has worked in counseling for over 20 years. She said bullying can start as early as third grade, which is when things like name calling begin, and it can last through high school.

“Bullying is taken very seriously by counselors,” Richardson said. “Our goal is that every student feels a sense of belonging and safety at school, and if they don’t feel that way, we really want them to come talk to us so they can get the support they need.”

Bryon Ellison, Liberty Hill High School principal, said the biggest thing students can do is if they see something, they need to say something. He said school administrators can’t get involved if they don’t know what is going on. He believes his staff is very proactive when it comes to investigating claims of bullying, as well as harassment and mistreatment.

“If there are things happening off campus that create problems on campus, we will address the problems we see on campus,” Snell added. “If a kid has an outcry to us as well, we can address that as well if there are things going on outside of school.”

Snell added that the current push for

• Christmas Eve Service 2pm

MISSION LIBERTY HILL

LUTHERAN CHURCH (LCMS A liated) 15725 W Hwy-29 #7, Liberty Hill (512) 778-9310 missionlibertyhill.com

• Christmas Eve Worship 6pm

ROCKPOINTE CHURCH

LIBERTY HILL 170 CR 214, Liberty Hill (512) 259-8872 | rockpointechurch.com

• Christmas Eve Services 4pm & 5pm

DECEMBER 25 - Christmas Day

ANDICE BAPTIST CHURCH

6570 FM 970, Florence (254) 793-2557 | andicebc.org

• Christmas Day Service 11am

CROSSTRACKS CHURCH

101 Church St., Liberty Hill (512) 515-0070 crosstrackschurchumc.org

• Comfy Worship with Breakfast Tacos at 10am. Wear your pajamas and children bring a gift from home for Children’s time

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH 3600 RR 1869, Liberty Hill (512) 515-5579 | fellowshiplh.com

• Christmas morning breakfast 10am

MISSION LIBERTY HILL

LUTHERAN CHURCH (LCMS A liated) 5725 W Hwy-29 #7, Liberty Hill (512) 778-9310 | missionlibertyhill.com

• Christmas Day Worship 10am

JANUARY 6

HOLY ANNUNCIATION

ORTHODOX CHURCH

5205 County Rd 236, Liberty Hill (512) 782-9940 | annunciationtx.com

• Eve of Navity. Royal Hours 10am. Vespers of the Feast 7:30pm

JANUARY 7

HOLY ANNUNCIATION

ORTHODOX CHURCH

5205 County Rd 236, Liberty Hill (512) 782-9940 | annunciationtx.com

• The Nativity of our Lord in the Flesh, 3rd & 6th Hour Prayers 9:40am, Divine Liturgy 10am

the district is to incorporate student-led anti-bullying campaigns.

“We feel when students lead, they can make a positive impact,” he said. “It can be impactful if we have anti-bullying campaigns that are student led. Every campus is going to do that through their student council and honor society, and some are farther ahead than others. We want to make sure that we sustain a culture where all kids are welcome and treated fairly and don’t have to worry about a bully situation.”

Major said if bullying issues within the school district are going to be solved, then the students themselves need to be involved in solving them.

“The board has to take a role of support in this, but if historical a itudes are going to change and we are going to fight against bullying in our schools and community, then we have to allow the students to take the lead.”

Major added that bullying is a worldwide conversation, and it should be, but each case of bullying should be treated individually.

“The most important thing we can do is get an idea from the kids on how we can change this idea that you can’t report what’s happening because it’ll get worse,” she said. “That’s not true. We have to let our older kids take a lead in this, because the li le kids watch our big kids. If they have high standards and accountability, the li le kids will, too. And the parents and community also have to be involved.”

Major, who has worked in education her

entire career, said when she used to be a principal in LHISD, a lot of times parents and students would wait until nearly the end of the school year to report an ongoing bullying situation.

“I would ask them why they waited until the end of the year to tell me, and they would say they didn’t want to make it worse or just thought it would go away, but if you report it, it doesn’t make it worse. It brings it to light.

Bullying doesn’t happen in front of teachers most of the time, so we have to all work together if we’re going to combat it.”

Major added that there’s not a teacher she’s worked with in all her years that hasn’t been keen on keeping bullying at a minimum.

Snell said there’s no magic way to put a stop to bullying, but it’s instead a multitiered approach.

“Every case is different and there are different layers of consequences depending on the severity and amount of bullying,” he said. “Those consequences are lined out in our code of conduct. And I wish I could tell you consequences would be 100 percent effective, but they aren’t always.”

The LHISD Student Code of Conduct and Parent/Student Handbook can be accessed here: Student Handbooks / Student Handbooks (txed.net)

The anonymous tip line for bullying incidents can be found here: Anonymous Tips / Anonymous Tips (schoolwires.net)

Swim squad continues splashing to success

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH SPORTS EDITOR

In a sport where results are measured down to the hundredth of a second, improvement can be quite incremental.

However, when your team’s name is on top of the scoreboard at the conclusion of a swim meet, all of those fractions of seconds add up to victory.

Liberty Hill’s swim team is currently in its fifth year of existence – a relative newcomer to the Central Texas aquatics scene compared to more established programs such as Cedar Park and Rouse.

But, the Panthers accomplished something this season they hadn’t to this point when they won the team title at the Burnet Invitational in October – a watershed moment for the program, said Head Coach Dimitra Becker.

“I’ve seen this program from the day it started,” said Becker, who is currently in her second season as head coach following time as an assistant. “All I’ve seen is constant improvement.”

Swim meets feature three different team scores – one each for girls, boys and combined, which is the overall winner.

At the Burnet meet, Liberty Hill finished with 747 points to second-place Burnet, which posted 684.

Liberty Hill’s girls won with 551 points, while the Panthers boys were second with 196.

On the individual side, event winners for the girls included sophomore Addison Gonzales, who won the girls’ 200-yard freestyle in 2:19.09, sophomore Zaria Avestruz (100yard freestyle, 58:18 and 100-yard backstroke, 1:09.68), freshman Kaleigh Pituch (100-yard breaststroke, 1:17.99), sophomore Presli Jensen (200-yard individual medley, 2:43.97) and senior Victoria Phegley (50yard freestyle, 26:31).

On the boys’ side, freshman Jack Boyd won the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.88), while junior Cooper Hardy won the 50-yard freestyle (24.77) and 500-yard freestyle (5:15.91).

Gonzales said despite the team’s recent success, it doesn’t necessarily get the same kind of fanfare as other teams in more established sports.

“I think there’s a misconception that what we do is easy,” she said. “People say ‘Oh, I could beat you.’”

Pituch has persevered despite chronic arthritis, although she said she needs to monitor her condition constantly in order to get the most out of herself in the pool.

“All of my joints don’t want to work like they should,” said Pituch, who also nurses a shoulder injury. “Sometimes, it gets more painful when I work harder at it.”

According to Becker, shoulder issues in female swimmers are simply nature at work.

“It’s a very common thing for them to

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

Young man of many interests

Sophomore immerses in multiple extracurriculars

BY SCOTT AKANEWICH STAFF WRITER

Think back to when you had just turned 15.

You were probably a sophomore in high school still perhaps adjusting to everyday life going to school with the big kids – maybe even a bit overwhelmed by it all.

But, not George Spivey.

The Liberty Hill sophomore is already a young man with a plan.

Spivey is not only a top student, but he’s also involved in almost too many activities to count, no less having enough time in the day to participate in them all.

Debate, robotics, DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), HOSA (Health Occupational Students of America) and oh, by the way, on the athletics side of things, cross country and track.

Indeed, Spivey’s plate is more full than a hungry football player at a buffet.

But, that’s just how he likes it.

“My mom has always preached if you’re busy, you can’t get into trouble,” said Spivey. “I’ve seen what life has done to some kids and told myself, ‘That’s not going to be me.’ I’ve always enjoyed doing a lot of different things and being in so many clubs has helped me.”

Of all the different extracurricular activities he participates in, though, Spivey lists one as his absolute favorite.

“Definitely debate,” he said. “Every event we compete at is a road trip, so there’s always that camaraderie, especially when we went to state. Also, (teacher) Ms. (Tammy) Ballard is great.”

According to Spivey, he initially sought to pursue a career that would see him shooting for the stars – in a quite literal sense.

“At first, I wanted to be an astronaut,” said Spivey. “But, then I really thought about it and realized you have to be a pilot, so I decided to look at some other options like engineering.”

However, the idea of that eventually began to fade from his mind, he said.

“By my freshman year, I realized I didn’t really want to be that (engineer) after all,” said Spivey. “I had a perspective change.”

Spivey has decided he wants to attend Texas Southern University, a historically Black school in Houston, in order to help him grow even more as a person.

“I don’t want to go to one of the big schools like (Texas) Tech or (Texas) A&M,” he said. “I don’t believe I’m defined by my race, but I think going to a Black college will help me when I’m ready to get to the next level.”

Something else Spivey plans on doing once he graduates from college is to follow in the footsteps of both his parents and wear the uniform of his country.

“I want to be an Army officer,” said Spivey, whose mother Dawn and father George were both noncommissioned officers in the Army – who met while stationed in South Korea. “Also, my grandpa was a pilot during the Korean War, so my family has a legacy I want to live up to.”

As far as a vocation, Spivey said pharmaceuticals are definitely in his future, he said.

“When people think about medical, it’s usually all about the doctors and nurses,” said Spivey. “I think EMTs and pharmacists are under appreciated.”

Suffice to say despite his relative inexperience in life, Spivey has a firm hold on the world he lives in and what lies in store for the future.

“In life, you make your own choices,” he said. “So, no matter who you are, you can be successful.”

Panthers freshman Kaleigh Pituch contributed to Liberty Hill’s first-ever overall meet victory at the Burnet Invitational. (Courtesy Photo)

Winning medals and awards has become a common occurrence for George Spivey, who is active in robotics and debate along with many other activities. (Courtesy Photo)

Swim

season. “We just needed to be consistent.”

All-out effort

Annie Wi had no idea what she was doing when the sophomore desperately lunged headlong a er a ball that was careening out of bounds late in the third set of the state regional quarterfinal match against Canyon.

But, she did know one thing.

She was going to keep the play alive no ma er what it took.

Indeed, Wi ’s outstretched hand got enough of the ball to send it back toward her teammates, who finished off the point in helping send Liberty Hill to a 3-0 (25-22, 3432, 27-25) victory over Canyon at LBJ High School in Johnson City.

Bruce said Wi ’s sell-out-style effort was exactly the kind of play she needed from her team if they were to defeat the Cougars, who entered the match with an overall record of 41-7 a er having tied atop its district standings with a 14-1 mark during the regular season..

“Going in tonight, we wanted to make sure we outworked them and we didn’t quit until the very last point,” she said, of her squad’s relentless pursuit of loose balls throughout. “I told them, we don’t give up on any ball, on any play and they showed that tonight.”

At season’s end, the second set was one the Lady Panthers may look back on as the one that ultimately propelled them to great things.

Dirner collected a kill to begin the set, followed by fellow junior outside hi er Mason winning three straight points with pinpoint kills off precise sets from senior Macy Land and junior Carson Glenn, who have formed a late-season dynamic duo of a supply line since the former was inserted into the starting lineup down the stretch of the campaign.

A late 5-0 Canyon run put it into position to finish off the set at 24-22, until Wi came to the rescue with a winner to prolong the set into what was about to become a marathon.

The sides combined to successfully fight off nine set points until finally with the score 33-32, it was Mason who powered home the last of her three straight kills to win the set for Liberty Hill.

As for the momentum the Lady Panthers gained from prevailing in such a high-flying, drama-filled set, Wi said they had learned from an earlier occasion this season.

“We lost a set like that at home against Rouse,” she said of the 31-29 second-set loss

to the Raiders on Oct. 18 during the second round of district play in a match they would go on to lose in four sets. “When that happens, it definitely sucks the life out of your team.”

Bruce echoed the critical nature of the outcome of the set and the impact it would have on the match as a whole.

“We were down a majority of that set, so to actually come back and win it and for them to have to fight back and win two in a row was huge,” she said. “I think it did a lot for our confidence and also our momentum for the match.”

But, if anyone among the raucous crowd packed into the small gym on the campus of the Class 2A school thought the Cougars’ will was broken following the harrowing second set, they were sorely mistaken.

In fact, if the second set was a barnburner, the third was a three-alarm fire and it was the Cougars that looked to be dousing the flames of their season going up in smoke, as Canyon got out to an 11-7 lead midway through.

However, Mason went on another tear, with three consecutive kills, followed by a block to pull LHHS within a point at 15-14 before Wi and senior Morgan Poulain contributed a kill and a block, respectively, on the ensuing two points to reclaim a 16-15 lead.

Mason got her final kill of the evening to tie the score at 22-22, then Wi picked

up another until Liberty Hill served for the match at 26-25.

Just as the match had begun, the Lady Panthers’ block challenged a Canyon shot and sent it back from where it came to close out the Cougars once and for all.

Mason led with 15 kills, while Dirner added 13 and Wi nine in the victory.

Bruce a ributed her team’s success this postseason to an unyielding desire to emerge victorious.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “What we’ve been able to do as a team is just a testament to the fight my girls have and their determination to be successful.”

have shoulder problems,” said Becker. “It’s just how they’re made, so we have to be real careful during our workouts and back off when we need to.”

Despite their status as underclassmen, Gonzales and Pituch have both taken on leadership roles within the team that belies their relative inexperience.

“I don’t like to mess around,” said Pituch. “As the oldest of six children, I always like to take the wheel and it’s the same with my teammates. I just think it should come down to who’s more responsible.”

Gonzales said part of the process is to indoctrinate new swimmers into how things must be done – and it’s not always going to be easy.

“Sometimes, we have to tell people, ‘Okay, this isn’t middle school anymore,’” she said. “You’re going to have to feel some pain.”

Part of that pain comes from the rigorous dry-land training the Panthers do – even more critical due to the fact the team still doesn’t have a pool to be able to practice together.

“I think we have the strongest dryland program in the state,” said Becker. “We want to train our swimmers to be athletes, which will help their bodies in the pool.”

Becker said the overall state of the Panthers’ program will continue to get be er as time goes by.

“We’re in a good place right now,” she said. “All we need to do is keep up the momentum we have.”

(Above) Lady Panthers head coach Marie Bruce led Liberty Hill to the Class 5A state tournament in her first season with the Purple-and-Gold. (Below) Gigi Mason (#14) led the Lady Panthers in kills and one one of the main catalysts in their playo run this season. PHOTOS BY ALEX RUBIO

Dec. 3

LIBERTY HILL CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

Downtown Liberty Hill Festival – 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Parade – 6 p.m.

Guests can shop, eat, and enjoy music during the day, while the kids ice skate, play in real snow, visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and so much more!

Tickets $29-69 512-986-7411 hautespotvenue.com

Dec. 7

ALL ELITE WRESTLING DYNAMITE-RAMPAGE

HEB Center

2100 Ave of the Stars, Cedar Park 6 p.m. Tickets $32-83 HEBCenter.com

Dec. 8

WADE BOWEN WITH SOUR BRIDGES

Haute Spot

1501 E. New Hope Dr., Cedar Park 6 p.m.

Tickets $23-65 512-986-7411 hautespotvenue.com

hometownwateringhole.net alicia.boychuk@gmail.com

Dec. 10

2100 Ave of the Stars, Cedar Park 7 p.m. Tickets $19-64 HEBCenter.com

BERTRAM COUNTRY

CHRISTMAS

Downtown Bertram

9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Kids Dash, float parade, vendor and food booths, photos with Santa, kids zone, live music all day and more! More info, email: bertram marketsfestivals @gmail.com

Dec. 4

MARSHALL TUCKER BAND Haute Spot

1501 E. New Hope Dr., Cedar Park 6 p.m.

Dec. 9

AHL HOCKEY TEXAS STARS VS. CHICAGO WOLVES

HEB Center

2100 Ave of the Stars, Cedar Park 7 p.m.

Tickets $19-64 HEBCenter.com

DJ TX RENEGADE  Hometown Watering Hole 3317 E. Hwy. 29, Bertram 8-11:30 p.m., No Cover 512-355-7377

JESSE

LOPEZ Y LOS FUNKY MONKEYS

Hometown Watering Hole 3317 E. Hwy. 29, Bertram 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $10 Cover 512-355-7377 hometownwateringhole.net alicia.boychuk@gmail.com

Dec. 11

4TH ANNUAL DECK THE HILL HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

Liberty Hill, Georgetown 1-5 p.m. $25 per ticket, all proceed go to Project Graduation 2023 This annual Holiday Home Tour showcases six exquisitely adorned Holiday Homes in LHISD. Each home has it’s own offering of food and/or drinks. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to Project Grad 2023, a non-profit entity which provides a safe post graduation experience to graduating Seniors. More info: www.facebook.com/ deckthehill/ Purchase tickets at www. eventbrite.com (search: Deck the Hill Holiday Home Tour 2022).

6TH ANNUAL NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE - PRESENTED BY THE DANCE ACADEMY & BALLET ACADEMY NORTH Liberty Hill High School 3-5 p.m. Tickets $25 Purchase tickets at thedanceacademytx.com/events Join us for this annual holiday tradition. With new choreography, sets, and costumes - this is an incredible performance you won’t want to miss!

Dec. 16

WILLIAM BECKMANN LAS POSADAS TOUR: HOPE FOR UVALDE Globe Theater 132 W. Vaughn St., Bertram 8 p.m. Tickets $20-400 globetheatertx.com

SECOND HAND ROSE BAND  Hometown Watering Hole 3317 E. Hwy. 29, Bertram 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $10 Cover

512-355-7377 hometownwateringhole.net alicia.boychuk@gmail.com

Dec. 17

OAK RIDGE ACADEMY

WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

1400 Spivey Road, Leander 6-9 p.m. Help Oak Ridge Academy fund their future school building at its new location! Celebrate the holidays: walk the trail of holiday light displays, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa from the cocoa bar, roast s’mores at the bonfire and shop for gi s from local vendors. Cost: $10/per child under 10, $20/per person 11+. Purchase tickets at Eventbrite (search: Oak Ridge Academy Winter Festival of Lights).

Dec. 22

BRAZILBILLY 2ND ANNUAL HONKY TONK HOLIDAY Globe Theater

132 W. Vaughn St., Bertram 8 p.m. Tickets $20 globetheatertx.com

ROGER CREAGER

Haute Spot

1501 E. New Hope Dr., Cedar Park

8 p.m. Tickets $22-52 512-986-7411 hautespotvenue.com

Dec. 20

AHL HOCKEY TEXAS STARS VS. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS HEB Center

Dec. 30

AHL HOCKEY

TEXAS STARS VS. TUSCON ROADRUNNERS

HEB Center

2100 Ave of the Stars, Cedar Park 7 p.m. Tickets $19-64 HEBCenter.com

Dec. 31

NEW YEARS EVE W/FUSION ATX

Hometown Watering Hole

3317 E. Hwy. 29, Bertram 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. $10 Cover 512-355-7377 hometownwateringhole.net alicia.boychuk@gmail.com

Liberty Hill Christmas Festival (Kendra Cofer photo)

Bertram Country Christmas

Second Hand Rose Band

Roger Creager

Brazilbilly

Shane T. White Clyde Davis Connie Fuller Ginger Floyd Michelle Cearley Debby Norman