Liberty Hill General Excellence 8-15-19 by The Liberty Hill Independent

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2019

Volume 32, Issue 37

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August 15, 2019 | 50 Cents

Proposed City budget adds 17 new jobs

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The City of Liberty Hill is growing, and Mayor Rick Hall wants to see the City staff grow with it – proposing 17 new positions in the proposed budget. The proposal also includes $60,000 listed under “Mayor and Council” on the City’s administrative personnel budget. “When Becky (Wilkins) and I started working on the budget with Liz (Rundzieher), we noticed some of the departments were lacking what we thought was adequate stafﬁng for the rapid growth our city is seeing,” Hall said. “We really tried to nail things down, and of course we couldn’t give everyone everything they wanted, but we picked up a lot we felt should have come over in the last few years, so we’re trying to get as much as possible this year and still be able to take the

See CITY BUDGET, Page A5

Former City Administrator Greg Boatright was forced out Monday when the Council, following a 90-minute executive session, voted to accept his resignation. (LHI File Photo)

Council parts ways with Boatright

ANDREA BROWN PHOTO

Liberty Hill returns to school

Becky and Andy O’Dell walked their daughter, Camy, into Liberty Hill Intermediate School Wednesday. Camy is in the 5th Grade, and is one of 4,799 students who attended school on the ﬁrst day Wednesday.

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor When Liberty Hill City Administrator Greg Boatright emerged from executive session near the end of Monday’s City Council meeting, he sat in the front row of the audience rather than in his spot on the dais. A few moments later, with no explanation or discussion, the

See BOATRIGHT, Page A5

Pounding the pavement

Panther Band braves heat to honor the brave

MIKE EDDLEMAN PHOTO

The Panther Band closes out a nearly four-hour morning practice last week before heading indoors for an afternoon of additional work. The marching band’s halftime show this fall features patriotic music.

Budgets and taxes and hearings, oh my

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor August means three things in Texas and those are triple-digit temperatures, back-to-school excitement and the task of creating of local government budgets. Over the next three to four weeks, Williamson County, the City of Liberty Hill, Liberty Hill ISD, and Williamson County ESD #4 will pass a budget and tax rate that could greatly impact area residents. Each of the four will deter©2019 The Liberty Hill Independent

mine a tax rate and set a budget for next year, deciding where to cut expenses, where to add and how to balance it all in the end. Each is required to hold at least one posted public hearing before the ﬁnal vote to approve the budget to allow for community input. Below is a basic breakdown of the schedule and important numbers and issues facing each of the four taxing entities. A property owner’s tax bill can rise or fall based on two different numbers – the adopted tax rate and or their property value as determined by the Williamson County Appraisal District. Certiﬁed property values across Williamson County have risen

$5.6 billion in the last year, which means tax bills will increase for many in the county unless tax rates are lowered. Tax rates are calculated on every $100 in property value, so if a tax rate is $0.10 per $100 valuation and a property is appraised at $125,000, the annual tax bill for that property would be $125. Budgets are broken down into at least two funds, the General fund or Maintenance and Operations (M&O) and the debt fund or Interest and Sinking (I&S). The two amounts together make up the ﬁnal tax rate. City of Liberty Hill The current tax rate for the

See BUDGETS, Page A4

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The sun is high and the reﬂection off the pavement is blinding. The metronome seems to count beats slowly, marking time and making practice seem a little bit longer like a slow ticking clock. The Panther Marching Band has felt the temperature rise to above 90 since practice began at 8 a.m., and as the 100-plus musicians near the end of the morning, this is the time where success is made. “The last hour and a half is probably the toughest because the sun is up overhead, there’s not as much shade and it is just

getting hotter and hotter,” said junior Sarah Saint. “You can say this is where I ﬁx my mistakes and learn what I’m doing or I slack off and don’t pay attention and just go through the motions. It’s a really critical point in the day.” For two weeks the Panther Band is out on the parking lot marching all morning, and in the band hall all afternoon, working to make sure every move is in step and every note is right for this year’s program. “It’s pretty grueling because we’re out here for several hours and there’s a lot of heat,”

See BAND, Page A6

Williamson County sets November bond election

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor Following three months of information gathering and number crunching, the Williamson County Commissioners Court finalized the amount and list of projects to be on the ballot for the Nov. 5 bond election. The bond consists of two propositions, the first a $412 million road projects package and the second a proposal to spend $35 million on park improvements. Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long felt like the final version reflected the efforts of the bond committee when it came to gathering public input. “I was very happy with the level of effort that Matt Powell and Joe Bob Ellison went

to, making their way to each council meeting in Pct. 2 trying to make sure they got input, not just from councils but they had several public meetings so I think the outreach was good in trying to hear from local public ofﬁcials and the public as well,” Long said. Throughout the selection process, Long has emphasized the need for cities to show a willingness to commit local funds to projects. She saw some of those examples in Liberty Hill. “There were a couple of different projects the City expressed a willingness to participate in,” Long said. “One was the Long Run extension, turning that into a public road as it extends through Stonewall. One of the other projects there was a high

level of interest in participation in was in trails and one of the ones that made it to the list was a trail down Bagdad connecting Liberty Hill to the entrance to the new park.” What voters will see spelled out in the ofﬁcial bond election propositions may be different than the larger list of projects being planned. “We have the projects that will go in the speciﬁc proposition language then we have the other project list of ones that when you add all those together make up the total project list,” Long said. “Just for the sake of words every single one of them doesn’t go into the bond language.”

See COUNTY, Page A4

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 15, 2019

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

Public Meetings

The following are standing open meetings that are subject to change within the guidelines set forth by the Texas Open Meetings Act. For the most current meeting postings, and meeting agendas, visit the respective websites. - Liberty Hill City Council, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, City Council Chamber, 2801 RR 1869. libertyhilltx.gov/agendacenter - Liberty Hill ISD Board of Trustees, 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, LHISD Administration Bldg., 301 Forrest Street. libertyhill.txed.net

American Heritage Troop recruiting girls ages 5-18

August is recruitment month for American Heritage Girls Troop TX 0923. American Heritage Girls provide life

skills development, faith building, community service, leadership growth, and outdoor experiences. Program meetings run September through May, Monday evenings 6-8 p.m. at the Harvest Ranch, Williamson County Cowboy Church, 8355 RR 1869 in Liberty Hill. Pathﬁnders is for girls age 5, Tenderhearts is for girls age 6-8, Explorers is for girls age 9-11, Pioneers is for girls age 12-13, and Patriot is for girls age 14-18, on or by Oct. 31, for each level. Patriots may not be older than 18 on Oct.31. Registration is $26 per girl (family cap of $60 for 3 or more girls) and dues are $25 per girl. For additional information on uniform and handbook costs and other questions please contact Heidi Watts, Troop Coordinator and Registrar at 512-663-7210 or email at hjhwatts@gmail.com. The American Heritage Girls (AHG) is a Christian-based

Scouting-like organization. The organization has more than 43,000 members with troops in all 50 states and 15 other countries. There are thousands of volunteer members across the country helping girls to grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine!

Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild hosts show

The Chisholm Trail Quilt Guild is hosting its bi-annual quilt show. This year’s theme is “Blooming Color.” The 2019 quilt show will be held at the Dell Diamond United Heritage Center, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock, Texas 78665. The show is Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Show tickets will be available at the door. Parking is free. The show features over 100

quilts on display; vendors; a Silent Auction with buy-itnow options; a Boutique of hand-made items; Granny’s Attic full of gently-used fabric, patterns and notions; plus a rafﬂe quilt.

Cub Scout Pack 196 hosts Scout Night

Liberty Hill Cub Scout Pack 196 is hosting its annual new scout night Aug. 26 at Cross Tracks Church. The event, scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m., is free and open to kids in grades K-5 and their parents. A fun-filled evening is planned with activities, games, and a great opportunity to find out all about scouting with a chance to meet scouts, parents and leaders from the pack, and join. Learn more at www.pack196. org or find the Pack on Facebook.

OBITUARY Cameron Cosper Cameron Cosper, 21, was called to his eternal resting place on August 1, 2019. He entered this world on September 28, 1997 in Longview, TX, born to Jerry and Sherri Cosper. Cameron was a resident of Pﬂugerville, Texas. He passed from a motorcycle accident in San Antonio, Texas. Cameron graduated Manor High in 2016 and later received his certiﬁcate of completion in Welding Technology from Texas State Technical College in December 2018. He was

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employed as a welder by Dennis Steel of Leander, Texas. He enjoyed spending time with his friends and family and being outdoors. Always willing to lend a helping hand to a friend in need. Cameron enjoyed simple pleasures and observed the world and would always think before speaking. He had wisdom beyond his years. He will be deeply missed by all. He is survived by his mother Sherri Cosper of Liberty Hill, TX, father Jerry Cosper of Manor, TX, brother Blaine

Cosper and wife Ashley Cosper of Austin TX, grandparents Dennis and Beverly Fogarty of Jacksonville FL, and Robert and Mavis Cosper of Longview, TX, his nephew Alexander Cosper. Also survived by Aunts and Uncles Camie Flowers, Denise Davis, Morgan Allen, Randle and Yvonne March, Murry Flowers and survived by many loving cousins and friends. Memorial services were held at Beck Funeral Home in Pﬂugerville, Texas on August 10th at 2pm.

Liberty Hill Police Blotter Prepared by Liberty Hill Police Department

Week of August 5-11, 2019 The Liberty Hill Police Department responded to or self-initiated a total of two incidents resulting in five cases, 17 citations, 14 warnings and no arrests. Weekly Highlights • On Aug. 6, at approximately 9:40 AM, officers responded to the 1000 block of Loop 332 for a fraud complaint. • On Aug. 6, at approximately 4:31 PM, officers responded to the 15000 block of W. SH, to assist the Liberty Hill Fire/ EMS with a grass fire. • On Aug. 7, at approximately 2:11 AM, officers responded to

10000 block of W. SH 29 for a suspicious package. • On Aug. 7, at approximately 2:41 AM, officers responded to the 2000 block of RR 1869 for an accident. • On Aug. 7, at approximately 1:37 PM, officers responded to the 700 block of US 183, to assist the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office with a theft in progress. • On Aug. 7, at approximately 7:06 PM, officers responded to the 2000 block of RR 1869 for a fraud complaint. • On Aug. 8, at approximately 12:09 PM, officers responded to the 14000 block of W. SH

29 for an accident. • On Aug. 8, at approximately 1:44 PM, officers responded to the 100 block of Loop 332 for a burglary complaint. • On Aug. 9, at approximately 12:40 PM, officers responded to the intersection of W. SH 29 and US 183 for an accident. • On Aug. 10, at approximately 6:55 AM, officers responded to the 15000 block of W. SH 29 for a loose livestock complaint. • On Aug. 10, at approximately 11:11 PM, officers responded to Syrah Ct for a disturbance complaint.

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Thursday, August 15, 2019

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Throwback Thursday

Willie’s 1975 picnic in Liberty Hill drew thousands of fans, but in the weeks leading up to the concert, many local residents expressed concerns about the event. (Courtesy Photo)

Four decades ago, Liberty Hill was a bit nervous as Willie was planning his visit

By JAMES WEAR Columnist Over the years I’ve sometimes found myself wond e r i n g what it would take to bring a certain redheaded stranger and his guitar back to Liberty Hill and sing a few of his songs to us. I have to admit, I did make an inquiry some 35 years back, and learned on a typical weekend booking Willie Nelson and Family would require the “willieingness” to ink a check for $50,000 and given at the time that’s more than I brought home in a three-year period I quickly abandoned the idea and was content to limit my Willie experience to buying his records and attending a couple of his picnics. But recently, and I decline to name my sources, I’ve heard rumblings, like those of watching a distant thunderstorm approaching, that maybe, just maybe, there’s an interest in landing Willie on a local stage. I haven’t heard such talk for nearly 20 years, not since the days when wife Paula and I would drop in at Henry’s Bar in Seward Junction and owner James Henry, a friend of Willie’s, would say, “Willie might be dropping by this week, you just don’t never know.” Now many of you recall Willie’s third Fourth of July Picnic was held in Liberty Hill, and

those of you new to Liberty Hill have likely heard some of us share memories of that day, or read of them in this column where at least twice over the past few years we’ve recalled that day when thousands of fans descended upon Liberty Hill where they paid $7.50 at the gate to see Willie and his guests, which included the likes of Kris Kristofferson and the Pointer Sisters. We’ve addressed that before, but we haven’t devoted much space to the days leading up to that concert, when it appeared public opinion was divided as to whether the local population gave the event its blessing. The publisher of a the local newspaper at the time (The Libertarian) was a fellow by the name of Ellis Posey, and he admitted in an editorial that he was personally opposed to Willie’s Liberty Hill Picnic, although he added, “I vow to respect the opinions of those who are in favor of it.” Posey devoted the entire front page of the May 9, 1975, edition of his newspaper to the upcoming picnic under a banner headline “Willie Nelson’s July 4th Picnic Gives Liberty Hill The Willies.” In the story beneath the headline, Posey related conversations he’d either had or overheard in the weeks leading up to the picnic. Remember, this picnic was being held only six years after Woodstock, and for many, memories of Woodstock included what they’d seen on the evening news...images of long-haired youth and young

ladies, many scantily-clothed, standing and dancing shoulder to shoulder in a large ﬁeld that covered acres in front of the stage. Posey quoted one conversation he’d overheard. “You going to that Willie Nelson music thing?” “Nope, thought I’d just stand at the gate and watch the show.” “You cain’t (sic) watch the show from the gate. You gotta pay $7.50 to get in and watch the show.” “That’s not the show I’m talkin’ about. I can see all the show I want to see for free, standin’ at the gate.” Posey also reported he’d contacted the late Sammy Allred, then a deejay at the KVET radio station in Austin, who told Posey, “I’ve known Willie for a long time and he wouldn’t do nothin’ to hurt any community. He’s a good ole’ boy.” Posey also quoted an individual he identiﬁed only as a “longtime businessman” of Liberty Hill, who said, “Folks don’t have anything against Willie Nelson personally. It’s just the element he’ll bring here.” Forty-four years later and I wonder if that would still be a concern. Willie is 86 now, and while he admits he’s still smoking weed and performing as often as he can, many of his fans may be past the age of rowdiness. I guess time will tell if Liberty Hill would be ready for his return.

#BringWillieToLH2020

Page A3

Bringing a youthful look at current issues

By SAMANTHA CARTER Student Intern “I’ll even f e t c h your coffee if it gets me the job!” was the way I pitched myself to The Independent’s Managing Editor, Mike Eddleman. As an incoming junior at Liberty Hill High School, I am painfully aware of the steps I must take to individualize myself in a growing world of conformity. Having worked at Concordia University as a marketing intern for the past six weeks, the ball has begun rolling, and I am fortunately eager enough to encourage its spin. As an avid reader, my childhood was an imaginative swarm of colors and fantasies. A diverse sprawl of people lived within my hands, and from this love of books sprouted a desire to create those very things I’d dreamed of. I wanted everyone to realize that there were worlds beyond this one, places both different and alike from the one we lived in. I soon understood that there was an obtainable power that allowed me to do

just that -- writing. However, at the age of 10, I received my ﬁrst phone and I began to realize that the world I lived in, though devoid of mythical creatures and faraway galaxies, did contain many aspects of the books I’d read, albeit with a diminished sense of charisma. Within my hands I now had access to my world as well as imaginary ones, with reality often miles ahead in its complexity. Though I cannot properly represent the entire high school population, let alone teenage humanity, I want to express my aspirations in relating the student mindset in the best way I can. As a person born after the creation and popularization of the ﬁrst cell phone, what I see and learn is no longer limited to my community. Teenagers are fully aware, whether or not it be with adequate information, that there are things beyond Liberty Hill, problems beyond classes. Teen depression has skyrocketed in the past decade, and by no coincidence as the projection of social issues taps into our televisions, video games, cell phones and computers. I want to voice our concerns so that they might be better understood. I want to explain our worries so that they may

cause change. I recently finished a trip to New York where I visited such campuses as Vassar, Marist and New York University. After returning to Liberty Hill, I reestablished the need to diversify and excel. The world seems bigger than it did when I was 10, due more so to the fact that I can type a question and it will be answered. I can look up a problem and will be shown a thousand more similar global conflicts. Working at The Independent is an opportunity that I believed out of reach three months ago. Through my internship at Concordia University where I wrote blogs, updated social media and organized data, I learned to introduce myself. I gained confidence in my ability as a worker and a writer, eventually leading me to where I am today. I hope to achieve my ambitions with the ever-growing awareness that my high school career affects my future’s overall stability. Just as I am more than a high school junior and a goalie of our soccer team, the youth of Liberty Hill is more than brains, athletes, basket cases, princesses and criminals. My goal is to offer a window into our perspective.

Five of Liberty Hill’s six Girl Scout troops are seeking a new home for weekly meetings as school starts. The troops all once met at Cross Tracks Church, but when a ﬁre destroyed one of the church’s buildings early this summer it meant a number of them would no longer have a place to gather at their regular time. Now, troop leaders are hoping for some help ﬁnding new locations. The troop that meets Wednesday still meets at Cross Tracks, but the two on Tuesday and three on Sunday need a meeting location. “It adds consistency to have a regular place to meet that is not someone’s home,” said one of the troop leaders Laure Lee Heyer-Fraunhofer. “If you go to someone’s house

the girls go crazy wanting to go into their friend’s room or see things. And most homes aren’t big enough with table space to do crafts. The troops average 15 girls and they need an hour and a half to two hours per week on their meting day. “Most times we have a meeting then do something toward a badge, then outings are different times, but every troop is a little different,” said Heyer-Fraunhofer. Even with Liberty Hill growing as fast as it is, she said there are not a lot of spaces available for meetings. She added that the donated space would be well-looked after and taken care of by the girls who are always mindful of one of their mottos, which is to leave a space cleaner than it was when you arrived.

Having so many opportunities locally for girls to participate makes a huge difference for them as they grow. “It’s a very good experience for the girls to grow, become leaders and build conﬁdence to let their voices be heard,” she said. “I don’t think the girls realize how important it is until they are older.” It also does a lot of good for the community as well. “Right now we have a bronze project going on to improve the City Park,” Heyer-Fraunhofer said. “We helped Hope House build a salsa garden, and help Operation Liberty Hill with programs. We are a big part of the community.” Anyone with space that might be available or suggestions can email Heyer-Fraunhofer at ladybuggirlscouts@ gmail.com.

Girl Scouts seek new home

Learn more about Alzheimer’s at luncheon

LEANDER – It is estimated 390,000 Texans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to grow. In an effort to increase disease awareness, provide community education to caregivers and support those affected by the disease, Alzheimer’s Texas will host an educational Lunch N’

Learn from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 13 at Leander Chamber of Commerce, 100 North Brushy in Leander. Shannon Johnson-Quaife, Ph.D. will explain methods for gaining support, adapting to your role as your loved one’s illness progresses, managing common caregiving challenges, and practicing

good self-care. As with all of our services, there is no charge to attend, and a light lunch will be provided. Register by calling (512) 241-0420 ext. 11 or send an email to SJohnsonQuaife@ TXAlz.org. For more information, visit www.txalz.org.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

EDC helping dress up City

By MIKE EDDLEMAN Managing Editor The Liberty Hill Economic Development Corp. (EDC), with a vote of approval from the City Council Monday, awarded its 17th grant under its facade and sign grant programs to Wildﬁre Republic. Wildﬁre Republic, at 13651 SH 29, is moving in to the space formerly occupied by The Blue Door Gift Store. Plans include painting of the outside of the building, add-

ing ﬂower boxes, new signage and a mural on the side of the building facing east down SH 29. The total cost of the project is $2,983 with a grant amount of $1,491. Ten businesses took advantage of the downtown program before it was expanded last year to include other business corridors, and now seven more have been approved. “Quite a few of the businesses downtown took advantage

of the program,” said EDC Executive Director Lance Dean. “We initiated it for the rest of the businesses on 29 and it’s doing really well.” The EDC has spent $60,451 on completed projects to date with three of the approved projects still in the planning process. New appointment The EDC went into executive session to discuss appointing a

See EDC, Page A6

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NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bid proposals addressed to MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC on behalf of Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 23 (the “District”), c/o LandDev Consulting, LLC, Attn: Caylea Pogue, will be received from qualified bidders until 2:00 pm CST on September 12th, 2019 at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735, for furnishing all labor, supplies, and supervision necessary for construction of Morningstar Phase 3, Section 3 (the “Project”). The Project involves construction of subdivisions and associated infrastructure including grading, roadway, water quality ponds, waterline, gravity wastewater line, storm sewers, erosion controls, and associated appurtenances. Bids will be opened and publically read aloud at 2:00 pm CST at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735, on September 12th, 2019. No faxed bids will be accepted. Any proposal received after the closing time will be filed unopened. Bids must be submitted on the form included in the bid documents, in sealed envelopes marked “Bid for Morningstar Phase 3, Section 3”. Plans and Specifications for the Project may be examined without charge at the offices of LandDev Consulting, LLC, 5508 Highway 290 West, Suite 150, Austin, Texas, 78735. Bidders must contact Caylea Pogue at LandDev Consulting, LLC in order to view and/or obtain electronic access to proposal forms, plans, specifications, and contract documents without charge (telephone: 512-872-6696 or email: caylea.pogue@landdevconsulting.com). A bid must include Bid Security in the form of a certified or cashier’s check or a bid bond issued by a surety legally authorized to do business in Texas, payable to the District, in an amount of at least

5% of the total amount of the bid, in accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.271(c), as a guaranty that, if awarded the contract, the bidder will promptly enter into a contract with MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC on behalf of the District and furnish bonds on the forms provided. If a Bid is Accepted, the contractor will be required to furnish, at the contractor’s expense, (i) payment and performance bonds in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2253; (ii) a one year maintenance bond in the amount of 10% of the contract price, in a form and substance, and with a surety satisfactory to the District, upon final payment and acceptance under the contract; (iii) worker’s compensation insurance coverage in accordance with Texas Labor Code Section 406.096; and (iv) general liability insurance insuring against liability for bodily injury, personal injury, death, or property damage. No Bid may be withdrawn for at least 90 days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids. The Award will be made on the basis of the lowest responsible bidder that is considered the most advantageous to the District and result in the best and most economical completion of the Project in accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.273(c). The right is reserved to waive any informality in the bidding and to reject any or all bids. The Project is being constructed by MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC on behalf of and in the name of the District. The contract will provide that the contractor will look solely to MREC MAG MorningStar, LLC for payment of all sums coming due thereunder. Minimum Wage Scale: The contract will require compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 2258, Subchapter B, pertaining to prevailing wage rates. In accordance with Texas Water Code Section 49.279, the District specifies the prevailing wage rates for public works established by Williamson County, Texas as the District’s prevailing wage rates. The contractor for the Project must pay not less than the specified prevailing wage rates to workers employed by it in execution of the contract. (8/22p)

BUDGETS

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Continued from Page A1

City of Liberty Hill $0.50 per $100 valuation and has been at the same rate since being lowered from $0.5278 in 2015. At Monday’s Council meeting, the proposed rate for next year was announced at $0.49. While the rate is lower, it is expected to generate 108 percent of the ad valorem revenues of last year due to increased property values in the city limits. The total taxable value for the City of Liberty Hill is $316,639,382 versus $258,658,667 last year. The City grapples with the challenge of a smaller property tax base due to a small population. Last year, one cent on the ad valorem tax rate equated to only $28,000 in City revenues. A large portion of the City budget is funded through one-time fees, which is not a steady revenue stream for budgeting. Liberty Hill also receives sales tax, averaging $118,000 per month so far through 2019. The current budget passed last September was $2.96 million for the general fund. The current 50 cent tax rate accounts for a debt service rate of .177365 and maintenance and operations rate of .322635. At the new proposed tax rate, a property valued at $200,000 would pay city property taxes of $980. The City has a budget workshop set for Aug. 19 and a public hearing on Aug. 26. The budget should be adopted at the Sept. 9 meeting. Liberty Hill ISD The school district has been working on its budget plan since late May when the picture began to come into focus on how recent legislative decisions would shape public school ﬁnance. The district’s tax rate, which was at $1.04 for M&O and $0.50 for I&S is being lowered by seven cents on the M&O side per recently passed legislation. Instead of the funds coming from local taxpayers, the state is stepping in

COUNTY

with money from other sources to try and bridge the gap. In July, the school board voted to give across the board raises. Teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses with up to five years experience will receive a $2,000 annual increase, and those from six to 17 years of experience will see their salaries go up $2,500. For teachers with 18 years, the bump is $2,800 and it reaches $3,200 for 19 years and $3,600 for 20. A property valued at $200,000 would pay $2,940 in school taxes if the rate is held at $0.97 for M&O and $0.50 for I&S. A public hearing is scheduled for the Aug. 19 LHISD Board meeting, and the board will also vote on the budget at that meeting. Williamson County Williamson County Commissioners voted Tuesday on a maximum possible tax rate of $0.459029 for the new budget. That rate is the same as the current year’s rate. After the vote, the amount can be reduced, but can’t exceed that amount. Certified taxable values in Williamson County this year increased $5.6 billion over last year, coming in at $69.5 billion. The County budget is made up of three funds – the general fund, road and bridge, and debt service. The tax rate is currently divided up with $0.251529 going to general fund, $0.04 going to road and bridge and $0.1675 going to debt service. The proposed county general fund budget is $219,801, up just over $7 million from the current year. The budget as requested by department heads is just over $226 million and Commissioners will meet a number of times over the next couple of weeks as departments make their case for additional funds. The various county departments covered under the general fund requested a total of 156 new full time positions and the budget office recommended

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The County has put together a list of other projects planned for the bond funds, which includes the Long Run extension, an extension of CR 214 and the SH 29 bypass. “What we’ve done in the past is we’ve had the speciﬁc projects that have been on the ballot, but we’ve also been very transparent and said here’s the full list and we’ve kept that commitment to the voters and that’s the list that we’ve worked on,” Long said. “With previous bond elections that’s been what’s happened. When you tell the voters you’re going to go do something, you need to deliver. I have no intention of changing that path should the voters approve this one in November.” Mayor Rick Hall made a pitch to the bond committee for a number of projects in Liberty Hill, and while none of those looked like

they would make the ﬁnal cut, the Long Run extension, and the Bagdad Road widening project from the Leander city limits north both made the ﬁnal list. It has not been determined what would be included in the work on these projects as well as the SH 29 bypass because of the high price tag of most projects in terms of completion. That funding could involve right of way acquisition, engineering or construction, or certain complete segments of a project. Widening Bagdad Road made the list for both Liberty Hill and Leander, but when the committee’s list was presented, it proposed the Leander portion, from San Gabriel Parkway north to the Leander city limits, but not the portion north of that to Loop 332 requested by Liberty Hill. Other Liberty Hill requests

32 of those. There is $3.5 million proposed for salary increases, $3.6 million for facilities, $7 million for long range transportation planning and $9 million for additional capital improvement projects separate from the funds being sought from voters in the November bond election. The recommended road and bridge budget is $42.7 million. At the maximum proposed rate, the owner of a $200,000 property would pay $918 in County taxes. Public hearings on the County budget are slated for Aug. 13 and 20, with adoption of the budget and tax rate set for Aug. 27. WCESD #4 The ESD Board of Commissioners approved the current tax rate of $0.09825 per $100 valuation for the upcoming year, which is expected to add just over $100,000 to the budget due to increased property values. The proposed budget calls for raising salaries by $1,000, which would put the starting salary for a firefighter at $46,000. The department will also add three new positions, which will be paid for directly from a reduction in budgeted overtime hours. The ESD will be occupying the second fire station in Santa Rita later this month, and will see increased debt and operating costs due to the second station and the recent purchase of land for a third station. The total staff for the ESD is now up to 33, from 12 back in 2014. The budget is covered by property taxes and sales tax, which has averaged $60,000 per month this year. At the proposed tax rate, a property valued at $200,000 would pay $196.50 in ESD taxes. The ESD has public hearings set for Aug. 19 and 26 with budget adoption on Sept. 9.

that were not included are the widening of CR 200 north from the intersection of SH 29 to CR 201 and the Richard Wear Bypass, planned to connect SH 29 east of the railroad tracks to CR 200 north of the tracks. The committee presented its proposal to Commissioners in June, suggesting a $640 million package, paring down $2.7 billion in initial requests made by county and area city ofﬁcials. This is the third bond election for road and park projects called by the county since 2000. The ﬁrst was for $375 million, the second in 2006 was for $250 million and the 2013 bond was for $315 million. Each has passed with a slightly slimmer majority than the previous bond, but all prevailed with 55 percent of the vote or more.

LHINDEPENDENT.COM/SUBSCRIPTIONS

Thursday, August 15, 2019

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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DAY ONE IN LHISD

These are just a few of the 4,799 smiling faces that headed off to school for the ﬁrst day in Liberty Hill ISD this year. Check The Independent’s Facebook page to see more than 100 photos shared by the community Wednesday to mark the excitement of back to school. (Courtesy Photos)

BOATRIGHT

Council voted 3-1 to accept Boatright’s resignation. Council members Liz Rundzieher, who made the motion, Kathy Canady, who seconded the motion, and Steve McIntosh voted for, while Tony DeYoung voted against. Council member Gram Lankford was absent from the meeting. It was the ﬁrst time the issue appeared on the Council agenda under executive session, and something DeYoung said he was unaware of prior to seeing the agenda. “It was a surprise to me for it to be on the agenda,” DeYoung told The Independent. While there had been regular tension between Mayor Rick Hall and other council members prior to May’s election and the resignation of Council member Ron Rhea in July, the tension between Hall and Boatright was often obvious as well though rarely talked about in meetings. “Anytime you have change you’re going to have that,” Hall told The Independent of the recent tension. “I’ve spoken with Greg several times and as we’ve mentioned tonight we accepted his resigna-

Amelia Kate Conselman

Continued from Page A1 tion and that’s a mutual agreement between us and him to decide to go ahead and break ties between him and the city. He’s in agreement with us and it’s just time for a change.” Boatright said it was the best decision going forward, but stopped short of saying it was a completely mutual decision between him and the Council. “It wasn’t my ﬁrst choice to do this, but it was what’s best for the City,” Boatright said. “We didn’t need for the City to get separated or torn apart by disagreement and having this thing played out in the public eye. The best thing for me, and I think the City of Liberty Hill, was to let the new Council put their pieces in place and take it the direction of the vision they have for the City.” He said he was not surprised by the decision. “It was expected,” Boatright said. “They haven’t been happy with me really for a while simply because I think the Mayor is taking a very active role and they see that in their eyes his role is kind of a duplication of what I was doing.” Hall cited differences in management structure when asked

CITY BUDGET rollback rate and having a lower tax rate for the citizens.” The proposed tax rate for the upcoming budget does decrease by a cent, from $0.50 per $100 valuation to $0.49 per $100 valuation, but if the Council had not proposed a lower rate it would have faced a potential rollback election. Under current rules, the City can collect up to 108 percent of current year revenues without risking a rollback election, and keeping the rate at $0.50 would have exceeded that percentage. The City Council will have a budget workshop Aug. 19 as well as a public hearing on the tax rate. A second public hearing on the rate is scheduled for Aug. 26. “We’ll have a presentation on Monday where we will talk about the current rate, the effective rate and the rollback rate,” said City Finance Director Becky Wilkins. “We’ll talk about each fund, and I’ll go into detail about where the money comes from for each fund. We will talk about debt and go into detail all of our debt obligations.” When asked about the salary expense of $60,000 for mayor

what signaled that time for a change. The most recent issue was in May when the Council approved increasing Hall’s supervisory authority over City staff, leaving it unclear what supervisory role Boatright had going forward. Following that decision, Hall said he had discussed the issue with Boatright and the two agreed on the move, but at the time Boatright denied that discussion took place. “Greg and I had a very lengthy conversation about this speciﬁc item, and his comment to me was, ‘Is it something I’m doing wrong?’” Hall said after the meeting June 10. “I said ‘Greg, I’m going to go back to the same conversation we had last year, that if you’re doing your job, you’re doing your job and that’s great.” Citing his management experience, Hall said in June that he wanted to improve the current situation. “I told him the reason that I thought this was a good change for the City to build a structure inside the City,” he said. “Greg’s mentioned to me a couple of times, and he’s

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and council, Hall said he was not able to account for specifically how that money would be allocated. “That’s a proposed amount for the Mayor, myself, to have an increase in my current stipend and also to give a stipend to the City Council,” Hall said, who added he couldn’t remember the breakdown of the amount at the time. While he said he would provide that breakdown to The Independent, as of press time Wednesday he had not done so. Hall currently receives a $500 monthly stipend and council members do not receive stipends. The administrative budget as proposed is about $760,000 more than the approved budget total for last year, but $33,000 less than anticipated final actual expenses. Even with the nearly flat budget amount to this year’s spending, the personnel expense in administration is set to increase more than $600,000 over the current year expenses. The staffing increases in administration include the new Emergency Management Planner hired in July, along with new positions for

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an events coordinator, a project manager/inspector, code enforcement officer and two street maintenance employees. The police department is also looking at a sizable staffing increase, with the addition of a patrol lieutenant, an investigator, traffic officer, two patrol officers and a part-time administrative employee. An agreement with the Larkspur development for patrol services means the development will pay $108,000 annually toward the cost of two officers that will patrol the neighborhood. Current staffing at the department includes six officers, two sergeants, a lieutenant and the chief, as well as a full-time administrative assistant. “There’s an average of 40 or 50 open cases that are still unsolved and for me it’s a concern I have with that many crimes happening in our city and we don’t have dedicated staff to work those crimes,” Hall said. The budget increase also covers seven total new vehicles. The current year approved budget for the police department was $1,209,021 and the proposed budget for next year

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even said it in Council meetings, that he is not a manager. So with changing this, and the conversation we had today, I want to help – for lack of a better term, teach (Boatright) how to be the manager the city needs him to be. I’ve had 22 years experience with staff management with thousands of employees under me and I’m just trying to create a structure so we have a solid path moving forward.” Boatright had no comment on the discussion, saying the decision was up to the Council. “It’s a Council decision, and whatever Council decides,” Boatright said at the time. “Our job as a staff is to carry out the will of the Council, so that’s what we’ll do.” McIntosh also implied in comments after that meeting that Hall was better suited for the supervisory role. “We have a Mayor who is here more than the City Administrator at work and I think that’s probably the more appropriate way to deal with that,” he said. In addition to the question of supervisory authority, Boatright and Hall – and often

the Council at the time – had disagreed over how to partner with Liberty Hill ISD on a district police department, how to handle the one-way streets issue downtown, the supervision of Police Chief Maverick Campbell, capital improvement project priorities and the employment of Diversiﬁed Planning as a project manager for City projects. DeYoung explained his vote against the motion to accept Boatright’s resignation Monday by saying he had hoped to continue working with Boatright. “He’s got years of experience with city administration, city politics and the inner workings of running a city, and my no vote was in the spirit of hoping to be able to work more with him to be able to move the city forward,” he said. “I wish him well in the future and hope the best for him.” The change in leadership came on the same night the new budget was proposed with a line item for mayor and council salaries that included a new $60,000 expense, which Hall veriﬁed after the meeting was for a salary for the mayor

and stipends for council members. Hall said, though, that the City would be searching for a new administrator. “We will actively start working (to hire a new administrator),” Hall said. “There’s a firm that helps cities place interim city administrators so we don’t drop the ball or lose ground on what we’re doing and that firm will also help us in finding a replacement that suits the needs of the council.” In September, following his annual evaluation, the Council unanimously extended Boatright’s contract by a year and gave him a 7.5 percent pay raise. He started as City Administrator in May 2013. “I loved working for the City and I think we brought the City a long ways in the little over six years I was there,” Boatright said. “The City’s in really good shape financially and so this was as close as you can get to a mutual parting of ways.”

is $1,710,638. In the Public Works Department proposed stafﬁng increases include two new water department employees and two sewer department employees as well as new vehicle costs. As proposed, the budget includes a 5% merit salary increase for all employees and adding life insurance and accidental death coverage. CIP Update The Council got a look at current funding for capital improvement projects, both on the drawing board and in the works, as the City shifts its priorities. The City needs $4.6 million to complete ongoing projects that include the swim center, Wetzel Park, trails plan; Fowler, Forrest and Municipal Court buildings; land purchases, downtown parking and some funds for studies and modeling. To date, $1.9 million has been spent on 16 different projects – three of which have been completed. The higher-dollar projects on that list include Wetzel Park at $396,594, the Fowler House at $343,200 and Stubbleﬁeld Lane at $259,922

in to-date expenditures. Of these funds, the City spent $155,030 on the Transportation Plan now in limbo after Hall told area residents on Aug. 1 that it would be re-evaluated, and another $11,520 on the now-shelved roundabout project. In total, the City spent nearly $389,000 on land acquisition and engineering for the roundabout project before it was canceled. The total funds currently available, from a variety of sources, is just over $5.2 million, but with the $4.6 million spoken for in current projects, the available funds are $623,864. Hall said because the City could be contributing to some projects on the list should the county road bond pass in November, the remainder of the funds would not be earmarked for a particular project until after the bond election and a clear timetable was established on when those funds would be needed from the City. Overall, the estimated City cost toward county bond projects is estimated at $2 million. The estimated cost for key future projects such as Stubbleﬁeld, the intersections at

Loop 332 and RR 1869 as well as Loop 332 and CR 279, and street rehabilitation and drainage throughout the City total an additional $17.5 million. Engineering Services The Council voted Monday to spend $8,000 on engineering services with WSB Engineering for intersection modeling at Loop 332 and RR 1869 as well as Loop 332 and CR 279. With the cancellation of the roundabout project in May, and ongoing concerns about downtown traffic issues surrounding the RR 1869 and Loop 332 four-way stop, the Council wanted to have the intersections studied for future solutions. The scope of work will include turning movement counts, standard traffic counts, future volume modeling and synchro animations to visually illustrate the intersections. “What we put together is really just to create a visual simulation of the traffic,” said Jay Kennedy with WSB. “The way we do that is to start with counts for the turning movements, use that to simulate how the intersection works today then look ahead.”

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EDC

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 15, 2019

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new board member to replace Ron Rhea, who resigned from the EDC and City Council in July. The Board voted unanimously to appoint City Council member Liz Rundzieher to the position over three other applicants – Nathaniel Redden, Scott Lindquist and Kim Sanders. The Council approved the appointment at its meeting Monday.

Bylaws review The EDC Board will begin a bylaws review process in an effort to update operations and guidelines for the board. “We just want to take a look at the bylaws and see if anything needs to be updated,” Dean said. “For example, what’s in there right now is anytime we want to spend more than $5,000 it has to go to Council. Fifteen-plus years ago that amount of money had

a different meaning than it does today.” As part of that discussion, Mayor Rick Hall explained how quickly the City of Liberty Hill could move from a General Law type city to a Home Rule city when considering the anticipated annexation of the Stonewall subdivision and the new Census numbers next year. “With the estimated population the county has given Lib-

erty Hill, we’re probably about 2,600 people right now inside the city proper, plus the annexation of Stonewall we should be getting close to the 4,500 mark,” Hall said. “The Census happens next year and with the rapid amount of building permits we are seeing within the city I’m pretty conﬁdent that by the time the Census rolls around next year that we’ll be over 5,000.” Once Liberty Hill reaches the

5,000 population threshold it has the ability to establish a city charter, outlining specifically the rules of governance for the city. “I’m going to start working here really soon to start developing a city charter,” Hall said. “Once we become a home rule city we still have a little bit of guidelines on what we’re supposed to be doing from the state legislature, but we can actually create a group of

citizens – it cannot be a board member, it cannot be a council member, it cannot be city staff – but the Council and myself can pick a group of citizens out that can write a charter for our city on how they want our city to operate. Do they want it to be a city manager run city, a mayor run city, do they want it to be a council run city?”

(ABOVE) Lisa Marie Welton remains focused on the instruction from the tower as the Panther Band works on its program for this year. (RIGHT) Sean Cochran holds the note as band members work through the tedious parts of putting together this year’s program.

BAND

said senior Karlie Bye. “Even with the frequent water breaks the heat is on us and then hitting us again from the concrete.” But even as the end of morning practice draws near, all attention is focused on the tower where questions and directions rain down, testing just how focused the musicians are. “They really have bought in this year,” said Band Director John Perrin. “We have a system, we have a process for teaching this stuff and if the seniors coming back are not bought in and helping the new kids out it doesn’t really matter.”

The upperclassmen know that leading and teaching is as much their responsibility as the instructors. And they focus on maintaining morale in the challenging times. “We make sure everyone knows what they’re doing right and what they can do better and that they are going to do better,” said junior Breeley Bodine. “We try to keep them happy.” To show up and put in the work in the summer heat means true dedication and investment. “We try to keep things lighthearted and take breaks,” said senior Alex Urben. “But

there’s no gray area once you’re here,” Perrin is proud of the leaders who have stepped up as the band grows. “Our leadership team this year has been great,” he said. “They want it to be as good as it can possibly be. They’re self disciplined, which is something you can’t really teach. You can work on it over time, but these kids are self motivated, self disciplined and they care and it translates to everyone in the band.” This year’s theme, “Home of the Brave” is extra special to both instructors and students because of the message

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it sends. “The music that we play is going to give you a sense of how beautiful America really is and the kids are really on board with that theme so we got good buy in on that this year, too,” Perrin said. “The freshman kids have come in ready and the upperclassmen have been putting everything they have into it.” Honoring veterans and showing their patriotism is something Urben said the students take very seriously. “This is one of our most important years,” he said. “It means a lot to everyone, it’s ‘Home of the Brave’, it’s hon-

oring veterans and I think the band knows it’s special and we take the music very seriously this year. We know it has to be perfect to be like we want it to be.” They may be ﬁnding the music a little easier to learn and play, but that only raises the performance expectations. “Everyone is saying it is so easy (to learn),” said senior Karlie Bye. “But once we get it down and put it out on the ﬁeld we will be able to blow people away with how good we’ve gotten from marching and working on the music.” Amid all of the sweat and exhaustion, coping with the heat

and repetitiveness of learning and repeating four measures and a handful of steps over and over, Urben said the payoff is indescribable. “I can’t explain that euphoric experience of finishing your first run,” he said. “It’s the best feeling in the world. After all this grinding through practices it is just amazing.” That applause from the crowd is affirmation, a sign that it was all worthwhile. “When we finish, and everyone is standing and cheering it is like this load off your shoulders,” Bodine said. “You just know you did it.”

NOTICE OF 2019 TAX YEAR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR CITY OF LIBERTY HILL A tax rate of $0.490187 per $100 valuation has been proposed by the governing body of City of Liberty Hill. This rate exceeds the lower of the effective or rollback tax rate, and state law requires that two public hearings be held by the governing body before adopting the proposed tax rate. The governing body of City of Liberty Hill proposes to use revenue attributable to the tax rate increase for the purpose of increased maintenance and operational expenditures, equipment, facilities, staff compensation and benefit increases, and additional personnel to enhance city services. PROPOSED TAX RATE PRECEDING YEAR’S TAX RATE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE ROLLBACK TAX RATE

$0.490187 per $100 $0.500000 per $100 $0.459065 per $100 $0.490187 per $100

The effective tax rate is the total tax rate needed to raise the same amount of property tax revenue for City of Liberty Hill from the same properties in both the 2018 tax year and the 2019 tax year. The rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate that City of Liberty Hill may adopt before voters are entitled to petition for an election to limit the rate that may be approved to the rollback rate. YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE ABOVE RATES CAN BE CALCULATED AS FOLLOWS: property tax amount = (rate) x (taxable value of your property) / 100 For assistance or detailed information about tax calculations, please contact: Larry Gaddes, PCAC, CTA Williamson County Tax Assessor - Collector 904 South Main Street Georgetown, TX 78628 512-943-1601 proptax@wilco.org www.wilco.org You are urged to attend and express your views at the following public hearings on proposed tax rate: First Hearing: 08/19/2019 6:30PM at 2201 RR 1869, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Second Hearing: 08/26/2019 6:30PM at 2201 RR 1869, Liberty Hill, TX 78642

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT Thursday, August 15, 2019 Section B Page 1

Best-ever ﬁnish at Westwood Nelson, Huppee named to all-tourney team

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Four years ago, head Coach Gretchen Peterson began taking her Liberty Hill volleyball squad to the Westwood Showcase tournament in Austin, but never before had the Lady Panthers succeeded as they did last weekend. Liberty Hill ﬁnished fourth in the Gold Bracket, highlighted by Ashley Nelson and Emily Huppee being named to the all-tournament team following sparkling performances by both. According to Peterson, there were positives all around. “It’s still really early, so we have plenty to work on, but I think we took big strides in the right direction,” said Peterson. “That has to be our goal each day, we need to be a little bit better than the day before and I feel the girls did that this weekend.”

The Lady Panthers feature a blend of experienced varsity players and newcomers who are already contributing, said Peterson. “We have a number of returners that gained great experience last year, plus they have a year of playing together under their belts,” she said. “The new additions to the team are a great compliment to those experienced returners. We are also an athletic group of players this year and they have put in a ton of work in the offseason.” The squad opened the tourney on Thursday at McNeil High School with a match against South San Antonio, which they lost by a score of 2-1 (25-20, 13-25, 25-20). Emma Becker had eight kills and 15 assists, while Nelson contributed six kills. Haley Kuhlmann led with eight digs and Ashleigh Dubbs added four blocks.

The Lady Panthers quickly rebounded from defeat in the opener to down Brewer 2-0 (25-12, 25-22), as Nelson had eight kills, Emma Parsons 10 assists, Kuhlmann five digs and Kinsee Escamilla and Ailie Hair each blocked four shots. In Thursday’s final match of the day, Liberty Hill was once again victorious with a 2-0 (2514, 25-18) success against St. Stephen’s. Escamilla and Nelson each had five kills, Becker nine assists, Nelson three digs and Hair four blocks. Getting contributions up and down the entire roster is what makes playing at an event such as the Westwood Showcase invaluable and bodes well as they continue to get ready for district play, with players such as Nelson, Escamilla and Hair leading the front line, said

See VOLLEYBALL, Page B4

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Ashleigh Dubbs and Ashley Nelson play a ball during a victory against St. Stephen’s at the Westwood Showcase in Austin.

Panthers look to replace star back

Last season’s top two backs gained 3,975 yards, scored 53 touchdowns

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Last season, Kyle Harrison ran wild over opposing defenses to the tune of 2,872 yards and 40 touchdowns while fellow senior ballcarrier Shane Gonzales added another 1,103 out of the Liberty Hill backﬁeld. But, the Panthers running game wasn’t restricted to only those two. In fact, the Purple and Gold set a new all-conferences, Texas state record with 7,417 yards rushing. Do the math and that’s a robust 494.5 yards per game. A lot of offense to replace for Panthers head Coach Jeff Walker, as he readies his squad for the upcoming season with one eye on returning to the Class 4A championship game. So, this season a lot more of the offensive burden will

fall on the shoulders of senior quarterback Jacob Cearley, who ran for 737 yards last fall with a second-best 18 touchdowns along with new No. 1 running back Blake Simpson, who piled up 662 yards and eight scores. No worries, said Walker. “The offense we run is a proven system,” he said. “You plug in young men who are willing to work.” For Walker, it’s all about the speed at which his offense runs, which makes all the difference. “We want to always play like our hair’s on ﬁre,” he said. “We preach we need all 11 guys to be at full speed.” Cearley is certainly ready for the challenge. “I don’t feel pressure, but I know I have to step up,” he said. “Our goal is to score every time we have the ball.”

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Liberty Hill senior quarterback Jacob Cearley (#11) rolls out and looks downﬁeld for a receiver during practice this week. The Panthers’ signal-caller realizes in order for the offense to operate at peak efﬁciency, everything must run smoothly with no room for error. “Every single day in practice, we run every play we have, so during games it comes natural,” said Cearley. “As for me,

I just do what I’m supposed to do.” Much like Cearley stepped up last season starting for the ﬁrst time, so Simpson will be required to do the same this year as a junior, but it’s something he believes he’s ready for. “I’ve just worked really hard

and not missed any reps in practice,” said Simpson. “I want to challenge Kyle’s records.” Walker knows he has lightning in a bottle with Simpson, or perhaps thunder, he said. “I get nervous talking about this young man because he’s

got so much potential and I don’t want to put any extra pressure on him,” said Walker. “We call him ‘Crazy Legs’ because he’s all over the place with his running style.” Never was Simpson’s

See FOOTBALL, Page B6

Blazing a trail

Sears, Diaz ready to lead

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Madison Sears was never interested in being a distance runner. Only problem was she ended up being really good at it. “I never really wanted to do it,” Sears said. “I hadn’t ever focused on distance and didn’t think it was my thing. In fact, I wanted to be a sprinter. But, I continued to keep getting better.” So when did the Liberty Hill senior realize she had found her calling on the trails? “My freshman year, we had a meet in Cedar Park and Coach (Kim) Holt had said it was pretty much a make-or-break

race as far as if you were going to make the varsity,” Sears said. “I ended up cutting a minute off my time and moved up to varsity.” Sears also played basketball earlier on in her athletic career, but upon her arrival on the high school campus, she quickly realized she would be best served running without dribbling a ball. Along the way, she discovered an aspect of the sport that she has since found to be one of the most gratifying aspects of her young life. “Mostly, it’s the people,” she said. “We’re like a family – we

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Madison Sears has developed a passion for running over the course of her career. As a senior, Sears is ready to help lead the team See CROSS COUNTRY, Page B4 into another successful season.

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THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Senior Tyler Franklin hits a forehand shot during Liberty Hill’s home victory against San Marcos on Tuesday.

Liberty Hill senior Lauren Crow returns a shot in Tuesday’s home tournament.

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor A new season has begun on the purple hardcourts of Liberty Hill High School and the Panther stringers are off to a flying start, prevailing in their opening two matches of the campaign. First up was a dominant 10-1 victory against visiting Robinson on Aug. 6. In girls’ singles, Liberty Hill No. 1 Lauren Crow won 8-6, No. 2 McKenzie Coleman won 8-5, No. 3 Madison Sudekum lost, 8-5, No. 4 Ava Tolley won, 8-0, No. 5 Cassidy Sudekum won, 8-4, No. 6

to follow – they did and it showed. This time last fall, we weren’t in playing shape yet, so it’s very nice to see the players come back ready to compete.” Liberty Hill is missing some leadership off last year’s team, but certainly showed no nervousness in the opener against Robinson, said Dodd. “Losing top seniors from last year like Henry Madison, Gunnar Ortega, Kennedy Coleman and McKenzie Wukasch are hard to replace,” he said. “But, the team didn’t miss a beat and came out on top after doubles leading 7-0 and only needing

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

LHHS wins opening matches of the new tennis season Lorelei Fay won, 8-1 and No. 7 Eliza Homorodi won, 8-5. In boys’ singles, No. 1 Patrick Fay won 8-6, No. 2 Tyler Franklin won 8-4, No. 3 Zack Kizer won 8-2, No. 4 Ethan Warrington lost 8-2, No. 5 Colin Garner won, 8-0, No. 6 Ethan Wukasch won 8-1 and No. 7 Will Snell won 8-0. In girls’ doubles, the No. 1 duo of Tolley and Crow won 8-0, No. 2 Coleman and Cassidy Sudekum won 8-1, No. 3 Madison Sudekum and Fay won 8-5 and No. 4 Homorodi and Tolley won 6-3. In boys’ doubles, No. 1 Fay and Kizer won 8-5, No. 2

Franklin and Wukasch won 8-4, No. 3 Snell and Garner won 8-0. Finally in mixed doubles, Warrington and Homorodi won 8-0. Overall, Liberty Hill prevailed in all matches played by a 20-2 score. According to Liberty Hill head Coach Philip Dodd, his defending district-champion squad is better prepared for the rigors that lie ahead this fall than a year ago at this time. “The team did a great job of playing and improving over the summer,” said Dodd. “They had a point system

three singles wins to seal the victory. “Particularly impressive was Patrick Fay, who won both his singles and doubles matches and played with the poise of a veteran,” said Dodd. “Anytime you have a freshman at the top and winning matches, it strengthens the team that much more.” The Panthers only have one senior boys’ player in Franklin, but feature four on the girls’ side of the net in Crow, Tolley, Lorelei Fay and Angie Melendy, who will all help lead the team. Sophomore Eliza Homoro-

di is optimistic with what the new season brings. “I think we’re off to a good start – we’re really doing good so far,” she said. After moving to Texas at age two from California, it wasn’t long before she picked up a racket. After all, it’s in her blood, she said. “My whole family plays tennis,” said Homorodi. “My parents and grandparents, so I always wanted to play.” With a full season under her belt as a freshman last year, Homorodi now knows what

See TENNIS, Page B4

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

Waiting for her chance to shine

Escamilla overcomes injuries to succeed

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor Kinsee Escamilla knows what it’s like to wait. She waited to become a highschool freshman and take the court as a Liberty Hill volleyball player. But, a broken foot on the eve of the season kept her on the sidelines for most of the campaign. So, she waited some more, but then suffered an ankle injury right at the beginning of her sophomore season. More waiting. Now, as she prepares for her junior year, the 5-foot-11 outside hitter is hoping to proudly wear the Purple and Gold for a full season for the first time in her prep career. If anything, the trials and tribulations she endured the past two seasons has taught her to fully appreciate the moment and take nothing for granted, she said. “I realize now I have to work hard every chance I get and prove I belong,” said Escamilla. “Also, I feel like now I enjoy it more.”

Escamilla’s injuries certainly didn’t kill her, but they made her stronger, she said. “It was very heartbreaking at the time because I worked so hard for it, especially over the summer,” said Escamilla. “I’ve been playing volleyball since I was five or six.” According to head Coach Gretchen Peterson, Escamilla was a rising star at the time of her initial injury, making the varsity squad as only a freshman two years ago. “Kinsee had really good court sense and could keep up with the speed of the game,” said Peterson. “She never played like a freshman.” So, as the Lady Panthers practiced at a recent session at the Purple Palace, Escamilla was thrilled to finally be able to embark on her maiden voyage of full-time high school competition, even though now she has to take cautionary measures to keep history from repeating itself. “I had to retrain how I walk and jump,” she said. “Before I used to do both on the outside of my feet, but now I have to

always land on the inside.” She also utilizes physical therapy techniques known as “cupping” and “scraping,” which are methods of soft tissue mobilization. While she was out injured, Escamilla remained a critical part of the team – to her credit, said Peterson. “She has always been a great teammate,” she said. “Kinsee’s a great leader and is always super positive and her teammates recognize that about her.” Escamilla couldn’t simply sit idle while her teammates battled on without her, she said. “I really tried to get involved even though I couldn’t play,” said Escamilla. “Even as a freshman, my teammates were very inviting.” After all, it’s part of nature, she said. “I feel like I’m very selfless and like to make other people happy,” said Escamilla. “All I wanted was to still be part of the team.” On her way to high school, Escamilla played other sports including basketball, but decided to give up roundball

once she reached the prep level. “I really didn’t have time for it anymore with all the club volleyball I was playing,” she said. However, in the spring, Escamilla is on the track team, specializing in the throwing events, which helps her when she is back in the gym, she said. “I grew up playing baseball and always liked to throw things,” said Escamilla. “So, I decided to do the shot put because I knew it would help me with my strength, which allows me to hit the ball harder. Also, my parents and coach encouraged me to throw because of my long arms.” So, now that’s she’s back at full strength, Escamilla is only looking forward to one thing for the upcoming season, she said. “I want our team to do the best we can,” said Escamilla. “For me, that would be a perfect season.” As for the rough waters she’s already managed to successfully navigate, Escamilla is

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Kinsee Escamilla has battled through injuries her first two years of high school to play an important role this season. philosophical about it all. “Everything that has happened has given me a new perspective,” she said. “But, I

know it was all part of God’s plan and has made me grow as a person.”

Liberty Hill Youth Soccer Association introduces its coaching team

Special to The Independent The Liberty Hill Youth Soccer Association (LHYSA) is excited to announce its team of professional coaches for the Advanced Development Program (ADP), which includes both Select and Academy level players. This is the first season the club has been able to offer professional coaching to each of the advanced teams and is a direct response to the growth and interest for quality soccer programs in the community. Led by Technical Director Arturo Duarte, the club is ready for another fantastic season of soccer, filled with personal player growth and team success. Duarte joined LHYSA two years ago and the club hasn’t looked back since. His passion and insight has elevated the club ahead of the trends, increasing recognition locally and among club rivals. Impressively accomplished, Duarte developed his private training skills under former English striker Gifton Noel

Williams and midfielder Pierce Kiembi. He continued to develop his coaching skills with the Liverpool International Academy under the Director of Coaching Rob Hayward. In his capacity as Technical Director for LHYSA, Duarte manages and oversees all player and coaching development. He also ensures that coaches are adhering to the association’s curriculum as well as implementing the philosophy and style of play across the entire club, regardless of age group or playing level. Duarte currently coaches the 05 Boys Select team and is joined by his team of ADP coaches Alec Bellamy (10 Boys Academy), Brandon Taylor (07 Girls Select), Kevin Fleming (08 Boys Select, 10 Girls Academy) and Kelsey Moore (11 Girls Academy). You can follow LHYSA on Facebook, visit their website at www.libertyhillsoccer.org or contact the board at info@ libertyhillsoccer.org. It’s time to get your soccer Advanced Development Program coaches for Liberty Hill Youth Soccer Association are, from left, Kelsey Moore, Kevin Fleming, on! Arturo Duarte, Alec Bellamy and Brandon Taylor. (Courtesy Photo)

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Thursday, August 15, 2019

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

PANTHER PHOTO OF THE WEEK

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ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Liberty Hill’s Stephen Shefﬁeld takes a water break during a recent early-season practice. The Panthers have been working hard to stay cool in every activity this summer as they prepare for a new school year.

Golden State to Lone Star

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor So, there I was. Standing on the shores of the Pacific in Oceanside, California, looking out over the deep, blue sea under sunny skies and mild temperatures on a picture-perfect postcard day. I was there covering a women’s professional surfing competition, my last assignment for The San Diego Union-Tribune. I had never covered the sport before and have never stood on a surfboard in my life. (We’re not all surfers). Anyway, it was a fitting journalistic send-off for me before I hit the road. Why do I tell you this story? Well, a few days later, I found myself deep in the heart of Texas. Don’t mess with Texas. Everything’s big in Texas. God bless Texas. You get the idea. I had only driven through the Lone Star State a few times in my life without spending any significant time here, although it does take significant time just to drive from one end of the state to the other. In fact, it’s exactly 830 miles from El Paso to Beaumont driving west to east, while it’s actually farther – 848 miles – from San Diego to Crescent City, California, driving south to north. In addition, although Texas has 100,000 more square miles than California, the Golden State has 10 million more people. But, enough numbers already. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I love California. It’s one of the greatest, most beautiful places on God’s green Earth. However, over the past couple decades since I was a lad growing up in year-round 72-degree weather dreaming of someday being a big-league baseball player, my home state has undergone many changes – most of them for the worse. Even my hometown of San Diego, which has always viewed Los Angeles as the Evil Empire to the North, has become just as overcrowded (albeit still about half the size, but we’re talking about per capita volume and people per square mile.) We won’t even talk about the outrageous cost of living. Okay, we will. Make about 100 grand a year? You can live halfway-decent, but anything less and it’s a struggle to survive – and surviving isn’t living. Not to mention it’s like living in a giant ant farm, where going to Walmart is like wading your way through a mosh pit at a metal concert. No fun unless Iron Maiden is on stage. Anyway, my last full-time gig was in Fremont County, Wyoming, which was a massive culture shock to my system because I had never experienced small-town life before and for me in my profession, covering sports and all. In Southern California, professional and college sports rule the day. Nobody really cares about high-school sports unless your kid happens to play on the team. Now, don’t get me wrong.

Chad Moore ﬁnished the Ironman Triathlon in a total time of 12:01:50, good enough for 35th place in the men’s 50-54 division. (Courtesy Photo)

Crossing the ﬁnish line

Local businessman uses endurance sports, faith to overcome adversity

I know all about “Hook ‘em Horns” and “Gig ‘em, Aggies” and the hold college pigskin has on this state, not to mention “How ‘bout them Cowboys!” on the pro level. But for me, I always heard about how legendary highschool football in Texas was and long before “Friday Night Lights” made it famous. Well, I realized that was absolutely no joke the first time I laid eyes on Panther Stadium. I’m pretty sure there are small colleges out there that would be more than happy to boast of such a beautiful venue to call home. I gave myself a self-guided walking tour of all the playing fields and was duly impressed across the board – baseball and softball fields and so forth. Another thing. Purple. Even the garbage cans are purple. Let there be no question whatsoever you are in Panther Country when you go to discard a beverage cup or food wrapper at a game only to find the Color of Royalty waiting to greet you. Which brings me to my next point. Spending three years in Wyoming taught me one thing about high school sports in small-town America -- the passion level that exists within the local populace. Here, we’re a bit closer to the big time with Dallas, Houston and San Antonio right up or down the road, but in Liberty Hill, it’s all about the purple, which you quickly realize when you see local businesses flying flags to support the Panthers. In Wyoming, my beat encompassed seven high schools and a community college, so I never had the opportunity to completely immerse myself in any one of them in particular. Here, it’s different. One town, one school, one color. My first competitive event was when I made the short trip to Austin last week to see the Lady Panthers volleyball squad play in the Westwood Showcase, where they finished fourth in the Gold Bracket, the best-ever showing for head Coach Gretchen Peterson’s club. Although as I made my way down Ronald Reagan Boulevard and the traffic and people got thicker, I wasn’t digging it, although compared to what I’m accustomed to, no worries. But, that’s the beauty of a place

like Liberty Hill. City close, country calm. I was happy when it was time to head back to my new home at day’s end. In addition to my sports writing career, I spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as a military journalist and I can honestly say it was the best decade of my entire life. I like to say joining the Army was the smartest thing I ever did and leaving was the worst. I raised my right hand a month after 9/11 and was on a mission to do my small part in reaction to what happened that day. It’s very important to me to have a distinct purpose. At the time and for the years that followed, that purpose was to serve my country in a time of war. There’s something to be said about being part of something bigger than yourself and when you get up and put on the uniform every morning, there’s no greater feeling in the world. I really miss it. But, that brings me to my ﬁnal point. Going back to having a purpose. My new objective is to serve the sports public of Liberty Hill, and I like to believe everything that has transpired in the past year of my life has brought me to this place as part of God’s plan for me. Bottom line is I’m here for a reason and that’s to provide the absolute best local sports coverage I’m capable of – not because it’s my job, but because I feel a civic responsibility to the community to do so. The most gratifying aspect of my experience in the Cowboy State was the relationships I developed with coaches, parents and the players themselves. I’ll be honest. It took me about a year to fully buy into the small-town sports mentality, but once I ﬁnally did, there was no looking back. As a result, my work was that much better and much more enjoyable once I got to actually know the people who would be reading my words every day. Whenever I arrived someplace to cover a game or event, I didn’t want to let them down and I don’t think I ever did. Here in Liberty Hill, there’s no adjustment period and I’m hitting the ground running. So, here’s to a long and fruitful relationship with all of you. Very cool, indeed. Sports@LHIndependent.com

By SCOTT AKANEWICH Sports Editor On the wall of Chad Moore’s business is a banner signifying his finish in the Ironman Triathlon in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2015. For most endurance athletes, it is simply a validation of the hard work and dedication needed in order to cross the finish line of one of the most grueling athletic endeavors one can undertake. But, for Moore, it’s so much more. Moore took up the sport at a relatively advanced age after his wife, Kristi, passed away from breast cancer in 2012. Ironman was a kind of coping mechanism, he said. “Endurance training helped me focus on what I needed to do at the time,” said Moore, who owns Moore Liberty Buildings on Highway 29 in Liberty Hill. Four years on from his initial Ironman experience and Moore once again felt the need to participate in another, in Whistler, British Columbia, on Aug. 3 – his first fulllength event since – having competed in shorter ones in the interim. He finished in a total of 12:01:50, including the 2.4mile swim (1:20:33), 112mile bike ride (6:09) and 26.2-mile run (4:17.80), good enough for a 35th Place finish in the men’s 50-54 age group.

Ironically, Moore was a baseball player growing up and endurance sports were the furthest thing from his mind. “I actually hated running,” said Moore, who is originally from Austin, but moved to Northern California before returning to Texas in 2006 and settling in Liberty Hill, has family roots going back a couple generations. Nothing could prepare him for the gauntlet of suffering he would endure as he trained and competed in his new sport – although it was nothing compared to the emotional grief he suffered after his wife’s passing. “It was a personal journey to prove to myself I was whole once again and could deal with everything,” Moore said. “Now, I continue to compete in order to inspire others to push through when you undergo involuntary situations in your life.” According to Moore, competing in Ironman events taught him the discipline necessary to get his entire life back on track after such tragic events. “I crossed an emotional ﬁnish line that day in Chattanooga,” Moore said. “I was then able to focus on developing relationships which required emotional and social investments.” Of course, deciding to take up triathlon is one thing, go-

ing about it is something altogether different, but Moore had some happenstance help along the way. “I was out on a training ride on Ronald Reagan Boulevard and bumped into riders from Georgetown Triathletes and they really took me under their wing,” he said. “They gave me so much mental and social encouragement and all of a sudden now I had a framework for my training.” One other very important thing Moore has relied on throughout his life is religion. “I’ve always had a deep faith in God – it’s been a huge part of who I am,” Moore said. “I’ve done a lot of soul-searching and settled on being ﬁt, faithful and fulﬁlled. Faith is what supports it all. God invites us into a relationship to redeem situations which are meant for harm and with His love and character, we can work with Him to bring good out of tragic situations.” Moore is now married to his second wife Amanda as they continue to raise their four children, while he moves forward with some newfound knowledge. “One thing I learned through it all is to never give up,” he said. “You’re capable of so much more than you think you are.”

The event featured a 112-mile bike ride through the scenic countryside. (Courtesy Photo)

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Tennis

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

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to expect when she takes the court at the high school level. “At first, it’s much different than the youth level where you always play people your same age,” she said. “In high school, you can be a freshman playing against a senior.” So, in order to be ready for tougher competition, all the work that goes in between matches is critical, said Homorodi. “You really have to focus more and work harder during practice,” she said. “It’s a lot more serious.” Although she’s a baseline player, she’s working on developing a serve-and-volley game, which will make her more versatile and difficult to beat. “Serve-and-volley players at this level are rare,” said Homorodi. “But, I’m not afraid to go to the net.” For her, victory isn’t always a proper measuring stick, depending on the level of your opponent, she said. “It’s not always about just winning,” said Homorodi. “It’s about how much you’ve improved, especially against better players.” On Tuesday, the Panthers hosted Class 6A San Marcos and once again came away victorious by a score of 10-5 in official matches and 16-9 overall. On the girls’ singles side, the Panthers swept all nine matches as No. 1 Lauren Crow (8-3), No. 2 McKenzie Coleman (86), No. 3 Ava Tolley (8-0), No. 4 Cassidy Sudekum (8-2), No. 5 Madison Sudekum (8-6), No. 6 Lorelei Fay (8-2), No.

7 Eliza Homorodi (6-1), No. 8 Ava Ortega (6-2) and No. 9 Abby Gates (6-2) were all victorious on the day. In boys’ singles, No. 1 Patrick Fay was defeated 8-4, while No. 2 Tyler Franklin (8-2) and No. 3 Colin Garner (8-2) both won their matches. The rest of the road for the boys was rough as No. 4 Zack Kiser (82), No. 5 Will Snell (9-7), No. 6 Ethan Wukasch (9-8), No. 7 Robert Ramirez (6-2) and No. 8 Will Gray (6-3) all lost. Girls’ doubles saw Liberty Hill sweep aside the Rattlers with wins in all four matches. No. 1 duo Tolley and Crow (8-0), No. 2 Fay and Cassidy Sudekum (8-1), No. 3 Homorodi and Coleman (8-2) and No. 4 Ortega and Gates (6-3) were winners. In boys’ doubles, No. 1 Fay and Kizer (8-1) and No. 2 Snell and Garner (8-2) both lost, while No. 3 Franklin and Wukasch (8-3) won. Mixed doubles saw Ramirez and Madison Sudekum lose, 8-3. Dodd was ready for a challenge from Rattlers head Coach Michael Martinez and his squad, he said. “San Marcos always has a good team,” said Dodd. “I’ve know Coach Martinez for several years and have competed against his team and they continue to improve. He’s also my assistant at Camp Chenawah in New York during the summers, so I know what kind of coach he is.” Dodd was pleased with his team’s overall performance. “San Marcos’ boys’ team was solid and we had a few close

Cross Country

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all get up at 6 a.m. and train together.” Fellow senior Gabe Diaz had something in common with Sears in that he also didn’t fancy himself running long-distance races. “I wish I was fast enough to be a sprinter,” he said. “But, I just always wanted to be the best at whatever I did and go farther than anyone else.” Diaz has also played baseball, basketball and run track, but it’s off-road where he’s most excelled, although he finished fifth in the Class 4A state track meet in the 800 meters as a sophomore and also clocked a personal best 4:40 in the 1600 that season. According to Diaz, running is as much or more mental than anything. “It’s all a mindset – it’s what we do,” he said. “In order to get better and faster, we all have to work harder.” In addition to the 800 and 1600, Diaz also competes in the 4x400-meter relay, which is a mental challenge as far as flipping a kind of competitive

switch when going from one event to the other, he said. “For example, the 1600 is a thinking race – there’s more strategy involved and you’re out there on your own, so you only plan for yourself,” said Diaz. “But, when you’re running a relay, you go out as hard and fast as you can and you don’t want to let the other guys down.” Despite the fact cross country is an individual sport, Sears said the team spirit and camaraderie are always alive and well. “We always talk about running in groups, whether it’s practice or races,” she said. “It’s cool when you can feed off other people.” During races, that can come from teammates or opponents, including the inevitable pain and suffering inherent in the sport. “You just have to keep telling yourself the other person is hurting just as much as you are – it’s all about mental strength and being able to stay with that person,” said Sears. “I tell my

Peterson. “What was great about this tournament is all the players contributed at various times and in different roles,” she said. “Those three were able to lead our offense and get some key points at critical times, but they also were leaders for us in communication and morale, which is great. This team really does a good job of trying to keep each other up and positive -- they believe in each other and this team.” After going 2-1 on Thursday, the Lady Panthers returned to the court with three more matches on Friday to determine seeding for Saturday. Once again, Liberty Hill came out on the short end in the opener with a loss at the hands of Vandegrift, 2-0 (25-18, 2513) despite four kills from Escamilla and three for Nelson along with seven assists from Becker and two blocks each for Nelson and Hair. However, like on the opening day, they bounced back dutifully with a pair of wins to close out pool play. First up was McNeil, whom they downed 2-1 (22-25, 25-23, 2523) in a hard-fought battle in which Escamilla contributed nine kills to the cause, while Nelson recorded eight. Becker had 16 assists, Kuhlmann 10 digs and Hair 11 blocks. Liberty Hill served up five aces in the match as Huppee, Hair, Maddi Rowley, Kuhlmann and Becker had one apiece. Another day, another 2-1 re-

cord and the Lady Panthers found themselves in the Gold Bracket for Saturday’s action in which they first faced Antonian, who they defeated 2-0 (25-19, 25-23). Nelson and Hair each had six kills, while Becker added 18 assists and Kuhlmann had eight digs and three aces. But, that was where the Lady Panthers good fortune came to an end, as they dropped their final two matches of the weekend. Liberty Hill lost to Westwood in the semifinals, 2-0 (25-17, 25-19) as Escamilla had four kills, Becker seven assists and Kuhlmann three digs. Finally, in the third-place match against Round Rock, the Lady Panthers were defeated, 2-0 (25-19, 25-22). Escamilla and Huppee each led with four kills, as Becker added 12 assists, Kuhlmann four digs and Rowley, Hair and Escamilla each had a pair of blocks. Host Westwood won the Gold Bracket with a three-set victory over Vandegrift in the championship match. In the aftermath of her club’s 5-4 record for the weekend, Peterson appreciated what her squad had accomplished as they move forward. “We’ll lean on these hardfought wins and losses as we approach district and postseason play,” she said. “We can learn so much from these types of matches, as long as we’re learning and getting

Volleyball

matches we couldn’t finish, but our girls are one of the toughest teams in the area and showed it again, not dropping any matches and only having a couple close ones,” he said. “Our boys are still mostly young with Tyler Franklin being the only senior and most are sophomores with only a year experience at the varsity level, but they’re holding their own and by the time district and the playoffs come around they’ll be tough to beat.” One of the biggest challenges for Dodd at the beginning of a new season is to figure out his lineup and make sure his players are in shape, he said. “At the beginning of any new season, I’m mainly looking for doubles pairings – I’ll mix it up for a month or so and have it set before district starts. Of course, I’m looking at physical fitness during matches to see how much conditioning we need to do.” Dodd also said some of his players have already distinguished themselves. “It’s still early, but freshman Patrick Fay is looking ready and senior Tyler Franklin is picking up where he left off,” he said. “Our boys’ side is still young, but so so much better than the start of last season. Colin Garner is also playing well early. On the girls’ side, senior Lauren Crow continues to dominate as well as senior Ava Tolley, but most improved I think thus far is senior Lorelei Fay. She was top JV last season and just couldn’t break out, but the summer was obviously good to her because she is hitting with more confidence

teammates all the time you can’t be afraid to hurt. A lot of it is mind over matter.” As a senior, Sears feels the responsibility that comes along with being someone the younger runners look to for guidance and truly embraces the concept. “I really enjoy it because when I came in as a freshman, we had those leaders to help us, so it was nice to be able to have that in the beginning.” Cross country is a sport in which one must be fully immersed around the clock in order to ensure maximum performance levels, a concept both Sears and Diaz have fully bought into. “You have to keep your body in great shape,” Diaz said. “Sometimes after a run, you have to eat to load up on carbs or do more lifting to get stronger.” Speaking of food, Sears said she knows exactly when she’s pushing herself hard enough. “I probably throw up more than anyone else on the team,” she said. “But, for me, all

Thursday, August 15, 2019

SCOTT AKANEWICH PHOTO

Ava Ortega returns a shot during the Panthers’ opening match of the season against Robinson on Aug. 6. and winning.” One big change that will affect his squad is the start of school, for academic as well as atmospheric reasons, said Dodd. “It’ll be hot. We’ve been playing in the morning – now it will be after school, so stamina and hydration will be very important,” he said. “We don’t miss much school in fall – especially this year with a heavy home schedule, so they should be fine in the classroom. With tennis, we usually have great students. Last year, we had

throughout the day, I have to monitor how much water I’m drinking to stay hydrated, make sure I eat right and of course get enough sleep.” Except when studying gets in the way of proper rest. “I’m up every morning at 4:30, so I try to get to sleep by around 10, but sometimes I’ll still have homework which needs to be done,” she said. “Sometimes, I’ll be exhausted when I’m at school.” Something Sears recently decided to take up is ceramics, which provides her with a welcome respite from the endless cycle of studies and athletics, she said. “I really like working the wheel and creating things like pottery,” said Sears. “It’s something I just started last year.” For Diaz, competing for Liberty Hill is a dream come true, he said. “It’s awesome because I used to go to the football games and be one of those little kids running around on the field,” he said. “I would say to myself I

the valedictorian in Kennedy Coleman and several top 10 percent players and expect the same this year. Grades always come first.” As for what he wants his team to ultimately look like, Dodd uses the defending state champions as a measuring stick. “I use Fredericksburg’s program and talent to compare us to. We competed against them in the regional quarterfinals, falling 17- 2 and they should repeat again this year,” he said. “They have junior high and middle school programs

and I’m trying to get that started here. The team knows their goals and sees the path we need to take. Many of them are taking lessons on their own time and playing USTA tournaments when we aren’t playing.” The Panthers (2-0) will host Copperas Cove on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. and Weiss on Friday at 4 p.m., then travel to Bastrop for a dual match against Cedar Creek and Brenham on Saturday before returning home against Hutto on Aug. 22 at 4:30 p.m.

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Gabe Diaz has lived his entire life in Liberty Hill and is proud to represent the Panthers on the Cross Country team. was going to be one of those guys, so being from here my whole life and getting to represent my school is an honor.” As far as what this season has in store, Sears is optimistic special things lie ahead on the trails.

“I think our team has a different dynamic this year,” she said. “I’m ready for regionals and state already.” Liberty Hill will open the season on Aug. 16 at Leander High School.

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better. Along with that comes confidence we’ll need as we go through the season.” Peterson praised Becker and Parsons for their precision passing to the big hitters up front. “We’re lucky to have two really talented setters and they did a good job of moving the ball to our hitters,” she said. “We also passed well and had good ball control in the matches, which gave our setters the time they needed to make the right decisions.” As far as playing nine matches over a short, three-day period, Peterson believes it’s that kind of mental and physical conditioning her team will need as they negotiate the road ahead, she said. “We’re still getting in shape and getting the mental focus we’ll need to make a long run and if we can work on those things now, we’ll be better for it. We’ll have challenges and struggles to work through and that’s okay – we need to to get stronger.” Peterson said the fact her entire roster saw action over the weekend creates a camaraderie and synergy that only all-inclusive involvement can provide. “We want each player to know they’re prepared if and when they’re called on,” she said. “We want them to get reps now and throughout all of the preseason so they can step on the court with confidence. We also know those reps need

ALEX RUBIO PHOTO

Maddie Rowley got valuable playing time over the weekend at the Westwood Showcase. to come from practice too and that’s where we get the work done as a team. So when we win a match, every player had a part in the win, whether they were on the court or not. The way we push and make each other better is how we win late in the season.” Playing against tough competition from bigger schools is one of the biggest benefits of playing in events like Westwood, said Peterson. “We try to play a tough preseason so we can be the best we can be,” she said. “Losses early are better than losses late – we may not have a great record, but the quality of play we have is what’s important to us.” Despite losing two of three matches on Saturday, advancing to the Gold Bracket was

still beneficial, said Peterson. “These games make us better if we’ll let them,” she said. “We have to be open to learning and making adjustments – it’s a process for sure. So each time we step on the court we want to get better.” At this point in a young season, Peterson is still experimenting in hope of finding what works best and identifying strengths and weaknesses. “We have so much talent and depth – players that bring so many different skill sets to the table, so we have the opportunity to work on different lineups and we’ll continue to play with that. We played our best when our ball control was accurate and consistent – it really does set the tone for us. When we passed poorly, we had our highest number of unforced er-

rors, so we have to see the connection there and find a way to better the ball.” Earlier in the week, the Lady Panthers played a pair of matches at Canyon Lake against the hosts and Clemens, getting a win and a loss. Liberty Hill defeated Canyon Lake 3-0 (25-15, 25-7, 25-21) as Escamilla recorded 10 kills, while Becker had 15 assists, Parsons five digs, with Dubbs and Hair each getting five blocks. Escamilla, Kuhlmann and Parsons all had two aces. The Lady Panthers lost to Clemens 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-13). Escamilla pounded six kills while Becker notched 13 assists, Kuhlmann 12 digs and Hair seven blocks. Liberty Hill (6-5) will next play at the Bastrop tournament this weekend.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Page B5

HOMES AROUND THE HILL LIVE THE

Thousand Oaks

William Hamilton - survey 17.7 acres Bertram Clearwater Ranch Clearwater Ranch Santa Rita Ranch Santa Rita Ranch Santa Rita Ranch Deerbrooke Deerbrooke

Deerbrooke Rancho Sienna Rancho Sienna Highland Oaks

Whitetail Estates - Georgetown

Sundance Ranch North - 4.2 acres Downtown Liberty Hill Rancho Sienna

1421 Thousand Oaks 1200 CR 284 540 N West Street 612 Umbrella Sky

104 Harvest Dance 517 Faith Dr 556 Faith Dr 576 Faith Dr

2436 Deering Creek Dr 1308 Deering Creek Dr 1356 Deering Creek Dr 104 Fatorria Cove 100 Fatorria Cove 120 Red Mulberry 424 Doe Run

401 Mustang Mesa 119 Hickman St 125 Florenz Lane

Rio-Ancho - Sec 1

108 Quiet Oak Cove

Christian Stuckey

751 CR 337

Rio Ancho - Cul-de-Sac Rio Ancho - Riverfront

129 Quiet Oak Cove 708 Buffalo Trail

Houses For Sale 4B/2BA

4B/3BA

$ $

539,000

2881 sq ft

3B/2BA 3B/3BA

$ $

393,000 349,000

1615 sq ft 1818 sq ft

4B/3.5BA 2B/1BA 4B/3BA 4B/3BA

4B/3BA 4B/3BA 3B/2BA 3B/2BA

3B/2BA 3B/2.5BA 3B/3BA 3B/2BA 4B/3BA

5B/4.5BA

Lots For Sale Lot 32 Lot 25 Lot 43

Tract 1 & etc

$ $

$ $ $ $ $

$ $ $

Bear Creek Ranch

711 Lackey Creek Road

3B/2BA

Liberty Hill Sundance Ranch North - 3.58 acres

3701 Ranch Road 1869 131 N Showhorse

Lot 3 3B/2BA 2B/1BA 4B/2BA

3774 sq ft

Shane T. White

160,000 1906 sq ft

Shane T. White

105 Matthews Cir 461 Dove Trail

Cheryl Stephens Cheryl Stephens

475,000 3078 sq ft

2B/2BA

2216 Quarry Loop

Cheryl Stephens

406 Mountain Laurel Dr

Jenks Branch Dove Meadow

Taryn Morris John Onken

Shane T. White

Buttercup Creek - Cedar Park

Fairways of Crystal Falls - Leander

495,000 2354 sq ft 359,000 2200 sq ft

Taryn Morris Taryn Morris

250,000 24.95 acres

Sold! 4B/4BA

2181 sq ft 499,900 2505 sq ft 719,995 3100 sq ft

Taryn Morris

Shane T. White

4B/2B

Lot 44

2053 sq ft 2069 sq ft

Taryn Morris

89,000 1.51 acres 159,900 2.43 acres

1350 W State Hwy 29

712 Buffalo Trail

399,000

2816 sq ft

Taryn Morris Taryn Morris

110,000 1.0 acres

Luciano Cabasas

Rio Ancho - Riverfront

359,000 374,000

3186 sq ft

Taryn Morris Taryn Morris

$ $

3B/3BA + 2B/2BA Guest House $ 2 Tracts 4B/3BA 3B/3.5BA

389,000

Taryn Morris

700 Buffalo Trail

5626 FM 3405 301 Quarterhorse Dr 561 Brizendine Road

459,000

3423 sq ft 2189 sq ft

Amy Gandy Adrienne Hughes

409,000

Rio Ancho - 1.07 acres

Georgetown Sundance Ranch North - 4.8 acres AW0129 - 12 acres

624,000 399,000

Shane T. White

$ $

Pending Contract 4B/4BA

Sundance Ranch - TAKING BACKUPS! 346 Appaloosa Run

230,000 2160 sq ft 950,000 3550 sq ft 148,500 812 sq ft

$ $ $ $

750,000 4826 sq ft 868,000 31 acres 629,900 3925 sq ft 659,000 2895 sq ft 235,000 1394 sq ft

119,900 1.78 acres

Adrienne Hughes Adrienne Hughes

Amy Gandy

Adrienne Hughes Cheryl Stephens Shane T. White Adrienne Hughes Adrienne Hughes

566,000 3371 sq ft

Amy Gandy

325,000 2300 sq ft

Shane T. White

$ $

69,500 .93 acres 259,900 1770 sq ft

$ 1085/month 871 sq ft $ 464,000 2597 sq ft

Shane T. White Shane T. White Adrienne Hughes Shane T. White

Page B6

THE LIBERTY HILL INDEPENDENT

Thursday, August 15, 2019

ALEX RUBIO PHOTOS

FOOTBALL

Continued from Page B1

ability more on display than in last season’s Class 4A state semifinal – a 44-41 victory against Carthage in which he outran Harrison 192-154 and matched his teammate’s two touchdowns. “He hurdled a tackler in that game and took it to the house,” said Walker. “When he’s in the open field, not too many people can catch him.” But, the offense will revolve around Cearley and his ability to make plays, said Walker. “When the ball is in Jacob’s hands, good things happen,” he said. “With him being a senior and knowing the offense so well having played it since he was in seventh grade, we have to take advantage of it.” So, with an entire season of experience as a starter under his belt, Cearley will be expected to take his game to a whole new level. But, he’s ready. “I feel a lot more confident this season,” said Cearley. “Being starting quarterback at Liberty Hill is a big responsibility and our goal is always to make it to the state championship game.” Which, of course is played at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, which is an experience that resonates with Cearley from last season. “Playing there isn’t like a high-school game,” said Cear-

ley. “You feel like you’re in a video game like ‘Madden’ or something – it was awesome.” Whether or not the Panthers can once again reach the lofty heights they ascended to last season remains to be seen and Walker said he will believe it when he sees it. “We’re extremely inexperienced,” said Walker. “We have a lot of potential, but that doesn’t mean anything until you do it. Right now, we have a lot of big guys who are in JV mode who aren’t ready for the speed we want to play with yet. We want our linemen to get into the fat guys before they can stand up.” However, in order to play at such a frenetic pace, players must be in top shape, which is where conditioning comes into play. Only it’s madness with a method, said Walker. “We never run sprints during practice,” he said. “We want our players to be able to practice at a fast pace. But, we’ll run gassers after a scrimmage.” Liberty Hill’s offense is so proliﬁc, many schools shy away from facing the Panthers, said Walker. “We can’t get teams out of district to play us,” he said. “It’s very hard to stop our offense if you only have three days to get ready.”

But, as potent as the Panthers’ Slot-T offense is, Walker is always looking for more ways to carve open opposing defenses, he said. “Jacob throws the ball really well and we have some guys who can catch it, so we might just open it up a little more this season. Does that mean we’re going to throw 15 times a game? Probably not.” Cearley completed 17 passes all last season, so the ball will probably remain on the ground and in the capable hands of an entire stable of talented runners. If you can see them. “We want to be a purple blur,” said Walker. “We need to hit our holes fast, our blocks fast, everything fast and have plenty of misdirection. If we have guys who don’t have the ball getting tackled, I know we’re doing it right.” Walker said there’s only one objective for the new campaign. “You never start a season without the goal of winning a state championship,” he said. “So, we set our goals high and go out and practice every day to beat the best in the state. If you believe it, you can achieve it. I don’t worry about the scoreboard. If we put the proper energy and effort into it, the rest will take care of itself.”

FIRST ANNUAL “LACES FOR LIBERTY HILL” SHOE DRIVE Operation Liberty Hill, L4 Cares and other local individuals and businesses have united to provide free, new athletic shoes, socks and items for our LHISD children.

HELP US TO BLESS OUR LHISD CHILDREN! YOU CAN DONATE NEW SHOES OR MAKE A MONETARY DONATION TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF SHOES AT OLH OR ON OUR WEBSITE (www.operationlh.org). SHOE INFO: MUST BE NEW ATHLETIC SHOES CHILDREN SIZES: 12 TO 5 ADULT SIZES: 6 TO 12. BOTH BOY/GIRL OR MEN/WOMEN NEW SHOES. Shoes can be dropped off at RockPointe Church 170 CR 214, Liberty Hill, TX 78642 or at Operation Liberty Hill 1401 N Hwy 183, Leander, TX 78641. LHISD children on free/reduced lunch will receive a voucher from the school district through email. If you know of a LHISD student in need of shoes, please refer them to Operation Liberty Hill Food Pantry. (vicky@operationlh.org)

(ABOVE LEFT) Liberty Hill lines up for a play during Saturday’s scrimmage as the Panthers get ready for the season opener. (ABOVE RIGHT) Head Coach Jeff Walker watches players in the Purple and White Scrimmage Saturday. (LEFT) Justin Coffey looks a pass all the way in as the Panthers prepare for the new season. (ABOVE) Parents braved the triple-digit heat Saturday for the season’s opening Purple and White Scrimmage.