It’s been an amazing summer – weather-wise.

The Austin/Central Texas area, which suffered through 60-some days last year of 100-degree temperatures, has had one such day this year.

That trend played right into the hands of the Liberty Hill High School football staff which is holding its annual Panthers State Championship Football Camp (July 26-30). The camp, which started Monday morning, runs through Friday and is held from 8:30 a.m. to Noon each day.

The camp is for incoming 7th-, 8th- and 9th-graders for the 2010-11 school year.

“We’ve got around 125 kids showing up, which is tremendous,” said two-time state championship head coach Jerry Vance., the long-time LHHS mentor. “We’ve got even more that registered for the camp. The attendance is great, but what’s even better is that these kids are going hard at it. Their work ethic is great.”

Vance, who recalled that there were 60 middle school football players the year he arrived in Liberty Hill, stated there will be around 180 or so this coming year at that level.

“We’ve got a great showing from the 7th- and 8th-graders in camp,” Vance stated. “Besides the fundamentals, these kids are learning a lot about having confidence in their bodies and its build. I think it’s good for their development – and I’ve found these kids are eager to learn everything we’re teaching them.”

As for the incoming freshmen: “We have 41 out of the 47 or 48 here at camp who have said they want to play football,” Vance said with a big smile. “That’s probably the most we’ve ever had in that category. These kids are hungry; they want to play football.”

And that attitude seems to be prevalent throughout the camp.

“All the kids here at the camp have had a positive attitude,” Vance declared.

Of course, when talking to Vance about football, the subject will inevitably turn to Football in the Fall – and the upcoming season for the Panthers.

“Ahh, I knew the conversation would come around to that,” Vance chuckled. “We’ve had a tremendous off-season and summer. The kids have hit the PAC summer program. I’m pleased with the maturity of the upcoming team and with their attitude.”

For the first time in many years the Panthers are “flying under the radar.” None of the assumed “experts” have the Panthers rated for the upcoming season.

And that’s just fine with Vance, who guided the Panthers to Class 3A state championships in 2006 and 2007.

“I love being overlooked and underrated,” Vance stated. “But that also serves as a motivating factor for this year’s team. Based on what we did last year (the ’09 Panthers finished 4-5 and missed the playoffs), these kids don’t want that to happen this season. People are telling them (teasing them) ‘how fast the program has slipped and how far it has dropped’ and I think they’re getting tired of hearing it.”

Part of this year’s success will once again be based on Vance’s staff of assistant coaches.

“Put in there that I’ve had to baby-sit the assistants more than the kids at this camp,” Vance joked with a hearty laughter. “But seriously, I can’t ever over-state the value of what these assistants do – this program wouldn’t have its tradition of success without them. They’re the ones that make things come together and they’re the ones that do all the hard work.”

Vance concluded, “I hope everyone in this program realizes the value of our assistant coaches. That, combined with the great administration in this district, makes Liberty Hill a wonderful place to be these days.”

Chuck Licata

Final Score Column by Chuck Licata

Somehow, some way, this “summer” has flown by.

Quickly.

Working in the media for 27 years, I have learned not to ask school administrators, officials, coaches and teachers this question: “So, how have you handled the down time this summer?”

And, I don’t ask them, “How’s your summer vacation been?”

Now, I could be wrong, but what I’ve learned over the years is that most school “folks” are busy doing one of many things over the summer months.

Most of them are usually involved in running some kind of summer camp – and usually, that means they’re involved in other camps across the area or state. A lot of them use the summer to get their household back into a “normal” type of situation: they get the housecleaning, gardening and other projects done that they can’t get done during the school year.

Some of the school folks take their families and travel to see family and friends they don’t get a chance to see during the school year. And – considering the current economy – some folks just plain-out work some other jobs during the summer to bring in some more funding for every-day family expenses.

Truth of the matter is, most of the school admins, teachers and others get one week (maybe two weeks) of vacation. And keep in mind, the LHISD administration office stays open during the summer; it doesn’t “close down” like the schools do.

This past Monday, I covered the LHHS Panthers State Championship football camp at the school. Afterwards, I stopped by the assistant coach’s office in the field house. I was happy to find coaches Charice Hankins (who also serves as the women’s athletic coordinator), Matt Kirschner and Robert Draper.

And yes, you guessed it – all three have had busy summers, full of family duties and obligations.

However, I did learn one “nugget” of interest: apparently, Hankins – who guided the LHHS softball team to a Region I finals berth just over two months ago – is a big football fan.

I mean, big football fan. Hankins said she used to do her own version of play-by-play of NFL football contests when she was a little girl.

So, don’t be surprised to hear Hankins share the K-MAC Sports broadcast booth with myself, Jason Remmert and Ty Dean this coming fall during one of the Panthers’ football games.

Oh yah, football – when the Panthers host Rouse on Friday, Aug. 27 at Panthers Stadium, we will all consider summer “gone.”

Then again, that’s perfectly fine with Texas residents, isn’t it?

Recent LHHS grad Siera Sproul (left) poses with new UTSA teammate Katie Burton at a recent meeting. Sproul, who had commited to ACU, got an opportunity to get a softball scholarship to UTSA - and took it (Sproul Family photo)

This past Sunday was the 18th birthday for recent Liberty Hill High School graduate Siera Sproul.

However, the former LHHS softball and volleyball star got a birthday present – a Division I birthday present.

Sproul, who had committed to Abilene Christian University last year (Dec. 16), announced she had been offered – and accepted – a softball scholarship to the University of Texas-San Antonio, an NCAA Division I school and a member of the Southland Conference.

Sproul signed on to UTSA two weeks ago.

“I’m very excited,” Sproul said Sunday over the phone. “UTSA offered me more and I got a really great deal to play for them. It’s great to get an athletic scholarship to UTSA – it’s a fine school and I like everything down there.”

Siera Sproul (center) is joined by two of her select team softball coaches, Jessca Spring (left) and Chrissy Short (right), at the Westin Hotel in Westminister, CO, as Sproul signs on to play Division I softball at UTSA (Sproul Family Photo)

UTSA had been one of the schools Sproul considered before announcing on Dec. 16, 2009 that she was headed to ACU, an NCAA Division II school, for softball.

But as summer rolled on things developed with UTSA and Sproul – who was in Colorado at the time – got an offer to play at UTSA two weeks ago.

“I’ve always hoped to play Division I softball,” an excited Sproul declared. “My new coach (Lori Cook, who just completed her fifth year at UTSA) told me I’d play the outfield, which is where I’d want to play.”

Academically, Sproul (who will attend freshman orientation on Aug. 9) is looking “to be a physical therapist.”

Needless to say, Sproul’s parents (Buddy and Tammy) and her brother (Steven) will have a much better chance to visit Siera at UTSA (about an hour-and-a-half away) as opposed to if she had gone to ACU (about three hours away).

“They’re all very happy about the shorter distance and travel time, and so am I,” Sproul remarked. “I’m very, very close to my family and I love them very much. This will be great for everyone.”

The UTSA Roadrunners finished 23-29 overall this past spring, including a 15-15 conference mark. The Roadrunners missed out making the conference tournament by one game, ending a streak of six consecutive postseason appearances.

Tyler Mewhort, now graduated from LHHS, was named District 8-3A First Team pitcher, joining junior teammates Blake Thompson and Ryan Fickel on the 8-3A first team (Thunderstruckphotos.com File Photo)

While it’s been about two weeks since the high school baseball season ended, word has just filtered out last week concerning the District 8-3A awards.

When the awards were revealed, Liberty Hill High School coach Mike Kristan and his Panthers learned they put three players – senior pitcher Tyler Mewhort and juniors Ryan Fickel (third base) and Blake Thompson (utility) – on the 8-3A first team.

LHHS players who found their names on the second-team list included junior catcher Jake Sadler, sophomore third baseman T.J. Hillman and sophomore outfielder Kyle Hester.

Andrew Johns was Honorable Mention as an outfielder and earning Academic All-District honors were Taylor Fullmer and Kolby Keith.

“It’s like all my hard work the time I’ve been playing baseball paid off,” stated Mewhort, now an LHHS graduate who’s headed to Concordia Lutheran University of Austin. “It’s another reward I can add to my resume. I’m very happy about it.”

Ryan Fickel played both 3B and SS for the Panthers this season (Thunderstruckphotos.com File Photo)

Mewhort, who was the unquestioned ace of the 2010 Liberty Hill staff, learned how to handle the pressure of being “the man on the mound” from his junior-year mound mates.

“It goes back to last year with the seniors (Gene Lucas, Cade Moore and Kyle Steinbach),” Mewhort stated. “I had to follow them and live in their footsteps last season.

“I learned and believe there’s no ‘I’ in team; I tried my best and did the best I could for the team effort. We obviously had other people step up for us to make this a successful team.”

Blake Thompson (facing camera) celebrates a home run during the 2010 season. Thompson led the Panthers in homers and RBI in '10 (Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo)

“It’s a great honor, to be awarded and recognized in district; that is a nice honor,” stated Fickel, who played third base and shortstop for the Panthers this past season.

“My brother (former LHHS catcher Braden) was first-team all-district so it’s nice to have my name up there with him.”

Referring to 8-3A champ Burnet and runner-up Llano, Fickel stated, “We didn’t do that great against Llano and Burnet; they beat us pretty well. I didn’t do too well against them but did well overall – I think a few people didn’t expect us to do well overall because of how good those two teams were.”

Thompson concurred.

“They were definitely the teams to beat in our district,” declared Thompson, who also played quarterback for the LHHS football team. “I was happy to help out our efforts this season – after all, we did make the playoffs.”

Both Fickel and Thompson expect better things for next year’s version of the Panthers.

“We have six players named to the first two teams of all-district and five of those players (Thompson, Fickel, Hillman, Sadler and Hester) are coming back,” Thompson said. “The team is looking forward to next season and what we can do. In fact, we expect to be better next season.”

Fickel agreed.

“We have guys coming back who have a lot more experience,” Fickel remarked. “We expect to go farther in playoffs and win more games.”

Mewhort offered his support for the 2011 Panthers. “I want to wish Coach Kristan and the whole team the best of luck next season,” stated the son of Laura Collins, owner of Rising Star Pet Ranch in Liberty Hill.

Siera Sproul is introduced at last week's 11th Annual Austin Area All-Star game, a game dedicated to just-graduated seniors (Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo)

Final Score by Chuck Licata

Last Wednesday (June 16) was officially the “last day” of high school athletics for one of LibertyHillHigh School’s “legends.”

Siera Sproul – class of LHHS, 2010 – represented the Lady Panthers (and on a larger scale, the Liberty Hill community) in the 11th Annual Austin All-Star Game, played at WestlakeHigh School.

I’ve done work with the game – which features just-graduated seniors from the Austin/Central Texas area and awards scholarship monies for the MVP from each squad – for 10 of the 11 years it’s been in existence (I had an out-of-town trip one year). It’s my favorite charity with which to donate my time – it raises funds for our local student-athletes, it promotes local softball and the two people I work with (Barbara Gerard and Chuck Slovacek) are a blast.

LHHS grad Siera Sproul played the outfield during the Austin All-Star game last Wednesday (Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo)

This particular game, though, will be very special because of Sproul’s presence.

If you’ve read any of my articles or columns over the past three years, you know I’ve called Sproul “one of the most under-rated female student-athletes in LibertyHillHigh School history.” Some day when I start an LHHS Hall-of-Fame, she’ll be on my first ballot.

In case you didn’t know, here’s Siera’s “credentials” listed in the All-Star Game program: “Siera has earned four varsity letters playing softball and three playing volleyball for LibertyHillHigh School. Her softball honors include Offensive Player of the Year (2010), First Team All District (2009), Second Team All District (’07, ’08) and Academic All District (’07, ’08). Her volleyball honors include Setter of the Year (2010), Academic All District (’08, ’09, ’10) and Second Team All District (2009).

“Siera was named to the National Honor Society, named Distinguished Graduate, earned Panther Award (’07, ‘08), and won a Presidential Award (2009). Siera played for the Texas Blaze, Comets and Stix Gold teams. She will be on the ball field for AbileneChristianUniversity next year.”

Siera Sproul was robbed of a hit in her only at-bat - she hit a line drive down the right-field line that was caught (Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo)

Okay, so now you kind of get an idea why Siera’s name should be listed among LibertyHillHigh School’s best ever.

Anyone who came in contact with Siera also knew she was a class act. In talking with several of her teammates over the past couple years everyone had the highest regard and respect for Sproul. Her former mates said she was a “quiet” leader but someone who wanted to push her teammates – and herself – to their ultimate limits to perform their best, both on and off the field.

Back in September (2009), I interviewed Sproul about the LHHS volleyball team which had yet to live up to its high expectations.

After the interview, I asked her if one of my previous columns – one which stated the volleyball team needed someone to “step up” and “take charge” in clutch situations – was a fair assessment. Since I’d interviewed Siera and talked to her over the years, I figured she’d give me an honest answer.

She didn’t disappoint.

Siera told me, “Yes, it was fair. In fact, I cut it out and showed the team. But to be honest, Chuck, we don’t need just one player to step up in clutch situations – we need the entire team to step up and perform to our own expectations!”

Lo and behold, those Lady Panthers stepped up in a huge way; they not only made the playoffs but “stepped up” their way to the Region I semifinals.

And don’t think for a second Sproul wasn’t among the protagonists on that team. It was just one highlight in a career full of highlights – again, both on and off the court or playing field.

Siera Sproul will be missed by many in the LHHS community. She’ll be among those LHHS graduates who will not only be great examples for the younger students coming up, but will also be talked about for many years to come.

LHHS boys' head coach Barry Boren stands with Runnin' Panthers Hoop Camp MVP, Austin Boliek

Did you know the camp was actually started as a combination of boys and girls?

That, according to the camp’s founder, Liberty Hill High School boys’ basketball head coach Barry Boren.

“This camp is patterned after the long-running and well-heeded Lone Star Hoop Camp,” Boren explained. “Jan Jernberg, now the coach at LakeTravis, and I worked many years ago. He set the format for what we do now.

“The first year here at Liberty Hill, Tanya Lott was the (girls’) coach. I asked her about starting a camp, she said she’d like to help out. We had about 100 campers combined and we were able to grow it over the years.”

The combined camps actually separated a couple of years ago; new girls’ coach Matt Kirschner now runs the Lady Panther Hoop Camp, which ran last week.

“Matt’s done a good job with the girls’ camp since he took over two years ago,” Boren stated of Kirschner, who was his assistant until he took over the reigns of the LHHS girls’ team. “They had over 130 campers last week. Now Matt and some of his family and kids are here working this camp this week.

“That’s what Matt talked about (in last week’s article in LibertyHillSports.com) the camp having a ‘family flavor’ to it.”

That includes having current and former players being involved as camp coaches – and with 155 campers at this year’s event there’s plenty of need for extra instructors.
“Michael Farace, Elio Suarez and Patrick Graves are a few of the many former and current players helping with the camp,” Boren revealed.

The LHHS mentor has a few assistants like Kirschner who have taken over other programs. They include Trace Ellis at Westlake; Tim Kaman at Fredericksburg; and, Rusty Walker at Waco Midway.

Plus, Keith Allen – now the head boys’ coach at Llano – and Owen Clifton (Hyde Park) have worked camps with Boren.

Of course, Boren’s own son – Blake – has made a name in his own right. He’s been coaching for years and last week coached the Liberty Hill Wildcats select team – made up of many current and soon-to-be LHHS varsity players – to the championship title in the Abilene Tournament.

“Liberty Hill is a unique – and special – community,” Boren said. “Kids and parents both get very involved and give a lot towards a common goal. It’s great to be part of this community.”

Sproul will play in Wednesday’s Austin Area All-Star Game

Liberty Hill's Siera Sproul - now an LHHS graduate - will participate in the 11th Annual All-Star Game this Wednesday night at Westlake High School. Sproul was named the District 8-3A Offensive MVP (Thunderstruckphotos.com File Photo)

Editor's note: District 8-3A does NOT award a Coach of the Year.

A first-ever trip to the Region I finals has reaped many rewards on Charice Hankins’ Liberty Hill High School softball program.

And the recently-released (June 6) District 8-3A awards validated Liberty Hill’s incredible season as the Lady Panthers took four of five major awards – not surprising since the Lady Panthers recorded a perfect 8-0 district mark on their way to the Region I finals berth.

Soon-to-be junior pitcher Kourtney Bevers grabbed District 8-3A Most Valuable Player honors, while teammates Siera Sproul (a graduated senior) was named Offensive MVP and Courtney Weems (a soon-to-be sophomore) was named Newcomer of the Year.

“I’m very excited and happy about (being named MVP),” Bevers stated at last week’s Lady Panthers Hoop Camp. “But to be honest, this is a team award; this isn’t just about me, it’s about our team’s success.”

Kourtney Bevers, seen here while throwing a no-hitter at Burnet during district play, was named the 2010 District 8-3A MVP (Thunderstruckphotos.com File Photo)

“I just went out and did the best I could each game,” continued Bevers, who played with the LHHS basketball that played in the Region I finals and thus didn’t join the softball team until right before district started. “Paige Holland was (instrumental) for our team. She pitched so many games – and pitched the team to quite a few victories – before district.”

Meantime, Sproul – who’s headed to Abilene Christian University (ACU) to continue her softball career – will play in the 11th Annual Austin Area All-Star game this Wednesday (June 16) at WestlakeHigh School. The game raises money for scholarships for the participating graduated seniors.

“The All-Star game will be pretty cool,” Sproul stated Monday afternoon. “I play on a team with girls who either played with me or against me (in select ball). It will be great to see them again.

“I think it’s amazing how girls I played with will go on to play college softball just like I am. It’s great to know we all stuck with it and now will go on to play college softball.”

As for being named Offensive MVP, Sproul – who started every high school game as a shortstop – was very happy that her hard work was recognized.

After the game, Sproul will be officially “retired” from high school softball.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking thinking about college,” stated Sproul, who also earned Setter of the Year honors during her senior volleyball season. “I’m off to college in two months and I’ll be out on my own. To be honest I’m a bit of a homebody so it will be tough on me.”

Freshman center fielder Courtney Weems was named 8-3A Newcomer of the Year (Thunderstruckphotos.com File Photo)

“It’s really neat to win that award,” stated Sproul, one of the most underrated female student-athletes in LHHS history. “The past two years I’ve had the highest batting average on the team and I’ve been working on my offense very hard. Hitting is my strong point; this award kind of verifies the work I’ve put into in my hitting.

“It’s an honor and gives me incentive to keep working on it.”

That’s why this past season was so special for Sproul.

“We (Lady Panthers) had an amazing year; I can’t explain it,” Sproul said. “What a great way to end my high school career. My freshman and senior years were the best; this year it was a great team effort. It seemed there was always someone that pulled through for the team when we needed it.”

One of those players was Weems, who had a great freshman year (maybe she’s the “freshman” version of a Sproul-to-be?)

“I was surprised to win it, but at the same time I was hoping to play well enough and work hard enough to win the award,” stated Weems, who made a memorable catch in center field in the regional finals against West. “It means a lot to win the award. To be named Newcomer (of the Year) for a team that went to the Region I finals was great, and it means even more to win it as a freshman on the varsity.”

Weems felt confident she could contribute this season – although she admitted to being nervous early in the season.

“It was exciting, especially being a starter on varsity,” Weems said. “I was so happy I could contribute to the team’s efforts and success. We had an awesome season and I hope we can make it to state next year.”

Weems played an inning or two at shortstop this season – and may be in the “talk” about taking over Sproul’s position next season.

“I will play wherever they need me,” Weems declared. “I’ll be happy to play anywhere. My select team just qualified for (a national) tournament and I’ll play all summer in hopes of even being better next year.”

Updated: 6/9/2010 - Staff

2010 District 8-3A Softball Selections

Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo

While the “Sounds of Summer” are upon the Central Texas area (as well as the rest of the hemisphere), the pounding of basketballs on the hoops court can be heard at Liberty Hill High School this week.

In fact, about 123 girls – in grades 2nd through 9th – are gathering each day this week at LHHS for the 8th annual Lady Panther Hoop Camp (June 7-10), run by LHHS women’s basketball coach Matt “Pierogi” Kirschner.

“We have girls here from second grade through ninth grade, including sisters from the same family,” stated Kirschner who just finished his first year as the girls’ head coach at LHHS. “We have 17 instructors here and each and every one of them works very hard to keep the camp running fluidly.

Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo

“We try to keep this organized. Our camp is designed to give the kids a great tutorial on all the fundamentals of basketball as well as improve their skills.”

Kirschner, who “employs” his wife (Laura), his Dad (Rod), his brother (Rodney, Jr.) and his LHHS coaching “family” (includes Coach Kim Holt and Coach Lang), declared the camp is a family event.

“We have an extended basketball family here, both on and off the court,” Kirschner said Monday afternoon. “Coaches like Coach Holt, Blake Boren (son of LHHS boys’ coach Barry Boren) and Coach Lindsey Martin (who’s leaving LHHS to get her doctorate at OhioState) help us out a lot.

Thunderstruckphotos.com Photo

“But we have other area coaches (such as Keith Allen, new head boys’ coach at Llano), others from the LHISD community (including Kasey Faurie from Bill Burden Elementary; Sue Davidson from LH Junior High; DeAnn Chianese and Shay Thomen, members of Barry Boren’s family) and current and former players (including Kylie Prior, Bridgette Perez, Kristen Ebner, Holly Ragsdale, Paige Purvis, Kathy Johnson and Chyanne Hernandez) who come in and give the campers a bit of their expertise.”
While some summer camps run for 3-4 hours a day, the Lady Panthers camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – with the understanding that parents can work with the camp’s staff for early/late pick up.

“There is a method behind our madness," Kirschner explained. "By running a day-long camp, we give our campers time to absorb what they’re taught and time to practice what they’ve learned. We feel the kids get better because they’re not ‘rushed’ through a time-constrained camp and we can see the results.”

The camp runs through Thursday with awards and closing ceremonies scheduled for 4 p.m. that afternoon.

Final Score by Chuck Licata

It’s summer and school is out.

Yet there’s plenty to think about – and write about – this past school year.

Especially when it comes to LibertyHillHigh School athletics.

We’ll take the next few weeks to recapture – and re-live – some of the great accomplishments from the 2009-10 school season. But we’ll also give some fresh and different perspectives on those events as well.

Since I got the chance to visit with LHHS girls’ basketball coach Matt Kirschner at the 8th Annual Lady Panther Hoop Camp, we’ll start with those Lady Panthers – and their incredible, Cinderella-like run through the playoffs to the Region I final, where they lost to eventual state runners-up Wylie Lady Bulldogs.

This will be fun for me, too, since I am “on record” as saying (during that playoff run) that the next game for the Lady Panthers would probably be their last. And apparently, some parents and coaches are getting their laughs reminding me of those ill-fated predictions.

Was it a lack of faith on my part in those Lady Panthers? Not really – if you listen to any of the game broadcasts on K-MAC Sports then you know I’m always rooting for the “home team.”

Let’s just call it a “under-rating of coach and players” on my part. For sure.

Although he won’t openly admit it, I know Coach Kirschner is aware of my miscalculation of his team during the spring playoffs. Or maybe he’s just “being the better man” and overlooking my lack of faith.

Hey that’s okay – I’ve been wrong before and will continue to be wrong. But I’ll be the first to admit it, too.

Either way, that ride to the Region I finals is still fresh on his mind as he runs the girls’ basketball camp this week at LHHS.

“We were so close to making the state tournament,” Kirschner recalled. “It hit me while I was watching Wylie play in the state tournament – I sat there and said, ‘Man, we were just one game away from making it to state.’

“That inspired our motto for the coming season: ‘Go One More.’ You never know if you get the kind of opportunity we had again, but at least we know now we can get that far. We’re not sure what the switch to Region IV will mean for us but we’re ready to accept that challenge (and move forward).”

The Lady Panthers will have to move forward without Samantha Swarts, who is on record as leaving LHHS. The 6-foot-1 Swarts was definitely a big presence on defense for the team and she’ll be missed.

Still, there’s plenty of talent coming up from the JV and freshman squads – so much so that Kirschner – in just his second season as the head coach – will have some tough roster decisions to make come November.
Not that he’s complaining.

Of course, any high school event needs a High School Administrator – usually a school principal, assistant principal, athletic director or otherwise – on site.

That’s certainly the case for LHHS athletic events. And Principal Bobby Mabry and assistant principal Robert Stoss take it so serious they had a “rotation” for the Liberty Hill varsity softball team’s run in the recent playoffs.

As was explained, Stoss would head out to the first game – usually on a Thursday or Friday night – to be the LHHS administrator representative.

Principal Bobby Mabry would then attend the next day’s game or games – usually on a Friday or Saturday.

Mabry, a very youthful man as it is, had a big smile as he commented to this reporter: “You might say that Robert is the starting pitcher (by attending the first day of the playoffs), then I come in and ‘close’ out the ‘series’ (by attending the last day of the playoffs).”

Mabry has the “frame” of a player who could pitch tomorrow, but one might doubt he would have the arm strength to throw a fastball over 90 MPH.

But considering the Lady Panthers made it to the Region I finals – two rounds further than any other LHHS softball team had ever gone before – Stoss and Mabry can continue their now-famous “starter/closer” rotation the next 10 years in the playoffs.

“Take me Out” to the singing in the stands: Whether the LHHS softball team won or lost in the playoffs, there was a lot of fun to be had in the stands with the Liberty Hill crowd.

And nothing signified that more than the last two series (the Region I semifinals against Abilene Wylie and the finals against West) than a popular, “old-school” song.
LHHS moms Kellye Spangler and Karla Bevers got the Panthers’ faithful fired up with a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.”

While the resulting singing by the LHHS fans may not have qualified it for American Idol, there’s no doubt Spangler and Bevers had the crowd in a jovial mood.

As Dr. Robert Hart – who sat in on the K-MAC Sports broadcast for Game 2 of the West series – noted: “The fans and their singing is terrific. Even though our girls trail by four runs (LHHS trailed West, 4-0, at the time), our fans are having a great time and giving inspiration to our girls. You can’t ask for a better atmosphere!”

Dr. Robert Hart – future broadcaster: Let’s say this first: this writer hopes Dr. Robert Hart is the LHISD Superintendent for quite a while.

However, as mentioned above, Hart sat in for the K-MAC Sports broadcast of the second game of the Liberty Hill/West series. He joined the broadcast in the bottom of the second and graciously finished out the game.

The feedback over the 2009-10 season was very favorable when Hart (or, in fact, Mabry or any other LHHS administrator) joined a K-MAC broadcast for a short or lengthy interview.

A visit by Hart usually means a good interview as well as insight as to what’s going on in both the school district as well as Liberty Hill community.

Hart and K-MAC Sports are in “conference” about having the LHISD Superintendent join the K-MAC Sports crew on a semi-regular basis during broadcasts for the 2010-11 school year.