Lehman junior AJ Armonta will be one of the returning Lobos in 2012 trying to help the Lobos build on their first winning season. Lehman’s non-district schedule will be tougher next year. The Lobos are tentatively scheduled to play Anderson, Marble Falls, Elgin, Akins, as well as Round Rock-Cedar Ridge.
by JASON GORDON
Lehman head coach Steve Davis wanted to step up the caliber of competition he played heading into 2012, and it certainly appears he will be accomplishing his goal.
Gone from the Lobo varsity football schedule are the San Antonio Jeffersons and Austin St. Michael’s, Austin Crocketts and San Antonio Edisons of the world.
Starting next year, Lehman is tentatively scheduled to play perennial playoff contenders Anderson, Marble Falls, Elgin, and Akins. The Lobos also have Cedar Ridge, the new school in Round Rock, on their radar.
“Of course, how many teams we play in our non-district schedule will depend on how many teams are in our new district once the UIL realigns us in February,” Davis said.
Lehman and Hays will both most likely stay in Class 4A and remain in the same district for another two years once play in the new districts begins in the fall of 2012.
“There’s no doubt when we first started out as a program we wanted to schedule teams that we felt like we could go out and compete against in non-district so we could be successful and gain some confidence,” Davis said. “We’ve played some teams like that, and we were able to win some games. Now it’s time to step up our level of competition and play tougher teams to get us ready for district. We want to be challenged and see where we stand before we get into district play and we feel we will have some good teams on our schedule to do exactly that.”
Lehman is coming off its first winning varsity football season in school history. The Lobos narrowly missed on their first-ever playoff berth, but did win two league games for the first time, closing out the season with consecutive victories against Clemens and Lockhart.
It was the first time the Lobos had ever beaten either the Lions or Buffaloes.
“Things really ended on a positive note for us this season,” Davis said. “That last game against Lockhart we had some sophomores step up, and it’s nice for some of the older guys who have been in the program awhile see their hard work really pay off. Winning generates a lot of excitement in a program and I can already see that paying off in the offseason. Kids are coming in with great attitudes ready to work.”
Lehman should be in line for an even better 2012 campaign as 12 sophomores who started on varsity this season will be back, including defensive back Tyler Hyss, defensive back Conner Baird, receiver Brandon Hamilton, offensive lineman Bobby Limon and offensive lineman Derick Chavarria.
Davis has confidence in running back Paul Brown, who filled in for graduating senior Levy Medley when he was injured this season, as well as quarterbacks Trace Gonzales, Jeremy Schilhab and Paul Matthews, who will all get a chance to compete for the starting varsity signal-caller job next season.
“We should have the talent,” Davis said. “I think this team has come of age. I thought we had a good shot to make the playoffs this year, but next year I expect we’ll be playing in the postseason.”
