Vandegrift tops Liberty Hill in a meeting of Central Texas high school football powers
· Yahoo Sports
LIBERTY HILL - Evan Williamson was waiting for the playcall.
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Vandegrift had worked on the hook and ladder - a play where a short pass is thrown to one player, who immediately laterals it to a teammate in full stride nearby - most of the season, so when the coaches signaled it in early in the fourth quarter Friday, Williamson was ready.
Vandegrift running back Preston James (2) advances the ball as Liberty Hill and Vandegrift face off in Liberty Hill on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)He took the pitch from Madden Child and raced 32 yards for his third touchdown of the night as the Vipers defeated Liberty Hill 45-14 at Panther Stadium.
"We've had that in the works for a while now," Williamson said with a laugh. "We were just trying to find a good time to run it in the game, and it worked out just like it did in practice. It's very fun to run."
A week after a rare lopsided loss - the Vipers fell 38-7 to San Antonio Johnson - Vandegrift dominated. It led 24-0 at halftime, held the Panthers' slot-T offense to less than 200 yards and only punted once while the game was in question.
And though this is a game Vandegrift should win being a 6A program while Liberty Hill is in 5A Division II, it's a performance that is still noteworthy considering the Panthers' typical prowess on offense.
"So many teams can get negative after a loss, so it was nice to see our kids instead go into ‘fix-it mode,'" said Vandegrift coach Drew Sanders, who noted he put in an entirely new defense for the game. "We took last week personally, and you could see that in the way we played, the way we started, and the way we prepared. … Fourteen points has got to be one of the least point totals they've had in a long time."
Williamson, who broke out last year during Vandegrift's playoff run to the 6A Division II semifinals, led the Vipers with 95 yards rushing. He combined with quarterback Gavin Koester and fellow running back Preston James to pace an offense that was almost completely balanced in its 434 yards.
"We kind of played their game," Sanders said. "We kept their offense off the field with sustained drives."
As for the hook and ladder, the players hope that's not the last they've seen of it.
"It's always been in the playbook, and it's just a great late-down play for us," Koester said.
2026 is meaningful for Vandegrift duo
It's been a special few weeks for Koester and James.
Not because the Vipers are now 2-1, but simply because the two are suiting up again.
Both players missed nearly all of 2025 with injuries.
Koester, a key wide receiver on Vandegrift's 2024 state championship team, tore his ACL in Week 1 against Dripping Springs and then had to go through rehab while the Vipers went on their postseason run.
"It takes about a full year to come back from, and just being back on the field and feeling 100%, it means the world," said Koester, who moved to quarterback this season and finished 19-of-26 passing for 202 yards. "It's so rewarding to put in work, go to (physical therapy) three times a week for an entire year and then finally get back to being how you were."
James did miss the entire year after getting hurt in preseason camp, and like Koester, spent his time rehabbing and being a witness to the Vipers' success. He returned to practice late in the playoffs but didn't take a game rep until two weeks ago against San Antonio Brennan.
"It was definitely hard," said James, who finished with 168 yards from scrimmage and ran for two TDs. "Being back out here with my friends, it means a lot. And I'm also out here for myself, trying to prove to myself and to others that I'm here and I can still ball."
Williamson said he can tell the effect the injuries had on the two.
"They just have so much hunger," he said. "They were itching to get back out there. They're my guys, so I love seeing them out there, and it's like they never left."
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