Llano gives Wimberley scare

August 31, 2012, 10:00 pm by Jim Goodson

By Jim Goodson

               LLANO – Defending Class 3A state champion Wimberley drove 61 yards on 10 plays then held off a furious Llano rally to win a thrilling season opener 27-26 at Llano Stadium.

               Fans from both teams stood during the fourth quarter when Llano tried to make a 26-21 lead hold up. But the state champs got clutch runs and catches from 205-pound senior Kolby Kelley, who scored the game-winning touchdown with 6:58 left in the game.

               Yellow Jacket junior quarterback Layton Rabb completed 14 of 23 passes for 205 yards to put his team – 1-9 a year ago – in a position to upset the powerful Texans, who were 15-0 in 2011.

               Llano’s Matt Center scored three touchdowns, one a 35-yard, second quarter interception return that gave Llano a 20-14 lead.

               Wimberley gained 336 yards and amassed 18 first downs. Llano went for 283 yards and 10 first downs.

               In addition to his three touchdowns, Center led a Llano defense that should prove sturdy against all comers. The Yellow Jacket knocked Texan quarterback Reed Jones out of the game with sack after sack in the second quarter. Backup Colton Cerday played the entire second half for Wimberley.

               A controversial unsportsmanlike penalty kept a Wimberley comeback drive alive on the last play of the third quarter.