By Michael Adams
madams@austinsportsjournal.com

LBJ served notice to the rest of Class 4A Friday night. 

The Jaguars are back. 

LBJ (2-0) put together a convincing 27-16 win over powerhouse Wimberley at Nelson Field in Austin that featured two Top 10 teams in Class 4A. 

“These guys played with passion and heart, and basically just got after it,” said LBJ head coach Joe Rauls. “Understand, that was one heck of an opponent we played here tonight. A win like this lets us know where we are. There’s a long road ahead, but I think with our guys doing what they did, that made a statement.” 

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It wasn’t just the win that was eye opening, it was how the Jaguars’ did it. 

LBJ contained Wimberley quarterback Cody Stoever, which as many teams have found out, it not an easy task. Stoever, who received several preseason player of the year honors, is a gritty quarterback that can beat you on the ground and through the air. 

The Jaguars minimized Stoever’s ability to run, despite giving up two rushing touchdowns to the Texans’ star player. That forced the Texans (2-1) to go to the air where LBJ’s secondary was waiting and intercepted Stoever twice. 

Then there was LBJ’s speed and athleticism on offense that produced big play after big play. 

After Stoever put the Wimberley on the scoreboard board first with a three-yard touchdown run, LBJ quarterback Ali Scott found Marquis Murry for a 38-yard touchdown pass to tie the game. 

On the Jaguars first possession of the second quarter, quarterback Scott connected with Louis Hickman Jr. for a 78-yard touchdown toss that gave the Jaguars a 14-7 lead. 

Stoever tied the game on another short touchdown run midway through the quarter, but LBJ answered with Scott’s third touchdown pass of the game, a 37-yard reception by Javarlyn Smith. It would be the final score of the first half as LBJ took a. 21-14 lead into the locker room. 

“Ali is a winner,” Rauls said. “There are a lot of quarterbacks that may have a lot of stats or greater stature, but when it comes down to being a winner, there’s no one better than Ali.” 

LBJ’s defense held Wimberley to a field goal on an early third quarter drive. The Jaguars’ offense put the final stamp on the victory with a 48-yard touchdown run by Caleb Crenshaw, who quietly rushed for over 100 yards. 

“We just put our foot down and said we’re here,” Crenshaw said. “We all saw how everyone was predicting Wimberley to win… that just put a fire under us, and we came out here with something to prove and get the win for our city.”