Lake Travis will put its undefeated fourth round record on the line when it takes on undefeated San Antonio Brennan in a 6A Division I Regional Final on Saturday afternoon in Dripping Springs.
The Cavaliers are 11-0 all-time in fourth round matchups. In addition to that unblemished record, they also have won 16 straight playoff games against San Antonio teams dating back to a 2004 defeat to Alamo Heights.
Brennan, meanwhile, is trying to get back to the state semifinals for the first time since 2013 when it lost to Denton Ryan in the 4A Division I state championship game.
Here is a look at what to watch for on Saturday
Lake Travis Cavaliers (11-2)
Head Coach: Hank Carter: 12th season (146-20 record)
2021 Playoff Results
Bi-District W 48-7 vs. Cedar Ridge
Area W 56-14 vs. East Central
Regional Semifinal W 35-19 vs. Laredo United South
Key Players
The Cavaliers run a balanced but high-powered offensive, averaging 48 points per game. Junior Bo Edmundson (2,638 passing yards, 32 touchdowns) has led the team behind center this year in his second full year as the starter and will be the next in the line of Division I Lake Travis quarterbacks as he currently has 13 Division I offers.
Caleb Burton (712 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns), an Ohio State commit, is an elite receiver that the Brennan secondary will have to keep a close eye on, while Isaac Norris (69 catches for 916 yards) is a versatile threat for the Cavaliers.
Balancing out the aerial attack is running back Derrick Johnson. He has been a key cog for the Cavaliers all year long and is coming off a 211-yard, three-touchdown performance against Laredo United South.
On the other side of the ball, the performance of the Cavalier defense has been a key indicator to whether the Cavaliers will emerge victorious. They have allowed just 14.8 points per game in their 11 victories as opposed to the 122 combined points they allowed in their defeats to Rockwall and Westlake.
Tavin Lewis has been an anchor from his linebacker position and is the defense’s leading tackler. Up front, defensive ends Max Linhoff (26 TFLs) and Trey Dorsett (21 TFLs) have been frequent visitors to opponents’ backfields all season long.
Brennan Bears (13-0)
Head Coach: Stephen Basore: 12th season (108-39 record)
2021 Playoff Results:
Bi-District: W 55-20 vs. Laredo United
Area: W 63-10 vs. Los Fresnos
Regional Semifinals W 59-36 vs. Bowie
Key Players
The Bears have been just as explosive as Lake Travis offensively this year, averaging 51.2 points per game. The Bears offense lives and dies with the play of its quarterback Ashton Dubose. In addition to his 3,395 passing yards and 51 passing touchdowns, he has also rushed for 901 yards and 15 scores this season.
The Cavaliers will have to deal with the double trouble of Ashton and his twin brother Aaron (799 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns) in the passing game in addition to keeping an eye on seniors Jaheim Lard (905 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns) and Chase Campbell (737 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns) as well.
In the backfield, after gaining limited experience last year as a freshman for the Bears, sophomore Jason Love has had a breakout season with 859 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Bears are also just as stingy as the Cavaliers as they allow just over 14 points per game. The defense was a big part of the area round win over Bowie as it forced four Bulldog turnovers.
At linebacker, Alyzha Williams (104 tackles, 15 TFLs) has been a force all over the field for the Bears.
Junior Tyler Turner (86 tackles, 3 INTs, 3 forced fumbles) is a name to keep an eye on in the secondary as is fellow safety Gavin Ramos (3 interceptions). Both have had a knack this season for forcing turnovers. That will be crucial on Saturday as the turnover battle could go a long way towards deciding which team comes out victorious.
Final Thoughts
It’s strength against strength as two explosive offenses face two rather strong defenses.
The Bears will need a big game from Ashton Dubose in order to outscore the Division I talent that the Lake Travis offense possesses.
The Cavaliers may have won 16 straight playoff games against San Antonio schools, but this Brennan team looks set to give them a run for their money on Saturday as these two schools battle for a spot in the final four.
We’ll have coverage live from Dripping Springs on Saturday at 2:00 so make sure to check Twitter for updates on this 6A Division I Regional Final matchup.
Take a look at the updated 6A Division I bracket Here
CLICK HERE to see all final scores
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