Cavaliers Eye Sixth Title Despite Move to 5A

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: May 14, 2012

The Austin Lake Travis Cavaliers have won 5 consecutive state championships in Texas including last years defeat of Waco Midway in the title game. During the upcoming season they will move from the 4A division into the 5A Division and work towards a sixth straight state championship.

Moving into Class 5A means all new opponents for the team and schools with much larger enrollments. Coach Hank Carter said the team is very excited and the change gives the team an obstacle to overcome and win state again this year.

“Our playoff road will be new; we’re going into Region 2 and getting out of Region 4,” Carter said. “I think it will be a great challenge for our program.”

The team has begun their spring training and will be playing a spring game soon. Coach Carter said the team is currently practicing against themselves.

“Right now it’s just us figuring out which kids can step up and play a position next year,” Carter said.

On June 11, 2012, the team began six weeks of summer training. Coach Carter says training is not mandatory but it is strongly encouraged because it will help the team stay in shape for football season. The training is 2 hours a day for 3 days a week. It consists of one hour of weight training and one hour of running and conditioning.

The team has quite a few returning players this season, including their quarterback, Baker Mayfield. Mayfield says he is very excited to get "back in the grind" and win state again.

“State last year, it was more of a sense of relief because it was our goal during the year,” Baker said. “Drive 5 was the motto so it was just a relief we got to our goal and achieved it.”

Also returning is Connor Shannon, the team’s defensive end. Shannon said he believes the team can win a sixth consecutive title.

“I think it is a realistic goal because we’ve got a good team so far,” Shannon said. “During the spring I’ve seen our defense and offense and we’ve been looking really good.”

Coach Carter says he believes the biggest challenge to overcome this year will be the depth issues.

“If we have kids get hurt when you are playing schools bigger than you, that can be an issue,” said Carter.

The team is not content to tiptoe into the world of Class 5A football by scheduling weak teams. Lake Travis High School’s first game will be on August 31, 2012 against the Converse Judson Rockets.

by Kellie McKnight
Lone Star Gridiron