Waco La Vega Returns to State

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: December 14, 2024

Waco La Vega over Wimberley 2024 Semifinal by Steve Thomas

photos: Steve Thomas

In 2018, Waco La Vega Head Coach Don Hyde led the Pirates to their second 4A-D1 championship in his first season at the helm after taking over for legendary Head Coach Willie Williams. The next year, Hyde took the Pirates back to state but came up short against champion Carthage. Five years later, the Pirates are headed back to state. This time, the Pirates will be competing for a 4A-D2 championship. The Pirates punched their ticket Friday with a 62-35 win over the Wimberley Texans.

Throughout the game, the Texans could not keep up with La Vega’s speed on offense. Wimberley running back Maverick Jacobs scored the game’s opening touchdown; but by the second quarter, the Pirates had taken a 28-7 lead. La Vega’s second touchdown came after the Pirates recovered a fumbled kick return deep in Wimberley territory. Receivers Jabarie Thornton and Daylon Pullen each scored a touchdown, and running back Bryson Roland scored twice in that stretch. The Texans managed to respond with a sustained drive, and quarterback Cody Stoever cut the lead to 28-14 on a three-yard TD keeper. The two teams traded touchdowns before halftime. La Vega quarterback Kourtney Parr scored on a nine-yard keeper, and Stoever responded with a two-yard keeper.

In the second half, La Vega’s offensive onslaught continued. Roland scored his third touchdown of the night, and receiver Elbert Jones scored a touchdown after the Pirates recovered an onside kick. With his performance Friday night, Roland surpassed 2000 yards for the season. After the game, Coach Hyde said of Roland, “Give me any player in the state of Texas, and I’ll take him.” Stoever scored another touchdown with his feet on the ensuing drive, but Thornton caught his second touchdown of the game in response. Refusing to quit, Stoever then connected with receiver Ty Thames for a 32-yard touchdown catch; but La Vega responded again with quarterback Jayven Hernandez’s six-yard keeper.

Next week in the 4A-D2 Championship Game, the Pirates will face a familiar foe, the Carthage Bulldogs. The Bulldogs advanced to the State Championship with a 45-17 win over Brock. Since 2004, the Pirates and Bulldogs have played each other three times in the playoffs. The Pirates won the first meeting in 2015 enroute to their eventual championship; but the Bulldogs won the next two meetings in 2017 and 2019. Coach Hyde was unphased at the prospect of playing Carthage again. “We know what we’re getting into. We’ve played them before,” Hyde said.

Wimberley, meanwhile, finishes the season at 12-3.

by Steve Thomas

Players Pictured

Waco La Vega

#0 Bryson Roland
#9 Daylon Pullen
#13 Jayven Hernandez
#14 James Degrate
#16 Caden Roland
#17 Jamarcus Daniel
#19 Warren Richardson Jr
#24 De'Andrick Stuart
#46 Marqwez Green
#76 Zaith Gonzales