Dillos Football competes in summer scrimmages

  • San Saba High School varsity football senior linebacker Zuri Herrera drops back into defensive coverage on Wednesday, June 15th, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
    San Saba High School varsity football senior linebacker Zuri Herrera drops back into defensive coverage on Wednesday, June 15th, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
  • San Saba High School varsity football senior tight end Dylan Ware begins to run a route on Wednesday, June 15th, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
    San Saba High School varsity football senior tight end Dylan Ware begins to run a route on Wednesday, June 15th, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
  • San Saba High School varsity football senior quarterback Lance Taylor zips a pass downfield to an open receiver on Wednesday, June 15, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
    San Saba High School varsity football senior quarterback Lance Taylor zips a pass downfield to an open receiver on Wednesday, June 15, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
  • San Saba High School varsity football sophomore wide receiver Winton Lackey runs a crossing route on Wednesday, June 15th, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
    San Saba High School varsity football sophomore wide receiver Winton Lackey runs a crossing route on Wednesday, June 15th, during a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School.
  • Pictured at right: San Saba High School varsity football head coach Andreas Aguirre (center) talks to a group of his players on Wednesday, June 15th, following a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School. Photos by Andrew Salmi
    Pictured at right: San Saba High School varsity football head coach Andreas Aguirre (center) talks to a group of his players on Wednesday, June 15th, following a Dillos 7-on-7 summer scrimmage held at Llano High School. Photos by Andrew Salmi

The San Saba High School varsity football team was in action this past week on Wednesday, June 15, as the Dillos took part in a trio of 7-on-7 summer scrimmages hosted by Llano High School at Jacket Stadium.

Against some very good competition, the young Dillos faced off against three great programs with games against Llano, Mason High School, and Fredericksburg High School.

Under San Saba fourth-year head coach Andreas Aguirre, this is a great experience to have for his players who continue to develop at the varsity level.

The Dillos are led offensively by incoming senior quarterback Lance Taylor, who is one of the returning starters on offense for the Dillos after his first full year at the helm of Aguirre’s offense in 2021. Last season, Taylor completed 193-of-360 pass attempts by throwing for a solid 2,131 yards and 18 touchdowns while also rushing for 181 yards and three scores on the ground. In his first full year as a starter, Taylor showed signs of brilliance as a junior but struggled at times with turnovers as he threw 19 interceptions in 11 games for San Saba.

Although a majority of Taylor’s receivers from last year’s team graduated, he is connecting quite well this summer with senior wide receiver Tyler Johnson. Johnson is a very good route runner with reliable hands and is coming off a productive junior season in which he was third on his team in catches with 43, yards with 450, and touchdown receptions with four.

A two-year standout starter at defensive end in 2020 and 2021 for San Saba, senior Dylan Ware is expected to be much more of a factor at tight end this upcoming season after getting a majority of his offensive snaps last year at offensive tackle. Taylor will have a very large target at tight end in Ware who has elite size as a player who stands at 6’7” and 225 pounds.

Also expected to step up on offense this summer are Dillos senior wide receiver Jaxzen Mask, junior wide receiver Lane Miller, sophomore wide receiver Winton Lackey, and others on this young San Saba squad.

Just like on offense, the defense for the Dillos will have a lot of fresh faces. This is especially so in the secondary as San Saba lost all four of its starters from 2021 in cornerback Reagan Mejia, cornerback Franco Franco, safety Drake Bryant, and safety Wesley Lackey.

However, the Dillos will have back their leading tackler from 2021 as senior Zuri Herrera is expected to lead the defense again. Herrera is a very instinctive linebacker (a whopping 148 total tackles in 11 games) who is constantly around the ball and making plays for the Dillos. Junior linebacker Ethan Gonzales, who as a sophomore in 2021 was called up to varsity midway through the season, was a very pleasant surprise for the Dillos on defense as he had 33 tackles in just five games along with one sack and one interception.

Be sure to check out next week’s edition of the San Saba News & Star for more updates on Dillos and Lady Dillos varsity athletics. Sports editor Andrew Salmi can be contacted via email at salmi.courier@gmail.com or by cell phone at (818) 645-1115.