Axtell Longhorns - All Heart
 By: Dustin Hicks SuperCentex.com Owner/Executive
 February 4, 2010
 

Axtell, Texas may seem like any other small town on a lonely Texas highway.  To bystanders, it may appear so small that the word "dot" would be an overstatement when it comes to describing it's somewhat ignorable size.  To an outsider, a non "Central Texan" your assumption would be understood, but to those of us who follow Super Centex sports, we would know that summarization to be vastly untrue. 

Describing Axtell as a "town with a big heart" would not do it justice either because in Axtell Texas, the residents are "all heart".  Long time Athletic Director Mike Cadell has steadied the Axtell ship for over a decade and has shown how athletics teaches a lot more life lessons than it does X's and O's. 

"Everyday is 4th and inches whether your on top of the mountain or stuck down in the valley" says Cadell. "Our teachers and coaches are always there for the kids no matter what they are going through. It doesn't matter if you just broke the news to a kid that they were an all district pick in their sport or riding them to get their grades up, we are always there. It's so rewarding to see the kids return the favor."

A playoff appearance was the goal of the 2008 season for the Longhorn football team, but little did they know that they would come so close to beating the eventual state finalist Mart in the bi-district action at Fairfield.  Riding high off that season the Horns failed to make the playoffs in 2009. However, Coach Cadell was reminded of how successful the 09' season was when the last week of district (knowing they would be starting basketball the following Monday) the upper and lower classmen practiced with the same mental focus for their final game against Dawson. 

"The Seniors wanted to finish the way they started and the lower classmen wanted to send them off with a win." said Cadell.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen as the Horns dropped their final district game to Dawson but more importantly started working on the intangibles of leading for the future.  "Offseason has been great.  There is a different look in the eyes of the Juniors, they are making sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to, even when the coaches aren't looking."

It has shown all the way across the board at AHS.  From football to track, you don't see much turnover or openings for coaches and so many kids come out for all athletics.  No matter the wins or losses, the Longhorns' seasons are always good.  Rich tradition and a sense of pride and integrity is the real measure of a successful season. But it doesn't hurt that the Longhorns do see a lot of W's in the column. 

The boys basketball team is sitting atop district 16-1A.  Their only loss in district was to a scrappy Mart team on a night during which the Longhorns were just off on their fundamentals.  Coach Scott Richardson's two leading scorers are also his two tallest players.  Jay Helleck (6'6") may be three inches shorter than his teammate Joradan Millsaps (6'9") but their stats are identical.  Both post players are averaging 12 PPG along with 10 boards every Tuesday and Friday.  Anyone can see why the Longhorns are expected to keep their basketball tradition alive in 2010. Most area teams would be envious of this 1A team's roster.

The Longhorns displayed true "Axtell basketball form" when they handily defeated their rival Bosqueville in front of the usual capacity home crowd.  Axtell dropped both district games to the Bulldogs last year in tight contests. 

The opening act isn't too bad either.  The Lady Longhorns share a 4-3 record in district with Valley Mills and rival Bosqueville.  Mart holds the #1 spot in 16-1A without a blemish on their district record.  Coach Todd Lange's lineup may not be as big as that of the boys in physical size, but the measure of intensity is equal.  Peyton Downs is the 2nd leading scorer in district with 13 PPG and holds the same #2 spot with 9 RPG. The Lady Longhorns boast a starting lineup in which two Freshmen (Sara Wooten and Courtney Doyle) and the sophomore Downs have show leadership on the court despite their young age. 

The Longhorn and Lady Longhorn hoops teams will make a road trip into hostile territory tomorrow (Friday) in Bosqueville.  The roof on the gym may not be able to contain the excitement as Bosqueville is expected to return the same home court craziness as the Axtell fans did in their first meeting this season. No doubt, the Bulldogs will look to avenge that loss. The girls game that is expected to be a closer matchup, but one could never expect the norm when these two programs meet.

Next time you're speeding down highway 84 and pass through Longhorn country, make sure you take time to realize that in this town that seems so small, looks can be deceiving. Slow down, get in the turning lane and take a trip down to Axtell athletic facilities.  You may not see a central location for town gossip or a gas station that has everything under the sun, but you will see red and white pride that runs deep no matter what.