The loss ends Lake Travis’ most successful basketball season ever, but obviously one game short of the ultimate goal.

“Having the game slip away in the fourth quarter is tough,” Lake Travis senior point guard David Eads said. “But they hit their shots. All the credit goes to Lancaster.”

After leading the second-ranked Tigers for the first 31 minutes of the game, a heartbreaking bounce spelled the beginning of the end for a valiant Lake Travis basketball team.

Lancaster’s Trey Lynch’s three pointer in the closing seconds of regulation bounced high off the front rim and cleanly through the net to give the Tigers a 54-53 lead with six seconds left. Cole Vucurevich hit the second of two free throws to force overtime, but the Tigers dominated the extra session.

Vucurevich did his best to be the hero in the closing seconds, hitting a three-pointer before Lynch to put Lake Travis up 53-51. When he was fouled with 4.9 seconds left, he had a chance to hit two free throws to all but send Lake Travis to the state championship. He missed the first but hit the second, forcing overtime.

Afterwards, Vucurevich said he was realistic about his expectations heading to the charity stripe with 12,000 eyes on him. The Cavaliers end every practice by having to hit 10 free throws in a row.

“To be honest,” he said. “I can never do it…but I knew if I didn’t hit that second free throw, my career as a high school player was over.”

Jernberg said he couldn’t have asked for more.

“To be playing in front of that many people, and after missing the first one,” he said. “For him to make it says so much.”

Quite simply, it was clear the Cavs were left to take the sweet with the bitter.

That’s the way they had to look at it, after coming out hot in the first half, leading 11-7 after the first quarter and 26-22 at halftime. They did all that despite being the clear underdog to a Lancaster team that’s been expected to make the state championship since the outset of the season.

The Tigers were just 8-32 from the field in the first half, and just 2-12 from beyond the three-point line, and fell into trouble against Lake Travis’ zone defense. For much of the game, the Cavs dictated the pace, and it frustrated Lancaster.

“They had a great game plan,” Lancaster head coach Ferrin Douglas said. “They executed and made us play their game.”

Lancaster center John Bohannon, who finished the game with a triple-double, said the Tigers weren’t surprised when Lake Travis jumped out to an early lead.

“We knew they were going to be good,” he said. “You don’t get to the state tournament if you can’t play.”

Lake Travis led by 11 with 5:44 left in the third quarter, and it would prove to be their final moment of dominance in the game.

Lancaster chipped away at the Cavs’ lead from there.

Chris Dash led the Cavs with a double-double, scoring 14 and picking up 10 rebounds in the loss.

“This is the summit,” Lake Travis head coach Jan Jernberg said. “We’re so honored to be here and it’s been an incredible ride.”

Included in this year’s live country music line-up are Freddie and Cale from Honeybrowne, The Jerry Martin Band, Chad Hudson, Texas Renegade, Michael Myers, and Southern Chrome, and others.

In addition to the live entertainment, there will be a BBQ dinner served from 1–3 p.m. with the popular live auction running from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Live music will performed all day and the silent auction will be open throughout the day as well.

Tickets, which can be purchased ahead of time or bought at the gate on the day of the event, are $20 for Adults, $10 for children ages 8-12, (7 and under FREE.) Tickets will be available for purchase in Dripping Springs at Print Plus, Cattleman’s Bank and Prosperity Bank.

Proceeds from this event fund the Brittany Tuck Foundation which awards scholarships to area athletes from Dripping Springs, Lake Travis, and Dayton High Schools. To date, almost $70,000 has been awarded to deserving recipients.

With your help, the Tuck family would like to continue awarding these annual scholarships in honor of their daughter, Brittany and help keep her dream alive.

For more information or tickets, please call Keith or Sandra Tuck at 512-858-0504, contact Keith Tuck at 512-858-3206 at Dripping Springs High School, email Sharon Burch at ssjjb@austin.rr.com, or visit www.brittanytuck.com.

In 1963, Lakeway was an audacious experiment in the Texas Hill Country.

While the rugged terrain spoke of romantic Tuscany, the locale was remote, home to a handful of retirees and second homes. But that was then and this is now. The community has evolved into one of the region’s most talked about residential and business hot spots.
Lakeway is no longer “only” an aging community. It is now undergoing a complete reversal with more and more young families moving to the area to take advantage of unmatched schools, championship caliber athletics, new residential opportunities, urban retail centers and soon-to-be-completed top notch health facilities.
Yet the common denominator linking the past with the present is the astonishing beauty that is Lake Travis. Rough Hollow, one of the most significant developments in all Central Texas, captures the very essence of fine living.
Envisioned by Legend Communities’ Haythem Dawlett while boating with friends, Rough Hollow plays host to breathtaking views, amazing amenities and a sense of home that embraces its past, present and future.
Dawlett’s vision for the property that hugs the hidden cove centered on a superior master plan.
“The project was already somewhat planned and approved but it was not a master plan community in the beginning,” he recalled. “It was planned on paper and in writing only. Then it was the topography that was challenging and scared off other developers.”
But Dawlett, a Lakeway resident, is a man who pays attention to detail. Where others saw obstacles, he saw possibilities. What emerged was a stunning architectural statement.
“Rough Hollow Phase I has a Tuscan feel,” Dawlett observed. “Phase II possesses a more rustic feel. More importantly, the quality of the architecture we get is undeniably the best. We are very involved with the builders on the design of their homes.”
Likewise, he believes buyers should also be very selective when choosing a builder.
“The quality of the builder is first and foremost,” Dawlett said. “Second, home buyers should carefully select a design that best meets their lifestyle.”
That is particularly paramount in a tough economy.
“Master Plan communities tend to always have better appreciation and better values because of the control developer’s instill in supply and quality,” Dawlett said. “More people are gravitating to master plan communities because they come home to a neighborhood and lifestyle of recreation, social activities, schools, etc.”
And only the best builders construct homes at Rough Hollow. Many – like Zbranek Custom Homes – are builders who share the commitment to community that helps drive Dawlett – whose generous philanthropy has measured in the millions of dollars – extending to the Lake Travis Independent School District, the Lake Travis Community Library and Green Santa [provides underprivileged children with Christmas presents], among others. Builders like Zbranek Custom Homes, named the “National Master Builder of the Year” at the 2010 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. In fact, Zbranek, his partner Tony Holt, with assistance from Dawlett, have teamed up to assist the Lake Travis Youth Association, donating $150,000 to assist the organization after it was defrauded of approximately $200,000 in 2008 by a financial company hired to collect online credit card payments.
Zbranek is constructing a “benefit home,” by securing donations and discounts by vendors and contractors that participate in this charitable building program. Zbranek donated $120,000 to Lake Travis Education Foundation at its annual Crystal Ball gala in 2005 to help fund class projects, teacher enrichment and other necessary scholastic programs.
The custom home, located in the Bluffs at Rough Hollow, is nearing completion and has already been sold to a Lake Travis area family. It will be prominently featured at the 2010 Parade of Homes, Oct. 16-31, the prestigious home showcase which will be hosted for the second time in four years by Rough Hollow.
Dawlett believes the quality of the builder first. Second a design that meets your lifestyle.
Lakeway has established a spirit of teamwork within the community that has made a serious impression on Dawlett.
“This community offers my family and I the ability to give back,” he said. “And in that philanthropy we get to see the difference that is made. Honestly, I wish I could give more. It is an investment in the community I am developing. Enhancing the local area enhances our developments and the future residents. The best is yet to come.”
The community responded, naming Dawlett the 2009 Citizen of the Year.
“[It was] Humbling,” Dawlett reflected. “I never expected it and appreciate the recognition.”
He believes the magic of Rough Hollow comes down to three iconic words in the real estate lexicon.
“Location, location, location,” Dawlett mused. “All of the elements meld seamlessly – Lake Travis, the hill country, topography, amenities, lifestyle and the City of Lakeway.”
The Lake Travis Independent School District plays a critical role that makes Rough Hollow and Lakeway so appealing.
“I love the Lake Travis ISD,” Dawlett said. “They have created an incredible system. They care and they plan ahead. The board understands the quality of better education. The system is run by incredible and caring individuals who take it personally, that’s what makes Lakeway so great.”
Amenities? Of course. Rough Hollow has painstakingly planned an array of thoughtful conveniences.
“Rough Hollow offers a state of the art yacht club and marina with a full service ship store, boat club, fitness center and The Grille at Rough Hollow,” he observed, adding that more are on the horizon. “We are going to build an amenity center with an assortment of recreation to include a lazy river, water park, dining, day care facility, amphitheater, tennis courts, fitness center, scheduled aerobic activity and over 18 miles of hike and bike trails.”
For those commuting to work or school, Dawlett’s firm built a new road – Highland Blvd. Recently opened, the new road connects Lakeway to Texas 71.
“The new road saves time, energy and provides a secondary access point to the Texas Hill Country and better access to schools,” Dawlett said.
While Lake Travis is changing – adapting – Dawlett believes the area will experience “limited but quality growth.”
And that’s part of what makes Rough Hollow a good investment.
“The area will increase in value and be a very desirable place to call home,” he said.
In keeping with the overall theme of Lakeway, a community where generations meet, Legend Communities is building Tuscan Village, an Italian-inspired age-qualified neighborhood currently under construction.
“The residents of Tuscan Village are part of the family of communities I have strived to create,” Dawlett said. “It will be a place where you know your neighbors and can enjoy a quality built community that is very unique with peer groups and social activities. This is the place I want my mom to live. I want those residents to be able to enjoy the waterfront amenities at Rough Hollow as well as the amenities at Tuscan Village. It creates a quality of life for the active mature adult.”
Tuscan Village should be built out in three and half to four and half years.
To learn more about Rough Hollow, visit www.roughhollowlakeway.com, or call 512-617-1776. For information about Tuscan Village, visit www.tuscanvillage.com or call 512-327-1200. To contact Legend Communities, visit www.legendcommunitiesinc.com or call 512-306-1444. Zbranek Custom Homes can be found at www.zcustomhomes.com or by calling 512-261-0444.

However, when couples and coordinators pull off a successful wedding no one can deny the merits of the relationship for everyone involved. Weddings serve not only as a vehicle for matrimony but also as mini-stimulus packages for local economies.
The Knot wedding web site estimates the average cost for a 150-person wedding is $25,000, or higher in some cities.
An average of more than 2.4 million couples tie the knot each year to generate more than $15 billion annually for small- and medium-sized businesses, estimates Donnie Brown, wedding planner on “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” and author of “Donnie Brown Weddings: From the Couture to the Cake.”
“[Weddings] help circulate cash in the system, while creating jobs,” Brown said.
Typically, couples and their families will spend about 50 percent to 60 percent of their wedding budget on the reception, so locations strive to distinguish themselves from the pack by promoting their unique amenities.
Lakeway Resort and Spa, formerly the Lakeway Inn, has hosted more than 4,600 weddings over 40 years on the shores of Lake Travis.
Senior Catering Manager Judith Roberts said weddings support a significant spectrum of the hospitality industry. Without them, venues would be unable to employ banquet captains, chefs, servers and more.
“It’s so wide-ranging; it really does benefit the whole community,” said Roberts, adding that the influx of guests who stay in town for the wedding can book 10 to 30 rooms for each party.
“Weddings are big, big money,” she said.
Vendors count on popular wedding venues for critical referrals that are vital to bringing in a large percentage of their revenue.
“They know your work and they refer you, so you are very heavily dependent upon those [networks],” said Brenda Abbott, a Smithville florist that serves the Lakeway area.
The network branches out to other vendors as well, forming a circle as solid as a wedding band. DJs meet photographers who work with videographers and so on to expand the word of mouth and generate more business.
“The photographers are usually the ones who stay for the whole wedding. If they get to try [the cake], they are going to be able to tell their clients what’s good and what’s not, who’s easy to work with and who’s not,” said Angela Jiles, owner of Blue Note Bakery in Austin. “We all cross-promote each other.”
Despite having those connections, the tough economy is forcing some vendors to be more flexible in their pricing or to adapt their services to meet tighter wedding budgets.
Abbott said that before last year she was serving clients who had budgeted $10,000 to $20,000 for floral arrangements at their wedding, but those figures had dropped to $5,000 to $6,000.
“Everybody’s budget-conscious. That’s created a bit of a challenge when you have big weddings,” said Abbott, noting that she has implemented more glassware to achieve the same stunning impact at a lower price.
Fluctuating costs out of vendors’ control also dictate much of their services and prices.
Higher fuel costs led to an increase in the price of flower blooms, which is another reason why Abbott has incorporated more glassware and made other adjustments.
Jiles said she expects to raise her prices because the cost of sugar, the bakery’s primary ingredient, has risen from $15 for a 50-pound bag to $25 in a matter of months.
“That hurts. We haven’t changed prices yet, but we are going to have to because we’ve got overhead to cover and staff to pay. We are a small little shop,” she said.
Oak Hill photographer Pam Hults, owner of a’ La Vie Photography, adjusted her prices to meet a range of budgets in the Lakeway area. Because her business lives or dies based on the number of weddings she works, she had to make some changes based on the sagging economy.
“Since I work out here quite a bit, I used to be hard and fast with my pricing, but … I became much more flexible in 2009,” Hults said.
She previously referred weddings less than six hours to other photographers, but now she offers prices and packages for smaller, shorter weddings that still require 20-25 hours of work per client.
“I price it for them and make it worth my time,” she said.
Sorting through lists upon lists of vendors and trying to coordinate family members and other considerations can be overwhelming for some couples so they often turn to wedding planners to oversee many of the details.
Much like travel agents who can negotiate better rates through package deals, wedding planners bundle teams of vendors based upon their networks and expertise.
“Try to hire a planner if you can. You’d be surprised how a good planner can save you the majority of, if not all of, their fee in better event management, better budgeting and understanding how to negotiate with vendors and what will and won’t work,” Brown said.
Wedding vendors, planners and venues can count on one thing through the thick and thin of their industry – people will continue to get married.
“It’s a recession-proof business. Everybody keeps on getting married,” Roberts said.

When they strike on a deal, savvy homebuyers are like birds of prey that pluck their quarry out of the sky.

Nationally, new home sales have plummeted the last few years, but eagle-eyed homebuyers are flocking to Falconhead and Falconhead West in Bee Cave as ideal places to relocate.
The Austin Board of Realtors reported Falconhead and Falconhead West homebuilders combined sold 52 units.
Last year, Taylor Morrison Homes, Ryland Homes and Drees Custom Homes sold a total of 40 units in Falconhead West with Ryland accounting for about half of those sales.
Ryland’s homes starting in the $270,000 range on 60- and 70-foot lots contributed to their volume last year, but the other two homebuilders are doing brisk business with their 70-foot and 80-foot homesites.
Taylor Morrison’s homes are priced at $335,000 for a 2,655-square-foot house to $566,000 for 4,683 square feet.
Drees Custom Homes’ Designer Series starts at $360,000 for a 2,661-square-foot home, and its Luxury Series tops out at a base price of $510,000 for 4,285 square feet.
Since the development started in 2007, all three Falconhead West homebuilders are faring much better than their counterparts in other areas of the country as scores of “SOLD” signs and wooden frameworks throughout the development indicate.
“After opening a year and a half ago, this neighborhood has really taken off,” said Anne Ford, senior sales associate at Taylor Morrison Homes.
Taylor Morrison has sold nearly half its homes after selling all but one of its lots in the older Falconhead subdivision. Monterey Homes continues to perform well in Falconhead as it finishes selling its remaining lots. Monterey officials said the homebuilder sold 12 units last year.
Falconhead home sizes range from 2,967 square feet to 6,204 square feet. Prices range from $379,900 up to $1.25 million.
“We have one of the strongest markets in the country. The housing market is more like the weather, where just because it’s raining or snowing in New York City it doesn’t mean that it’s not beautiful sunny skies here. It’s completely regional,” Ford said.
Ford estimated 50 percent of their customers are out-of-state homebuyers who are flexibly employed and have more of a choice in where they live. These customers, who either travel full-time or work from home, are choosing the area for its plethora of amenities.
The City of Bee Cave’s 2-cent property tax rate, which is significantly lower than rates in neighboring cities and most others across Texas, gets the attention of many prospective buyers.
“I have talked to a few homebuyers that have purchased here, and they have looked at Bee Cave because of that rate. There is a substantial savings annually,” Bee Cave City Manager Salvato said.
The area’s natural amenities are just as enticing.
Lake enthusiasts enjoy boating, fishing, sailing, waterskiing and scuba diving on Lake Travis, and a protected greenbelt surrounding the Falconhead West development ensures green space and a gorgeous view. Hamilton Pool and Dripping Springs provide even more options for taking a dip.
“We have the Hill Country beauty, and our houses are also less expensive than they are in most other places,” Ford said.
Falconhead also boasts the 7,300-yard, par 72 Falconhead Golf Club, the country’s first PGA Tour Signature Series Course, which opened in 2003 in conjunction with the housing development.
Families with or without school-age children can appreciate the proximity of Lakeway and Bee Cave elementary schools, Lake Travis Middle School and Lake Travis High School.
“It’s an excellent school district. People are drawn to Lake Travis ISD,” Ford said. “Even for people who don’t have children, it’s a big pull because it affects resale value so much. This [district] has one of the best reputations.”
Once they discover the nearby shopping and dining at Hill Country Galleria and Shops at the Galleria and learn they will be living minutes away from the future Lakeway Regional Medical Center and The Backyard, prospective homebuyers have little reason to look elsewhere.

Nestled among 400-year-old oak trees and host to David Bowie, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and other esteemed performers, it was a one-of-a-kind venue.
In October 2008, the Backyard closed its doors after 15 years of shows, but venue management company Direct Events owner-president Tim O’Connor said both musicians and fans have been part of the driving force to bring back the feel and look of the previous incarnation to the planned The Backyard at Bee Cave, which is scheduled to open in spring 2010 at Texas 71 and RR 620, south of the future Bee Cave Parkway extension.
“We were pretty successful with the original Backyard. We hope to take the great aspects of this venue and at least try to match them [to the previous Backyard],” O’Connor said. “We want this to be a place where music is shared in a Hill Country environment with as few restrictions as possible so there is more freedom and an exchange between the artist and fan while still providing all the creature comforts necessary for everyone’s enjoyment.”
The $12 million project will rest on 44 acres, seat 7,500-8,000 people and offer more than 2,500 parking spaces. Direct Events Marketing Director Kylee O’Neil said parking fees would be included in admission costs.
The historic oak trees will stay at the original Backyard’s location, but O’Connor promises a familiar, open-air environment that includes a different set of trees.
Planners are touting the site’s green features that include permeable but sturdy green pavers that will cover and protect the parking lot grounds while allowing grass to grow.
Other plans call for using solar energy to power the artist’s compound and other areas, running stormwater through biofiltration units, adding electric vehicle plug-ins, retrofitting diesel-powered equipment for biofuel consumption and researching wind power.
A scholarship program with the University of Texas has produced cutting-edge ideas for implementing environmental technology wherever possible and minimizing use of concrete.
“The entire spirit of the project was to keep it as green as possible,” said John Jansing of engineering firm Gray, Jansing & Associates Inc. who worked on the facility’s Green Team.
Before The Backyard at Bee Cave’s starts hosting concerts, it will host a tree planting ceremony for 400 saplings that were given out to audience members at The Backyard’s last show.
Recently, Direct Events relocated an 80,000-pound, 75-year-old oak tree that was on the edge of the new property to avoid its demolition.
O’Connor said he has noticed that the trees at his amphitheaters seem to be music lovers, too.
“I know people will say I’m crazy, but those trees have really grown and enjoy the music. There’s a symbiotic relationship between music and the Earth,” he said.
The Backyard at Bee Cave will debut with A First Look concert featuring local and regional talent on May 1 to familiarize fans with its location, O’Connor said.
If that concert goes off without a hitch, he and his staff won’t have much time to rest on their laurels.
Just a few days later, they will play to host the Gipsy Kings on May 6, and music lovers are anticipating the return of Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic on July 4.
“As at most of Willie’s shows, there will be a prolificacy of talent,” O’Connor said.
He told City Council members at their Dec. 8 meeting that the venue would host eight to 24 events each year.
Earlier this month, VIP season tickets for 2010 and 2011 went on sale that include a private entrance, premium parking and access to the Talking Terrace, an exclusive indoor social club with a private bar and restrooms.
The Backyard will feature three VIP decks all with preferred viewing, but seats in the deck closest to the stage are going quickly, O’Neill said.
The Backyard at Bee Cave would not be possible, he said, without the support of fans and the City of Bee Cave, its partner in a revenue-sharing agreement for online ticket sales.
“The city from Day One joined hands with us. We had our challenges and differences of opinion, but it’s been a great experience working with them,” O’Connor said.
Bee Cave Mayor Caroline Murphy said concerts would boost the city’s economy by attracting more visitors who frequently dine and shop nearby before attending the shows.
“We definitely are excited about The Backyard staying in Bee Cave because it has been a very positive economic entity for us,” Murphy said.

Their personalities could not be more different.

But for as long as point guard David Eads, post Zach Karczewski and swing man Cole Vucurevich have been playing for Lake Travis head coach Jan Jernberg, they’ve been known as “The Triplets.”

Before the beginning of the 2007-08 season, Jernberg pointed at three sophomore names on his varsity roster.

“Those are my guys,” he said. “They’re going to be very good for us for the next three years. They can all play with the big boys.”

And they have. Over the last three years, the Cavaliers are 92-15 and have won nine playoff games. But until Saturday’s region championship, it was the losses that stuck with the three.

First, it was a first-round upset at the hands of New Braunfels during their sophomore season.

“Records don’t matter in the playoffs, everything is new in the playoffs,” Eads said. “No one is ever going to step aside for you just because you’re a heavy favorite. Everyone is going to gun for you, no matter what.”

But once the lesson is learned to play all-out, what happens when that’s not enough? Eads found out the hard way last year when a bad inbounds pass gave LBJ new life in the Region IV final. He blamed himself for four months, despite the fact that the Cavs actually lost on a buzzer-beater in overtime. He was told over and over by friends, coaches and teammates that his one pass didn’t cost Lake Travis a trip to state. He didn’t care.

“When it comes down to crunch time, everything’s magnified and people remember who makes or misses the game-winner,” Eads said. “As a point guard, I pride myself on my ability to take care of the ball, and when we had to have that at the end of the game, I failed in that pursuit. This season has definitely been an opportunity to make up for that.”

Eads made up for it Saturday with a 19-point performance, but when the Cavs have needed big performances this year, one of the triplets always seems to show up.

Karczewski has led the way in the playoffs, averaging 15 points per game, including a 24-point outburst in the regional semifinal against Gregory-Portland. He is far and away the Cavaliers’ most aggressive player, one that Jernberg nicknamed “Twilight” because when he steps on the court, he becomes a monster, dominating bigger defenders while checking in at 6’4”.

“I love playing against guys that are supposed to be the best, especially if they’re taller,” Karczewski said. “I love playing the underdog. You’ve got nothing to lose, so go all out.”

“You’d be hard pressed to find a post his size, with the size and athletic disadvantage he has, that gets the results he does,” Eads said. “He just never quits.”

Vucurevich is the most athletic player Jernberg says he has ever coached, and in a showdown with district rival Killeen on Jan. 29, the 6’4” swingman had five blocks to go with 12 points. He both literally and figuratively rises to the occasion.

“I wouldn’t say I go into those games with a different mindset,” Vucurevich said. “I just think I take advantage of the opportunities.”

He also led the Cavs with 19 points in a come-from-behind win over LBJ in the third round.

“His athleticism is unrivaled,” Eads said. “Some of the plays he makes, you have to stop for a minute and realize what you just saw.”

When one can’t finish the job, another does. They know where everyone is on the floor, and when one of them goes down, the dynamic changes for Lake Travis. When you’ve played together for so long, that tends to happen.

“The chemistry we’ve built has really helped us,” Eads said. “We understand each other both on and off the court.”

They each credit the contribtions of their teammates, especially Chris Dash, Billy Sherakas, Bob Carlton, Griffin Gilbert and Yusuf Abdullah, as a huge reason they were able to make it to this point, especially after losing Jordan Jahr and Ryan Betori.

But it’s their understanding of each other that makes the team special – even if the details really aren’t all that important.

For instance, Karczewski believes he knows where Vucurevich gets his incredible jumping ability.

“His big toe is just ridiculously huge,” Karczewski laughed. “It’s got to be twice as big as mine and like three times longer than a normal big toe. I’m telling you, that’s where it comes from.”

Eads thinks the most interesting thing about Vucurevich is his broad but intriguing musical tastes (well, that and the fact that he was born in Compton, CA). He points to Vucurevich’s digging up Bobby Vinton’s “Mr. Lonely,” which was sampled by Akon for the song “Lonely.”

“He’ll bring out anything from any decade,” Eads said. “I didn’t even know the original version of that song existed. And he was excited, he was listening to that like he would anything else.”

And where Karczewski is borderline abusive on the basketball court, he’s a humanitarian off the court, as a leader for the local Special Olympics. Still, Vucurevich doesn’t think people understand the dark side.

“He seriously changes. I can’t even explain it,” Vucurevich said. “When Zach is on the court, he’s completely different than the guy that comes off the court.”

But both Vucurevich and Karczewski agree on Eads.

“David is one of the most intellectual people I’ve ever met. He’s also extremely philosophical,” Vucurevich said.

“He got some ridiculous score on his ACT, like 34 out of 36 or something like that,” Karczewski said. “It shows up on the court. He has basketball intelligence, but he has more than that when he’s out there.”

They’ll each need their best traits at full force tonight when they take the court against Lancaster (35-2), a team favored to beat them. And a team that’s taller, more experienced and deeper.

But that’s fine for the three seniors. Karczewski will attempt to outfight the opposition, Vucurevich will attempt to out jump them and Eads will attempt to outsmart them.

When asked if what they’ve accomplished has set in, they all answered the same.

Not yet, but it probably will when we step on the court Thursday.

“The Triplets” weren’t labeled as such because they were similar in any way, shape or form.

It was because they might as well be one entity.

Weekend Preview

If the Cavaliers (33-5) manage an upset tonight against Lancaster (35-2), it’s likely they will have done it their way. Lake Travis is good at making other teams play its game, and frankly, doesn’t quite know how to win any other way. At least not lately.

The best example would be a team like Killeen, which averaged 70-plus points per game, but was held to 46 and 57 in both games against Lake Travis. The Cavaliers are good at making first options disappear, and forcing tougher shots.

In theory, Lake Travis could be exploited for its height disadvantage against a team like Lancaster, but it wouldn’t be the first time a taller team has failed to capitalize.

“They’ve got four division one players – they’re very good,” Jernberg said. “We’re not going to do anything different than what we’ve done before. Yes, they’ve got some height, but we’ve played teams with guys that were 6’6” and 6’8”, and we’ve done pretty well against them.”

When they haven’t done well, they’ve done poorly against the press, forced bad passes and most of all – gone cold from the floor or the free throw line. Lately, it hasn’t been a problem.

“If we shoot the ball well, we’re going to be in it,” Jernberg said. “That’s the key.”

It will have to be for the underdog Cavs to keep up, but if they’ve shown anything this season, it’s that if they’re in the game late, they’ve always got a shot.

For many outside of Lancaster and Lake Travis, though, this 4A final four is about one thing – Houston Yates’ otherworldly dominance. The Lions (32-0) have won 14 straight games in which they’ve scored 100 points, and controversially set a state record for points in a game with a 170-35 win over Houston Lee earlier in the year.  They are the defending state champions, and this tournament is supposed to be their crowning achievement. Yates plays The Colony (32-8) following the Lake Travis – Lancaster game tonight, and the winners of each game face off for the title at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

How the Cavs got here

Boys Season Results
Date    Opponent    Time/Score
Nov. 17    McCallum    61-56 (w)
Nov. 20    Vista Ridge    50-45 (w)
Nov. 24    @ Austin High    73-60 (w)
Nov. 25    Anderson    69-31 (w)
Dec. 1    @ Cedar Park    52-49 (w)
Dec. 3    Palmview    84-21 (w)
Dec. 4    S.A. Clark    74-62 (l)
Dec. 4    St. Thomas Catholic    42-37 (w)
Dec. 5    Converse Judson    36-34 (l)
Dec. 8    @ Lehman    91-31 (w)
Dec. 11    Westwood    65-55 (w)
Dec. 12    Mansfield    63-40 (l)
Dec. 12    St. Stephen’s Episcopal    68-56 (w)
Dec. 12    Cedar Park    37-34 (w)
Dec. 18    Lockhart    81-31 (w)
Dec. 21    Copperas Cove    82-52 (w)
Dec. 28    Big Spring    58-39 (w)
Dec. 29    St. Michael’s     56-55 (w)
Dec. 29    Vista Ridge    63-42 (w)
Dec. 29    Houston Sam Houston    57-41 (w)
Jan. 4    Smithville    82-49 (w)
Jan. 8    @ Elgin    67-40 (w)
Jan. 15    @ Lampasas*    41-28 (w)
Jan. 19    Hendrickson*    65-49 (w)
Jan. 22    @ Hutto*    63-44 (w)
Jan. 26    Marble Falls*    66-54 (w)
Jan. 29    @ Killeen*    48-46 (w)
Feb. 2    Lampasas*    56-39 (w)
Feb. 5    @ Hendrickson*    68-60 (l)
Feb. 9    Hutto*    56-53 (w)
Feb. 13    @ Marble Falls*    72-46 (w)
Feb. 16    Killeen*    57-55 (l)
Feb. 24    McCallum**    69-58 (w)
Feb. 26     Cibolo Steele**    49-42 (w)
Mar. 1    LBJ**    66-56 (w)
Mar. 5    Gregory-Portland**    70-44 (w)
Mar. 6    Kerrville Tivy**    38-31 (w)
*Denotes district game
** Denotes playoff game

LTHS Boys Statistical Leaders
(Updated through end of regular season)

Player        PPG    RPG    APG    FG%      FT%
Zach Karczewski        14.2    7.1    0.5    58    58
Cole Vucurevich        10.3    5.2    1.4    44    51
Billy Sherakas        9.7    4.4    0.5    44    68
David Eads        8.6    3.4    9.2    42    67
Chris Dash        7.8    3.4    0.5    54    57
Griffin Gilbert        5.1    2.3    0.2    62    52
Bob Carlton        4.3    0.8    0.4    45    70
Yusuf Abdullah        1.6    1.1    0.4    30    59
Drew Nikolovski        1.5    0.5    0.3    37    38
Matt Tyson        1.2    0.6    0.6    30    53
Collin Betori        1.0    0.6    0.0    –    100
Adam Peckover        0.8    0.6    0.2    33    100
Trent Kan        0.5    0.7    0.2    75    25
Team totals        60.7    27.4    13.7    48    60

LTHS Boys 3PT Leaders

Player        3FG    3FGA    3FG%
Chris Dash        36    77    47
Bob Carlton        35    85    41
Billy Sherakas        44    122    36
Team totals        176    485    36

A late second-quarter surge broke the game’s final tie, and the Cavaliers (32-5) held off the Antlers to win the Region IV-4A title. Lake Travis had thrashed Gregory Portland in Friday night’s semifinal 70-44 to reach the championship game.

The Cavaliers came out swinging to open the game Saturday afternoon, with Zach Karczewski leading the charge. The Cavs’ man in the post was going up against two Tivy posts with major height advantages over him, but Karczewski didn’t relent.

“We knew we had to attack them, try to get them in foul trouble and let them know we weren’t just going to settle for the three,” Karczewski said. “Once you establish that, it gives you a lot more open looks all over the floor.”

Lake Travis held steady in the opening quarter, thanks to two buckets by Karczewski and a three pointer from both Chris Dash and Cole Vucurevich. After the first frame, Lake Travis led 11-7.

After a rush by the Antlers to tie the game at 14-14 with just under four minutes left in the first half, the Cavaliers went on a 10-2 run, stealing the momentum heading into the break with a 24-16 lead.

Lake Travis kept the rush on in the third quarter, keeping Tivy at bay and holding a 33-26 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

But Tivy opened the quarter on a 5-1 run and the Lake Travis side of the gym tensed up a bit. Lake Travis head coach Jan Jernberg called a timeout with his team up 34-31.

“The first thing we told the guys was, ‘look, [Tivy's] going to get their shots and they’re going to have their moment,’” Jernberg said. “We told them to bend but not break. We’ve been waiting too long for this, we’ve got too much heart and we’re either going to stick the dagger in them or they’re going to stick it in us. Don’t lose your poise, play great defense and make the play when you get a chance.”

The timeout talk appeared to help, as the Antlers didn’t score another point over the final six minutes. With about seven seconds left in the game, Cavalier point guard David Eads was fouled and went to the free throw line with a 37-31 lead. Jernberg subbed out his other four players on the floor and the celebration began on the Cavalier sideline and the stands.

Meanwhile, Eads was the lone starter left on the floor, which seemed appropriate. Eads blamed himself for the Cavaliers’ Region IV title game loss to LBJ last year, and in the ultimate act of redemption, hit one more free throw to score his 19th point of the game – sealing the win with one of the best offensive games of his career, and freeing himself from the tremendous weight carried on his shoulders.

“David had this great fall league game against Westwood where he just shot the lights out. I know he can score like that, but he came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I’d forgotten, but I can shoot,’” Jernberg laughed. “I told him he could definitely shoot and that he just needed to go out there and knock them down.”

That’s exactly what he did, not missing a single shot after his sole miss of the game in the first quarter.

“We’ve worked so hard to get to this point, and it’s an unreal feeling to know that it has all paid off,” Eads said. “My role isn’t really to score much, I’m more of a distributer. But we knew coming in that Tivy had scouted us and knew us pretty well, so they were guarding our shooters tough all game. Because of that, I was open a lot and I had to make the most of it.”

Then he stood alone on the free throw line. Soaking in the reality.

“I just kept thinking, ‘we’ve got a seven-point lead with seven seconds left,’ – it’s a good feeling,” he said.

Lake Travis then celebrated with friends and family and cut down one of the nets.

A region title has been the hope and dream of Jernberg his entire career. He’s had two Lake Travis teams just miss out as region favorites, and this time, he got his trip to the state tournament.

“I can’t put words to it,” Jernberg said. “I know it sounds corny, but I really am humbled by it. I’ve been in that building so many times going to my regional board meetings between the games during the state tournament and it is awe-inspiring.”

“To be able to coach in that atmosphere and on that stage – it’s not even about winning and losing. Of course we want to win, I want it for our kids, but this is also going to be the most fun week of workouts we’ve ever had,” he said.

The Cavs’ opponent won’t be determined until late Saturday or early Sunday morning, though Jernberg felt confident that his team would not be seeded in a position to have to play Houston Yates, a team that has flat-out dominated opponents all season. Without knowing his opponent, he could only speak to his team’s abilities.

“We are who we are,” Jernberg said. “We’ve earned this position by playing great defense. We’re still going to play defense when we get there. I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get there, but we’re going to fight and we’re going to battle.”

The Cavaliers will play Thursday night in the Frank Erwin Center. The 4A semifinal games will wrap up a day of semifinal basketball. The first semifinal will begin at 7 p.m. with the second one to follow.

For state tournament ticket information, visit uil.utexas.edu/athletics/basketball/state/boys/index.html

Michael Brewer plans on playing his college football at Texas Tech.

Lake Travis quarterback Michael Brewer will become the third Cavalier QB to play his college football in the Big XII Conference.

Friday afternoon, with his coaches and family around him, he pledged to accept a scholarship offer from Texas Tech.

“I felt like the program is on the up and up, and for them to be on the up and up from where they’ve already gotten means a lot to me,” Brewer said. “It’s a huge relief, a nice burden to have off my shoulders, and I’m ready to concentrate on spring ball.”

Brewer is hoping to lead the Cavaliers on a run toward their fourth straight state championship. The team will enter the 2010 season having won three consecutive 4A titles and 46 consecutive games dating back to 2007.

Texas Tech is coming off a 9-4 season and a win in the Alamo Bowl. Tommy Tuberville takes over as the team’s head coach, and Brewer said was impressed by Tuberville and the staff he’s putting together.

“Coach Tuberville is a great guy, a great leader and someone who is bringing a great staff with lots of experience and lots of football knowledge,” Brewer said.

Tuberville said he expects to use the same wide open passing attack employed by his predecessor. Tech’s passing attack ranks among the best in the nation annually.

When he joins the Red Raiders, he’ll join Cavalier predecessors Todd Reesing (Kansas) and Garrett Gilbert (Texas) in the conference. Reesing completed his eligibility this season and Gilbert is entering his sophomore season, where he’s set to start for the Longhorns.

Brewer chose Texas Tech over eight other schools who had contacted him, including Tulsa, where former Cavalier coach Chad Morris is an offensive coordinator, Texas, Rice, Auburn, East Carolina, Baylor, Kansas and Arizona State.

When disasters devastate entire countries, such as the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12 and the 8.8-magnitude disaster that hit Chile on Saturday, the world reels in shock but millions react with aid.

Lakeway resident Sandy Larson, RN, has been at the forefront of disaster relief and humanitarian efforts as a registered nurse working aboard hospital ships.
When Larson read about Project HOPE’s need for qualified nurses to work onboard the USNS Comfort off the coast of Port-au-Prince, she signed up immediately for a three-week volunteer rotation.
The Comfort had been in dry dock in Baltimore, Md., when the earthquake ravaged Haiti, but the U.S. Navy ship and its crew were called into duty and set sail Jan. 16. The ship primarily supports overseas military operations, but its secondary mission is to provide a full hospital service for other government agencies involved in the support of relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
As the 894-foot Comfort sailed to the Caribbean as part of Operation Unified Response, workers outfitted the ship in transit and 26 volunteers, including Larson, flew on a military cargo transport Jan. 27 from Jacksonville Naval Air Station in Florida to Toussaint Louverture Airport in Port-au-Prince with a brief stop at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Before the Comfort moored, helicopters began flying patients in for surgery and treatments.
Within two hours of arriving onboard, Larson’s group began a grueling cycle of relief. She worked 16 shifts of 12 hours each.
“I quickly realized it would be sleep and work,” Larson said. “It was exhausting for everybody, no doubt.”
The 1,000-bed floating hospital ship took on 700 patients initially and continued taking up to 100 new patients each day to treat in eight operating rooms.
Project HOPE volunteers who supplemented military personnel included medical professionals with experience in surgery, neonatal intensive care, pediatrics, post anesthesia care, intensive care and physical therapy.
As a critical care nurse for 26 years at Seton Medical Center Austin in its intensive care unit and several decades, Larson is no stranger to working on international relief projects and hospital ships.
She feels that she has been blessed with good health and skills that have been of value to these missions.
“I firmly believe that to whom much has been given, much is expected,” she said.
She served on a couple of short-term, land-based missions in Panama and in 2007 she served a month on GRT Africa Mercy harbored in Liberia. Larson also was familiar with the USNS Comfort from a Project HOPE humanitarian mission last spring for six weeks in the Caribbean, including a stop at Haiti.
“I had been ashore two or three times there, so I had a pretty good sense of what I was getting into. I knew it was going to be a way more intense scene than I had been a part of in the spring,” Larson said, adding that her three-week rotation was her first nursing mission to support disaster relief.
She learned that flexibility was the key word.
“You have to be able to go with the flow. In that kind of a setting, you have to give up some of the rules and regulations that work under here in the States,” she explained. “You’re doing the most for the most patients that you can at the time.”
The hospital ship took a steady stream of patients who were airlifted by helicopter and occasionally transported by small boats.
“There was a continuous flow of that kind of activity,” she said.
Larson recalled seeing lots of cases of amputations, head trauma, fractured legs and arms and spinal injuries.
She noted that few doctors onboard had treated patients of typhoid and tetanus.
“That was interesting for about everybody. Very few of the physicians had ever encountered that because we just don’t see it in our modern medical setting,” she said.
Gut-wrenching stories became part of the daily routine.
“The human grief was really overwhelming at times. We took care of many people of all ages who had lost their total families. They were the lone survivors,” she said, fondly remembering one patient who had lost her parents and five siblings when their family’s house collapsed. The woman, who had a good command of English, escaped with major facial fractures and unable to speak after receiving treatment wrote notes and letter of thanks to Larson.
Amid the disease and trauma, doctors also delivered a few babies onboard.
One expectant mother had suffered a fractured pelvis, and she and her baby were extremely ill when they came onboard. Doctors didn’t expect the baby, dubbed Isabella, to survive after delivering her prematurely at 6 1/2 months and taking her off a breathing machine.
“She just started breathing on her own and started thriving. She went home with her mother,” Larson recalled. “Baby Isabella is the miracle baby of the ship.”
The story was one among many that lifted spirits and morale on the ship.
“There were definitely some bright spots,” Larson said. “People got over the hump, when we didn’t know if they would make it. They did survive and ultimately get better.”
The scope of Project HOPE’s mission and collaboration with Navy personnel astounded her.
“When you think about it, it was just unbelievable what the end result was because it was a huge, huge undertaking with so many levels of people involved,” Larson. “It was a very high level of care for the situation. To work at that level for three weeks was plenty.”
The ups and downs and long shifts did fatigue Larson who is semi-retired, but she gained a greater understanding of tragedy on an epic scale.
“I deal with death and dying on a regular basis in what I do … but when you add that level of not only the injuries but also people who have lost several or all of their family members and have no home to go to, it puts my whole world into a different perspective,” she said. “It makes me incredibly grateful.”
Although she was ready to come home, she took several memories with her of Haiti’s unwavering faith.
On the eve of the one-month anniversary of the earthquake Feb. 12, the ship’s chaplain and an interpreter hosted a service of remembrance and hope in the ship’s mess hall that included hymns and prayer.
“Everybody came — all the patients who could make it – along with the Red Cross and Project HOPE. It was packed to the brim, shoulder to shoulder. That was a hugely powerful experience. There weren’t so many dry eyes at the service,” Larson said. “It was such an example of their strength. [Haitians] are used to very, very hard lives, and they have very strong spirits. That was a wonderful way to end our mission.”