AXTELL, Texas (KXXV) — It's game week for Axtell football, and the Longhorns are in their final week of practices and the urgency of game one against Milano increases.
"This week's exciting — you know, you've got an actual ball game, you have actual prep," said head coach, Craig Horn.
"Usually the intensity amps up a little bit really — it's about the time where things actually get real."
This is year three under Coach Horn, and the Longhorns have seen improvement in not just on the win column, but also in their football culture.
"Well now we're a known quantity — we kind of know what the ingredients are, we know what these kids are capable of," Horn said.
"When we first came in here, we were trying to build something, we're trying to lay a foundation and doing things fundamentally sound."
"More intense for sure — but now we look at it and we're like, 'Yeah, we needed that and it definitely helps us a lot'," said senior player, Brandon Klanika.
Looking at last season, the Longhorns were undefeated district champions and finished the regular season 10-0, but their season was cut short in the first round of the playoffs.
The experienced senior class is looking to right that wrong.
"Just make it deeper in the playoffs — it's our last year to show out and probably the best team this school has ever seen this year," said senior player, Tyson Michel.
"We've got to stay fresh — we've got to keep kids healthy, and if we keep getting better every day, then then we have a chance to play with anybody in this region," Horn said.
The Longhorns hit the road on August 30 to play Milano in Game One.
