Lake Travis aims for sixth title

AUSTIN (KXAN) -  

Lake Travis has owned high school football, winning five straight state championships.

And Monday, they started the campaign for sixth title.

“It’s one of the best days of the year,” said third-year head coach Hank Carter. “I couldn’t get much sleep last night, just chomping at the bit to get out here.”

It wasn’t always this way for the Cavs. From 2001 to 2003, they went a combined 4-36.

Baker Mayfield used to sit behind the end zone watching the Cavs struggle. Now, as a senior, he’s trying to lead Lake Travis to its sixth straight state championship.

“It really is amazing because I’ve lived out here my whole life, so I saw the 1-19 two year span, and that was awful,” Mayfield said. “So, I mean, watching it from that to five straight state championships, it’s ridiculous just knowing that you grew up here and you’re a part of it now.”

But when the Cavs won their first state championship in 2007, the thought of playing for Lake Travis was still just a dream for Mayfield.

“I was in middle school, probably about five feet tall, just kinda watching, like, ‘Man, I wish I could be there one day,’” the senior quarterback said. “Now, I’m right in the middle of it, so it’s the best time of my life right now.”

For junior defensive end Zach Davies, playing for Lake Travis wasn’t even a thought. Davies spent the last 10 years living in Indiana where basketball is king.

“Indiana football, it wasn’t really the main sport in my school,” Davies said. “Basketball was the big thing, so it kinda took a backseat a lot of time. But football here, Texas football, it’s just really great. The atmosphere’s incredible. I’m just loving every minute of it.”

Regardless of where they grew up, all the Cavaliers know the expectations.

Is it state championship or bust?

“It is,” Mayfield said. “If we win the first 15 games of the year and lose the last one, none of those 15 games matter. It’s all about that last game in December for us.”

“We feel good about our chances going out and competing in our district, and, hopefully, we’ll see what happens in the playoffs,” Carter said.

A sixth title? Lake Travis sure hopes so.