By SCOTT W. COLEMAN
Four Points News

Vandegrift at Harker Heights
Leo Buckley Stadium
Thursday, Sept. 15 – 7 p.m.

Practice is about getting better each day. It’s what the Vipers focused heavily on last week, and it paid off with a victory over Killeen last Friday night.

Still, Vandegrift coach Drew Sanders saw a number of things that need more improvement, and you can bet the Vipers will be focused in on those areas this week.

The Vipers have a short week of practice ahead of a road trip to Killeen to face Harker Heights on Thursday. But, that also provides an extra day on the other side of the final non-district game to help prepare for a Westlake team that is near the top of most polls.

For now, Sanders and the Vipers will be focused on getting another win, this time over the 2-1 Knights, who beat Elgin and McNeil before falling on the road at Waco last week.

The Knights rely heavily on their rushing attack, led by Jameel Hodges, who ran for 181 yards against McNeil. Much of that success is the result of an offensive line that prepared to lead the way for a ground-heavy game plan this season.

“This offensive line of ours is very aggressive, they have a lot of experience and they worked so hard in the offseason,” Knights coach Jerry Edwards told the Killeen Daily Herald last week.

However, the Knights were held to just 77 total rushing yards on 30 carries in last Friday’s 28-12 loss at Waco.

Vandegrift’s defense has been tough against the run in its first three games, especially so against teams that try to run between the tackles, and controlling the line of scrimmage and getting off the field on third down will be key points of focus for the Viper defense again this week.

Madison Nuessner (right) with Yamile Morales-Burnett at the Brain Power 5K on Sunday.

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Vandegrift Legacies, families and friends participated in the Brain Power 5K in Cedar Park on Sunday to show support and help raise awareness and funds to fight brain cancer. Fellow Viper dancer, Madison Nuessner, was diagnosed with brain cancer in July.

Nuessner, a VHS senior, and her team, Madi Dash for a Cure, raised $1,500 as of Monday afternoon for brain cancer research for the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“We won first place for the largest team (126 plus people) and first place for the best decorated tent,” posted Jennifer Nuessner, Madison’s mom on their Facebook page Mad Love for Madison – Go Gray! “Today was a beautiful and touching day for our family. We truly appreciate your love and support as we begin down this unknown path.”

Many local families also came to the Brain Power event in memory of Pierce Broe, who lost his fight with brain cancer Oct. 4, 2014 at the age of 12.

Cleveland Browns offensive guard Spencer Drango plays in their orange and brown scrimmage at the NFL football team’s training camp Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

Former River Place resident, Canyon Ridge Middle School Eagle and Cedar Park High School Timberwolf, Spencer Drango, has prevailed in final roster cuts and began his rookie season in the National Football League as a Cleveland Browns offensive lineman.

Spencer Drango #66

The Browns drafted Drango this past spring in the fifth round, the 168th pick overall in the NFL sweepstakes.

He is the son of Pamela and Gary Drango, who made a career move to San Diego in 2011, the year the future pro-player graduated from CPHS and enrolled at Baylor University on a football scholarship.

Responding from Cleveland, Drango said, “I stay in contact with some of my good friends that I played basketball and football with at CPHS. I recently saw several of them at a wedding.”

His current concentration, though, is on the Browns.

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Benefits: greater productivity, work/life balance

By CASSIE MCKEE
Four Points News

A growing number of professionals are choosing to work from home, especially in the Four Points area.

An analysis of House District 47, which stretches across western Travis County and includes Four Points and the communities of Lakeway, Lago Vista, Jonestown and Bee Cave, revealed that 12.7 percent of its residents work from home, a significantly higher number compared to the state average of 4 percent.

While many are self-employed, a growing number of companies are allowing their employees to telecommute, or work remotely from a home-based office.

Steiner Ranch resident Kristina Ritchie has telecommuted for her company Mintel International, LTD, a global market intelligence agency, since 2007.

“I am specifically responsible for a division within Mintel that monitors marketing efforts in the U.S. and Canada, and I oversee a team that establishes new partnerships for us in the U.S. and Canada,” Ritchie said.

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