The Smithson Valley that Larry Hill Made

There is no town of Smithson Valley, nor a city square or business district. It’s just a large 5A high school off a country road in the middle of ranchland 40 minutes north of San Antonio, filled with a hodge-podge of kids from western Boerne, southern Blanco, Fischer, Canyon Lake, Bulverde and Spring Branch zoned to the neutral site.

When Larry Hill took the head coaching job 32 years ago, the lack of a town and an identity was seen as a weakness. Smithson Valley was 45-120-5 all-time, with zero playoff wins. Hill only hoped to turn in a couple of good seasons and parlay that into a big-time job. Three decades later, he turned Smithson Valley into one instead.