If an out-of-stater were to picture Texas high school football, their minds would conjure up a place like Mickey Mayne Tiger Stadium in Daingerfield. All 2,500-plus townsfolk cram onto the metal bleachers on a Friday night, creating the big-time atmosphere that can only be found in a community this small. From August to December, their world revolves around the Daingerfield Tigers.
It’s in this chaos that Mason Williams finds his peace. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound senior is a two-way star for Daingerfield who’s destined for college football. For those three hours, the real world - with all its pain and loss - melts away. It only threatens to creep back in when the whistle blows and he notices the town’s cheers. That’s when the entire stadium’s clapping reminds him of the one person who’s not.
Williams’s half-sister, Taylor Evans, was always his biggest fan in the crowd, which makes playing without her that much harder. They began living together with their mother, Ashley Franklin, when Mason was in sixth grade. Taylor, six years older than Mason, was a blend of his older sister and mother figure. She was the first person to ever let him drive a car, clowning around in the passenger seat as he steered their blue Nissan Altima around a massive yard. She should’ve been here for so many more milestones.
Taylor Evans passed away on April 16, 2022, after she was shot in the back during a pasture party. She was 19 years old, survived by her mother, toddler son, and an eighth-grade Mason. The day after her death, Mason posted a 7-on-7 football highlight on his X account with the caption “LLT” for "Long Live Taylor." That afternoon was the first time he’d played without her cheering from the stands. But that post was a promise: Taylor would be with Mason for the rest of his football career.
“Ever since she passed, I’ve continued to push myself harder and harder,” Mason said. “Now, I’ve got someone to do it for.”
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