great state championship cinderella stories

[down-n-dirty]

I am interested in hearing any inspirational stories about previous state champion teams...more than anything i am wanting to hear about teams that made it that should not have been there (by stereotypical standards)...i am starting to wonder if it's a talent only game or if there are still some tough, coachable , hardnose teams that win on desire........enlighten me.....thanks men

[Swarm 51]

The 2000 Div. 1, 3AAA State Champs, Gatesville Hornets. China Springs was picked to win district with the duo of Bell at Q/back and his receiver, MacGibbon. The Hornets beat them at C.S. Runner up for
17 3AAA was to be LaVega with their speed and talent. The Hornets won that game and ended regular season with a 10-0 record. They met Elgin for bi-district. Elgin had a great q/back and running back. Gatesville won 42-0. Next up was the Robinson Rockets. Gatesville had beat them in a non-district game 27-0, but everyone knew the Rockets were a different team by the time bi-district rolled around. The Hornets were down by 10 points at half-time, but came back to win by 10. Next on the docket was the Cleveland Indians at Kyle Stadium. They had a 240 lb. running back the Hornet line was not supposed to be able to stop as well as too much speed on offense and defense for Gatesville. The huge Indian running back was held to under 20 yds. for the game. Again, the Hornets prevailed when many did not give them a chance to do so. Then there was Bandera. Great team. Super wide receiver about 6'4" with a great pair of hands. Gatesville's matching cornerback was about 5'10", but had superior leaping ability preventing the lob passes Bandera hoped to complete over the corner's head. Final score was 30-9. Next and last, Abilene Wylie's mighty Bulldogs with Ensor, Ruth and so many other outstanding players. 28 degress at kickoff. One minute and 25 seconds to go in the game, Hornets behind by 3 points. The Hornet q/back who was not known for his speed rolled out to his right on a keeper from about the 5 yd line, everyone blocked their man and he scored the winning touchdown. That play had been called only once before and it was in the Cleveland game. And then the interception by the Hornet cornerback with a little over a minute left on the clock to save the game and win the state championship, 14-10. It was the same pass play the Bulldogs had used to score their only touchdown. That group of Hornet players were not even picked to win the district and ended up with a 15-0 record. That may not be a cinderella story to some, but to the Hornet fans it is one that will always be relived.

[toby070]

It was before my folks moved there, but I've been told that Medina Valley's state championship win (over Daingerfield I think) was a monster upset, that the Panthers kind of came out of nowhere that year. I believe it was 1984.

[Jacket2000]

'98 Grapevine,4A.
Entered week 8 at 4-4, entered the playoffs at 6-4 as the third place team. Rattled off 5 wins in the playoffs, two in overtime, including a quaterfinal victory over Greenville where G'vine came back from a 28-0 halftime deficit to win 34-31 in triple OT.
Also, this isnt a championship story, but the 2000 Denton Ryan team was a Cinderlla story in my opinion. They had never been to the playoffs in the history of the school and was coming off of a 1-9 season when they went 12-3 and reached the finals.
Also, if my memory serves me correctly, there was something Cinderella-like about the '89 Tyler Chapel Hill team. If anyone knows, please post it.
J2K

[Big Tarp 74]

I remember Medina Valley. In 1984 Port Isabel played them. At that time Medina Valley was an Underdog to Port Isabel. Port Isabel front line towered above Medina. Even Port Isabel Quarterback was bigger than anyone they had on the line. Medina had a pair of great linebacker, and a team that was on a mission. Medina won that game 21-0. They had to try stoping PI big offense, and they did. Medina was faster, but had lots of trouble getting to the quarterback. Our linemen said they were very quick on the line. The thing that save Medina, was a running back, was knock out by one of our own linemen trying to make a block on a medina player. This realy hurt the tarpons.


Originally posted by toby070:
It was before my folks moved there, but I've been told that Medina Valley's state championship win (over Daingerfield I think) was a monster upset, that the Panthers kind of came out of nowhere that year. I believe it was 1984.

[Old Green]

In 1970 Cuero went to the State Finals. It was the first time in 11 years for us to make the playoffs.
We were in a district composed of 12 teams divided into East and West zones.We were in the East Zone.
Entering zone(district) we had a 2-2-1 record with one of our losses to Roosevelt Leaks and his Brenham team 28-14.
We finished District play At 4-1 in a three way tie with Schertz-Clemons and Floresville for first place.
There was a coin flip the next day between Cuero, Floresville, and Schertz-Clemons.
Cuero won the toss and was declared East zone champs.
We met Kerrville who was West zone champs the next week at a neutral site. Cuero beat Kerrville 7-6 for the District Championship.
We met Gatesville in Bi-District and Won 20-7. That game we were like 10 point underdogs.
QuarterFinals found us Facing Gregory-Portland and there great quarterback Marty Akins and legendary coach Ray Akins.
We won that game 14-10. Papers around the state had the headlines "Cinderella team does it a again" because we were heavy underdogs.
In the Semi-Finals we Faced the number team in the state. The #1 Ennis Lions and there great running back Sidney Fields. We were like 30 point underdogs. Were were playing with a lot of Injuries. My cousin who stood 6'5" was playing DE with a boken leg from the weekend before, Alois Blackwell had a twisted ankleand our quarterback David Cusack had his wrist in a wrap.

Ennis was awesome when they onto the Field in there maroon uniforms and playing the Aggie Fight song. We upset #1 Ennis 12-6.
The headlines really began to call Cuero the Cinderella team and we liked it.

The finals found us facing the #4 Brownwood Lions at Texas Memorial Stadium. It was cold that Saturday. About32 degrees at 2:00 in the afternoon. Brownwood took a 14-0 to nothing lead at halftime and made it stick. I believe that was brownwoods 5 state Championship. The injuries I guess caught up with us but is it something I will not ever forget. CUERO the CINDERELLA TEAM OF THE 70's

[vet93]

Toby...I was thinking of the exact same team. People cannot fully appreciate the significance of that upset unless they were able to see the Daingerfield team that won state the year before. Even though they lost some to graduation(83 Daingerfield team was the most dominant team I have ever seen in 3A)Daingerfield still had alot of weapons. Medina Valley must have played very well together as a team to win that game.


Originally posted by toby070:
It was before my folks moved there, but I've been told that Medina Valley's state championship win (over Daingerfield I think) was a monster upset, that the Panthers kind of came out of nowhere that year. I believe it was 1984.

[toby070]

Medina Valley was usually pretty strong when they were in 3A, but I heard that the Daingerfield team they beat was amazing. Other than a bunch of Alsations, I don't think anyone saw that state championship coming! Of course, on the downside, now they expect it every year http://bbs.3adownlow.com/ubb/biggrin.gif