Greatest Game in Texas High School History

[Matthew328]

For those of you who don't know...in 1994 Class 5A Regional Semi-Finals Plano East trailed Tyler John Tyler 41-17 with 2:33 left...Plano East proceeds to score 4 TD's and recover 3 consecutive onside kicks to take a 44-41 lead with 11 seconds left...then on the final ensuing kickoff Roderick Dunn breaks it down the sideline 97 yards to win the game..the game won as ESPY award..and I had the pleasure of being a mere 14 year old kid watching the greatest high school game ever...here is a story from the Dallas Morning News discussing the game with the announcers..

'Gosh o'mighty Joe Friday!'
Local trio still resonates with fans 9 years after classic playoff broadcast

11:31 PM CST on Wednesday, November 19, 2003

By DAVID McNABB / The Dallas Morning News

Eddy Clinton has his obituary pictured in his mind. He knows how he'll be remembered.

"I'll be one of the guys that broadcast that crazy Texas high school playoff game," Clinton said. "I still can't believe it was nearly 10 years ago. People come up to me all the time and talk like the game was last week."

Clinton and broadcast partners Denny Garver and Mike Zoffuto have etched themselves in Texas state football playoff lore. They did a local cable broadcast of the 1994 Class 5A playoff game between Plano East and Tyler John Tyler, and their colorful, impulsive commentary during an implausible comeback have been replayed many times around the country.

None is involved with sports broadcasting today, but Clinton is working on a retrospective 10-year anniversary tape with ESPN that will come out next year. His day job is as an outdoor advertising salesman. Garver still is a Plano postman, as he was nine years ago, and Zoffuto is coach at W.T. White High School.

All say it's not uncommon for the game to be brought up in conversations these days. It was an uncommon game.

Plano East scored 27 points in the final 2:33 to take the lead with 24 seconds remaining, only to lose when its final kickoff was returned for the winning touchdown in Tyler's 48-44 victory.

Tyler went on to win the Class 5A Division II state title – defeating Zoffuto's Lake Highlands team the next week. Zoffuto agreed to do the broadcast knowing his team would play the winner.

Tyler appeared to have its game with Plano East in hand heading into the final three minutes. But during Plano East's rally and its recovery of a third consecutive onside kick, Garver exclaimed:

"They got it again! They got it again! ... This is unbelievable. ... Good gosh o'mighty Joe Friday! Somebody give me something. I'm gonna die!"

As Tyler retook the lead on the 97-yard kickoff return with 11 seconds left, Zoffuto was in agony for the Plano East players:

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh my gosh, no! Come on! No! No! Gosh. God bless those kids. I am sick. I want to throw up."

In the ensuing weeks, the game tape was played on sportscasts throughout the country, and Garver and Clinton appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The trio even received an ESPY award from ESPN.

In 1999, Garver and Clinton played game announcers in the movie Varsity Blues, starring Jon Voight, who heard the tape and recommended them for the roles.

But Clinton also remembers just scrambling to get a crew together to work the game.

"We had a director, producer, two cameramen and us," Clinton said. "One cameraman was in his first year of doing games. As sports people have seen the tape, they can't believe we only had two cameramen, but they got it all."

Even as Clinton, Garver and Zoffuto got together at Texas Stadium during the state playoffs last week for a picture, people still wanted to talk to them about the Plano East-Tyler game.

"If you listen to the game, I start talking about a touchdown when the kid [Tyler's Roderick Dunn] is on about the 20," Zoffuto said. "I could see it developing and what was going to happen. I really felt bad for those kids and it just came out. I talked right on top of the play-by-play, and that's against all the [broadcast] rules. It just came out of my mouth. You could tell that it wasn't something rehearsed."

And nine years later, it certainly isn't something that has been forgotten.

E-mail dmcnabb@dallasnews.com

[spiveyrat]

I'll bet Plano East doesn't think of it as the greatest game ever. :D

[reptard7isCRAZY]

That's flat out amazing...

[District303aPastPlayer]

Midland High/Converse Judson.

[BigTim]

I agree with the sinton guy

[GWOOD]

Was given a copied video of the last few minutes of that game. Unbelievable. And the announcers are just hilarious!

[this is the way we ball]

Matthew328:
For those of you who don't know...in 1994 Class 5A Regional Semi-Finals Plano East trailed Tyler John Tyler 41-17 with 2:33 left...Plano East proceeds to score 4 TD's and recover 3 consecutive onside kicks to take a 44-41 lead with 11 seconds left...then on the final ensuing kickoff Roderick Dunn breaks it down the sideline 97 yards to win the game..the game won as ESPY award..and I had the pleasure of being a mere 14 year old kid watching the greatest high school game ever...here is a story from the Dallas Morning News discussing the game with the announcers..

'Gosh o'mighty Joe Friday!'
Local trio still resonates with fans 9 years after classic playoff broadcast

11:31 PM CST on Wednesday, November 19, 2003

By DAVID McNABB / The Dallas Morning News

Eddy Clinton has his obituary pictured in his mind. He knows how he'll be remembered.

"I'll be one of the guys that broadcast that crazy Texas high school playoff game," Clinton said. "I still can't believe it was nearly 10 years ago. People come up to me all the time and talk like the game was last week."

Clinton and broadcast partners Denny Garver and Mike Zoffuto have etched themselves in Texas state football playoff lore. They did a local cable broadcast of the 1994 Class 5A playoff game between Plano East and Tyler John Tyler, and their colorful, impulsive commentary during an implausible comeback have been replayed many times around the country.

None is involved with sports broadcasting today, but Clinton is working on a retrospective 10-year anniversary tape with ESPN that will come out next year. His day job is as an outdoor advertising salesman. Garver still is a Plano postman, as he was nine years ago, and Zoffuto is coach at W.T. White High School.

All say it's not uncommon for the game to be brought up in conversations these days. It was an uncommon game.

Plano East scored 27 points in the final 2:33 to take the lead with 24 seconds remaining, only to lose when its final kickoff was returned for the winning touchdown in Tyler's 48-44 victory.

Tyler went on to win the Class 5A Division II state title – defeating Zoffuto's Lake Highlands team the next week. Zoffuto agreed to do the broadcast knowing his team would play the winner.

Tyler appeared to have its game with Plano East in hand heading into the final three minutes. But during Plano East's rally and its recovery of a third consecutive onside kick, Garver exclaimed:

"They got it again! They got it again! ... This is unbelievable. ... Good gosh o'mighty Joe Friday! Somebody give me something. I'm gonna die!"

As Tyler retook the lead on the 97-yard kickoff return with 11 seconds left, Zoffuto was in agony for the Plano East players:

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh my gosh, no! Come on! No! No! Gosh. God bless those kids. I am sick. I want to throw up."

In the ensuing weeks, the game tape was played on sportscasts throughout the country, and Garver and Clinton appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The trio even received an ESPY award from ESPN.

In 1999, Garver and Clinton played game announcers in the movie Varsity Blues, starring Jon Voight, who heard the tape and recommended them for the roles.

But Clinton also remembers just scrambling to get a crew together to work the game.

"We had a director, producer, two cameramen and us," Clinton said. "One cameraman was in his first year of doing games. As sports people have seen the tape, they can't believe we only had two cameramen, but they got it all."

Even as Clinton, Garver and Zoffuto got together at Texas Stadium during the state playoffs last week for a picture, people still wanted to talk to them about the Plano East-Tyler game.

"If you listen to the game, I start talking about a touchdown when the kid [Tyler's Roderick Dunn] is on about the 20," Zoffuto said. "I could see it developing and what was going to happen. I really felt bad for those kids and it just came out. I talked right on top of the play-by-play, and that's against all the [broadcast] rules. It just came out of my mouth. You could tell that it wasn't something rehearsed."

And nine years later, it certainly isn't something that has been forgotten.

E-mail dmcnabb@dallasnews.comAnybody know how I can get a copy of that 4th quarter?

[Old Dog]

Matthew, I have seen film highlights of that game on national television several times. It was just amazing.....you would think, "well they can't get another onside", but they did!

[BullFrog Dad]

Plano East vs. John Tyler sounded like a great game for the last two and half minutes but had to dull up to that point. What I consider great games are ones that have lots a lead changes from opening kickoff to the final gun. And the winner is... Decatur vs. Sweetwater after Thanksgiving '02

[LogieJoeBean001]

A prime example of why no one should ever be counted out until the final tick of the clock and the game is over.

So when folks start talking about next week's game before this weeks game is even played, they are really assuming alot.....or perhaps they have a crystal ball in front of them and can see into the future!

[bulldogvet85]

District303aPastPlayer:
Midland High/Converse Judson.I have to agree thats the most RECENT exciting game with a great come back.

[sahen]

How about one of the biggest upsets in Texas Highschool History.......Katy Tigers (#2 in the State) vs. Baytown Sterling Rangers (data polls had them low as 110 or so) for Katy's Homecoming when they hadnt lost in 34 regular season games...(yes their seniors had never seen them loose a regular season game)...final 28-25 Sterling after holding off a Katy comeback in 2nd half by causing a receiver who had gotten a 1st down on 4th down to fumble and then returning the ball for a touchdown...greatest game i ever seen..of course i went to Sterling.....1999 (year after Katy was disqualified after winning the State-semifinal game)...this game was great i still know all the details in my head but wont bore u w/ them all...

<small>[ November 20, 2003, 11:57 AM: Message edited by: sahen ]</small>

[westcoast54]

The 1992 3A playoff game between Vernon and Southlake Carrol at Pennington Field was pretty incredible.

The 1978 or 79 (not sure of the year) playoff game between Highland Park and Plano at Texas Stadium. Plano was down 28-0 early in the third quater and came back and won 29-28.

[sinton66]

How about the Houston Madison/ Galena Park Northshore game of 2001? It was Vincent Young's senior year. He and Madison won 61-58 in the Astrodome.

[Matthew328]

The Midland-Judson game to me is number 2...followed by the SLC-Vernon game...the HP-Plano game in 1978 I think...still holds the record for largest attendance at a high school sporting event as over 54,000 were in Texas Stadium for that one..

[Hoss]

What about last years Bellville vs. Marlin 3 OT playoff game. Bellville and Marlin both losing fumbles in the 2nd OT. That was an intense game through out. Bellville would score and Marlin would match. Emotional game through out!!! eek!

[shsu62]

The Decatur-Sweetwater game was a great game. It was a heartbreaker but a good game. Back and forth the whole game and literally decided by a few inches. Thats football

[Dink&dunk7]

The Midland/Judson game gets my vote, it was a great game for all 48 minutes and what happened in the last 1:00 of the game made it one of the best of all time. Midland drove down the field and scored with 22 seconds left, if that would have been the end of the game and Midland won it still would have been a great contest. But then Judson scored on a hail marry! Instant Classic.

[GWOOD]

You guys have mentioned some great games. John Tyler/Plano East may not be the greatest game but it would win the award for "Most Amazing Finish"

[Green Ranger]

Call me basis,but Greenwood double overtime loss to Bandera. Everything involved in that, from the pregame to what was said in the locker room. They have the title, however the way I see it, "if you are not good enough without it,you will never be any good with it." Disney's Cool Runnings. The John Tyler's game also was a great game.

[3afan2K3]

Matthew328:
The Midland-Judson game to me is number 2...followed by the SLC-Vernon game...the HP-Plano game in 1978 I think...still holds the record for largest attendance at a high school sporting event as over 54,000 were in Texas Stadium for that one..54,000!!!! eek! eek!
eek!

[Bearcats213]

Ballinger/Kennendale game '02

Ballinger was picked to lose big time, but they managed to hold them and win in overtime 20-17 with a 38 yd. field goal

[mwisnews]

I remember that game. My went to John Tyler a long time ago. They ended winning an ESPY award. I went to Plano about 12 miles from Plano East.

[BanderaQB2]

Green Ranger-what was said in your locker room at half time, just curious

[mwisnews]

I remember being 10 years old and my dad seeing that game on ESPN. I didn't cross my mind when I moved down from Plano from Georgia and thought about it a few a years later.

I remember the Midland/Converse Judson game. Remember Burnet fans last year. I came about 3 minutes left of the game. Judson kicked a field goal and Midland got the ball and just drove down the field and scored. I think we, Burnet fans, were all on the Judson side and when they got the ball left with 27 seconds left. The stupidest defense they played the regular defense. No person defended deep, no prevent. They threw the long ball and won. I just stood there and said, "Wow, I don't beleive they did that and I don't believe they did that type of defense." Burnet fans I don't think we'll ever see something like that again.

[mwisnews]

The Record for the national attendence record is Plano v. Gregory 49,000 against Port Neches in 1977. I know because I went Plano and I had principals that coached that year with Plano so I know. It isn't 54,000.

[sinfan75]

This post came up and I remember listenin to SLC and Vernon on the radio IN Sinton.Then this last year the Judson-Midland game on tv.Those are the two games I'll always have stuck in my head.

[mustang04]

Last year, when i was a junior and we were playing Decature...i do have to say that my heart stopped and started more times in that game than any game ive ever been in or seen, especially at the end....it LITERALLY (i am not exaggerating the least bit on this) LITERALLY came down to inches to decide the winner, i remember that game like it was yesterday, hard to believe it has almost been an exact year

[rudy5307]

I too played in that Decatur-Sweetwater game last year. Sad to say that I was on the other end of the spectrum when the clock said zero and our receiver was literally talked on the 5 inch line. It was a great game and for some reason the good Lord didn't want things to go our way. I would have to give my vote to the Southlake-Vernon game in 92 or 93. I remember sneaking into the game with my dad and sitting on the first row of the endzone, with people standing about 8 rows deep. Truly an awesome game.

[pirateman98]

To be honest, I have never heard of the Plano East and Tyler John Tyer game. The best game I have ever seen was the Sinton vs. Crockett in '90. The final score was 15-14 and it came down to "The Kick"! We Sinton folks have told the story a time or two.

[District303aPastPlayer]

I HATE THAT GAME!!!!!!
THe Sinton-Hitchcock game was better anyway... won on penetrations after letting them score

[cdlvj]

Actually many years back San Antonio Lee and San Antonio Brackeridge when Warren Mcvey and Linus Baer faced off. I believe the final was like 55-48. Back and forth the entire game.

[BullFrog Dad]

mustang04:
Last year, when i was a junior and we were playing Decature...i do have to say that my heart stopped and started more times in that game than any game ive ever been in or seen, especially at the end....it LITERALLY (i am not exaggerating the least bit on this) LITERALLY came down to inches to decide the winner, i remember that game like it was yesterday, hard to believe it has almost been an exact yearD 7-0, Tied 7-7, S 10-7, D 14-10, S 17-14, Decatur up 21-17 and driving late in the game when Carrillo picks Dane then leads Sweetwater to go ahead score. S 24-21. Dane pass caught but receiver stopped six inches short of goal as time expires. And the band played on!!!

[spiveyrat]

mwisnews:
The Record for the national attendence record is Plano v. Gregory 49,000 against Port Neches in 1977. I know because I went Plano and I had principals that coached that year with Plano so I know. It isn't 54,000.I don't know who's right, but here's a banner backing your numbers... http://pngindians.com/images/playoffrecords.gif