Port Isabel: 28 playoff appearances in 30 years

[WOS87]

There are still a couple of dozen missing scores on this history but I wanted to see if there were any Port Isabel fans out there old enough to remember which team ended their record district game winning streak back in 1983? At the time it was the second longest streak in U.I.L. History. The current record holder is Austin Westlake with 71 consecutive district game wins from 1990-2003.

The various record books that are out there have conflicting numbers in regards to how long Port Isabel's streak actually was. My most reliable source which was actually published in 1983 when the streak ended states that Port Isabel won 47 consecutive district games from 1977-1983. A majority of other sources are citing it as 46 currently. From what I've been able to piece together I'm almost 100% sure that the streak has to be at least 47 unless I've made a huge mistake somewhere. Unfortunately, I'm missing most of the district game scores for 1983. I know for a fact that they beat Hidalgo in the first district game that year then went on to win over Lyford and Santa Rosa. The loss that ended the streak had to have come from either Sharyland, La Feria or Rio Hondo, and I don't have the results of any of those games.

The 47 game streak still ranks 2nd all-time among schools playing in the 3rd largest classification as Daingerfield beat it by winning 48 in a row from 1982-1989. The longest active streak in 3A currently is Gilmer who ended 2007 with 34 consecutive district wins, so Port Isabel and Daingerfield are safe at least for another 3 years minimum.

The other amazing record Port Isabel has achieved is the title of the thread and which is qualifying for the playoffs 28 times in 30 seasons between 1978-2007 (only missing out in 1989 and 1999). Only Houston Yates has a better showing than that (as they have qualified every single year without exception from 1977-2007).

One other remarkable feat is the fact that they've steadily increased their overall winning percentage by 20% (from 40% to 60%) in those 30 seasons,which is a pretty rare thing as the vast majority of programs' winning percentages tend to stay oddly consistent over decades.

http://bbs.3adownlow.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=532&d=1354423164

[footballgal]

I am checking that, I will get back with you .


BTW, thanks for all the info, much appreciated! :)

[footballgal]

This was the playoff run for that year, but I am still waiting on a source to get back with me on your question.


1983 (3A)
PI 14, Benavides 3 (bi-district)
PI 35, Refugio 26 (area) (you show Bishop) :confused:
Sweeny 13, PI 0 (state quraterfinals)

will need to confirm that too.

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

It was most likely Mission Sharyland that ended the streak. Rio Hondo and La Feria, at the time, weren't very good.

[footballgal]

I just read MMA! I don't know 'bout that but well find out soon I guess.

[jimmyceatworld]

It's tough when I see people have more football knowledge than me. I think I'm about to retreat to my 1629 page College Football Encyclopedia in hopes of finding some sort of hollow victory :bigcry: :nerd:

[WOS87]

Originally posted by TarponFanInNorthTexas
It was most likely Mission Sharyland that ended the streak. Rio Hondo and La Feria, at the time, weren't very good.

The problem is that NONE of those teams were that great in 1983.

Sharyland had a final record of 2-7-1
Rio Hondo went 2-8-0
La Feria went 5-4-1

All the info I have is pointing towards Sharyland but it blows my mind that a team that went 2-7-1 would pull off such a huge upset. It must have been a big deal when it happened.

[WOS87]

Originally posted by footballgal
This was the playoff run for that year, but I am still waiting on a source to get back with me on your question.


1983 (3A)
PI 14, Benavides 3 (bi-district)
PI 35, Refugio 26 (area) (you show Bishop) :confused:
Sweeny 13, PI 0 (state quraterfinals)

will need to confirm that too.

I'm almost 100% sure it was Bishop.

Refugio lost in the 2nd round to Falfurrias 7-12

Both the Port Isabel - Bishop and Refugio - Falfurrias scores that I have are listed together in a sports page reporting the games the day after they occurred.

11/21/83 Sports Page (http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/pdf/112183.pdf)

Scroll down the left edge of the page about midway down and look at the Class AAA playoff scores for Region IV. Newspapers do get the facts wrong sometimes though...

[WOS87]

Originally posted by footballgal
I just read MMA! I don't know 'bout that but well find out soon I guess.

There's no way it could have been MMA (Marine Military Academy) because they have never been a member of the UIL as far as I know and therefore would not have been a member of the district.

[footballgal]

Originally posted by WOS87
There's no way it could have been MMA (Marine Military Academy) because they have never been a member of the UIL as far as I know and therefore would not have been a member of the district.

Your right, I missed that very important point, they were NEVER in the same district. The more I think about it, the more I think it was actually La Feria. I now remember a former co-worker from La Feria telling me that they beat PI their senior year and that it was a big deal... I think it was 1983 - or it could have been '84!

I still havent heard from my PI football history source, he's probably on vaca, being Friday and all. I will do some searching right now, see if I can find out if it was in fact La Feria.

[footballgal]

Originally posted by WOS87
I'm almost 100% sure it was Bishop.

Refugio lost in the 2nd round to Falfurrias 7-12

Both the Port Isabel - Bishop and Refugio - Falfurrias scores that I have are listed together in a sports page reporting the games the day after they occurred.

11/21/83 Sports Page (http://idisk.mac.com/cboehme69-Public/pdf/112183.pdf)

Scroll down the left edge of the page about midway down and look at the Class AAA playoff scores for Region IV. Newspapers do get the facts wrong sometimes though...

It sure is, there it is in black and white. ( will have to correct the site owner 'bout the correction. )

oh wow, how did you get that clipping, that's awesome.

[footballgal]

Originally posted by footballgal
... The more I think about it, the more I think it was actually La Feria. I now remember a former co-worker from La Feria telling me that they beat PI their senior year and that it was a big deal... I think it was 1983 - or it could have been '84! ...

I was right this is what my source says;


We lost to La Feria in La Feria, coach Leal was the head man. it was 47,

I just asked if he can get me the score.



Side Note; the Coach he names, Leal - is also in a list for the coaches with most wins. I know I saw his name on the Collier report, don't recall if I saw it in your info.

[WOS87]

Thanks!! Nice to have that cleared up. I've found a handful of missing scores and added in the '74 and '75 seasons so that 30 out of the 31 total playoff appearances in PI's history are now covered. The 47 game streak should be appropriately shown now with the loss coming at the hands of La Feria in the final game of the regular season in 1983.

I also corrected an error I had in labelling of district games in '78 and '79. PI played Los Fresnos twice in both 1978 and 1979. The first game was considered a non-district game and the second game was the only one that counted as a district matchup. Apparently it was quite common for lower classification teams down in the Valley to schedule the same opponent twice in a season due to schools being relatively isolated with very few non-district opponents of equivalent size nearby to put on the schedule. In fact, PI played Brownsville St. Joseph twice in a 3 week period in 1975.

Something must have occurred in the early '70's to jumpstart the football program at Port Isabel as they had a 38% winning percentage at the beginning of 1974 and had qualified for the playoffs only once in the 24 previous seasons. Since then they've had 10 undefeated regular seasons(!), made the playoffs 30 times in 34 seasons and improved their winning percentage by almost 25% as it is approaching 63% currently.

[footballgal]

Thanks a bunch WOS87! :clap:

info on the score;

"It was La Feria 28 PI 26, PI fell short on a raging comeback, we did not convert on two point conversion at the end."

[footballgal]

Originally posted by WOS87
....Something must have occurred in the early '70's to jumpstart the football program at Port Isabel as they had a 38% winning percentage at the beginning of 1974 and had qualified for the playoffs only once in the 24 previous seasons. Since then they've had 10 undefeated regular seasons(!), made the playoffs 30 times in 34 seasons and improved their winning percentage by almost 25% as it is approaching 63% currently.

One point of view; my hubby tells me that it started with a talented freshmen class. The community came out to watch what was called then the "B" team, two of his oldest brothers were on that team. I understand, they had ALOT more following then the Varisity did. Once they got to Varsity they won their 2nd district championship, but only the 1st in many years. They had an exciting running back Casi Barrera, who the local media nicked named "The Comet". From then on the winning tradition was started and continues to this day.

[Phil C]

That is a great achievement! Congratulations for Port Isabel. That is also good consistency.

[footballgal]

:doh: :D

[WOS87]

Thanks for chasing down that score for me :thumbsup:

The original post has been updated

[footballgal]

No Than you! but you're welcome. :)

[WOS87]

As you can see from the initial post, the PI history has been extended back to 1961 and I plan to try to go back as close to the beginning (which was in 1950) that I can. As far as I can tell, District 32-1A had only 2 teams in it in 1961 (Rio Hondo and Port Isabel) which is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing in the U.I.L..

I guess if they can have a 5-team district in 4A this coming year (23-4A) with 4 teams qualifying for the playoffs, it's not much different to have a 2-team district with 1 team qualifying...

[ToroChingon]

I wonder how many coaches out there have been on staffs at 3 or more schools which have all beaten the Tarpons?

I can name one.

[WOS87]

Okay... I've made it an even 50 seasons 1958-2007 and I'm stopping there for the evening.

23 scores are still missing, 20 of which are from 1979-1989.

[footballgal]

Originally posted by ToroChingon
I wonder how many coaches out there have been on staffs at 3 or more schools which have all beaten the Tarpons?

I can name one. :thinking: I don't know, who? ...maybe a certain Toro Grande? ;) I know of one Team, what are the other two?

[footballgal]

Originally posted by WOS87
Okay... I've made it an even 50 seasons 1958-2007 and I'm stopping there for the evening.

23 scores are still missing, 20 of which are from 1979-1989.

Thanks A million WOS87! :clap:

[ToroChingon]

Originally posted by footballgal
:thinking: I don't know, who? ...maybe a certain Toro Grande? ;) I know of one Team, what are the other two?

Rio Hondo and then Fal. Back to Back.

[WOS87]

Okay... I've got the initial draft of the complete history done going all the way back to their inaugural season of 1950. There are a couple of dozen scores still missing. (Finding 608 out of 634 total games isn't bad though...)

:D

[footballgal]

Originally posted by ToroChingon
Rio Hondo and then Fal. Back to Back.
Ok and who is the Coach?


AND WOS87 no that's not bad at all, matter of fact it's FANTASTIC, great job!

[Fal44]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by WOS87
[B]I'm almost 100% sure it was Bishop.

Refugio lost in the 2nd round to Falfurrias 7-12

Both the Port Isabel - Bishop and Refugio - Falfurrias scores that I have are listed together in a sports page reporting the games the day after they occurred.


Ehh Falfurrias :D, when were actually decent in football.. damn how things have changed...:(