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Fifty years ago the 1975 Tiger football squad was confidently looking forward to a successful football season. After all, it was a predominately senior class that had won the JV title as sophomores and started as juniors. The crystal ball did not predict the trying times this group would face in quest of the title and season. What it would show was the perseverance and resoluteness qualities they possessed. They simply would not give up on their goals and only the rules of the day and poor luck prevented advancement in the playoffs.
The non-district schedule was stacked with opponents who were in the middle of strong programs. Schools had to depend on gate receipts to finance their sports budgets and had to split the gate, so you tried to schedule schools with a good following. The other factor that is always present popped up. Injuries to key personnel. So after facing the gambit of Manor, Pflugerville, Hays, Burnet and Marble Falls, the Tigers found themselves 0-5.
The team realized this situation was not a detriment to their final goal and refused to quit the season. They began digging themselves out of the hole. They opened district play with 3412 and 42-0 wins over Blanco and Marion. Once again, the injury bug hit in the key game with a strong TSD team. That and a three-TD fourth doomed the Tigers to a 34-6 loss. Back came the Tigers with an 18-14 win over Comfort to set up the season finale with the undefeated Stockdale Brahmas. It was a must-win. A Comfort win over TSD and a Tiger win would put them in the playoffs.
The home game was an epic slugfest. Each titan would make their push toward the goal but be stopped by the other’s defense. The game was played between the 30’s. Early in the opening stanza, the Tigers were tackled in the endzone to give the Brahmas a 2-0 lead that would last into the second when a Tem McCutchen to Val Sanchez pass for 49 yards gave the Tigers an 8-2 lead. The tense battle continued until the final minutes of play. Stockdale had been running a halfback sweep all night. This time he pulled up and completed a 23 yard pass for the tying score. A tie would be a loss. Once again the team responded. The KO was returned to the 40. Three plays netted four yards, leaving a fourth and six. McCutchen dropped back and let fly a pass toward a streaking Sanchez who snatched the ball above a defender and no one was about to catch the speedy receiver in the 56-yard play. It was bedlam in the endzone. The defense sacked the QB and it was time for the WAIT.
Word came from Comfort they had lost to TSD after fumbling twice on the goalline. This meant a three-way tie and a coin toss for the district representative. The Stockdale coach sent his bus home while we waited in the foyer for the TSD bus to make the two-hour trip. The bus arrived and the coach came inside. Three coins hit the floor. Stockdale’s was tails and the other two heads, giving Stockdale the win. The TSD coach turned around, got back on the bus and continued his trip to Austin. The Stockdale coach got into his friend’s car for the long trip home but made shorter by the result. I was left with an empty feeling of disappointment for the kids who had done all they could without getting to really appreciate their super effort until later.
Their efforts will be honored at the Austin Bowie game on Oct. 10. Ceremonies will commence at 7 p.m.
