Opinion: Random musings
The second half of the 1980's projected the growth of the district that has slowly gained. The 85-86 school year was the final year of being in 2A again and moved up to 3A. The new school site was completed and moved into that year as well. Dripping Springs struggled a little after moving up in classification until the numbers put them in the middle. There was also a name change as girl athletes became known as the Lady Tigers rather than the Tigerettes.
Football: The 1985 team broke even at 5-5 but gained a co-championship. Both teams made the playoffs but the Tigers fell to Lytle 14-9 in bi-district. Members of that team included A.J. Judy, Kevin Glass, Don Childs, Pat Leonard, Scott Akin, Chris George, Matt Walker, Buddy Shepperd, Ricky Drane, Jeff Ahrns, Eric Napoli, Kevin Spraggins, Paul Blanton, Steve Drane, Ken Lee, Bryce Cooper, Lance Runnels, Doran Hole and Woody Wood.
The first two years in 3A were tough as the teams finished 1-9 and 3-7. A change in districts seemed to help as the 1988 team had an 8-2 record for second place. The big play in the bi-district game with Somerset was the old “bummerooski play” where the ball is put on the ground and everyone fakes a running play away from it. The guard, Jeff Trevino, picked up the ball and was in the clear before anyone saw him as he rambled for 34 yards and the deciding score in the 39-35 victory. However, the Tigers needed much more than that to overcome Sweeny in the Area contest. Members were Todd Reimers, Micheal Myers, Marc Tinsley, Nelson Fowler, Darren Shaw, Brett Boydston, J. Trevino, Michael Fordyce, Eric Kugle, Jeff Hall, Scott Glass, Lance Loyd, Victor Crosswell, John Russell, John Coil, Charlie Odom, Dan Nally, Mark Key, Tate Puryear, Will Garnett, Richard Stark, Travis Crow, Andy Dodson, Danny Smith and Brian Frizzell. An injury-plagued '89 team finished 6-4 and out of the playoffs.
Boys basketball: It was a prosperous start as the 85-86 team (32-4) won first and earned their way to the state finals and a 73-59 loss to Morton. Team members were Leonard, Childs, Michael Escobar, Kelby Palmer, Scott Schwartz, Richard Hampton, Jerry Simpson and Bryan Simpson. The next year the 27-5 team finished second and lost in bi-district. Team: Escobar, Trent Lyle, Clint Baty, Palmer, Mark Simpson, Victor Marshall, Spraggins, J. Chris George. The 87-88 team (26-8) made it back to the championship title and were eliminated at regional. Team: Lyle, Baty, Michael McShane, Myers, Spraggins, James White, J. George, Keith Bradbury, Bruce Boggs and Steve Nixon. 88-89 slipped to 10-20 and 89-90 ended 16-15.
Girls basketball: The girls struggled early with a 11-15 record in 85-86, 7-18 in 86-87 and 13-16 in 87-88. The next year they finished just out of the playoffs with a 20-10 record, then finished 23-9 in 89-90, good for second and lost in the regionals. Team members were Paula Fletcher, Meredith Johnson, Jorey Schwartz, Kristen Wood, Missy Odom, LeeAnn Martin, Melaini Touchstone, Sarah Kenton and Amber Ahrns. Prominent players in the four years prior were Koleen Hughes, Lisa Counts, Codie Cobb, Terry Needham, Connie Parten, Yvette Young, Jewel Gray, Krista McNary, Charlotte Carothers, Elizabeth Stark, Jennifer Oetzel, Julie Leonard, Ginger Kelly, Keri Shults, Patches Hill, Nicole Tinsley, Becky Johnson, Terri Gardner, Michelle Hendrickson, Misti Borho, Shondra Ritter and Jo Anne Lerma.
Volleyball: It took three years but volleyball had a 12-8 season and two unknown records before the 1988 team won district with a 19-8 record and repeated in the next year with a 17-9 record and losing at Area. 88 team: Terri Holweger, Shults, Michelle Cordova, Hendrickson, Tinsley, Charity Belk, Christy Bible, Johnson, Shelley Trimble and Fletcher. 89 team: Belk, Johnson, Christi Thomas, Denise Edwards, Fletcher, Misti Bruton, Tinsley, Ritter, Wood. Players from the other three years were Lisa Pankratz, Pam Ray, Jennifer Judd, Parten, Shana Ruston, Becky Ruston, Michelle Dildine, Beth Gray, Kritsy Bartels, Counts, Bobbi Hohmann, Leigh Bible, Tina DePew, Duffy Crane, Leasa Bassett, Hill, Bonnie Mills, Laurie Hurlbut, Anissa Hoke and Cathy Thomas.
Baseball: 2A was good to the baseball team. In 1985 they had an 18-3 record and were stopped at regional. Team: Troy Burklund, Escobar, Domingo Salazar, Leonard, Walker, Eric Lambright, Schwartz, David Babin, Johnny Gonzales, Mark Usery, Shepperd and Eric Davilla. 1986 (17-8) met old nemesis Riviera in Q-finals and lost 2-0. Team: Leonard, Escobar, Baty, D. Childs, Shepperd, Walker, Lyle, Babin, R. Drane, Gonzales, Schwartz and Davilla. Don Childs, the pitching ace, still holds almost every career pitching record.
Golf: Both golf teams had good runs. The boys won district in 1986 and placed sixth at state. It was second place in 1987 and fifth in regional. 1988 was back to state and a seventh finish. Players with prominent roles were Boggs, Baty, Lyle, Chris Childs, D. Childs, Jason Childs, Dan Wegmiller, Jeff Howell, Corbin Edmonson, Victor Crosswell, Brian Nichols and Jeremy Trevino. The girls put it altogether as they had enough for a team. In 1986 they would place second, then the next year they won the title. Contributing players included Shelley Hall, Julie Henderson, Christi Ruston, Counts, Leonard, Ella Dowling, Lynn Fantozzi, Suzi Wallace, Amy Asay and Jennifer Hart.
Tennis: District champions in this half decade were all girls doubles. In 86 it was Bonnie Mills/Robin Rippy and ditto for 1987. Mills would pair up with Christy Bible for her third title in 1988. Other girls in the program included Hughes, Cobb, McNary, C. Carothers, Christie Jones, Lissie Crosswell, Rinda Rippy, Jolisa Bagley and Jamie Hurlbut.
Track: The track teams continued to have competitive success in districts loaded with talent. DS sent several athletes over the years to state and numerous individuals to the regional meet. Among the boys who made it to regional were David Robbins, Lance Runnels, Steve Nixon, Jeff Martin, Charlie Odom, Thomas Gil and John Russell. Russell earned a spot at state in the 100 and still holds the school record in the 100. Some of the girls during those years were Cathy Thomas, Cheryl De los Santos, Kim Coleman, Lisa Counts, Betsy Dowling, Kristen Wood and Missy Odom who distinguished herself all four years. There are many, many more good track athletes but just a little hard to recognize all that need to be.
Well, sport enthusiasts are getting their wishes as summer sports are beginning to open up with conditions. It will be up to the humans for these opportunities to continue. We are not in a new normal but, for sure, we cannot go back to the old normal at this time.