SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Gary Gaines’ much-anticipated return to high school coaching was run down, hog tied and generally squashed by a Texas sleeping giant.
Duncanville, a vastly bigger and faster squad with renewed focus thanks to proven second-year coach Jeff Dicus, forced six turnovers, two of which were returned for touchdowns in a resounding 33-14 victory over legendary Odessa Permian in the premier game of the 11th annual Texas Football Classic Saturday at the Alamodome.
Permian, ranked sixth in the state according to Texas Football Magazine, actually had more yards than Duncanville (308-275) but it simply couldn’t overcome its many mistakes.
The most vital came when Permian was going in for a go-ahead score late in the third quarter but Steve Pipes’ pass in the flat was intercepted by Stephon Lanigan who returned it 91 yards for a touchdown.
“Yeah, that one really hurt,” Gaines said. “They all kind of hurt.”
It was one of four interceptions for Duncanville, two by game MVP Estean Freeman and another by linebacker Thomas Hill, who put icing on the proverbial cake with a 44-yard return for a touchdown, making it 33-14 with less than three minutes to play.
“They controlled both lines of scrimmage,” Gaines said. “At times we didn’t tackle well in the open field. We had special team breakdowns.
“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to take this as a learning game. We have to get better….Hopefully this was just a wakeup call.”
Gaines returned to Permian after leading the Panthers to a state championship and undefeated season in 1989. He was coach at the school when H.G. Bissinger wrote his national best seller “Friday Night Lights,” one tabbed the greatest sports book of all time by Sports Illustrated.
“It was fun there for a while,” a subdued and humbled Gaines said about getting back into the coaching mix. “But you know you’re going to have some setbacks. You got to start winning games. You have to earn it. We didn’t earn it tonight.”
Clearly, Duncanville did.
Known as a basketball school, Dicus changed that attitude in his first season last year, leading the Panthers to the state playoffs for the first time since 2004.
At Boerne, Mission and Lake Travis before, Dicus has a history of turning around programs, highlighted by a state title for Lake Travis in 2007.
“He’s brought us discipline and a sense of purpose,” Lanigan said. “We think if we work hard enough and focus every day we’re capable of anything.”
Lanigan didn’t think he was capable of making the game-changing play. But he made a superb break on the ball, then weaved his way down field to score the touchdown.
“That was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” he said.
Said Dicus: “It just goes to show what happens when people believe.”
Duncanville definitely believes. Especially after drilling a storied program like Permian.
“To beat the No. 6 team in the state is a great honor,” Dicus said. “Odessa is a great football program and coach Gaines will get them together.”
Asked if there was any special significance beating Gaines head-to-head, Dicus said: “I can only hope I get my coach career to his level. He’s such an icon with the coaches. I know I have a long way before I get to his level. But I do know what he’s going through over there and I guarantee he’ll get them going.”
Steele (Cibolo) 35, East Central (San Antonio) 14
After accepting the second-place trophy, East Central coach Robert Walker shouted out to Steele coach Mike Jinks.
“Go get ‘em, coach,” he said. “That’s a great team right there. You’re going to bring home the state title.”
Buoyed by terrific line play and the seemingly effortless running of super junior back and game MVP Malcolm Brown, the Knights dominated this one from start to finish and showed why many agree with Walker’s assessment.
Brown, one of the country’s top junior runners, glided his way to 144 yards rushing on 13 carries and three touchdowns and the Knights generally did what it wanted on either side of the ball against a good East Central squad.
Steele came into the season No. 3 in Texas Football Magazine preseason 4A rankings.
After taking a 21-0 halftime lead, Steele thwarted any notions they would let down as Oklahoma-bound receiver Sheldon McClain busted off a 68-yard kickoff return and on the very next play, Brown scooted around left end for a 25-yard touchdown.
Any notions that Brown would be slowed or scared by a season-ending hairline fracture in his lower leg from last year were immediately squelched.
“I was a little scared to start,” Brown said. “But everything felt good.”
Jinks said the injury, which limited him to just seven games last year, has only served as an inspiration.
“He’s come back bigger and faster than ever,” Jinks said.
Brown added 10 pounds of muscle during the summer and he’s worked on his speed. He had no trouble getting around the edge and shifting and cutting in traffic.
East Central running Chris Johnson, who has committed to nearby Texas-San Antonio, showed tremendous speed and quickness himself. Unfortunately Steele’s ultra fast defense held him in check most of the night.
Johnson got most of his 115 yards on 22 carries late.
Asked if he had a personal duel going with Johnson, Brown immediately shook his head.
“Oh no, I don’t duel with anyone,” he said. “I just try to run hard every chance I get no matter who we play.”
Brenham 37, Mayde Creek (Katy) 14
It was an impressive performance to be sure for the fast and hard-hitting Cubs, who sacked senior Luca Leonard seven times and allowed just 71 total yards.
They got a superlative three-touchdown performance from Utah-bound receiver Terrell Reese – the first of his career – including a spectacular one-hand 9-yard grab late in the third quarter and an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by sophomore Troy Green.
But if Brenham looks good now – imagine what the Cubs figure to bring to the table in the future.
They have 12 sophomores, including starting cornerbacks Green and Timothy Cole and Malcom Brown, a 6-foot-1, 259-pound load in the middle who was in Mayede Creek’s backfield all day.
In fact, all the Cubs fired off the ball and had little trouble making life miserable for Leonard who constantly threw the ball long before he wanted.
“Our defense and secondary played extremely well,” said 12-year Brenham coach Glen West. “I’m not going to say this is the best defense we’ve ever had but it sure has a lot of potential.”
Mayde Creek’s defense actually did a fin job, giving up just 224 yards. It also gave the Rams their only lead 7-6 with 4:19 left in the half on a 10-yard fumble return by linebacker Tim Ward after safety Demarcus Smith stripped quarterback Ty Schlottman of the ball.
That lead was very short-lived however as Green took the ensuing kickoff and was barely touched en route to his first return touchdown of his career.
“I just followed my blockers,” Green said. “I was kind of scared at first because I don’t normally take back kicks. The ball was up there for so long.”
After a three-and-out, Brenham took complete command as Schlottman hit Reese with his second touchdown pass of the game – a 31-yard, making it 21-7 just before half.
“I was hoping to have a good game here, but I never imagined this good,” Reese said. “This was crazy.”
After a safety and 12-yard scoring strike from Schlottman to Emon Smith, Reese made the play of the game some how one-handing a 9-yard pass in the corner of the end zone with a defender wrapped all over him.
“I’ve done that in practice but never the games,” said Reese, who finished with eight catches for 118 yards. “I have to admit that was a pretty good catch. When I went to the sideline everyone was slapping my helmet saying ‘Way to go T.O.’ “
Reese, who wears No. 81, said Terrell Owens is his idol.
“Always has been,” he said.
With 14 returning starters from last year’s squad that reached the state 4A semifinals, Brenham has the tools to win a first state title. Besides Reese, receiver/defensive back Jeremy Hall (5-10, 191) is headed to SMU and running back/defensive back Michael Walker has offers from Colorado State and New Mexico State.
“We have a nice blend of youth and experience,” West said. “But we got a long way to go. We showed our inexperience today at times but also showed a lot of our talent.”
..
