Announcing the Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week

We know that coaches play a vital role in their community that is often under-appreciated. To honor the tremendous work that coaches provide, MaxPreps has teamed up with Capital One Bank to recognize a Coach of the Week in the Dallas area!

What makes someone a candidate for the honor, you might ask? Well, it's anybody whose hard work, effort and skill produces positives for his or her team and school.

Every coach knows that his or her responsibilities do not begin and end with the game clock. Commitment to the time-honored principles of preparation, dedication, team above self, hard work and perseverance will not only be rewarded on the scoreboard but, more importantly, they are also rewarded in life — now and throughout the future — for each athlete trusted to our care. This notion isn't just a slick piece of marketing — it is a guiding principle for MaxPreps.

We need your help. We are looking for high school coaches in the Dallas area who are worthy and deserving of the special recognition for their work with young people on and off the field. We're not just looking for a coach who wins a big game ... we're looking for men and women whose impact and influence extend beyond the field — on campus, inside the classroom and throughout the community.

To nominate, please send the following information to coachoftheweek@maxpreps.com:
Coach's name:
Coach's school:
Why he or she is deserving:



The winner of the Coach of the Week award will be announced on MaxPreps every Wednesday this season, so be sure to get your nominations in by noon on Mondays.

Click 'Next' to see all the winners.{PAGEBREAK}
Tim Buchanan found himself thrust into the national spotlight when the parent of a player on an opposing team filed a bullying complaint against the coach after Aledo's 91-0 win over Western Hills (Fort Worth) on Oct. 18.

In the firestorm that followed, there were appearances on several coast-to-coast television shows with Buchanan laying out some of the facts. Starters, some playing as few as 16 snaps, were replaced by backups in the third quarter. The Aledo return man was instructed to fair-catch punts. The offense used only basic plays.

Phone calls and emails of support from fellow coaches and former players started pouring in. Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown weighed in with public support of Buchanan. The Aledo school district investigated the charge as dictated by state law and cleared its coach.

The entire episode turned into a "This Is Your Life'' moment for the 53-year old Buchanan.

"Some of my former players are 40-year-olds now, and they were saying our coaching staff helped make them the person they are today,'' Buchanan said. "In all the media attention, only one person tried to turn it into a controversy.



"How the whole thing came out surprised me more than anything in 31 years as a high school coach.''

What is not surprising is another Aledo run to a UIL state championship game. The Bearcats (15-0) go for their fifth title in Buchanan's 21 seasons at the helm when they face Brenham (14-1) in the Class 4A Division II final set for noon Saturday at AT&T Stadium.

Buchanan's coaching style has created pride and player loyalty while building a record of 226-53-3 with 17 consecutive playoff appearances — prime reasons for his selection as the 2013 Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Year.

Aledo's first state title came in 1998 at the Class 3A Division I level. The Bearcats won three straight Class 4A Division II state titles from 2009 to 2011 in what came to be known as the Johnathan Gray era. Before joining the running back stable for the Texas Longhorns, Gray broke several state high school career records including points (1,232) and touchdowns (205).

"We were really, really good with Johnathan,'' Buchanan says. "We were pretty good before him and we knew we'd be good even after he left.''

And irony of ironies, with all those high school touchdown dashes of Gray in a No. 32 jersey only a memory, Aledo shattered the 11-man national single-season scoring record this fall. The Bearcats have scored 985 points in their 15 wins, an average of 65.7 points per game.

The current crop of seniors convinced Buchanan they might be "pretty good'' when as seventh-graders they defeated Stephenville, 56-8.



Mix in some underclassmen at vital spots, including junior quarterback Luke Bishop, and the Bearcats are a complete football squad that dominates even the state‘s best Class 4A teams.

Avoiding injuries also plays a role in Aledo's success. Buchanan said it appears the same 22 players that started in the Bearcats' season opening 44-3 victory over eventual Class 4A Division I state semifinalist Highland Park will be starting in the state final.

One of the seniors is Buchanan's son Caleb, converted from linebacker to become a standout center (Tim and wife Rebecca also have a daughter, Madeline, a year older than Caleb).

"I never get to watch him during the games,'' the coach said. "I'm looking at the opponent's defense to see how they are playing us. When I get home after the game, then I watch.''

When Buchanan took the Aledo job in 1993, the football program was a coaching graveyard. He was the fifth Bearcats coach in four years. One stayed only two days.

"I remember a film from one of the scrimmages. Holliday ran eight plays that started from their 35 and all eight went for 65-yard touchdowns,'' Buchanan said.



He instilled a "start on time'' motto. Checking past game film, Buchanan noted the number of times opponents either returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown or scored on its first play from scrimmage.

The turnaround didn't happen overnight. In the first season, the Bearcats were 2-8. But that was also their last losing record. It took two more years to begin the streak of playoff appearances.

"We had to build trust and let the kids know the coaches were going to be there for them after having so many coaches,'' Buchanan said.

In his own high school playing days as a linebacker at Killeen, Buchanan's playoff hopes were spoiled by Central Texas power Temple. But he was good enough to get a scholarship to Abilene Christian. His bachelor's degree is from Texas State with a Masters in education from Texas A&M.

Before Aledo, Buchanan made five assistant coaching stops and at the last one, A&M Consolidated (College Station), he was involved in three state championship games and on the winning side in one.

Lucrative coaching offers have been turned down by Buchanan. Changing jobs was out of the question until his children completed their schooling in Aledo.



"The only way I would leave now is for a college assistant coaching job,'' Buchanan said. "If the right job came along, I'd think about it. But I have a great job. I've been so lucky to be able to do what I love.''{PAGEBREAK}
Even Joey Florence, a head coach with 205 career wins under his belt, cannot remember a game to rival his Ryan (Denton) Raiders' 42-37 victory over Fossil Ridge (Keller) on Saturday.

In a nightmare first half at Denton's Apogee Stadium, Ryan (10-2) trailed 31-0 in the Class 5A Division II regional semifinal before even making a first down.

The outcome likely would have been decided at that point for a team without the winning tradition of Ryan.

But the Raiders scored a touchdown with nine seconds remaining in the first half to cut the deficit to 31-7, added another touchdown in the third period and then broke loose with 27 points in the fourth quarter.

Instead of checking in its gear, Ryan advances to the Region I championship game Saturday against 11-2 Cedar Hill at Apogee Stadium.

For overseeing the remarkable comeback, Florence was selected as Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

"I've never been a part of anything like it,'' said the 47-year-old Florence. "We've never been down by 31 points in the first half.''



At halftime Florence emphasized that his players remain calm: "Effort wasn't our problem. We didn't get any breaks in the first half and Fossil Ridge just out-played and out-coached us. But the great thing about these kids at Ryan, they believe.''

That belief paid off in the second half.

"Momentum changed,'' Florence said. "I could see it and feel it.''

Ryan quarterback Mitchell Bridges threw for three touchdowns and ran for three more, including a 2-yard go-ahead touchdown with 3:56 remaining.

"He's a competitor,'' Florence said of Bridges. "He wanted to win very badly.''

Ryan's defense kept Fossil Ridge (9-4) scoreless in the second half until the game's final play when a Panthers' touchdown had no bearing on the outcome.



In a 34-33 area playoff win over Midway (Waco) the previous week, Ryan overcame a 13-point halftime deficit.

"These kids believe they are supposed to win,'' said Florence, a University of Texas grad who guided Ryan to Class 4A state titles in 2001 (Division I) and 2002 (Division II). Ryan book-ended the championships with state runner-up finishes in 2000 and 2003. The 2010 Raiders also finished as state runner-up. Before Florence's arrival, the six-year-old football program had never had a winning season.

"We've had a tremendous amount of talent,'' said Florence, who is 152-36 in 14 seasons at Ryan. "We have great assistant coaches. And we've got the support of the administration, from our superintendent on down.''

Even though this Ryan team may lack a top national recruit like defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (Florida State) from 2011, Florence loves the attitude of this year's team.

Florence embraces the challenge of tight games this postseason has produced.

"Every decision is a big decision. I like that,'' he said.{PAGEBREAK}
Overcoming a two-touchdown deficit to win a playoff game is tough enough.



For Frisco, without two of its main offensive weapons, to rally for a 24-21 area playoff victory over Lincoln (Dallas) Friday night at AT&T Stadium is a testament to the coaching ability of Vance Gibson and his staff.

The 60-year-old veteran demonstrated why he is held in such high esteem by colleagues, shifting personnel on the fly to fill holes and wrestle away momentum from Lincoln.

For leading Frisco under difficult circumstances to the third round of the playoffs for the third straight season, Gibson was selected as Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

The Raccoons (9-3) got a jolt on the first play of their Class 4A Division II area playoff when senior running back Max Steitle, a 1,200-yard rusher, suffered a broken leg.

The injury happened on a six-yard Steitle run near the Frisco bench.

"Max was having a really great year and it is a shame he couldn't finish it with us,'' said Gibson. "The injury stunned all of us.''

Matt Nollman, a 700-yard rusher, was unavailable coming into the game, so Gibson was forced to improvise with his run-oriented, Wing-T flavored offense.



"We moved our quarterback, Jake Battaglia, to running back on some plays, and we also used our backups and some kids that started out on the junior varsity,'' said Gibson. "We switched a defensive end to fullback. A lot of our kids go both ways, so we had to coach some guys up at halftime.

"We are really proud of the way the kids adjusted.''

It was injuries at the quarterback position four years ago that convinced Gibson to abandon the spread offense currently en vogue for a more old-school attack.

"Both of our quarterbacks got hurt, so we were in a throwing offense with nobody that could throw,'' Gibson recalled. "In this offense, the guys learn to block for each other and more get a chance to contribute. Not many teams run it anymore.''

Lincoln (8-4) drove for touchdowns on three of its first four possessions to open a 21-7 lead. But that was the extent of the Tigers' damage.

"Our defense did a really good job of making adjustments,'' Gibson said.



Just before halftime, Frisco went 61 yards to close Lincoln's lead to 21-14 when Sean Grogan scored on an 18-yard run.

Frisco used six ball carriers on a third-quarter drive of 70 yards, capped by Battaglia's 1-yard run that tied it, 21-21.

When a fourth-quarter Frisco drive bogged down, sophomore Luke Wadley booted a 30-yard field goal with 8:39 remaining that turned out to be the game-winner. Wadley started kicking for the varsity in Week 10 and delivered the game-winning field goal that night in a 24-21 win over Prosper.

Lincoln's last gasp was extinguished by Skyler Sowerwine's second interception of the game.

Gibson, a native of Sherman, is a graduate of Austin College. From 1992-2004 he fashioned an 89-42 record and three conference titles as head coach at Howard Payne University.

Accepting the Frisco position meant a return to his roots for Gibson.



Instead of creating mega high schools like neighboring Plano and Allen, the Frisco ISD chose to build multiple high schools with enrollments of less than 2,000 students. There are six high schools now and two more are scheduled to open by 2015. 

"The upside is more opportunity for the kids to participate in all extracurricular activities,'' Gibson said.

But the coach has seen his school split its enrollment twice already when new high schools opened. That played a role in 0-10 seasons in 2008 and 2009. Still, Gibson's record at Frisco is 53-48 with five playoff seasons in nine years.

"Our administration is supportive. We have great people here that understand and are patient,'' Gibson said.

Two of Gibson's sons are coaches on his staff. Josh Gibson is assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Justin Gibson works with running backs.

"Football is really an assistant coaches' game,'' said the proud dad. "It differs from a sport like basketball in that regard. I have an outstanding staff and it is great to be able to work with my sons.''



Awaiting Frisco is 12-0 Ennis in a Region II semifinal set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at AT&T Stadium.{PAGEBREAK}
The Carroll (Southlake) volleyball team ignored any lingering doubts from last year's season-ending defeat, sweeping Heritage (Colleyville) in straight sets to earn the school's first Class 5A state tournament berth.

Carroll (48-1) took the first two sets, just as it did against Heritage in a regional semifinal last year. Heritage rallied to win the final three sets in 2012 and made a comeback in the third game this time.

But the Dragons held on for a 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 victory in Saturday's Class 5A Region I championship match at Tiger Arena in Glen Rose.

For leading the Dragons to the state Final Four, Carroll coach Arthur Stanfield was selected as Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

Stanfield at no time mentioned last year's match in his huddle.

"They know,'' the coach said. "They lived through it.''

On Carroll's fourth match point, Audrey Alford's set positioned Madison Drescher for a crosscourt kill, setting off a Dragon victory celebration.



Alford, a junior, also assisted on the previous two set points, accommodating first Megan Porter and then Christen Sikora.

Sikora, a signee with Furman, is one of five Carroll seniors that has signed a letter of intent. The others are libero Cat McCoy (Texas), defensive specialist Kori Ortiz (Arkansas), hitter Katie Martin (St. Edwards) and middle blocker Timarie Nymeyer (Northern Colorado).

Three Carroll juniors have already made verbal college commitments.

But it is intangibles that separate this Carroll team from the previous four that Stanfield coached.

"Our team two years ago might have had more talent,'' Stanfield said, "but this team has heart.''

Carroll doesn't have the height of some of its opponents (only two 6-footers on the roster), but the Dragons are solid in all aspects and don't beat themselves.



"These days, if you have a program where the girls aren't playing year-round, you can't win,'' Stanfield said. "Our kids don't mind hard work. They have bought into lifting weights and running in the off-season.''

It wasn't always so. Stanfield said in his first year at Carroll in 2009, he started with 10 seniors and finished with three.

"They weren't accustomed to our off-season,'' he said.

But winning at Carroll, regardless of the sport, is expected. It goes with the territory.

"Success here is measured by state titles, not district titles,'' Stanfield said.

The Dragons benefit from having a second "Coach Stanfield.'' Arthur's wife Kathy coached volleyball for two decades and was very successful in her own right before going into school administration 17 years ago. She is an assistant principal at Lamar (Arlington).



"It's a huge advantage,'' Arthur said. "Kathy gives me feedback after a match. She's not able to go to all our matches, but she is at the big ones. Before we played Heritage, she sent me a text reminding me to be positive on the bench.''

In 29 seasons, Arthur Stanfield has 956 wins. Reaching No. 1,000 is not out of the question next year.

While a state tournament appearance is new for Carroll players, not so much for Stanfield. In 19 seasons as Red Oak coach, his team advanced to the state tournament seven times, winning state crowns in 1992, 1995 and 2002.

Prior to Red Oak, Stanfield coached volleyball at Grand Prairie for four years and at A. Maceo Smith (Dallas) for one year.

Carroll will meet 46-2 Churchill (San Antonio) in a state semifinal set for 5 p.m. Friday at Garland's Curtis Culwell Center.

A victory would earn the Dragons a spot in Saturday's 7 p.m. championship match against either The Woodlands (43-0) or Clear Falls (League City) (40-6). The Woodlands handed Carroll this season's only loss.{PAGEBREAK}
Aaron De La Torre knew all about the football downturn at Irving High before accepting the head coaching position two years ago.



De La Torre, a 1993 Irving graduate, was aware that the coaching community had put a "can't win'' stamp on the Tigers based on demographics. The school is sandwiched between city rivals Nimitz to the south and MacArthur to the north with little room for growth.

Irving had managed only one win per season in three years prior to his arrival.

Two years later, the coach is proving skeptics wrong.

On Friday night, the hard work of De La Torre and his staff was rewarded with a 49-25 playoff-clinching victory over rival MacArthur, a school Irving had not beaten since 2008.

For the win that ended a five-year playoff drought, De La Torre was selected as the Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

"Irving is a great community and I'm so glad to be a small part of it,'' De La Torre said. "Our coaching staff accepted the challenge two years ago. We're very happy to be back in the playoffs.''

If Irving (6-4, 4-3 in District 6-5A) had lost to MacArthur, then Nimitz would have taken Irving's playoff spot and the Tigers' season would have been over.



"Our philosophy going into this game boiled down to two things. We wanted to be able to run the ball and stop their run,'' De La Torre said.

His players received the message. Irving rushed for 419 yards, averaging 8.2 yards on 51 attempts. MacArthur's running game was limited to 176 yards.

Irving senior running back Antonio Franklin was never better, rushing for five touchdowns and 291 yards.

Quarterback Christian Garcia kept MacArthur off balance with his ball faking and added 127 rushing yards and two scores.

MacArthur (3-7, 2-5) closed to within 26-19 with a touchdown to start the second half. But this was Irving's night. The Tigers scored three touchdowns and a field goal on their next four possessions to put the game away.

The Tigers' record in two seasons under De La Torre improved to 9-11.



Amid post-game celebrations, De La Torre presented the game ball to his predecessor, Jim Bennett. De La Torre was one of many players that Bennett coached in 28 years at the school.

Irving will have a home field advantage in its Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff with Coppell (8-1). The game is set for 7:30 Friday at Irving Schools Stadium.

Following graduation from Irving where he played on the defensive line, De La Torre headed to East Texas to play college football at Stephen F. Austin.

He went on to play a season with the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe and spent time with the Steelers and Cowboys of the NFL.

De La Torre returned to SFA in 2006 for a three-year stint, this time as an assistant coach. He was an assistant at Ryan (Denton) for three years before coming back to Irving.

It was a weekend to remember for the De La Torre family. A day after the Tigers big win, Aaron and wife Lori's oldest son Alex, a 6-1, 233-pound sophomore fullback, caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the Texas Longhorns' 47-40 overtime victory over Big 12 opponent West Virginia.



The couple's other two children are Adyson (13) and Kolt (8).{PAGEBREAK}
When his Cedar Hill Longhorns overcame an early 10-point deficit to defeat Mansfield 42-17 on Friday night, coach Joey McGuire had a couple of reasons to celebrate.

Cedar Hill clinched the school's ninth straight playoff berth and the No. 1 seed from District 7-5A in the Division II playoff bracket.

On a personal note, it was victory No. 100 for the McGuire in 11 seasons as Cedar Hill head coach.

For the two-pronged accomplishment, McGuire was selected as Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

The Longhorns (7-2, 5-1 in 7-5A) scored the game's final 35 points.

"The big thing was getting that No. 1 seed,'' McGuire said. "The 100 wins, though, was in the back of my mind. It is pretty special.''

Cedar Hill assistant coaches, some with McGuire since 2003, joined in an impromptu picturing-taking post-game celebration on Mansfield's R.L. Anderson Stadium playing surface. Athletic director Gina Farmer was there, and so were some former players and parents of former players. It wasn't necessary for those with cameras to request their subjects to smile.



"It's great to be able to celebrate with the coaches and people that have been with us for a long time,'' McGuire said. "Cedar Hill took a chance on a young punk 11 years ago. I'll remember this night for a long time.''

In the six seasons before McGuire was promoted from assistant to head coach before the 2003 season, Cedar Hill's record was a dismal 17-44. The school had never even won a playoff game.

Fast forward to today. Under McGuire, the Longhorns are 100-35 with 19 of those wins coming in the playoffs.

Cedar Hill has made it to two Class 5A Division II state title games, winning it all in 2006 and losing, 35-24, to Katy last season. The 2006 team, which relied heavily on the running of quarterback William Cole, went 16-0.

Midway through the second quarter in Friday‘s game, Mansfield (5-4, 4-2) had upset on its mind, holding a 17-7 lead. The Tigers were finding success with their "I" formation running attack, using motion to create gaps in Cedar Hill's tackling angles.

"Our defense got things straightened out and I thought we played a lot better after that,'' said McGuire.



Already ahead 10-7, a 52-yard interception return set up what turned out to be the Tigers' final touchdown and a lead of 10 points.

Mansfield failed to score on its final five possessions.

Offensively, Longhorns' quarterback Justin McMillan kept the chains moving with accurate third-down passing and one well-timed 40-yard scramble. Fellow junior Aca'cedric Ware rushed for 128 yards.

In its scoring spree, Cedar Hill converted on six consecutive third downs.

Senior Larry Hill, making a strong recovery from off-season knee surgery, ran for four short-range touchdowns.

"Our running backs are so unselfish,'' said McGuire. "They block for each other so well. And they are powerful. By the fourth quarter, defenses can't tackle all of them.''



An alert special teams play set up Cedar Hill's go-ahead touchdown late in the second quarter. David Ashilonu pounced on a well-placed pooch kickoff at the Mansfield 25. Five plays later, Ware was in the end zone after a 10-yard run for a 21-17 halftime lead.

"Kyle Morales, our special teams coach, thought we had a chance of making a play with a pooch kick,'' McGuire said. "It turned out to be a huge play.''

Ware broke a 51-yard run on the first play of the second half to set up Hill's touchdown that made it 28-17.

The next two possessions in the third quarter also resulted in Cedar Hill touchdowns. McMillan capped a 71-yard drive with a 12-yard scoring pass to Devon Murdock and Hill added the finishing touch with a 5-yard touchdown run.

Before beginning what McGuire hopes is another long playoff run, the Longhorns have one regular season game remaining against Midlothian (4-5, 2-4) on Friday at Cedar Hill's Longhorn Stadium.{PAGEBREAK}
Coming off a disappointing 48-17 loss the preceding week, Lamar (Arlington) got bad news leading up to a showdown with District 3-5A co-leader Martin (Arlington) Friday at Cravens Field.

A foot injury would sideline Vikings starting quarterback Shane Buechele.



But at least Lamar head coach Trent Fuller had a week of practice to prepare backup quarterback Andy Guinn.

That task is right up Fuller's alley.

"There isn't much, bad or good, I haven't seen with quarterback play,'' said the former quarterbacking star.

In his high school playing days in 1992 at Arlington and 1993 at Conroe, Fuller threw for over 5,000 yards. At Emporia State University in Kansas, he was second team All-Conference.

On cue, Guinn completed 17 of 31 passes for 258 yards in Lamar's 44-36 upset. The victory clinched a playoff berth for Lamar.

For guiding the Vikings to their first win over Martin since 2007, Fuller was selected as the Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

Lamar improved to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in District 3-5A, tied for second place with Martin.



Guinn, a junior, sealed the victory with 1:46 remaining with a 7-yard completion to Andra Lemons-Hicks on fourth-and-6 at the Martin 37. It was a one-possession game at the time, with Lamar leading by eight points.

"It was the kind of call that could be second-guessed if it hadn't worked,'' said Fuller. "There were several factors. We thought it was too long for a field goal. Martin has been very good at blocking kicks this season. Buechele is our punter and we didn't have him. At that moment, we played to win the game rather than trying not to lose.''

Trust in his quarterback was perhaps the biggest factor.

"We have two good quarterbacks and I told Andy I've never had a season go by without relying on more than just the starter. When he didn't win the starting job, Andy never pouted and not one time did he say anything negative. He didn't work hard just this week because he knew he was going to start. Andy works hard every week.''

In the build-up to facing Martin, a strong, physical team riding a six-game winning streak, Lamar had to fast-forward from the previous week's 31-point loss to Bowie (Arlington).

"We were embarrassed,'' Fuller said. "We didn't catch the ball, we had busted assignments up front and we didn't play defense. We're better than that. Our coaches challenged the kids and after watching the Bowie film on Saturday, we came back to practice on Monday ready to work. We had some really good practices, especially on defense.''



It was also on Monday that Fuller learned Buechele, the sophomore son of former Texas Rangers' third baseman Steve Buechele, suffered a foot injury late in the Bowie game and would be unavailable.

Running back Cameron D. Smith lifted some of the pressure off Guinn by rushing for 161 yards and four Vikings touchdowns. Kicker Ryan Jacobs had field goals of 44, 40 and 34 yards, helping to maintain a two-score lead for most of the night.

Fuller, 38, was groomed for his first head coaching job with stops at Heritage (Colleyville), Coppell and four years as offensive coordinator at Bowie. He took over at Lamar in 2010 for a coaching legend. In four decades as the school's original football head coach, Eddy Peach won over 300 games.

Football has deep roots in Fuller's family. His father Dave has garnered multiple state championship rings as an assistant coach at Grapevine and Southlake Carroll and remains active.

Trent's older brother Mike Fuller, also a former quarterback at Arlington, is the head coach at Heritage (Colleyville). While the brothers have faced off in scrimmages, they've yet to be on opposite sidelines in an actual game.

"I don't remember the exact moment when I decided to be a football coach,'' said Trent, "but I grew up around the game and it just seemed to happen. My dad, my brother and myself are all passionate about football. Our offensive ideas are very similar.''



Trent and wife Shawn have two sons, Chance and Colt. Chance, a quarterback for the Lamar freshmen, threw five touchdowns in his most recent game against the Martin freshmen. Colt is a sixth-grader, taking his turn as the Lamar ball boy, a job that Chance held.

Once upon a time, Trent was a ball boy on game nights for his dad.{PAGEBREAK}
The situation facing Boyd (McKinney) was desperate Friday night at McKinney's Ron Poe Stadium.

The Broncos trailed Plano 23-17. The clock showed 1:11 to play and Boyd, with no timeouts, was backed up to its 3-yard-line, 97 yards away from the end zone.

"It looked pretty bleak,'' said Boyd head coach Don Drake. "The odds are against you right there.''

But one play changed everything. Senior quarterback Curtis Ladd connected with Dedrick Scrivens on a 97-yard pass and run touchdown that will long be remembered in Bronco land.

Final score: Boyd 24, Plano 23.



Drake, who called the winning play from his customary spot in the press box, was selected as the Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

"It helps to have a senior quarterback in a situation like that,'' said Drake, in his eighth season as the only head football coach the school has known. "He understands that with no timeouts, we had to either get to the sideline or make sure anything in the middle of the field would be for a first down so the clock would stop.''

Drake anticipated the Plano secondary would be playing man-to-man, as it had for most of the game. His play call was "Choice Sprint Left,'' a sprint-out throw for Ladd with a receiver deep and another coming across. But the quarterback sensed a problem, reversed field and rolled back to his right.

At some point he spotted Scrivens, a running back already responsible on this evening for 91 of Boyd's 95 rushing yards, coming open in the middle of the field.

Drake said Scrivens was the third choice in Ladd's receiver progression on the play. But he was the right choice.

After making the catch, Scrivens avoided a pair of tacklers, then angled from the middle of the field to the sideline, just managing to cross the goal line before the arrival of a final Wildcat defender.



"It was about what you'd expect on our sideline, kids and coaches running along, jumping up and down and going crazy,'' said Drake.

But there was more drama. The touchdown only tied the game. With its regular kicker injured, Boyd was relying on sophomore Cameron Powell — kicking in only his second varsity game — to boot the extra point for the lead.

"Cameron drilled it right through the uprights,'' said Drake. "I'm so proud of him.''

Plano still had 55 seconds with a strong wind at its back and a long-range field goal kicker available in Colton Gier.

But the fired-up Boyd defense recorded sacks on second and third down, then sophomore Brandon Bowling, who caught an 89-yard touchdown pass in the first half, clinched victory with a fourth-down interception.

The game was full of dramatic turnarounds.

Just before halftime, Boyd came out on the short end of a 10-point swing when a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown was negated by an interference penalty. Instead of leading 17-10 at the break, the Broncos trailed 13-10 after a Plano field goal on the final play of the half.



Boyd improved to 4-3 overall, but more importantly to 2-0 in the rugged District 10-5A, tied with defending Class 5A Division I state champion Allen for first place. Boyd plays at 7-0 Allen on Friday. With three district games to play, the Broncos are one win away from assuring their fourth straight playoff berth.

Boyd was picked to finish fifth in the six-team district before the season.

"It was a critical win,'' said Drake.

District 10-5A contains the three Plano schools in addition to Allen — with four of the largest enrollments in the state.

"Enrollment is not something we focus on,'' said Drake. "We try to schedule in non-district to get us ready so that when we see the speed and size of these kids, it is not overwhelming. It really is risk-reward because there is a chance a team can lose self-esteem and confidence with a difficult schedule. But it has worked for us.''

Drake has been running the show from the press box since last season, somewhat unusual for a head coach but not unprecedented. A better view of the field benefits his play-calling.



Before being named Boyd's first head coach, Drake worked as quarterback coach and offensive coordinator at The Colony and McKinney North.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Louisiana Tech University in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education with a minor in mathematics. He earned his master's degree in education from Centenary College.

Drake's record at Boyd is 43-41, and that includes an 0-10 mark in the school's first year when it did not have a senior class. The Broncos have qualified for the playoffs four times, advancing to a Class 4A quarterfinal in the school's second season and being eliminated by Copperas Cove and quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The coach's biggest fans are wife Patricia, a fourth-grade teacher in McKinney, and their three children, sixth-grader Collin, third-grader Kelsey and Katy in kindergarten.{PAGEBREAK}
If Seguin (Arlington) goes on to reach the Class 4A state playoffs in a month‘s time, a big reason will be the five-minute, 75-yard drive that took down Lancaster, 48-42, on Friday night.

The Cougars had to rally not only against a team that made it to the Class 4A Division II state title game a year ago, but they had to do it on the road, at Lancaster's Beverly Humphrey Stadium.

The winning drive embodied elements of unity and bonding that Seguin coach Carlos Lynn has emphasized. The Cougars overcame 30 penalty yards and stayed alive by converting a fourth down at their own 42-yard-line.



Seguin quarterback Kelton Moore carried the ball on five of the drive's 11 plays that concluded on his 15-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds remaining. Moore finished it off with a two-point conversion pass to Malcolm Rogers, helping Seguin improve to 4-2 for the season and 2-1 in a very competitive District 15-4A.

For overseeing Seguin's important win, Lynn was selected as the Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

Tight games are nothing new for the Cougars. Seguin has one-point wins over Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) and Mansfield Summit (Arlington) and a seven-point road loss to District 15-4A co-leader Ennis.

"It seems like we've been in a pressure cooker all season,'' said Lynn. "In this district, there aren't a lot of blowouts.''

Lynn, 40, is in his sixth season at Seguin. The Cougars are trying to break a three-year playoff drought.

"We've been on the cusp the last few seasons, but we haven't quite gotten over the hump,'' said Lynn, in his sixth season at Seguin. "This year, we have 33 seniors, the most we've had. The kids have come through our program and have a better understanding of what we're trying to do.''

Moore is a key offensive cog. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior who has drawn recruiting interest from the University of Nevada, carried 31 times for 240 yards and four touchdowns against Lancaster. His season rushing total climbed to 1,150 with 15 touchdowns.



With Moore's 221 passing yards against Lancaster, his season total is up to 772 yards.

When Lynn arrived in 2008, Seguin was coming off a one-win season.

"We wanted the guys to know there is more to being in the football program than playing on Friday nights,'' Lynn said. "We want them to have an experience that they can fall back on when football is over.''

Lynn has been a part of championship teams as a player in high school and college and as an assistant coach in high school. He was a guard/defensive end on the Wilmer-Hutchins team that won the Class 4A title in 1990.

Three years later he was a member of the NAIA national championship squad at East Central University (Ada, Okla.), and in 2006 Lynn was the defensive coordinator for Cedar Hill in its drive to the Class 5A Division II state title.

Lynn credits his coach at Wilmer-Hutchins, Robert Woods and East Central defensive coordinator Todd Graham — now the head coach at Arizona State—  for playing a large role in his chosen career.



"When I think back to those days and how much I learned from those guys, they have had so much influence on me,'' Lynn said.

It was Graham that planted the idea that Lynn should consider going into coaching.

"I had always been a team captain and I was a communication major in college when Coach Graham pushed me toward coaching. And 18 years later, here I am.''

Lynn coached at Wilmer-Hutchins under Woods and then followed him to Cedar Hill.

Lynn and Antwanette, his bride of 15 years, have one son, 9-year-old Caleb.{PAGEBREAK}
Kick the extra point to tie the score and go to the second overtime period.

That would be the common strategy for a high school football coach in the circumstances that faced Joe Prud'homme on Friday night. His Nolan Catholic (Fort Worth) Vikings had just scored in the first overtime to close to within a point of Trinity Christian (Addison).



But 21 years at the school, including a run of six state titles in nine seasons earn Prud'homme the license to deviate from the norm.

With the rematch of last year's TAPPS Division I state final riding on one play, Prud'homme gambled and was rewarded.

A successful two-point conversion pass from Landon Russell to tight end Jeremey LaGroue carried Nolan to a 43-42 victory over previously-undefeated Trinity Christian (4-1) Friday night at Doskocil Stadium in Fort Worth.

For making the call that resulted in the homecoming win, Prud'homme was selected as the Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Nolan (4-2, 2-0 in District 1). The Vikings share the district lead with Prestonwood Christian (Plano).

"I know most coaches would not make that decision,'' said the 48-year-old Prud'homme. "But I didn't want to get in a back-and-forth with them. I knew that we had the right play set up. The kids were executing well. Their defense was leaving an opening that we could attack.''

The Vikings lined up in what they call a "Two-Three'' formation, two running backs lined up in the "I'' formation with three tight ends. Trinity Christian had to respect the threat of run. Vikings tailback Luke Alves had already gained 179 yards and scored three touchdowns.



"Landon faked the lead play we'd been running all night and rolled right. We gave him the choice and he felt more comfortable going right. Our tight end waited and then went to the right flat. The play worked perfectly. There was only one defender between the two of them. Jeremy was wide open and Landon floated the ball to him.''

Prud'homme's gutsy call looks even bolder considering quarterback Russell was playing in only his second game this season. Although he had some quarterbacking experience earlier in his career, Russell had made a decision to concentrate full-time on basketball as a senior. He is slated to play college basketball at Yale.

But a rash of injuries reduced Nolan's quarterback depth to just one able body. Russell asked Prud'homme's permission to rejoin Nolan's football program a couple of weeks ago. The coach told Russell he would need to get an OK from his parents, the Yale coaching staff and his basketball coach at Nolan (the latter happens to be Steve Prud'homme, Nolan's athletics director and Joe's brother).

Against Trinity Christian, Russell completed 7 of 11 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Prud'homme said he very nearly called for a two-point conversion after Nolan scored with 1:50 remaining on Russell's 15-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Rich. He chose to send on Grant Muehlstein for the extra point kick that sent the game into overtime.

Nolan and Trinity Christian have a history for staging wild shootouts. Nolan prevailed, 48-45, in the 2012 state title game.



Should Nolan win a state title this season, it would be its third in a row. Previous titles have come in two-year patterns: 2004-05, 2008-09 and 2011-12.

Program stability has been a key, Prud'homme said: "It's pretty rare, but the majority of our coaching staff has been together the entire time. Our players have the belief we're going to win, no matter what.''

In his high school playing days at Bishop Gorman (Tyler), Prud'homme was a defensive back and quarterback. He continued his football career at Tyler Junior College and then got his degree from the University of Texas.

Joe and wife Amanda have two children: Joseph, who quarterbacked the Vikings to a pair of state titles the last two seasons and is now at Kansas State and Emily, a junior volleyball and softball player at Nolan.{PAGEBREAK}
Rodney Webb specializes in rebuilding football programs.

"Building the belief we can win,'' is the way Webb phrases it.

He was very successful in five-year stretches at Royse City and at Horn (Mesquite), compiling an 85-44 record and nine straight playoff appearances. Now he's in the first year of "fixing'' the Rockwall Yellowjackets.

The 45-year-old has been on the job only seven months, but under his regime change Rockwall (3-2) has already equaled its win total in either of its last two seasons.



For pushing the right buttons in the Yellowjackets' 24-20 victory over rival Rockwall-Heath, Webb was selected as this week's Capital One Bank Dallas Coach of the Week.

Webb points to signature wins that helped jump-start programs at previous coaching stops. At Royse City in 2004, it was a 20-17 victory over defending Class 3A state champion Gainesville. At Horn, it was a 28-19 upset of rival Mesquite on Week 10 of the 2008 season that allowed the Jaguars to make the playoffs for the first time.

Webb is hoping Friday's win over previously unbeaten Rockwall-Heath is the springboard the Yellowjackets need. An overflow crowd of 10,000 was on hand at Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium to watch Rockwall win for only the second time in the six-year series against its younger neighbor.

"It is always important to win your first district game,'' said Webb. "But at Rockwall, participation is an issue. In this era of specialization, a lot of kids feel they have to make a decision in the eighth grade on what sport to play. We want them to play as many sports as they can. It is easy to give up on the sport that hasn't been winning and here that has been football. Hopefully, we changed some minds.''

The lead seesawed several times until the fourth quarter when sophomore quarterback Will Reed connected on a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jay Galloway, giving the Yellowjackets the lead for good. The defense made the four-point advantage stand up.

In 2012, Rockwall-Heath routed Rockwall, 45-12.



A trademark for Webb's teams has been outstanding quarterback play. Reed completed 14 of 17 for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

"Because Will is a sophomore, we want to limit the things we asked him to do, so he's operating out of a smaller box,'' said Webb, an offensive lineman in his playing days. "We're going to take it slow, but we think he's going to be a good one.''

Rockwall last made the playoffs in 2010. The wait for a playoff victory has grown to 21 seasons.

When Webb, a Tarleton State graduate and a 2007 inductee to the school‘s Hall of Fame, was hired at Rockwall in early March, it solved a dilemma. His family has long resided in Rockwall. Wife Fran teaches computer education at the school and daughter Gracy, the couple's only child, is a sophomore volleyball player there.

"It was difficult not to be with my family and they were so happy at Rockwall, it didn't make sense for them to come over to Horn,'' Webb said. "This was the only job I would have left Horn for.''

On Friday, Rockwall hosts Webb's old team in an intriguing District 12-5A match-up. Horn is off to a 5-0 start.



"It's going to be weird,'' Webb said. "The hard part is going to be pre-game. I want to give those Horn guys a hug and at the same time I want to win the game.

"I love those kids at Horn. I told them that the day I left. I hope they understand that. I'm proud of them and the season they are having. But my job now is to do the best I can with our kids at Rockwall.''