1963
Added Confidence

Dripping Springs
September 6, 1963: Converse
The countdown to the 1963 Rocket launch was held through the opening period when a 4th-Down pass interference call on the Rockets set the Tigers up at the Judson 3-yard line, and shortly thereafter Jack Knox put the Tigers in front at 6-0. Judson then picked up the count, mounting an effective drive that culminated in Ray Miller’s run into the endzone from five (5) yards out. Jack Nelson split the uprights on the PAT to put the Rockets in the lead at 7-6 and give liftoff. The lead held up at through the break. In the 3rd Quarter Miller hooked up with Phillip Bain for a 35-yard scoring play, Nelson toed the PAT and the Rockets led 14-6. Later in the penultimate period, Nelson raced into the endzone for 15 yards and six (6) more points although the PAT was no good. Finally, in the 4th Quarter Bain took a punt and zipped 50 yards for paydirt, and Miller provided the conversion on an end-around run.

Randolph
September 13, 1963
The previous Friday, the Ro-Hawks, who played all their inaugural-season games on the road, opened the season at the new Ro-Hawk Stadium by dropping a 14-6 decision to the Rangers of Schulenburg Bishop Forest. Wanting to atone for this result and furthermore attain some bragging rights over their neighbors across the way on Loop1604, the Ro-Hawks got out ahead of the Rockets early in front of the 1200 witnesses. The Ro-Hawks quick-kicked to Judson and recovered the surprised Rockets’ fumble. Shortly thereafter QB Tom McDougal sprinted in from eight (8) yards out, and as a result of a failed PAT the Ro-Hawks led 6-0. The Ro-Hawks then recovered the Rockets’ fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and they were in business at the Judson 20-yard line. On the first play Bill Borellis took it in to put the Ro-Hawks up 12-0 with only five (5) minutes gone in this marquee matchup. The PAT, however, was no good. Randolph tacked on two (2) additional scores

• A 7-yard keeper by McDougal in the 3rd Quarter
• Chuck Pechuls' punch-in from three (3) yards out in the 4th Quarter

The Rockets, however, salvaged this particular test when QB Claude Arnold crashed in from two (2) yards out. The PAT, however, was no good.

Lytle
September 27, 1963
The previous week, the Rockets redeemed themselves with a convincing performance with Hallettsville Sacred Heart. The Rockets then took on the Pirates of Lytle, and they snatched three (3) TD’s in the 2nd period. Don White crashed through to block a Pirate punt, and Ray Miller, playing in his two-way role as Guard, recovered in the endzone for the score. The PAT was no good, but the Rockets led 6-0. Later in the period Ray Miller hit Don Sirianni up for a 45-yard score, and Jack Nelson’s extra point kick increased the Rocket advantage to 13-0. With time expiring in the 1st Half, Miller accessed Sirianni once more, this time for an 80-yard scoring pass. The Rockets maintained the goose-egg for the Pirates by shutting them off on three (3) occasions inside the Judson 10-yard line.

Cole
October 4, 1963
Having had a rather unpleasant visit down FM 78----the other "Military Highway" in Bexar County----with their Air Force friends and neighbors a few weeks earlier down to the east, the Rockets squared off with their Army friends and neighbors from Cole High School and Fort Sam Houston, located down the other direction of FM 78. The Cougars were in their first season and, three (3) games in, had only scored eight (8) points. The opening period was scoreless, but in the 2nd Quarter a bad snap on a Cougar punt gave the Rockets possession at the Cole 36-yard line. On the 6th play from scrimmage, Claude Arnold passed to Ed Cruz for a 12-yard pass and the score. Cruz then took a reverse and had two (2) additional points to show for it, giving the Rockets an 8-0 advantage. The lead held up and the Rockets thus improved their record to 4-1. Spurred by the defensive contributions of Vic Barrera and Don White, the Rockets blunted the most serious Cougar incursion into Rocket territory by snatching an INT at the Judson 5-yard line and returning it 70 yards. The Rocket Defense had one (1) additional INT to show for the effort.

Brackettville
October 11, 1963
The Tigers gave the host Rockets a short-lived case of ‘cat scratch fever’ by snatching an 8-0 lead in the 2nd Quarter when QB Dickie Johnson passed to Jack Lee for a 51-yard TD, and Johnson thereafter ran the ball in for two (2) points to put the cats up 8-0. In the 3rd Quarter, however, Ray Miller hooked up with Phillip Bain for a 30-yard pass play and score. The conversion run was no good, and the cats still led 8-6. In the final period the Miller-to-Bain connection worked again, this time for a 76-yard aerial scorcher that put the Rockets in the lead for the first time of the day. Miller’s run for two (2) thus gave the Rockets a 14-8 advantage. Later in the final period, Miller and Bain collaborated one (1) final time for a 40-yard hook-up to give the Rockets a 20-8 lead, which would hold up as the final tally by dint of an unsuccessful pass for two (2) points. Once more, the Defense came through by snatching three (3) Tiger aerials.

Yoakum St. Joseph's
October 18, 1963
The Rockets raised their 1963 record against Tigers to a perfect 3-0, all such tussles having taken place in Converse. It was an inauspicious beginning for the Rockets, however, when the Tigers recovered a fumble in the endzone to get on the board early, although the PAT was no good. The Rockets nevertheless quickly returned to work on Offense and in fairly short order they had a TD to show for it, which came on a 65-yard pass play from Ray Miller to Larry Retzlof. Additional scoring took place as follows:

• Claude Arnold carrying for six (6) yards and Miller connecting with Philip Bain for two (2) points
• Edward Cruz taking off on a 70-yard dash and Miller taking the ball in for the two-pointer
• Cruz zipping in from 15 yards out to provide a 28-6 Rocket advantage entering the final period.
• Miller punching in from six (6) yards out
• Arnold crashing in from seven (7) yards out, with Miller following up with still one (1) more 2-pointer

Rocksprings
October 25, 1963
The Rockets traveled to Rocksprings where the Angoras gave them their first District 30-B setback. Kenny Nunley returned the opening kickoff 94 yards to put Rocksprings on the board, and he immediately thereafter carried for two (2) points to give the Angoras a literally early 8-0. Things settled down thereafter, but the Rockets were unable to get their offensive thrusters out of cold storage and finally, in the 4th Quarter, Rocksprings froze the Rockets' defensive guidance, navigation and control systems to put the game away when Eduardo Franco hooked up with Polo Cervantes for a 4-yard scoring toss. Nunley once more converted for two (2) points on the conversion.

D'Hanis
November 2, 1963
The Rockets traveled into the sunset for the second consecutive week, this time for what amounted to a Saturday Night Massacre at the hands of the Cowboys. The Cowboys dominated from start to finish, as you can see below:

• Johnny Bendele flashing downfield for TD runs of 61, 36, and 65 yards
• Willie Rodriguez pouring it on with three (3) scoring runs of 24, 3, and 65 yards
• Larry Huesser zipping in from 55 yards out
• Raul Rodriguez going the final 29 yards to close out still one (1) more D'Hanis drive
• Eddie Zerr taking the ball in from 24 yards out and also drilling six (6) PAT's through the uprights

All told, it resulted in D'Hanis clinching the District 30-B title

Natalia
November 8, 1963
The Rockets were able to finish the 1963 mission by copping a winning record (3-2) in District 30-B to go with their winning overall record. The opening stanza was scoreless, but in the second period Ray Miller, in his two-way position as a Defensive Guard, stepped in front of a Mustang pass and returned it 55 yards to put the Rockets on the board. The PAT, however, was no good, but the Rockets led 6-0. Later in the 2nd Quarter Miller, back in his role as QB, crashed in from four (4) yards out. Once again, however, the PAT was no good, but the twelve (12) points were more than sufficient to get the win for the Rockets. The Mustangs reached as close as the Judson 18-yard line in the penultimate period of the season, but spurred on by the play of Victor Barrera and others, the Rocket Defense came through and slammed the gate on the Mustangs.

Thirteen (13) days later, President Kennedy flew into SA International and drove from there through Downtown San Antonio enroute to Brooks AFB to dedicate the School of Aerospace Medicine. Contingency plans were for him to visit Kennedy High School---the second High School in Bexar County to choose the Rocket as its mascot---but it took longer than expected to get down Military Drive and the Presidential party instead went directly to Kelly AFB for the flight to Houston and thereafter Fort Worth for a sleepover before the next day's visit to Dallas. You know what happens next.

Kennedy at Brooks AFB