Marshall (5-4-1; 3-2)
September 7, 1984: Northside Stadium
The Rockets, now in a re-tooling and rebuilding phase for the first time since the Great Crusade of ’82 and ’83, would have three (3) interesting pre-District tests in which to get flight-worthy. In the real rocket program, NASA has numerous test facilities where various rocket engines, hardware and other components are developed, tested and evaluated for flight-readiness. One of those facilities is the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The Judson Rockets didn’t have to travel all the way to Alabama to get to Marshall, but they did nevertheless travel to Northside Stadium to get to a pre-district test with the Marshall Rams, who were a pre-season pick to challenge Clark for the District title. In addition to the Sophomore and Junior-laden Flight Crew, the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD), now led by former Rocket Defensive Coordinator and 1^st-year Head Coach DW Rutledge, were about to inaugurate a new era, and excitement, anxiety as well as curiosity were at a high pitch as everyone awaited the start of the next chapter in Judson’s Rocket Program----22 years to the day since Judson’s inaugural varsity football game with Dripping Springs. The Program may not make it all the way to the moon this time, but just as in NASA’s rocket program in which Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rockets weren’t intended exclusively for moon flights, the Judson Rockets had every intention of at least going for a long-duration run similar to that offered by the Apollo Applications Program that culminated in the Skylab series. Hence, the dawn of a new era that promised to be fulfilling, fun, and ultimately, perhaps, take the Rocket Program back to the moon----but only after a lot of work, testing and lessons learned.

The Ram defense was playing as advertised, and the Rockets’ Defensive Thermal Protection System also seemed to be in top form and kept Judson from being burned at any point in the 1^st Half. The Offensive Propulsion System, however, definitely gave evidence that the booster systems (RB’s) and the Guidance, Navigation and Control (offensive line) would require some time n getting fully in sync and flight-rated. Midway through the 2^nd Quarter the Rockets had a short 27-yard drive to the Marshall 20-yard line, and the drive stalled out and John Tomasi came in to attempt a FG. The FG, however, was DOA when the snap failed to get close enough for holder Kenny Smith to take it. Smith put the ball up in the hopes someone with a Diamond J on their helmet could take it, but Efrem Gross hauled it in for Marshall instead, and the 1^st Half ended with a double goose-egg. Early in the 3^rd Quarter, George Harris took a Judson punt and returned it 15 yards to put the Rams in business at the Judson 24, but Marshall was only able to get to the 16. The 34-yard FG was wide left, and the goose-egg remained. This defensive standoff continued but finally, with 2:10 left to play, the Rockets took possession at the Marshall 46 following a Marshall punt. From there, Orfeo Provost carried for 14 yards, QB Steward Perez hit Alan Anderson for an 8-yard air pick-up, and a 9-yard ground pick-up by Richard Berry brought the Rockets to the 5-yard line. Perez kept twice to get to the 1-yard line, but on 3^rd-and-Goal Perez’ hastily-arranged pass to Provost went INC when he couldn’t hold on, and this brought up 4^th Down with 20 seconds remaining. The FOD deemed a FG as "No-Go" because the ball was right on the hash mark and hence would have been launched from a very acute angle that would have made it easy pickings for being blocked, so the decision was to try and punch it in on 4^th Down. The overall play, though, was soon "No-Go" when Mike Baker broke through the line and clobbered Perez, forcing a pass that was the football equivalent of an air ball. Marshall ran out the clock from there and the double goose-egg remained----this time for good. Although no one was all that pleased to see the end result, Judson in many ways could perhaps claim the moral victory, having largely out-played the highly-regarded Rams. In many ways, the Rockets could claim success in this particular Marshall test. At the very least, it provided some good data, experience and knowledge-----[Judson] Rocket Science, in other words.

The inaugural flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery came to a successful conclusion two (2) days before the Rockets’ test with Marshall. The flight was originally intended to lift off in June, but a malfunction just after Main Engine Ignition caused the Auto Launch Sequencer to cut everything off just seconds before the Solid Rocket Boosters were to ignite and send the craft skyward. The Shuttle instead was returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building and did not get airborne until the final week in August. Similarly, the Judson Rockets were hoping to get airborne on September 7, but the Rams cut them off at the 1-yard line and grounded them for at least one more week. Dating back to the Final Exam with Midland Lee, the Rockets had now gone five (5) consecutive scoreless Quarters. Make that six (6), as the Highlands Owls kept the Rockets out of the endzone through the 1^st Quarter. The Defensive Thermal Protection System, though, had now kept the Rockets from being burned for seven (7) consecutive Quarters. The Defense overall was doing quite well, and the Defensive Propulsion System would soon showcase its flight-readiness as the 2^nd Quarter got underway. On 3^rd-and-10 from the Owl 17, Highlands tried a Quick Kick, but Mike Madkins made an over-the-shoulder catch of the ensuing punt at the Highlands 36, and with the help of some key blocks got away down the left sideline for the score. The PAT was no good, but Judson was in front at 6-0. The Rockets held the Owls on the subsequent series, and David Ewing took the punt and returned it 15 yards to the Owl 47. On the 4^th play, John Tomasi took a reverse and lifted off for a 34-yard score. Steward Perez hit Tomasi for two (2) points, and Judson now had a 14-0 advantage. On the 2^nd play of the Owls’ next series, David Miles stole QB Brian Millers’ forced pass at the Highlands 25 and returned it all the way for the score. The PAT was good and Judson had opened up a 21-0 lead with 7:32 left in the 1^st Half, having done all the damage in the space of only 3:50. The Rockets rounded out the scoring in the 2^nd Half with a 4-yard run by Steward Perez for points in the 3^rd Quarter, and a 29-yard pass from Perez to Alan Anderson in the final period. Both of Tomasi’s 2^nd-Half PAT’s were good, and all told this gave Judson a 35-0 victory----the Rockets’ first under DW Rutledge.

Judson limited the Owls to only five (5) First Downs, 95 yards rushing and 30 passing [as a result of a 5-of-23 effort that experienced two (2) INT’s], forcing seven (7) punts that averaged only 28 yards. The Rockets, meanwhile, had 87 yards through the air as part of a 7-of-9 effort that experienced one (1) INT. while on the ground they picked up 244 yards, which was split mostly between Richard Berry, David Wojcik and, most interestingly, perhaps, Tomasi. Altogether this allowed Judson to move the chains 20 times.

The Clark Cougars also seemed to be adding another chapter to their brief history, as they beat Churchill 13-7 in the first meeting between the two the night before.

Sam Houston (9-1; 7-0)
September 21, 1984: Converse
Judson welcomed The Tribe back to Converse for the first time since 1979 in this, the first game held in Converse since the successful Quest to Make History. The FOD was still looking for the right engine combo for the Offensive Propulsion System, and in this game Kicker John Tomasi---who played at Wide Receiver the week before---was inserted into the Tailback position. The Rockets were unable to produce on their 1^st possession of the day, but they bottled up the Cherokees and forced a punt at the Sam Houston 16. The punt went to the SH 48, and Judson got to work from there. On 3^rd-and-1 Richard Berry picked up 18 yards down to the 25, and on the 5^th play of the drive Tomasi carried up the middle for 19 yards and the score. His PAT was also good, and Judson was up 7-0 at the 5:43 mark of the opening period. The game settled down somewhat thereafter, although Judson seemed to have the upper hand in all phases of the game thus far. That changed very quickly midway through the 2^nd Quarter, and everyone got to see why the Cherokees---now in their 2^nd year under Head Coach RA Johnson----were heavy favorites to win their District and possibly do quite well in the post-season. They took possession at their own 11-yard line. On the 2^nd play of the drive QB James Humphrey hit Kenneth Navarro for a 35-yard aerial pickup. The completion was at least partially set up when Cornerback David Ewing----playing to INT or tip for an INC---slipped on the play. On the 3^rd (and final) play of the drive, the same fate awaited Mike Madkins, and this facilitated Humphrey’s pass to Jarvis Wyatt that resulted in a 53-yard scoring play. The 54-second drive drew the Cherokees to within 7-6 with 5:03 left in the 1^st Half. The PAT was wide right, so Judson remained in the lead. With time running down in the 1^st Half, Mike Madkins took a punt at the Judson 28 and returned it up to the 39. The 5-play drive came to a happy end when QB Kenny Smith—who was in for Steward Perez after he twisted his ankle earlier in the week----hit Alan Anderson for the score from twelve (12) yards out. Tomasi’s PAT was good, Judson had opened up a 14-6 lead with 26 seconds left in the Half, and the teams soon retreated to their respective locker rooms for intermission.

In the 3^rd Quarter, Judson undertook an effective and efficient drive that started at midfield and ended with a 1-yard keeper by Kenny Smith at the 5:26 mark of the penultimate period. Smith hooked up with Maurice Guidry for a 2-point play, and the Judson lead was up to 22-6. Shortly thereafter Tim Willis laid claim to a Sam Houston fumble at the Cherokee 33. Soon Tomasi was in the endzone once more, this time following an 8-yard run for points. His PAT was good and the Rockets now had an impressive 29-6 advantage with 229 seconds remaining in the 3^rd Quarter. This match-up, it would turn out, was far from over, though. In the 4^th Quarter, QB Manuel Richardson connected with Jarvis Wyatt from 19 yards out to complete a 9-play, 52-yard drive. The run for two (2) points was no good, but the Judson lead was reduced to 29-12 with 9:38 to go. On the first play of Sam Houston’s next possession, Wilbur Tippins got away for a 55-yard dash to paydirt, this time the 2-point play was good when Humphrey hit Navarro for the score, and with 7:28 to go the Cherokees were within reach at 29-20. That was as close as the Tribe would get, and Mike Madkins saw to that when he hauled in an INT on a subsequent Sam Houston drive. This would turn out to be the Cherokees’ only loss in the regular season, and they would perform impressively thereafter.

For the game Tomasi had 150 yards on the ground on 22 carries, Richard Berry contributed 79 yards on 16 totes, and David Wojcik chipped in 66 yards on 13 touches. Overall, the Rocket Defense also performed well in spite of allowing 20 points, as it registered seven (7) sacks for a total of 50 yards in losses.

All day leading up to the game, it had been very humid, overcast and somewhat gusty, with a cool front on the way. The wind was still pretty strong as the kickoff approached, and this had a direct bearing on coin-toss decision-making. The Brahmas won the toss and decided to take the wind, this gave the 2^nd-Half option to Judson, the Rockets chose to receive to start the 2^nd Half, and hence they would start both the 1^st Half and the 2^nd Half heading into the wind. The 1^st-Half trip into the 20-mph winds started from the 31 and required eight (8) plays for the Rockets to score. Fullback Richard Berry carried on four (4) of those plays, with the biggest being a 42-yard burst through the right side that went all the way for the score. Tomasi was good on the PAT, and Judson was up early at the 8:38 mark of the opening period. From there, the Defensive Thermal Protection System proved virtually impenetrable both on the ground and, even more amazingly, through the air, which was a surprise considering that Mac had one of the more potent passing combos in QB Keith Kaiser and Jesse Mendez. The Offensive Propulsion System---still somewhat in a retooling and experimental phase---took a while to get close enough to score. Eventually, late in the 2^nd Quarter, Judson propelled its way from the Rocket 35-yard line on a drive that reached the Brahma 20, where it stalled out when Brahma Defensive Back Todd Staley broke up two (2) Steward Perez passes in the endzone. John Tomasi came on and easily got the 37-yard FG to give Judson a 10-0 advantage with 3:38 left in the 1^st Half. The Brahmas took the ensuing kickoff at the Mac 16-yard line and returned it to the Judson 49. On 3^rd-and-4 from the 43, Kaiser gave the pitch-out to Brian Wiggins, and Wiggins sent the halfback pass downfield to Eric Strumberg, who hauled it in for a 1^st Down at the 20. Immediately thereafter, Kaiser hooked up with Mendez, who dove to make the catch in the endzone for the score. Mendez, however, mishandled the snap on the PAT and the score remained 10-6 entering the intermission. The offensive production on the scoring drive just about constituted all the yardage that the Brahmas got in the 1^st Half. In fact, Brahma ball carriers netted precisely zero yardage in the 1^st Half.

Judson took the kickoff to start the 2^nd Half, once more traveling into the wind. This time, the Rockets undertook a 14-play, 77-yard drive. On the 4^th play of the drive, it appeared that Perez had a 62-yard run for points, but it was wiped out by a Clipping call. Ten (10) plays later, Perez punched in from the 1-yard line, this time it counted, and Tomasi’s PAT increased the count to 17-6 with 5:58 remaining. In the final period, a 40-yard dash by Fullback David Wojcik keyed a drive that reached the Brahma 15-yard line before stalling out. Once more, John Tomasi was called in, and he nailed the 26-yard FG with 5:35 left to play to bring the score to 20-6. The Defensive Thermal Protection System continued to do its job, and the Defensive Propulsion System continued its relentless attack on the Brahma offense and soon the score went final. Whereas the Tailback position was featured the week before, in this particular match-up the Fullback position was showcased, with Richard Berry contributing 143 yards on 23 carries and Wojcik picking up 51 yards on nine (9) totes. TB Tomasi did get 54 yards on 12 trips, and QB Steward Perez chipped in 42 on 17 touches. It is worth noting that Wojcik didn’t enter the contest until three (3) plays into the final period, but still managed to pick up 47 yards on eight (8) carries. In all, this provided a good tune-up for a crucial showdown with the preseason District favorites---the Madison Mavericks---who had been galloping along and running over opponents the way that Judson did just the year before. They looked formidable, in other words.

Madison (9-1; 5-1)
October 5, 1984: Converse
Earlier in the day, the Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off to commence STS-41G. It is worth noting that the Judson Rockets thus far had an undefeated record during Shuttle flights. It would require another 15 hours to prove out this record once more. There was no better time than on this evening to put this to a test, as the Judson Rockets would be put to the test of a Maverick team that gave every indication that they could quite possibly reverse the 42-0 pasting that the Rockets put on them the year before. A threat of thunder and lightning and an intermittent drizzle through much of the 1^st Half provided the backdrop for this match-up in front of 11500 witnesses, and Madison would very early on prove to be every bit as good as advertised. Judson got off to a very shaky start when, on the first play from scrimmage, John Tomasi took the handoff and got thrown for an 11-yard loss. On 3^rd Down Tomasi sent a 42-yard Quick Kick downfield, and the Maverick offense took the field. On 1^st Down TB Mitchell Price took the pitch-out from QB Kelly Archer and got away around right end, reversing his field and going all the way for the score. Tom Nalepa hit the PAT, and the Mavs were on top early with only 96 seconds gone in the contest. This was quite unnerving, to say the least, for the people dressed in red. The Judson Offense got untracked somewhat on the ensuing series, but the 55-yard drive was summarily terminated when Trent Touchstone came down with the INT. On 3^rd-and-2 it was deja vu all over again when Mitchell Price got loose. It appeared he would go all the way as he did just moments before, but Mike Madkins dragged him down at the 7-yard line for "only" a 46-yard pickup. On only three (3) carries, Price already had 106 yards. The Defensive Thermal Protection System needed some kind of break---any kind---and fast. All the time, lightning had been crackling intermittently all through that opening Quarter and, quite ironically, the thunder seemed to sound every time a play took place that threatened to bury the Rockets further. At one point, I heard some lady behind me say "ooohhh, someone didn’t like that play." It was at this point that I started to get the distinct sense, for some reason, that maybe we would come out ok after all, even if it took awhile. Well, this process got underway when, two (2) plays later, Jesse Cortinas and Marcus Booker collaborated to snap up the first fumble of the day. Although the Offensive Propulsion System still continued to have its struggles and failed to get anything of real substance on the ensuing series, this turn of events seemed to breathe new life into the Defense, and it resumed its attack on the Maverick offense on the subsequent series. In fact, in the final three (3) Quarters, the Mavs would only have an additional five (5) First Downs to show for this evening’s effort, and Mitchell Price would only net another two (2) yards for the day. Meanwhile, midway through the 2^nd Quarter, Dennis Kennedy laid the wood on Kelly Archer, sacking him for a 10-yard loss and, most importantly, forcing a fumble that Tim Howard claimed for the Rockets at the Madison 31. The Rockets picked up one (1) First Down but stalled out thereafter. Tomasi entered to save the Rockets’ name from disgrace and shame and booted home a 37-yard FG with 5:40 left in the 1^st Half, and said Half ended with Madison still in the lead at 7-3.

Judson continued its defensive assault as the 3^rd Quarter got underway, and the perseverance soon paid off when Brett Loeffler---who also recovered a fumble and blocked a punt---made a diving catch of a tipped pass to haul the INT in at the Madison 41. The pivotal play in the concomitant Judson drive was a 30-yard pickup on a scramble by QB Steward Perez that carried to the Madison 1. Perez kept for the sneak on the next play, Tomasi’s PAT was good, and Judson was in front---at 10-7----for the first time of the day with 4:25 left in the 3^rd Quarter. The score remained at 10-7 with time getting short, and although both the Rocket Offense and Rocket Defense had pretty much hit their stride and continued to keep the Mavs on the ropes, the slightest misstep could put Judson on the short end of a final score. In a scenario not unlike that facing the Mavs late in the game in their 1981 visit to Converse, with 26 seconds left to play Judson found itself backed up at its own 11-yard line. The Flight Operations Directorate chose to take a Safety rather than risk having the punt blocked, so Steve Huntsman retreated into the endzone to draw Madison to within 10-9. After the Mavs took the Free Kick, Kelly Archer connected with Jimmy Young for a pickup down to the Judson 26-yard line to bring the Mavs to within FG range. Now this was starting to look exactly like how the 1981 affair ended. The only question remaining, now, was whether the Rockets would see the scenario end as happily as it did for the Mavs when Judson had a deep threat following the Free Kick in 1981. Enter Kicker Tom Nalepa to attempt a 51-yard FG on the last play of the game. The snap, however, was high, and this overall forced him to rush the kick and it fell way short with the clock registering "four zeroes" for what was arguably one of the more dramatic finishes for a game played in Converse. And with that, the "Judson Rocky’s" had pulled off a minor to monumental upset.

The Space Shuttle Challenger landed at KSC earlier in the day, a little later in the day the Longhorns and Sooners played their annual classic to a 15-15 tie on a slippery wet Cotton Bowl carpet, and later on that evening the Chargers and the Rockets met on a damp turf at Northeast Stadium. Although there wasn’t the same level of history or drama, perhaps, as those events earlier in the day, or for that matter that which characterized the most recent four (4) games in this particular series, the meeting still generated a high level of interest given the relatively high stakes still involved here for both teams, and the largest crowd at Northeast Stadium thus far in 1984 gathered to see what would happen. The Chargers---determined to prove that Rocket Pride was only a fleeting phenomenon----got off to a good enough start by reaching the Judson 40 and 41-yard lines in the opening period. On both forays, the Rocket Defense came through to blunt the drives. On the Chargers’ first possession, the Rockets recovered a fumble at the Judson 37, and on another occasion a little later the Chargers were their own worst enemy. Churchill picked up 40 of its 101 total 1^st-Half yards on a single pickup by Robert Westbrook, but a Dead-ball Personal Foul penalty set the drive back, and this was just enough to facilitate an eventual---and unsuccessful---end to the drive. The Rockets’ Offensive Propulsion System also had its issues. Early in the 2^nd Quarter, Judson advanced as far as the Churchill 24, but the drive stalled out and Tomasi was called in to try a 41-yard FG. The kick was wide, and the double goose-egg remained. Late in the 1^st Half, the Rockets started a drive from the Judson 25, and they were able to keep the drive going when the Chargers ran into the kicker during an attempted punt. Judson eventually reached the Churchill 19. Steward Perez got thrown for a loss back to the 23 with 12 seconds left, and the FOD sent out Tomasi for a purported FG on 3^rd Down. It was a fake, though, the Chargers’ Doug Shaw sniffed it out, and holder Kenny Smith paid the price with a loss back to the 30. The next time, it was a FG attempt, but the 47-yard try fell just short with two (2) seconds to go, and the double goose-egg remained. At the Half, Judson had only 92 yards to show for its 1^st-Half effort, this matched up closely with Churchill’s output, and all told this explained the scoreless tie.

The Chargers came out breathing fire to start the 2^nd Half. QB Larry Lorenz fired a pass downfield, but it bounced off a Churchill receiver and was caught by David Ewing at the Judson 48, who returned it back to the Churchill 44. A Late Hit call on the Chargers put the Rockets in business at the Churchill 29, and from there Judson worked its way into the endzone in six (6) plays. Richard Berry’s run around right end picked up nine (9) yards to the 5-yard line, and from there Steward Perez also started off around right side before cutting back inside, breaking two (2) tackles enroute and carrying in for the points. Tomasi provided the PAT, and Judson was in front at 7-0 at the 7:13 mark of the 3^rd Quarter. The Chargers responded by driving to the Judson 29-yard line, but the drive was blunted once more. Early in the final period, Churchill twice got a chance to redeem itself by getting as far as the Judson 35 and 43-yard lines. One of the forays was set up when the Rockets dropped a punt that Churchill recovered in Judson territory. Once more, however, the drive failed to achieve the intended result and pretty much died when a wide-open Steve Marchbanks dropped a guaranteed TD pass at the Judson 10-yard line. A little later, Churchill started still another drive in Judson territory, but Tim Howard---who earlier recovered Churchill’s only fumble of the day----got two (2) sacks that pretty much shut the drive down and, as it turned out, gave the ball back to Judson for all of the remaining 4:21 of the contest. Richard Berry got some pivotal chunks of yardage during this closeout drive, and for the game he was able to amass 116 yards on 21 totes. If there was any potential area of concern, the Rocket Offense had been in a consistent scoring "countdown" since the 35-point performance with Highlands. If this trend continued, Judson would soon be out of points.

Roosevelt (5-5; 3-3)
October 19, 1984: Northeast Stadium, Blossom Athletic Center
Judson, having cleared two (2) major hurdles and having in many ways performed better than expected thus far, nevertheless still had some areas requiring work---the offensive output being near the top of the list. In this match-up with the neighbor and nemesis that tripped them up on the way to the moon the year before, the Defense once more performed up to par. Once more, however, the Offense powered up in fits and starts. Judson got an excellent opportunity on its opening series after taking possession at the Roosevelt 34 following a supremely short punt, but could only net a single yard before punting. A little later, Judson got as close as the Roosevelt 28, but a Delay of Game penalty on 4^th Down set the Rockets back and they chose to punt instead. Neither team was able to penetrate inside the 20 and once more---as had happened the previous week---the 1^st Half ended with a double goose-egg and relatively paltry offensive production (81 yards apiece) by both teams. The trend pretty much continued as the 3^rd Quarter progressed, but just as happened the week before with Churchill, a turnover was about to change all that. Darryl Alva picked off Steward Perez’ pass to put the Riders in business at midfield. The Rockets’ Defensive Thermal Protection System kicked in and proceeded to make TR work for any gains, but TB Manuel Munoz picked up a pivotal chain-mover on 4^th-and-1. A little later, on 3^rd-and-11 at the Judson 34, QB Scott Jefferies hit Sam Washington for a short-range aerial, and Washington got away from Mike Madkins to get a 13-yard pickup and still another First Down. Two (2) plays later, Jefferies kept on an option play and got away for 17 yards and the score to put the Riders out front. The potentially-crucial PAT, however, was wide left, and the score remained 6-0 with 2:05 left in the 3^rd Quarter. Judson was unable to respond effectively (ie, with a score) so TR got the ball again and was able to bleed some time off the clock. Midway through the 4^th Quarter, Jefferies punted from the TR 35 down to the Judson 15, but the Rocket return man bobbled it. David Ewing went after it and "downed" it in the endzone for an apparent Safety, but for some reason the referee awarded Judson possession at the 20. Understandably, Halloween came early for the Rider supporters at that point as the "boo-birds" got busy. The whole thing did seem kind of odd but what was Judson supposed to do------give it to Roosevelt anyway??? There are, after all, limits to charity, especially when neighborly nemeses are involved and even when possible issues of "fairness" come into play. So, the momentarily-spooked Rockets simply did what they could to make the best of this stay of potential execution. With four (4) minutes left, a Rocket receiver got behind the TR secondary for what promised to be a certain Judson TD, but the pass was overthrown and Judson soon punted. The Rockets had still another shot at redemption a little later, but Bobby Rodriguez claimed Steward Perez’ pass for the Riders at the Roosevelt 26 with 1:41 to go. TR made a critical First Down, and this permitted the Riders to hold onto the ball until 11 seconds remained. Mike Madkins took the punt at the Judson 28, but the Riders put a final stop to things after only a 7-yard return, the clock said "four zeroes," and once more Judson had been had by the Riders.

Seguin (0-10; 0-6)
October 26, 1984: Matador Stadium
The Rockets began the game by extending their string of scoreless Quarters to six (6), which was kind of distressing considering that their scoring output had steadily decreased down to nothing since the 35-point performance in Week 2, but 15 seconds into the 2^nd period, Roland Cravey zipped in from 25 yards out to complete an 8-play, 80-yard drive. Tomasi booted the PAT and Judson was up 7-0. This was the extent of the scoring in the 1^st Half. The 3^rd Quarter also proved to be relatively unproductive as well, although once again the Judson Defense was fully up and running in limiting the Matadors to what would amount to minus-15 yards total offense in the 2^nd Half. The Offensive Propulsion System did seem to have some kind of drive going as the 3^rd Quarter started to wind down, but with 40 yards still to go it may as well have been the distance from the earth to the moon. The burn igniters finally put the spark in the Rocket engines on the final play of the penultimate period with the help of the infamous guard around play that Clark burned Judson with and Judson in turn burned Austin LBJ with in Rounds 1 and 2 of the 1982 playoffs. This time it was Guard Todd Bielefield who got the honor, and he went all the way with it to put Judson up 13-0 with "four zeroes" on the 3^rd-Quarter clock. The PAT was good once again and Judson now had some breathing space at 14-0 entering the final period. In the final period Judson would get two (2) additional TD’s from short range. With eight (8) minutes left to play Richard Berry carried in from the 7 to finish off a 4-play, 30-yard drive, and with two (2) minutes remaining Brian Gilliam got away for an 8-yard run for points to cap off a 4-play, 20-yard drive. Tomasi was perfect on both of those PAT’s, and this permitted the Rockets to come out of their funk somewhat following the crackup at Northeast Stadium the week before.

Seguin was able to pick up only five (5) First Downs and 60 yards total offense split nearly evenly between air and ground. Judson, meanwhile, had 48 yards to show for its efforts through the air, and 211 yards on the ground. Cravey had 81 of the ground yardage, and Berry had 54. With only one (1) District contest remaining, it was starting to look pretty good, but nothing as of yet was guaranteed. Next up would be a non-district affair with Central Catholic, which had been "exiled" by the TCIL into a non-District in which the Buttons would have to depend on other factors in determining their suitability for post-season play.

Central Catholic (4-6; 0-0)
November 2, 1984: Converse
This was a rather strange affair just by virtue of its being a non-District match-up in the next-to-final game of the regular season. The game itself would soon prove to be just as odd. The start of the affair was fairly nominal by Rocket standards, with Judson getting out on top at the 6:43 mark of the opening period. Darrell Hildebrand snatched a Central Catholic fumble at the Judson 49 and advanced it down to the Button 24-yard line. A little later in the ensuing possession, Steward Perez punched in from the 1, and although the PAT was no good, Judson had the lead at 6-0, and more was expected in only a matter of time. There were, however, two (2) potential hindrances to these "plans"

• The Rockets would have to stay focused for a game upon which nothing was riding---other than the avoidance of an "L" and any kind of injury
• The TCIL 4A Buttons were understandably wanting to make a statement against the defending UIL 5A Champions, and improve their stock in their quest for a post-season seeding

With the latter in mind, the first part of this process got underway with a 9-play, 47-yard drive that Carlos Guimbarda capped off by pushing through a 21-yard FG at the 9:53 mark of the 2^nd Quarter. This drew the buttons to within 6-3. At the end of Central’s next possession, a low snap led to a poor kick that gave Judson possession inside the Button 20. The drive was summarily terminated when Judson returned the favor shortly thereafter and Louis Lopez recovered for the Buttons. The ensuing punt by Central facilitated some improved field position, and with time running down in the 1^st Half and Judson backed up deep Tracy Martinez recovered a Judson fumble at the 3-yard line. Soon thereafter Guimbarda was called in to notch another FG, this one from 19 yards out with 15 seconds to go before Halftime. This knotted the score at 6-6, and Judson was in serious need of a good "2^nd-Half surge."

It didn’t happen. Things continued in a somewhat haphazard manner, and the whole thing was becoming rather peculiar, to say the least. Some girl behind me kept saying, "come on ……I can’t believe this..…..this is UNREAL!!." Indeed, the game did have kind of a surreal quality to it as we got deeper and deeper into the 3^rd Quarter, with the score still knotted at 6-each. Judson had some deep threats, but most either died on Downs ---or got killed by turnovers. One of those came with Judson threatening at the Central 2-yard line, and once more Tracy Martinez was there to get it for the Buttons. They were only able to advance out to the 6-yard line, and this is where things got interesting. The snap from Center sailed over the Punter Casey Shephard’s head, he recovered it and attempted to still punt it but Jesse Cortinas easily blocked the dead duck of an attempted kick and Brett Loeffler recovered in the endzone for the Rocket score. This time Tomasi’s PAT was good, and Judson was back in front, this time at 13-6 with 4:18 left in the 3^rd Quarter. The Rockets appeared to be on their way toward finally blowing this one open the way many thought that they were supposed to, reaching the Central 19-yard line in the final period. Eddie Mendez put an end to that idea, however, by snapping up still another fumble for the Buttons. The ensuing Button drive got down to the Judson 33 before stalling out with 4:28 to go. From there Judson drove from their down to the Button 19, but Frank Castro put a stop to it by snaring his 2^nd INT of the day. On the first play of the drive, Jesse Cortinas, Mitch Sims and Robert Brooks collaborated in sacking Carlos Guimbarda for a 6-yard loss. On 4^th-and-14 at the 27, Guimbarda hit Bobby Jimenez for a 16-yard pickup. Then, with 31 seconds to go David Astwood hauled in a fingertip catch at the Judson 46, and from there advanced it down to the Judson 33. Shortly thereafter, David Ewing came through for the Rockets by getting the INT at the Judson 10-yard line, and with that Judson was able to get out of this peculiar thing alive.

As for the Buttons, they did get to play Dallas Jesuit in the TCIL 4A Semi-finals two (2) weeks later, but that’s where things came to an end for them. As for the Rockets, they could now focus squarely on the pre-season goal----clinching a District title.

The Rockets took the 2^nd-Half kickoff and drove 64 yards in six (6) plays. A key event on the drive was a 28-yard pickup by Steward Perez, who then lateraled to Roland Cravey at the Lee 17. From there Cravey advanced down to the 12. Soon after that Cravey took off on an option pitch-out around left end from the 11 for the score, Tomasi’s kick for 1 was good, and Judson had opened up a 17-0 advantage with only 136 seconds gone in the 3^rd Quarter. The Defense continued its attack on the Lee offense, and for the game Judson was able to register six (6) sacks totaling 47 yards in losses. This gave the Rockets ample opportunity to score some more. They did not, but they did eat up a lot of turf and time. They did get close on two (2) separate occasions in the final period, reaching the Lee 5 and 8-yard lines before losing the ball on a fumble on one trip and an INT on another trip. And so, with that the Rockets clinched a 3^rd consecutive District title in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Even the venerable Churchill Chargers were unable to win District following their State Title in 1976. And the Judson Rockets once more had also extended their perfect record during Shuttle flights. The Space Shuttle Discovery had lifted off the day before on a mission designed to rescue two (2) satellites that had been delivered to the wrong orbits earlier in the year. Just like the Judson Rockets’ mission on this evening, the 8-day mission of STS-51A would be supremely successful.

Overall, it was turning out to be a pretty good season for Northeast Bexar County. Judson had performed beyond the projections of most, Randolph was doing quite nicely, and Clemens had found a new habit of winning in 4A, having clinched a District zone title with a 9-01 record. Madison, meanwhile, clinched the other playoff position in District 27-5A with a 9-1 record. Interestingly, if not for the "new kids" Judson and Madison, Churchill would have won the district once more. Elsewhere, Clark finished 10-0, one game ahead of 9-1 Holmes. In all it was a quality regular season for quite a few teams, even for several not making the playoffs.

Roland Cravey, an early-season transfer who was just starting to hit his stride in the Rocket Program, finished with 117 yards on 13 carries.

Semifinals
Permian 20 Highland Park 7
French 22 Madison 12

Final
Permian 21 French 21

Judson had a very stiff test in this 1^st-Round match-up with the Huskies, who featured a difference-making Back in Ternell Washington. The Rockets, while still not fully setting the world on fire with its Offensive Propulsion System, nevertheless had a difference-maker in its Defensive Propulsion System, and if the Rockets were to have any chance at a championship repeat, it would largely be by virtue of the Defense. Indeed, I can vouch personally that at times in this particular campaign I actually felt safer----and that we had a better chance---when we were on Defense. In this particular match-up, the Defense did function as a pretty good Offense. The Rockets advanced down to the Holmes 10-yard line, but they fumbled and Pede Hunt recovered for the Huskies. A little later Denny Moore stole a Rocket aerial, but once again the Judson Defense came through and kept the Huskies from doing anything of substance with the concomitant possession. The Huskies also reached the Judson 21 but a fumble terminated that particular effort as well. Finally, with time running down in the 1^st Half, Judson was able to piece together a 10-play, 54-yard drive. Steward Perez was a key component in that effort, completing passes of 18 and 11 yards. A critical moment came when Richard Berry converted on a 4^th-and-2 at the Holmes 23 by carrying for three (3) yards to keep things going. Four (4) plays later Berry put the finishing touch on the drive by taking it in from the 7, Mark Christian booted the PAT. Judson was on top at 7-0 with 2:39 left in the 1^st Half, and the score stood up at the break.

The Huskies came out of the locker room looking to burst out of the gate as if they were on the Iditarod, but the Rockets had other plans. Mike Madkins stole a badly thrown pass and returned it 40 yards to the Holmes 5. On 1^st Down it was Berry once more for the score, Mark Christian nailed the PAT once again, and Judson had opened up a 14-0 advantage with precisely 60 seconds gone in the 2^nd Half. The Huskies were able to get untracked as the 3^rd period progressed, advancing to the Judson 24. Jimmy Albrecht put an end to the drive, though, when an attempted Halfback pass by Ternell Washington was pulled in by the Rockets’ Jimmy Albrecht in the endzone for a touchback. A little later Pede Hunt blocked a Judson punt that put Holmes in business at the Judson 20-yard line, but Dennis Kennedy ended the promising drive with an INT. With time getting short, Judson put a stop to still another Holmes thrust when Marcos Booker got an aerial theft that was facilitated by a David Miles deflection. Then, with 139 seconds to go, Tim Howard got one for himself to end the final threat from the Pack, and Judson had a stunning 1^st-Round result.

Meanwhile over at Northside, Madison hung on for a 14-12 win over slight favorite Clark, and this after having to weather two (2) consecutive FG attempts following Madison penalties and with no time left. Everyone knew by now, based on certain scenarios that presented themselves in the previous two (2) seasons, that Judson and Madison were probably going to meet again.

Late in the afternoon Boston College met Miami in a classic battle of the QB’s---Bernie Kosar for the Hurricanes and Doug Flutie for the Eagles. On the last play of the game Doug Flutie unloaded a bone fide "Hail Mary" pass with pinpoint accuracy that BC’s Gerald Phelan came down with in the endzone, thus electrocuting the ‘Canes with a 47-45 decision. Few if any of the Judson contingent that congregated on the visitors’ side of the 40-acres saw that feat live, because they were enroute up I-35 at the time. Once all of the 11372 total witnesses were in place, they would not be treated to anything like that 47-45 barn-burner. They would, in fact, see pretty much the antithesis of the event that just took place in the Orange Bowl Stadium. That’s not to say it would lack excitement. As Judson had proven on far too many occasions thus far, low-scoring games can be very exciting----or at least tension-filled. Mike Madkins got things started by returning the opening kickoff 51 yards to the Raider 33, but four (4) straight penalties set the Rockets back and they ended up punting from their own 49. The Defense was playing quite well, and eventually Judson had another shot starting from its 33. Dennis Kennedy kept the drive alive by picking up 22 yards on a fake punt on 4^th-and-5. Three (3) plays later the drive was helped even further when an 8-yard Pass Interference call on Reagan put Judson in business at the Raider 2-yard line. John Paul Rodriguez and Kenneth Chambers, however, put the kibosh on any thoughts of a prospective TD by hitting Judson’s Backs for losses back to the 5-yard line. A Delay of Game penalty set Judson back even further, and Mark Christian----still in for John Tomasi (who was nursing a sprained knee)---- came on to attempt a 17-yard chip shot FG, but Reagan’s Billy Bates crashed through to block it. Still later, David Miles pounced on a Raider fumble at the Reagan 20-yard line, but the "drive" died after four (4) supremely unproductive plays that only picked up three (3) yards. Judson got still another chance a few minutes later when Carl Settles recovered a fumble that put Judson in business at the Reagan 40. This time the Rockets got to the Reagan 8-yard line, but the drive ended on a fumble. Finally, midway through the 2^nd Quarter, Jesse Cortinas collected a fumble at the Raider 34-yard line. Richard Berry carried the ball four (4) times for 25 yards in the ensuing drive, with the final carry getting the Rockets down to the 8-yard line. On 2^nd-and-Goal Steward Perez hit Clarence Westendorff in the left corner of the endzone for the score to finish the 8-play drive. Mark Christian’s PAT was good, Judson had a 7-0 lead with 2:06 left in the 1^st Half, and the 7-0 advantage held up for Halftime.

Coming out of the intermission the Rocket Defense still seemed to have the upper hand against the Raider offense, and soon it was time for Reagan to punt. The Rocket return man, unfortunately, fumbled the 31-yard kick and Billy Bates swooped in to recover it for the Raiders at the Judson 28. A Dead-ball Personal Foul penalty put the Raiders at the 14. In fairly short order Sam Allen carried in from the 2, and Reagan had drawn to within 7-6 at the 7:30 mark of the 3^rd Quarter. As a result of all the close-range fumble recoveries that Judson had in the 1^st Half, the Raiders were trailing big-time in Penetrations, so they chose to go for two (2) points. Jesse Cortinas forced QB Lee Jones into a bad pitch-out on an option play, and by the time someone from Reagan got their hands on it the play was DOA for a 12-yard loss (and no points, of course). Judson was unable to get anything going offensively on the ensuing possession, and soon the Raider offense----invigorated by the recent turn of events---started taking it to the Judson Defense with a 9-play drive that started at the Reagan 42. Soon the Raiders were knocking at the door with 1^st-and-Goal, but on 2^nd-and-Goal Tim Howard came through for Judson and recovered a fumble at the 4-yard line. The Offensive Propulsion System took over from there, and kept possession for the next 313 seconds in driving down to the Reagan 15-yard line before stalling. Reagan would get the ball three (3) more times, but none of those possessions got even close to threatening, Judson held on and thus was able to get out of town with the win. Elsewhere, Madison had defeated Alvin in a Thanksgiving evening showdown at Northeast Stadium the night before, and the Madison and Judson victories brought both teams one step closer to a possible rematch. First, however, Judson would have to visit the coast for a meeting with a good Edinburg squad that had narrowly beaten Sam Houston in the 2^nd Round for the 2^nd year in a row.

The stage for what could possibly happen next was halfway set as a result of what had taken place at Alamo Stadium the night before, when Madison put a stop to the Highlands Owls’ deepest penetration into the post-season since their Semi-final meeting with Galena Park in 1964. Now it was up to Judson to do its part in setting up a rematch with the Mavs in the Quarterfinals. A lot had taken place in the space of only two (2) seasons since Judson and Edinburg previously met in the 3^rd Round. Previously these two (2) ballclubs squared off in the mud of what was left of the Buccaneer Stadium turf the evening after Churchill and Corpus Christi Carroll pretty much tore it up during a steady drizzle. This time there was no such rain from the night before, and in addition to that, this time there was the benefit of perfectly clear, sunny, dry weather with temperatures in the high 70’s and pushing the low 80’s. The overall backdrop made for a classic scene for a 3^rd-Round duel. Both teams brought a good following in spite of the fact both had to travel a minimum of 150 miles to get to this neutral location. Truly classic.

The tone for this game was set early when the Bobcats were successful with an onside kick to start the game, recovering it on the Judson 34. Normally this bodes well for the team doing so. The Rockets, however, had other ideas on how this scenario should play out, and after three (3) plays the ‘Cats were looking at 3^rd-and-15 from the 39, and they elected to punt. Judson proceeded to get relatively good yardage on its ensuing possession but was were repeatedly set back by losing two (2) fumbles and experiencing an INT. Meanwhile, early in the 2^nd period, the Bobcats threatened to take the lead when John Paul Cantu---who entered the contest with 1922 yards passing---hit Steven Alaniz for a 24-yard pickup to the Judson 11. Once more, as had happened following the onside kick, the Judson Defense came through when David Miles and Brett Loeffler sacked Cantu for a 16-yard loss that for all intents and purposes destroyed the drive. The next time the ‘Cats had a serious threat, though, they made it count. With only 96 seconds left before the Half, Edinburg initiated a drive from its own 29-yard line. The ‘Cats moved quickly downfield, and on the 5^th play Cantu connected with Alaniz from 22-yards out with 53 seconds left. Cantu nailed the PAT, and the 7-0 tally would hold up at the break.

In the 3^rd Quarter Judson continued to persevere on Offense, and the Defense continued its attack, but the tempo (and hence the advantage) seemed in many ways to remain with the Bobcats. Nothing, however, that a little "Rocky" from the Band, and a little HEY! HEY! from Mr. Paschall and the crowd couldn’t remedy. Just give the Rocket Flight Crew and its Flight Operations Directorate (FOD) enough time to "work the problem" and solve it with some Rocket Pride. With 31 seconds left in the 3^rd Quarter, David Ewing snatched an INT at midfield, and this was enough to get things going. Roland Cravey got a 12-yard pickup on the 1^st play. A little later he broke two (2) tackles for a 6-yard pickup on 4^th-and-5. On the 6^th play of the drive Cravey got the points on a 7-yard carry, and Judson had narrowed the gap to 7-6 with 9:54 left in the 4^th Quarter. At that point Judson trailed Edinburg 2-1 in penetrations, and based on how things had transpired thus far, there was no guarantee that the Rockets would get down this far again, so the FOD elected to try for two (2) points. The ‘Cats, however, rose up and forced Perez to rush the pass, and it went INC. There was a distinct sense, though, that the Bobcat defense was starting to wear down somewhat, and soon the Rockets would have an opportunity to test this theory. Judson got the ball back at its own 33 with 7:09 left. On the first play Cravey got loose for a 25-yard pickup. Cravey punched away, advancing the Rockets’ cause with carries of 11, 10, and 13 yards. Then, from seven (7) yards out he put Judson out front for the first time of the day with 3:46 to go. This time, Cravey carried on the 2-point attempt, and this time the Rockets got it to get a 14-7 advantage. On the ensuing, defining possession Cantu executed three (3) pass completions to the sideline, that were caught by Rollie Rocha, to bring the ‘Cats to the Judson 21-yard line with three (3) minutes to go. Nothing that a little Rocky from the Band and a little DEE DEE DEFENSE! by Mr. Paschall couldn’t handle. And nothing that the Rocket Defense couldn’t handle, either. Jesse Cortinas nailed Cantu for a 10-yard loss, and Ewing immediately followed this up by stealing the aerial and sealing the deal in a contest chock full of Rocket Pride drama and a competent, spirited performance by the Bobcats. And with that the Rockets were able to put themselves back into the Quarterfinals for a 3^rd-straight year. It is worth noting that this was a feat that neither Lee nor Churchill had ever been able to accomplish. The Rockets, in other words, were in rarefied territory by San Antonio and Region IV standards.

Madison (9-1; 5-1)
December 8, 1984: Alamo Stadium
Similar to the 1982 Judson-Churchill series, everyone knew that it would probably be much tougher for the Rockets to beat the Mavs again, especially in view of the fact that Madison had gotten its offense untracked, healed up and re-tooled a little bit following the previous meeting. A healthy crowd of between 14500 and 18000 showed up to see what would happen under the crystal-clear skies at Alamo Stadium. Except for the change in the time of day and the location, the start of the game was almost like something out of "The Twilight Zone," where the "train" kept pulling into "Centerville" each time…….deja vu, in other words. Just as on October 5, Judson had an extremely inauspicious start on offense and very quickly had to punt. David Colvin broke through to block it and Scott Seiler recovered it for the Mavs at the Judson 23. Very quickly it was 1^st-and-Goal at the 1, but David Miles and Robert Brooks stuffed two (2) consecutive plunge attempts by Fullback Doug Coleman for no gain. On 3^rd Down QB Kelly Archer attempted a sprint-out pass, but David Ewing ran him down for a sack, and Tom Nalepa came on to post a 27-yard FG at the 6:19 mark of the opening period. The Rockets’ Offensive Propulsion System once more failed to get ignition and had to punt after three (3) plays. This time the Rockets got the punt off, Madison took over at its own 35, but the "train" was just about to pull into "Centerville" again. On 1^st Down Mitchell Price got loose down the sideline and went all the way for the score. Nalepa booted the PAT, and Madison had already opened a 10-0 lead with 4:18 remaining in the 1^st Quarter. Just as on October 5, the Mavs had jumped on the Rockets early, and at this point the people dressed in red on the home side of Alamo Stadium were probably wishing this really was just a late-night re-run of "The Twilight Zone." Nevertheless, the Rockets were finally able to get settled somewhat and "work the problem" in true Rocket Pride style, and by the beginning of the 2^nd period they were ready to do some damage of their own and to engineer a 9-play, 61-yard drive. Steward Perez did much of the ground work on the drive, but his efforts were also complemented nicely by a 19-yard run by Roland Cravey that carried to the Madison 3. Perez finished things off with a 1-yard run for the points. Mark Christian was good on the PAT, and Judson had drawn to within 10-7 with 7:05 to go in the 2^nd Quarter. The Defense was also untracked by this time as well, which was a good thing because the Maverick defense---particularly Jimmy Young---was also untracked, ready and waiting to collect INT’s. Late in the 1^st Half he got one, but fortunately for the Rockets David Ewing was also ready and waiting to get one for the Rockets as well, in this case at the Judson 39 with 31 seconds left. The Rockets had to move quickly, and they did on a 12-yard delay by Brian Gilliam and a 19-yard aerial that Rodney McLaurin pulled in at the Madison 31. This would be as close as Judson would get, but it was close enough for Mark Christian to send a 48-yard FG through the uprights with ten (10) seconds left in the Half. And with that, the time soon expired and the teams retreated to the locker rooms knotted at 10-each.

The Mavs seemed to regain some of the initiative as the 3^rd Quarter got underway, and once again they were helped by some momentary lapses by the Rockets. A 12-yard punt return gave the Mavs good field position, and it got infinitely better as a result of a Personal Foul call against Judson. This put Madison in business at the Judson 18-yard line. Once more, though, the Rocket Defense held, and Tom Nalepa came on once more to try a medium–range FG from 29 yards out. He was on target with it, thus reclaiming the lead for Madison at 13-10 at the 7:10 mark of the 3^rd Quarter. The Rockets were more than willing to try and make this lead short-lived, and on the 4^th play of the ensuing 76-yard drive Roland Cravey lifted off on a 42-yard dash down the right sideline that put Judson back in front with 5:35 to go in the 3^rd Quarter. The PAT, however, was no good this time, and the score remained 16-13. It looked for a very few seconds that the Rockets were maybe on their way when Mike Madkins stole Kelly Archer’s pass at the Judson 38. At this point, those dressed in burnt orange across the way were probably getting that "Twilight Zone" feeling. On the next play, though, the Rockets fumbled and the Mavs’ Scott Munson recovered. This, it would turn out, would soon prove to be the beginning of the Mavs’ efforts to detour the "train" away from "Centerville" and on to College Station instead. Kelly Archer connected on a spectacular 40-yard bomb to Jimmy Young, who came down with it at the 9-yard line after out-jumping the Rockets’ David Ewing and Jimmy Albrecht. The Judson Defense stiffened once more, but Tom Nalepa came in once more, and this time made good on a 21-yard boot that knotted things once more, this time at 16-each with 26 seconds to go in the 3^rd Quarter. The Mavericks were leading big-time in penetrations, so it was critical that Judson find some way to break this tie for good and bring the "train" back to "Centerville" for the Mavs. Madison, however, had other ideas and wanted no part of "Centerville," and soon the Rockets’ ability to get close enough to get any kind of points was like trying to scale Mt. Everest using toothpicks. Early in the final period Madison got close enough once more to break the tie. This time Nalepa missed on an attempted 31-yard FG, but it only seemed a matter of time before he would get another chance. Once more Jimmy Young was ready and waiting to pick off a pass, and he got and used his second opportunity of the day by snaring Perez’ pass at the Judson 44 and returning it to the 17. After picking up seven (7) yards on three (3) plays, Nalepa---who missed on the long-shot 51-yarder at the end of the game in Converse 64 days earlier----came in once more, and he was dead on from 27 yards out to put Madison back in front at 19-16 with 6:05 to go. It was quite obvious now that Judson needed to make something happen fairly quickly, and things toward that end got off to a reasonably good start. On the ensuing possession Steward Perez brought the Rockets to the Madison 44 on a 14-yard keeper, and things were looking up. Unfortunately, Jimmy Young was also looking up----to see what he could get, and he soon hauled in his 3^rd INT of the day at the 24. All Madison needed to do at this point, basically, was to hang onto the ball and run out the clock. Of course, with a Defense like the Rockets had, doing so was not at all a sure shot, especially since said Defense had also proven to be perfectly capable of collecting turnovers. The Defense did its part by bringing up 3^rd-and-12 at the Madison 22, but the Mavs would not cooperate. Mitchell Price got a critical pickup on a power sweep for a 17-yard pickup with 89 seconds to go, Doug Coleman got a 31-yard run, and two (2) penalties put Madison on the Judson 16 by the time the clock said "four zeroes." In spite of all the adversity presented in this match-up the Rockets definitely had their chances and had performed beyond the expectations of many. With a relatively young team, they looked fully prepared to pick up in a few months where they were being forced to leave off for now.

The Mavs’ "train" did pull into College Station for real for a visit to Kyle Field and a Semi-final meeting with Beaumont French. The Buffaloes were writing a story not much unlike that of West Brook from two (2) years before, at least from the standpoint of entering the post-season with a 6-4 record, and having that "dead on arrival" look both throughout the season and then upon entering the playoffs. They were so small that opposing teams in the opening rounds of the post-season outright laughed at them during pre-game warm-ups, only to be silenced and left in denial as the blowouts commenced. Soon, no one was laughing any more, and the Mavs would have their work cut out for them against a very small but very quick opponent. Trailing 7-0 in the 1^st Half, the Mavs got back into the game with a TD run as time ran out in the 1^st Half. Still trailing 7-6, they kicked two (2) FG’s as the 2^nd Half progressed. French actually did a pretty good job of moving the ball all day, the Buffaloes also had a strong southerly breeze at their back in the 4^th Quarter, and hence it seemed like only a matter of time before they would break through. Nevertheless, Madison wasn’t just letting them roam all over the place. French had to earn its yardage and thus, Madison was still clinging to a 12-7 lead as things moved under the 5-minute mark. Then the roof caved in, as French scored, got a two-point conversion and then, on the kickoff, recovered a Madison fumble that French killed a large portion of the remaining time with before scoring for a 22-12 advantage. French came back from a 21-7 deficit at Texas Stadium and tied Mojo to share the title. In view of the two (2) games that followed Judson’s final game at Alamo Stadium, everyone was left realizing how close the Rockets had perhaps actually come to doing it all over again. It was a fine moment, for the most part, for San Antonio area football overall, as notice was being served to the rest of the State that there truly was life after Churchill, and now perhaps even Judson. And, to put a pretty ribbon on this particular season, in a very gritty performance, under-sized Medina Valley defeated the defending champ Daingerfield for the 3A championship