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The rough, frozen ending for the 1989 Rocket mission set a fire that burned inside everyone in Rocketland immediately following the debacle at Alamo Stadium, and which lasted all the way to the September 7, 1990 kickoff with the Holmes Huskies at Northside Stadium. One way or the other this promised to be an interesting season for Texas 5A football in general, as the UIL inaugurated a two-division playoff format, spearheaded by officials in the Northside ISD, largely in response to what was felt to be an unfair enrollment (and hence talent and personnel) advantage apparently enjoyed by certain programs around the state. Of course, by this time Judson was being accused of having this kind of advantage, and the various multi-High School Districts in the suburban San Antonio area were still chafing over how the rural-suburban Rockets, back in 1982 (when they still had a somewhat lower than average enrollment) had seemingly crashed their party.

Holmes (4-6, 2-3)
September 7, 1990: Northside Stadium
The Rockets and Huskies had met four (4) times in the post-season, but had never met in the regular season----until now. With Mike Jinks graduated, Darnell Stephens assumed the prime role as QB, carrying the ball 9 times for 58 yards and completing 4 of ten passes for 62 yards, in addition to contributing a 45-yard non-scoring kick-off return late in the game. It was somewhat of an inauspicious start, however, as the Huskies held the Rockets, at the Holmes 35-yard line on 4th Down on the opening drive, and then bled more than four (4) minutes off the clock with a 65-yard, 13-play drive to take the lead. After being caught napping on the launch pad, the Rockets woke up and had liftoff with a 6-yard Stephens run two minutes later. The Rockets raced out to a 21-7 lead by the Half, and scored twice in the 3rd Quarter before Holmes put an omega score to go with their alpha score. Holmes actually out-gained Judson 289 yards to 282, with QB Joseph Onofre contributing 138 yards through the air.

The 2nd Quarter belonged exclusively to Judson, however, although it took nearly 8 minutes for this to manifest itself. In a play somewhat reminiscent of how Aldine burned Judson just before Halftime the previous December, Kyle Arnell took a perfectly executed option pitchout from Darnell and ran down the Rockets’ sideline unchallenged to up the score to 21-7 following another John Sheppard PAT. Just as the Half ended, Sheppard provided a 45-yard FG to give what promised to be a comfortable lead to work with later on.

That comfort level remained through a scoreless 3rd Quarter. Unfortunately, you can never get too comfortable playing with a Lion, even if you’re a Rocket. Indeed, the real fireworks began with 45 seconds gone in the 4th Quarter, when Fite scored on a 34-yard dash to make the score 24-13 pending a failed PAT. The Rockets, which had not been setting the world on fire for quite some time since the 1st Half, then went three and out, and Jay Johnson (who would finish with 170 yards) quickly responded with a 72-yard score with 8:43 to go. The two-point conversion brought the score to 24-21. The Rockets, by this time feeling more like a wildebeest being harassed by a pride of Lions, somehow managed to get enough speed of their own, responding with 6:33 to go with a 38-yard reception by Randy Morgan from Stephens to bring the score to 31-21. With a Defense which had been on the field for way too long at times trying to chase down Johnson, Fite, and Peoples, the Rockets quickly returned to wildebeest form, as the Lion (Fite) then took off on a 79-yard TD dash in which he was able to spin away from and break numerous potential stops by now tired Judson defenders, which after the PAT made it 31-28 with 6:00 to go. Plenty of time left to die, if you really are a wildebeest. Judson had to punt after the next possession, and, although the Lions had to start at their own 20-yard line, the terminal chase was on. The Lions were moving in for the kill with 1:23 to go, and at this point it was like a nightmare come true for me, because for some reason several months earlier this was somewhat the very game-ending scenario I had envisioned (ie, feared) when I saw we had Waco scheduled. That was when the Rockets remembered that they’re Rockets and not wildebeests waiting around to get taken by Lions. With 1st and Goal at the wildebeests’---I mean Rockets’-----7-yard line, Mike Reid intercepted Peoples and returned the ball to the Waco 27, and the wildebeests, now transformed back to Rockets, ran out the clock. Peoples was heavily pressured before he got the pass off, which proved that even wildebeests rise up as a group from time to time and stop the Lions. All the more so for the Rockets who did the same here. T-E-A-M. Or, more appropriately, Rocket Pride. Judson experienced no turnovers, and Waco experienced two (2) very costly ones: One which led to a short Judson scoring drive, and another that ended a game-clinching Waco scoring threat.

Ellison (5-5, 5-2)
September 21, 1990: Converse
With both Mike Hendricks and Luis Silva hobbled and thus out for this one, and with the Rockets still in recovery mode somewhat following the hard challenge the previous week, the meeting with the Eagles was slow in getting started. Stunted somewhat with fumbles in the First Half, the Half nearly ended scoreless, until Darnell Stephens intercepted a pass at the Rocket 9-yard line and returned it to the Ellison 48 with eight (8) seconds left. Propelled by shear determination, some pretty good blocking, and finally, not to mention some God-given speed, Kyle Arnell took off on the next play on a dash to give Judson a 7-0 lead at the intermission. Things were still somewhat slow-going after the break, when the FOD (Flight Operations Directorate---aka Rocket Coaching Staff) decided to change things up a bit. Backup QB David Zunker was inserted late in the 3rd Quarter and immediately picked up 18 yards down to the Ellison 29. After a 3-yard carry by Arnell, prime QB Darnell Stephens was put in at TB, and Zunker instead went in from there to put Judson up 14-0 following the PAT. That was an interesting concept---essentially two (2) QB’s in on the play. Well....whatever works. A John Sheppard FG finished things off with less than five (5) minutes to go in the game. In their best defensive statistical performance thus far, the Rockets limited the Eagles to 155 total yards split evenly between air and ground. Offensively, Judson didn’t really set the world on fire either with their 224 ground and 34 air yards, but they got the job done when they needed to and however they felt they needed to.

LBJ (6-4, 5-0)
September 28, 1990: Nelson Field, Austin
With the Offense sputtering and hobbled by injuries, the Rockets visited Austin’s Nelson Field for the first regular-season meeting between Judson and the Jags. LBJ, looking for its first win in the new decade after dropping three (3) closely-contested meetings----one of them a 7-6 verdict the previous week to Jay----got on the board first with an 11-yard run midway through the 1st Quarter. A key play came when they converted a 4th-and-1 at the Rocket 21-yard line. The Rockets, still sputtering, then turned the ball over at their 14-yard line, and LBJ scored on a 3-yard run midway through the 2nd Quarter for a 15-0 lead following the two-point conversion. With the worst-looking 1st-Half offensive performance since Aldine staring them in the face, I feared that the Rockets were in perfect position for LBJ to take advantage and burn them with a score with time expiring in the 1st Half. Indeed, with a short field to work with, LBJ quickly drove 51 yards, finishing with a 23-yard pass with 39 ticks left and a 22-0 lead. Judson stopped the hemorrhaging in the 3rd Quarter, and finally seemed to get some offensive rhythm to go with the efforts of the Defense, scoring twice in the 4th Quarter to bring the final score to 22-12. I know many Rockets were displeased with what they saw, and certainly the Flight Crew and their FOD couldn’t have been feeling too good about this one, either, but I actually thoroughly enjoyed watching the Rockets come to life and almost wrestle this one away. Also, being a non-district game, it was a good overall learning experience that probably provided some good Development Flight Data that could come in handy later, especially since the injury list was continuing to grow and now would include Darnell Stephens for the next few weeks.

The penultimate quarter was scoreless for both teams, but the Rockets added their final tally of the day with 21 seconds gone in the final period, this one a result of a 2-yard run by Arnell and a Steve Yocham PAT. The Cougars then narrowed the gap with their final tally of the day with 96 seconds remaining in the game, this coming on a 12-yard pass from LaRocca to Desmond Dents and a catch of a LaRocca pass by Chad Kimball for two (2) points. The Cougars picked up 142 yards through the air on a 6-of-9 passing effort and no INT's. The Cougars, however, netted only 67 yards on the ground, although they did not lose any fumbles. The Rockets also did not lose any fumbles, and the only turnover was the INT at the Clark 2-yard line that ended up functioning as a good punt that helped set the stage for the final score of the 1st Half. Zunker was 5-of-10 passing for 97 yards through the air, while on the ground the Rockets picked up 285 yards, of which 152 belonged to Arnell on 24 totes, and the balance turned in by seven (7) other participants. The Rockets never punted in the matchup.

MacArthur (7-3, 3-2)
October 13, 1990: Blossom
In the Rockets’ first Saturday afternoon regular-season game since the 45-6 Alamo Stadium shellacking, courtesy of the Highlands Owls in 1974 in Judson’s inaugural season in 4A/5A, Judson had what promised to be a stiff challenge from a rejuvenated Brahma program, which entered the District opener for both teams with a three-game winning streak. Instead, the Rockets in attendance were treated to a Brahma-grade steak dinner tailgate party, courtesy of David Zunker, who was really beginning to hit his stride at QB. The Z completed all three (3) pass attempts on the opening, 60-yard drive, one of them a 13-yard toss to Ruben Rosas for the first score with less than three (3) minutes gone. On the second play following a Mac turnover (the only one by either team), Zunker took off unchallenged for a 36-yard score and a 14-0 lead, still in the 1st period. Mac finally got untracked, moving to the Judson 3-yard line following a 44-yard pass, before Jeff Stokes stopped Mac QB Chad Mahlenkamp cold on 4th Down. The Rockets also turned the Brahmas away at the 26-yard line just before the Half, and Judson led 14-0. The Rockets played ball control in the 3rd Quarter with a 6-minute drive that netted a 38-yard John Sheppard FG for the Quarter’s only points. In the final period Zunker contributed a 51-yard run to a 10-play, 95-yard drive that ended with a one-yard Zunker run. Arnell finished the scoring with a 10-yard run, and Mac finally got on the board with a little over a minute to go. Judson amassed 108 yards in penalties.

Roosevelt (4-6, 2-3)
October 19, 1990: Converse
The Rockets raced to a 21-0 1st-Quarter lead back in Converse, the first score coming on a Steve Bueno recovery in the end-zone of a Kyle Arnell fumble. The score would remain 21-0 at the Half. The second Half began with Kyle Arnell, who would have 221 yards on 20 carries, taking off on a 60-yard sprint. TR would answer back with a 7-yard run that was set up by an 85-yard kickoff return to bring the count to 28-7. Following a 22-yard Shepard FG, Corey Montgomery would score in the final stanza with a 30-yard run.

Lee (3-7, 0-5)
October 26, 1990: Converse
The history of this series favored Judson, but it also favored the game remaining surprisingly tight at certain points, but with the Rockets eventually hitting their stride and pulling away in convincing fashion. Things were no different in this meeting held in Converse. Zunker gave Judson its first score with a 1-yard run with just under 4 minutes left in the opening period, which came a few plays after Mike Hendricks returned an interception 33 yards to the Lee 34. The score then remained 7-0 until the midway point of the 2nd Quarter, when Kyle Arnell scored on a 13-yard run to cap a 63-yard drive. The Vols quickly burned the Rockets with a 41-yard run that brought the scoring to a close for the 1st Half. The Rockets finally took off following the break, and with only two (2) minutes gone Zunker completed a 38-yard pass to Corey Montgomery to set up a 1-yard score by Kyle Arnell. The Rockets then ended the Vols' answer-back drive with a Carl Dukes fumble recovery in Judson territory, which the Rockets then took advantage of with a 14-play, 81-yard drive that took up much of the remainder of the penultimate Quarter. Pat Johnson then returned an interception to the Lee 45, and shortly thereafter Arnell scored on a 27-yaerd run. For the game the Rockets collected two (2) fumbles and two (2) interceptions, while experiencing only one TO themselves. For the game, the Rockets had 328 ground yards and 109 through the air, with Arnell amassing 130 rushing yards and Zunker completing 7 of 13 passes.

Churchill (4-5-1, 2-3)
November 9, 1990: Converse
The Rockets definitely appeared to be peaking at the right time, as they finished the regular season in Converse by causing Churchill to clinch its first losing season (4-5-1) since 1969. The Rockets would score once in the 1st Quarter, twice in each of the 2nd and 3rd Quarters, and once in the 4th after Churchill finally got on the board with 10 minutes left. Corey Montgomery returned a 52-yard punt to give the Rockets their third score of the evening just before Halftime, and he also contributed a 53-yard scamper late in the 3rd Quarter. Churchill did not go down all that easily, though. The score remained 7-0 for most of the 1st Half. Pat Johnson set up the second scoring drive with an interception at the 5:44 mark, with Zunker connecting with Luis Silva for a 28-yard score with 3:50 to go. It was following the three-and-out for Churchill that Montgomery got his punt return. Although both Churchill and Madison finished with a 2-3 mark in District, a mistake-riddled 24-20 win over Churchill early in District play led to Madison, with a 4-6 record and looking somewhat dead on arrival following the shellacking by Judson, finishing as the No.3 team and hence as the District's first representative in the "small" bracket of the new, two-tier playoff format.

Semifinals
Marshall, TX 21 Arlington Sam Houston 0
Judson 51 Kingwood 22

Final
Marshall, TX 21 Judson 19

McCollum (5-4, 4-2)
November 16, 1990, Converse
The Rockets jumped on the Cowboys early and often in this first visit, by the Cowboys, to Converse since 1978. After holding the Cowboys on their first possession, the Rockets began their opening drive from the McCollum 49-yard line, where on the first play Randy Morgan took off and gave the Rockets the lead with only two (2) minutes gone. The Sheppard kick was good and the Rockets were up 7-0. Kyle Arnell then contributed two (2) scores in the opening stanza: A 1-yard run at the 5:17 mark, and an 80-yard dash with 77 seconds remaining. The second score was set up when Darnell Stephens intercepted a Cowboy pass in the end-zone for a touchback. Both Sheppard kicks were good. In the 2nd Quarter, Zunker hooked up with Brian Heath on a 40-yard pass play with 51 seconds gone, and with 3:41 left in the 1st Half, Arnell provided a 3-yard scoring run, and, along with the two (2) additional Sheppard PAT’s, the Rockets led 35-0 at the intermission, although the Cowboys did threaten at the Rocket 5-yard line in the 2nd Quarter, but were turned away as a result of a holding penalty, two (2) incompletions, and a 13-yard sack.

The Rockets extended the lead with a 31-yard pass from Zunker to Silva at the 7:30 mark of the 3rd Quarter, and a Darnell Stephens punt return with 5:49 to go in the penultimate quarter. The PAT’s, by backup Kicker Steve Yocham, were both good. With 15 ticks remaining in the 3rd and the Cowboys with a 4th-and-goal at the Rockets’ 2-yard line, but the Rockets shut them off at the 1-yard line. In the final Quarter, the Rockets continued to pour it on, scoring two (2) more TD’s: A 35-yard Frank Redix run with 6:31 to go, and a 2-yard run by backup QB David Allen with 50 seconds left. Yocham was good on the first PAT, the 2nd PAT failed, but the Rockets had successfully made their way out of orbit on the first leg of the post-season journey to the moon. McCollum picked up only 89 yards on the ground and 80 through the air. They did, however, have 127 yards in returns. They lost no fumbles, but did experience two (2) INT’s. The Rockets, meanwhile, experienced no INT’s while suffering two (2) lost fumbles. Zunker and Allen combined for 145 yards through the air on 5-of-7 pass attempts, while on the ground the Rockets picked up 307 yards, with Arnell contributing 108 on nine (9) carries, and the remainder provided by eight (8) other ball carriers. A 3-punt, 41.3-yard average also helped the Rockets in this farcical mismatch between a first-place school with an enrollment of 3733 and a 3rd-place "big school" with an enrollment of 1887.

Clark (8-1-1, 5-0)
November 23, 1990: Alamo Stadium
"Cougs in Space: Part III." For the 3rd consecutive year, Judson discovered only after the Translunar Trajectory was underway that the Clark Cougars had sneaked aboard the Rockets’ ship. On Apollo 17 the crew lost a pair of scissors that they needed to find before re-entry. There are some things you simply don’t want literally flying around in a spacecraft. Pumas are another, and could prove to be even more deadly than scissors and while easy to find in closed quarters, probably more difficult/dangerous to catch in a weightless environment. The Cougars definitely proved so once the Rockets realized they needed to secure them in this Thanksgiving Friday evening affair at Alamo Stadium. On Clark’s second play of the game, Josh LaRocca connected with Ridley Rich at the Clark 47, and he took the reception to the Rocket 16, where Mike Hendricks brought him down after a 76-yard pickup. This set up a 31-yard FG attempt, but Robert Anderson snatched up a low kick at the 9 and returned it to the Rocket 46. In spite of all that excitement, the 1st Quarter ended in a double goose egg. In the second quarter the Rockets mounted a 12-play, 48-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard Arnell run at the 6:13 mark, and the Sheppard kick was good. Late in the 1st Half, Corey Sears recovered a Clark fumble on a 4th-down play at the Clark 49, and the Rockets drove down to the Cougar 21, where Sheppard drilled a 45-yard FG with 1:45 to go. The Cougars then reached the Rocket 2-yard line, but could not punch it in as time expired.

The score remained 10-0 as the 3rd Quarter progressed, but late in the 3rd Quarter Corey Sears recovered a fumble at the Cougar 42. The consequent Rocket drive ended with a 30-yard run by Corey Montgomery with 2:23 left in the 3rd period, and after the failed PAT, the score would remain 16-0 as the Rockets’ struggle with the cats entered the final period. Nevertheless, with 80 seconds gone, the Rockets next possession culminated in a 15-yard pass from Zunker to Silva, which capped a 49-yard drive, and the pass from Zunker to Ruben Rosas was good, giving the Rockets a 24-6 advantage. The Cougars answered with an 82-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard pass from LaRocca to Keith Freiermuth with 8:00 left in the game. A Zunker-to-Arnell-to-Montgomery reverse that went for 72 yards then gave the Rockets their final TD with 6:37 to go, and Yocham’s PAT provided the Rockets with their final PAT. Although the Rockets pretty much had the cats wrapped up in burlap, once more stowing them in the lower equipment bay, big cats, even when they’ve been caught, can be sassy if not still dangerous. Indeed Clark answered with a 61-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard pass from LaRocca to Rich. The Rockets’ Pat Johnson, however, sacked LaRocca on the two-point play. The Cougars, however, recovered the onside kick and reached the Rocket 8-yard line, where the Rockets nevertheless held and from there picked up three (3) First Downs in running out the clock.

LaRocca completed 13-of-39 passes for 257 yards and no INT’s. The Cougars lost two (2) fumbles. The Cougars also picked up 149 yards on the ground, with LaRocca getting 96 of those on 15 carries. A four-punt, 25.8-yard average, however, probably didn’t help their cause. The Rockets, meanwhile, picked up 295 yards with Montgomery contributing 124 on seven (7) carries, and Arnell providing 105 on 21 carries. The Z was 5-of-12 for 64 yards and one (1) INT. The Rockets only lost one (1) fumble, and a 2-punt, 39-yard average helped keep the Cougars in check, but the Rockets’ 11 penalties for 112 yards certainly didn’t make things easy.

Victoria (8-1, 8-0)
November 30, 1990: Javelina Field, Kingsville
The Rockets paid their first visit to Javelina Field for a Friday evening matchup with the Stingarees, coached by former Clark Defensive Coordinator Mark Reeve. The 1st Quarter was scoreless, but the Rockets started to come to life late in the 1st by recovering a fumble at the Victoria 42. Randy Morgan provided the lion’s share of the yardage on the seven-play drive, including the final 8 yards to put the Rockets up with 56 seconds gone in the 2nd Quarter. The Sheppard PAT was good. With time running down in the 1st Half, Zunker connected with Darnell Stephens for a 33-yard gain to the Stingaree 17. Shortly thereafter Arnell went up the middle on the Rockets’ patented sprint draw play for a 12-yard score with 15 seconds left, and the Sheppard PAT was good.

On their first possession of the 2nd Half, the Rockets went 66 yards in nine (9) plays. Zunker completed passes to Corey Montgomery for 17 and 10 yards on the drive, and the Z then took the ball in from 6 yards out with 5:52 remaining in the 3rd. The Sheppard PAT was once more good. Late in the quarter Pat Johnson returned an interception 16 yards to the Victoria 28-yard line, which set up a 5-yard run by Montgomery with 48 seconds left. The PAT, however, was dead on arrival as a result of a bad snap. After still one more unproductive Victoria possession, Darnell Stephens returned the punt 49 yards, and the Rockets were up 33-0, following another failed PAT, with 9:07 left in the game. Victoria ’s James Jewett returned the kickoff 72 yards to the Rocket 14-yard line, shortly thereafter Sedric Marshall punched it in from the 1, and the PAT was good with 6:45 left.

The Stingarees netted only 75 yards on the ground and 27 through the air, and they experienced one (1) lost fumble and four (4) INT’s. Pat Johnson and Darnell Stephens were each recipients of two (2) INT’s, and Johnson was also the recipient of the lost fumble. Meanwhile, the Rockets had 94 yards in returns, 77 yards through the air on 5-of-14 pass attempts, and 218 yards on the ground, with Morgan providing 133 yards on 23 carries and the balance turned in by seven other participants, and with that the Rockets were already halfway back to the moon.

John Marshall (7-3, 3-2)
December 8, 1990: Alamo Stadium
In a classic, clear-sky back-drop for a Saturday afternoon at Alamo Stadium, the Rockets and Rams met for what turned out to be a classic match-up between two (2) supremely talented and well-coached teams. The Rockets used their opening possession to drive 55 yards in 6 plays, capping things with a 15-yard run by Randy Morgan, and the PAT was good to put the Rockets up 7-0 at the 9:35 mark of the opening quarter. The Rams’ Anthony "Priest" Holmes answered for the Rams, scoring on a 7-yard run to cap a 12-play, 71-yard drive, John Puffer provided the kick, and the game was knotted with 4:14 left in the 1st period. Morgan then responded for the Rockets, putting them back up with an 18-yard run to end an 80-yard, 7-play drive with 2:00 remaining in the 1st, and after the PAT the Rockets led 14-7. A 19-yard Ram punt then helped position the Rockets to extend their lead. Zunker completed a pass to Luis Silva at the 34, and shortly thereafter Morgan took it in from the 30 with 7:34 left in the Half. With the PAT the Rockets led 21-7. The Rams came right back, however, scoring on a 20-yard run by Holmes and Puffer PAT with 5:57 to go. The Rockets answered with an 11-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard pass from Zunker to Morgan 43 seconds remaining. The Sheppard PAT gave the rockets a 28-14 advantage at the intermission.

The Rockets held the Rams on the opening possession of the 2nd Half, and Darnell Stephens returned the Rams' concomitant punt 57 yards at the 9:32 mark of the 3rd period, and the PAT was good. The Rams were unproductive on their next possession as well, and the Rockets drove 41 yards on seven (7) straight running plays, with Zunker providing the final one on an option keeper with 3:29 left in the 3rd Quarter, Sheppard was once again good on the PAT. After having gained only 13 yards on their first two (2) possessions of the 2nd Half, the Rams then answered with a drive that culminated in a 17-yard pass from David Sammon to VJ Villarreal, and a Nick Monreal run for two (2) points with seven (7) seconds gone in the final period. The Rockets answered back with a 4-yard pass from Zunker to Bryan Heath, the PAT was good and the Rockets led 49-22 with 8:36 to go. The Rams, however, would get the last word, scoring on a 1-yard Monreal run and a Karl Hoffman catch from Sammon for two (2) points with 57 seconds to go, giving the 10709 witnesses a 49-30 final score, which enabled the Rockets to enter Lunar Orbit (ie a Semifinal appearance), and which gave the Rams a lot of valuable experience and confidence that would soon be used quite impressively by the time the Rams would take the field again in nine (9) months.

The Rams picked up only 17 yards through the air on 1-of-2 passes and no INT's. They nevertheless picked up 255 yards on the ground, with Holmes, Monreal and Villarreal contributing 91, 85, and 79, respectively. They were not penalized at all, and they also lost no fumbles One thing that hurt, however, was a 3-punt, 24.3-yard average. The Rockets, on the other hand, did not punt at all. They lost only one (1) fumble, and also experienced no INT's whatever, which also came as part of a perfect 9-of-9 passes that Zunker completed in helping the Rockets pick up 119 yards through the air. On the ground, the Rockets netted 249 yards, with Arnell getting 130 on 17 carries, and Morgan contributing 109 yards in ten (10) totes.

Kingwood (7-1-2, 4-1-1)
December 15, 1990: Memorial Stadium, UT Austin
At the same time that the Rockets' venerable nemeses---the Aldine Mustangs-----were coming down the stretch in the Astrodome and successfully finishing the race they fumbled away to the Permian Panthers 51 weeks earlier, the Rockets were at the 40-acres in Austin, attempting to put the 48-14 pasting by Aldine at Alamo Stadium 364 days earlier behind them and obtain a "GO" for PDI (Powered Descent Initiation, aka a Rocket berth in the Finals), which was set to begin not later than Noon the following Saturday. But first, they had a major DTO (Detailed Test Objective) that needed to be completed satisfactorily with the Kingwood Mustangs, from the same UIL District as Aldine and who came up short in a near-miss, 24-21 encounter with Aldine. Other than the two (2) ties that they picked up, this was their only loss entering the Saturday afternoon meeting with the Rockets, who were intent on making a statement on behalf of themselves and all of Region IV---the alleged "Region of no respect-----in front of the 20000 witnesses at Memorial Stadium. David Zunker completed four (4) passes for 53 yards on the Rockets' opening drive, an 80-yard one that Kyle Arnell capped with a 4-yard run for the score at the 8:10 mark of the opening period. The PAT, however, was no good. The Mustangs then mounted a drive on their second possession, reaching the Rocket 27-yard line where, with 3:09 left in the 1st Quarter, Ty Attebury was good on his 10th FG of the year.

On the ensuing possession and stuck with 3rd-and-14 at the Rocket 38-yard line, Zunker completed a pass that Darnell Stephens caught at the Kingwood 27. Shortly thereafter, Zunker connected with Luis Silva for a 13-yard TD pass at the 11:39 mark of the 2nd Quarter. This time, the PAT was good. Things then really started to come together for the Rockets in this particular DTO when Corey Sears forced a fumble that Carl Dukes snatched at the Rocket 33-yard line. The Rockets then went the distance in seven (7) plays, with Corey Montgomery scoring on an 8-yard run with 5:10 left in the 1st Half. The PAT was good, and the Rockets were now up 20-3. Shortly thereafter, Darnell Stephens intercepted a pass and returned it 58 yards for a TD, the PAT was good, and the advantage was now 27-3 with 3:26 remaining. Stephens then returned a punt 22 yards to the Mustang 22, and the Rockets were able to increase the advantage to 34-3 on a PAT which followed a 3-yard pass from Zunker to Silva with 19 seconds remaining.

Coming out of the break, the Mustangs were unproductive on still one more possession, they punted, and Stephens returned it 44 yards to their 23-yard line. The drive would stall but Shepard would nail a 38-yard FG at the 8:10 mark of the 3rd period. Kingwood was finally able to get untracked, and with 6:58 left in the 3rd Kyle Freeman completed a fullback pass to Lance Henzl for the score, but the PAT failed on a fumbled snap. The Mustangs then held the Rockets at the Kingwood 14-yard line, but the Mustangs' drive was pretty much dead on arrival, as a double personal foul on Kingwood caused the Mustangs to punt from their own 7-yard line, and the resultant 28-yard kick set the Rockets up for another score, this one a 24-yard run by Arnell and a Shepard PAT with 79 seconds remaining in the 3rd Quarter. The Mustangs' Wade Keller returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the Rocket 18-yard line, and soon afterward Freedman ran the ball in for a 9-yard TD, but the pass for two (2) points was unsuccessful, bringing the tally, with 35 ticks left in the 3rd period, to 44-15 to end the penultimate quarter of this particular DTO for the Rockets.

It appeared that this would be the final score as the 4th Quarter wore on, but with 61 seconds remaining Darnell Stephens did it again, this time a 65-yard pass INT returned for the Rockets' final TD of the day. Steve Yocham then nailed the Rockets' final PAT of the day. With "four zeros" on the clock, the Mustangs got their final points of the day on a 7-yard pass and a successful PAT. The Mustangs netted only 92 yards on the ground, although QB Brian Harper did complete12-of-29 passes for 190 yards and three (3) very costly INT's. Their only other turnover was the fumble that Corey Dukes recovered. The Rockets, meanwhile, experienced no turnovers whatever. Zunker completed 12-of-16 passes for 177 yards through the air, while on the ground the Rockets picked up 228 yards, of 128 of which Kyle Arnell turned in on 25 carries. The big statistic, however, were the 227 yards in returns, the least of which where the ones contributed by Darnell Stephens in returning the two (2) INT's for the scores.

Fresh from his stint as Deputy Flight Director for Offense for the Rockets and just days after the Rockets successfully completed their first moon landing, Flight Director Rutledge's good friend Dennis Parker arrived in Marshall with a 5-year plan and a 1-year contract. The first few seasons were not easy, as the Mavericks, coming off an uncharacteristic 4-6 season in 1983 after making the playoffs in 1982, broke even in Parker's first season, but then slipped to 2-8 in 1985. They improved to 4-6 the following year, but then failed to make the playoffs---by virtue of back-to-back losses to Longview and Tyler Lee----in 1987 in spite of a sterling 8-2 record. Finally, in 1988 the Mavs broke through, finishing the regular season undefeated and seemingly on track to fulfill Parker's 5-year plan, only to lose in literally the final seconds of the Third Round game at Baylor when Jessie Armstead saved the day for Carter with a talent and desire-driven catch. In 1989, the two friends and former Deputy Rocket Flight Directors appeared headed for the dream matchup, only for the Mavs and Rockets to get frozen out a game shy by Mojo and the Mustangs, respectively. Finally, with both teams looking for vindication and redemption, they both made it back to their respective Semi-final rounds, and this time they both broke through. Interestingly, enroute to their rendezvous with history, both teams encountered the Waco Lions: The Rockets in an epic duel in Converse in Week 2, the Mavs in a blowout loss in Week 4. In the end, this comparison is a good example of how different teams, being composed of individual players and coaches with different abilities and organizational and strategic styles, simply match up differently, and comparisons can sometimes be deceiving. Especially when intangibles come into play---and of course the meeting between the Rockets and the Mavs would have some major intangibles.

The weather had up to that point been quite seasonable---not too cold, not too warm. In the final days leading up to the meeting in Houston, the weather had become down-right balmy, but at that time of the year, this is usually the calm before a storm of sorts and, indeed, an arctic blast arrived late in the afternoon the day before the game. By midnight and only 12 hours before kickoff, sleet started falling so that, as people awoke to leave for the game a few short hours later, they first were required to scrape the ice off their windshields, mirrors and door handles, and then gingerly work their way down I-10 and US 59. In view of the frozen, cement-hard turf carpet that greeted the 1983 Rockets, and the leaden sky that adorned the hole in the roof at Texas Stadium when the two Deputies worked together to make history that day in 1983, it was enough to suggest that Mother Nature (or in this case the Main Office) could at times have a rather warped sense of humor---especially coming on the heels of the back-to-back frigid rounds of the "terminal phase" of the 1989 playoffs. Not so humorous, however, were the numerous spinout wrecks dotting the roadscape populated by Rocket and Maverick supporters [there were at least two (2) reported mishaps involving the Judson motorcade] and also holiday travelers, what with Christmas only 72 short hours away. Fortunately, the game was to be played in the shirt-sleeve confines of the Astrodome, which is more than could be said for the numerous other teams in the lower classifications that also had Final Exams scheduled for that day.

The Rockets, who arrived in the Space City on game-day Saturday as opposed to their Friday morning flights to Dallas in 1983 and 1988, made the final Go/No-Go checks in preparation for their powered descent to the moon, a poster behind one of the goalposts read "'83 Champs say Go Parker, Go Judson!" and the specially-prepared break-through poster for the Rockets, showing a makeover of Mt. Rushmore with Flight Director Rutledge as one of the faces carved into it, was captioned "History in the Making." It was time for the Rockets to attempt their landing and make some history with the Mavericks in front of the 10107 witnesses.

The Mavericks, fully aware of the Rockets' special teams capabilities, started the game with a pooch kickoff, thus preventing a Rocket return. On the Rockets' first series two (2) things became immediately noticeable:

• The Mavs had the Rocket receivers well-covered and, although said receivers made some catches, the catches were in heavy defensive traffic.
• The Maverick Defense could penetrate the Rockets' offensive line into the backfield, which kept Arnell, Morgan, and others off their rhythm, and/or it put said defense right in Zunker's face as he launched passes---not a good sign or, in NASA-speak, a good example of how funky things can start happening on an otherwise well-planned and executed mission once you actually light the engine and try to go the final 10 miles.

The Rockets' first drive netted 16 yards through the air, but this was negated by 15 yards in losses on the ground, and the Rockets punted-----65 yards down to the Marshall 11-yard line. On that first series, the Rocket Defense was also "on," and the Mavericks went 3-and-out after losing six (6) yards. Marshall likewise got a decent punt away, but it nevertheless allowed the Rockets to begin their next drive from midfield. This time the Rockets kept things on the ground, and they drove down close enough to facilitate Sheppard's successful 37-yard FG with 5:37 left in the opening period. It was interesting to note, however, that although the Rockets ripped off some good yardage on the first set of Downs during the drive, the Mav Defense stiffened and the Rockets netted minus-2 yards on their next set of Downs. Hence, the Maverick Defense appeared to be doing what it needed to do in the "red zone."

Whereas the Rockets on their drive for the FG got some reasonably good Development Flight Data on what would work best during their powered descent, the Mavericks likewise got a good feel for what worked best on their next drive: Small to medium chunks of ground yardage supplemented by passes on short-yardage situations that in most cases would suggest a rushing play. In some ways it was vaguely similar to how the Parker-directed Rocket Offense wrested dominance away from Churchill in the 1982 season. One thing Marshall was able to do quite well up to that point was to neutralize the threat posed by Darnell Stephens. Indeed, the Mavs moved to First-and-Goal inside the Rocket 5-yard on a pass reception in which Darnell essentially overran the play. The Mavs got to within a yard, and appeared poised to punch it in, when the Rocket Defense rose up and snatched the ball away just as the Mavs appeared to be crossing the goal line, and Pat Johnson recovered for the Rockets. Much to the animated disapproval of Coach Parker, the initial ruling by the officials was overruled following a rather lengthy zebra conference, and the Rockets got the ball at their own 1-yard line. Randy Morgan was then able to get the Rockets up to the 10-yard line and the Rocket Offense opened up some holes that allowed them to get up to the 37-yard line. One thing that was still quite noticeable, however, was how well-covered the Mavs had the Rocket receivers, and how Zunker would all too often get passes off just as the pocket was about to collapse----a perfect situation waiting to be punctuated by an INT, which the Mavs pulled in at their own 47-yard line. From there Marshall worked the ball down to just inside the Rocket 30-yard line. The Rocket Defense appeared to have stiffened, bringing up a 4-and-5 situation for the Mavericks after dropping them for a loss on the previous play. Not to worry, QB Chad Fox simply dropped back and connected with Bo Survia for a 32-yard TD, Shane Pyle was good on the PAT, and the Mavs led for the first time of the day with 7:39 remaining in the 1st Half. It is interesting to note that to me (Giles Babb) the pass play looked similar in some ways to the 63-yarder that Deer completed to JJ in that defining moment with Churchill in 1982.

In the real rocket program the Marshall (Alabama) Space Flight Center is known above all else for conducting tests. The Judson Rockets were getting a pretty good test known as a Final Exam by Marshall (Texas), and if they didn't realize it up to this point, following the Maverick score the Flight Crew knew for sure that Marshall wasn't going to let them achieve their Big School moon landing just because they're Rockets. But, did anyone ever say it was supposed to be easy?? Certainly not. As JFK, practicing his own version of literal and figurative "rocket" pride said up the road at Rice Stadium in 1962:

The intermission provided an excellent respite for everyone on-hand for this one: The Mavericks to fine-tune their strategy for successfully completing the game, the Rockets so the Flight Crew and their FOD could regroup and come up with a solution and above all not----to borrow from the words of real FOD man Gene Kranz----"make things worse by guessing," and the 10107 witnesses an opportunity to catch their breath a little bit and enjoy the Christmas and State Title-themed Halftime show, one which the Rocket Band, Galaxies and Starlites got to do for a third time in the last eight (8) seasons. The Rocket contingent of witnesses, however, would quickly have their breath taken away once more as the 2nd Half commenced when the Mavericks did some razzle-dazzle on the kickoff. The ball bounced onto the turf and into Survia’s hands, who then back-lateralled to Keith Wabbington, who then returned it to the Rocket 37-yard line. The Mavericks picked up seven (7) more yards on the ensuing two (2) plays, but a 5-yard illegal motion penalty set them back a little, this apparently was all that it took to allow the Rocket Defense to stiffen and stall the drive, and the Mavericks were forced to punt. The Rockets then drove 80 yards in only five (5) plays and 89 seconds to narrow the gap. Arnell contributed 52 yards on the drive, and a late hit penalty helped the Rockets as well. Arnell scored from five (5) yards out at the 8:26 mark of the 3rd Quarter, and Sheppard’s PAT drew the Rockets to within 15-10 [the drive took place so quickly that the TV coverage almost missed it because Ch.12’s Greg Simmons---who was pooled as one of the sideline reporters----was interviewing Rocket Program Manager Frank Arnold about having two (2) former Deputy Flight Directors going at it for the Final Exam]. The Mavs regained the momentum, however, by driving 75 yards, using the same tactics as before: Ground pickups by DD Turner and strategically inserted passes by Fox. Once more, it was a Chad Fox pass, this one a 26-yard pass play to a wide open Daily Johnson on 2nd-and-7 with 2:50 left in the penultimate period of the season. The PAT, however, was unsuccessful, but the Mavericks led 21-10.

The Mavericks continued to make special teams money with the pooch kickoff business, and the Rockets were furthermore set back by a clipping call on the return. The Rockets failed to produce on the answer-back drive, gaining only 25 yards, but the Rockets got another boomer of a kick---this time a 59-yarder---that landed at the Marshall 1-yard line. The Mavs generated more heat than light on their next series, but they still managed to bleed some much-needed time off the clock. Keep in mind----time is to a Judson Rocket what fuel is to a rocket-rocket attempting to land on the moon, which of course the Judson Rockets were figuratively attempting to do here in the Space City on this frozen afternoon. The Rockets were getting low on fuel and they didn’t like what they saw the closer they got to the surface. The Mavericks, however, aided the Rockets’ cause on the punt when the high snap from center sailed out of the endzone for a Safety with 7:54 left to play. The Rockets, however, didn’t help their cause with what came next, when they were penalized on the return following the Free Kick. Randy Morgan nevertheless got a 28-yard pickup off a delay to get to the 48-yard line, and Arnell carried the ball to the Maverick 40-yard line. Once again, however, the Maverick Defense rose up when it needed to by penetrating deep into the backfield during an attempted Arnell handoff to Corey Montgomery for what was supposed to be a reverse. What happened instead was a fumble when the handoff was made under heavy Maverick pressure, and Tremayne Green recovered for the Mavs with 5:48 remaining. The Mavericks then worked the ball downfield in the same manner that they had all afternoon, taking it to the Rocket 3-yard line.

After the fumble some people started leaving, but for those of us who stayed we almost got the final laugh because of what happened next---especially had things fully developed the way they very well could have. Just as the commentators doing the live television coverage were mentioning how Darnell Stephens had for the most part been neutralized all day, Darnell stripped the ball from Turner and returned it 75 yards, with only Trency Clough perhaps keeping him from taking it all the way. Unfortunately for the Rockets, it took far too long for them to go the final 22 yards. Nevertheless, the Rockets narrowed the gap on a 1-yard run by Randy Morgan and a Shepard PAT with only ten (10) seconds remaining in the game. Just as in the real rocket program operated by NASA it’s not time to abort the landing just because the CAPCOM calls out "low level" (ie fuel), then "60 seconds," then "30 seconds," all the time the flight controller responsible for the Lunar Module propulsion systems is holding a stop watch showing the remaining seconds before an abort is required, if the Judson Rockets still have time, then, they still have time---and a chance. So, they attempted an onside kick and for a few seemingly interminable seconds after the Mavericks’ Stacey Anderson recovered, and after what appeared to be insufficient distance anyway, the zebras conferred on something (and after some of the close calls and odd bounces up to this point, who knew what would happen?) but eventually the Mavericks were awarded the ball. Nine (9) seconds later, the Mavericks were awarded the win, and the Rockets had to pull away from the moon without landing after a truly valiant effort and after keeping hope alive after it had apparently already died for some people after the earlier fumble. An immediate consolation for the Rockets, at least, was that the sleet storm was abating, and by the time the Rockets arrived back in Converse the skies were clear and the stars were out.

Just as in NASA a successful mission is one that has loss of neither vehicle nor crew, the Rocket Program in Converse, focused educationally and spiritually on winning the more important game of life, could for many reasons still consider the 1990 mission a success. Rocket Pride was alive and well. In view of what happened at Alamo Stadium the year before, and in view of some rough going in late September, the Rockets had earned a high level of redemption, although 19 Seniors---many of whom had been there for that and the 1988 Carter experience---unfortunately came away empty. Nevertheless, in spite of what their mama's (and papa's and brothers and sisters, and their FOD and Support Teams) said, the Rockets didn't knock the Mavericks out. Hence you really couldn't call it a comeback---at least in the complete or literal sense. In the coming years, however, their peers would still have much to fear.

Semifinals
Arlington Lamar 28 Dallas Carter 7
Aldine 54 Mission 21

Final
Aldine 27, Lamar 10

The two-tier playoff system was instituted partially as a result of what many viewed as the unfair enrollment advantage that certain schools such as Judson allegedly enjoyed. Given that the plan was promoted initially by the Nothside ISD, it was highly ironic that the Dragons from little ole’ Southwest High School became the first team to benefit from it in the UIL District dominated by the NISD schools, primarily as a result of the Dragons’ 23-20 verdict over the NISD’s Jay Mustangs on October 12. The ultimate irony was that the Coach of the Dragons was none other than Jim Rackley, once and future assistant Flight Director of the Rockets and, beginning in 2001, the top guy at "Big, Bad, Judson." As a result, a bonefide "small" 5A school got the "small" school seeding in the District dominated by not-so-small NISD schools.

The First Round of the "small school" playoffs in the SAT area featured a meeting between legitimate "small" school Sam Houston and the Dragons in a game that the 9-1 Cherokees won fairly convincingly. The other SAT-area matchup was between the Jim Streety-coached New Braunfels Unicorns, back in 4A/5A for the first time since the early to mid seventies, and the Madison Mavericks, who entered with a 4-6 record as the Region IV "poster child" for the "second chances" that the addition of a third playoff seeding could give some late-bloomers or tough-luck teams. The Mavs won that one convincingly, thus setting up a second-round meeting with the Cherokees. The Mavs and Cherokees finished in a tie that allowed the Mavs to advance to Round 3, where they got pounded by Mission, led at QB by Koy Detmer and coached by his father Sonny, former Coach of the Southwest Dragons. Interestingly, this all came on the same weekend that Koy’s older brother Ty, who took the Southwest Dragons through a respectable playoff run in 1985 and was finishing a successful stay at BYU, was named the winner of the Heisman trophy. This furthermore happened on the same weekend that the Texas Longhorns beat TAMU to win the SWC for the first time since 1983 using, among other SAT-area products, Air Force brats Keith and Kerry Cash from Holmes and Army brats Chris Samuels from Judson and Deon Cockrell from Cole. It was a high-point moment for SAT-area football, and was indicative of more to come.

Unfortunately for Mission, the Round 4 Semi-final meeting in the Astrodome with the Aldine Mustangs---who would finish as the No.1 team in CONUS---was where, for the moment at least, the promise of a Region IV emergence broke down, as the Mustangs raced out to a 35-7 lead in the 1st Half and then maintained that advantage to finish with a 54-21 verdict and earn a Final exam date with Arlington Lamar, which likewise entered the Final exam with a perfect 14-0 record. Although the Mustangs got off to an inauspicious start by spotting Lamar a 3-0 lead after an early turnover and looking somewhat sluggish at first, they eventually got the advantage and this time finished the job, obtaining a most excellent result at the same hour that the "big school" Region IV representative that they pummeled at Alamo Stadium the year before was preparing to do the same to the one team that came closest in the regular season to knocking Aldine from the undefeated column.