1999: Grounded

NOTE: Click HERE to view the season record

NASA occasionally encounters situations in which a particular rocket program is kept on the ground for an extended period due to upgrades, the need to make repairs on a particular system, or occasionally as part of external or internal issues impacting the program. Sometimes all of this converges in a "perfect storm" of sorts. The Rocket program operated out of Converse, Texas, experienced this "perfect storm" in the final season of the millenium, and certain aspects of the last two (2) of the five (5) following situations would also manifest themselves in various ways during the first two (2) seasons of the new millenium:

1. The need, as is always the case, to replace numerous offensive and defensive members of the prime Flight Crew from the previous mission that had graduated from the Program and hence gone on to bigger and greater things.
2. The injury bug dating back to the previous season and continuing through a larger part of the current season
3. A special Countdown Demonstration Test with a Tiger Team from Katy that was essentially already "GO" for prime time, whereas the Rockets, like rockets are often designed to do, tend to start slowly and then throttle up only after things get going a little bit.
4. A posse of Rough Riders, a stable of Mavericks, and a herd of Brahmas that were determined as all get out to keep the Rockets grounded for once
5. Judson ISD proposals to try and establish one (1) and possibly two (2) spin-off programs, while simultaneously refurbishing and modernizing the Rockets' training, launch, and mission operations and support facilities.

Element 5 above especially formed the back-drop for much of the season and, in view of the nature of the debate swirling around the Rocket program as to just what kinds of spin-off programs should be formed, how they should be funded, organized and manned, and how and where the new facilities should be built, keeping the existing Rocket Program's focus on the immediate tasks at hand would not be easy, especially in view of the challenges posed by the other four (4) factors.

I for one have never been a big fan of "Kickoff Classic"-type exhibition games at the collegiate level to start the season, and hence I've been even less of a fan of such season-starters for High Schools. Although such games, I suppose, are good for business and the rank-and-file fan, I'm a purist when it comes to the concept of the student-athlete, and to me such games are a little bit too glitzy and commercial for what's still supposed to be a game with an educational component. Also in the back of my mind was the memory of the 1st such kick-off classic at the NCAA level in 1983: It would provide a good start for the winner, but the "loser" would end up looking "half-baked," never really getting things together that season. Such was the case for Nebraska, which went on to an undefeated record that was halted only by a supposedly "upstart" Miami Hurricane team in the Orange Bowl on January 2, 1984. The story for the "loser" Penn State, on the other hand, was another matter. Similarly, the Texas Aggies had a match-up with Nebraska in such a game in 1988. The Aggies played tenaciously but they went down, and with other internal and external issues dogging them that season, they never seemed to really gel. Half-baked.

It was hence with great trepidation and a certain amount of indifference that I regarded the Rockets' meeting in the Alamodome with the Katy Tigers (9-1, 5-0) in the 3rd and final game of the inaugural Texas Football Classic on August 28, 1999. While obviously hoping the Rockets would do well and win it, I was also concerned that should they not win or at least be competitive it would cast a pall over the rest of the season and at the very least put a drag on preps for what I still viewed as the "real" start of the season in Laredo the following week. This also meant that the Rockets would be giving up one of their originally scheduled non-district games. Since Westlake had been tapped to play Humble in Game 2 of the triple-header, the Week 4 meeting with the Chaps was the logical one to forego, but it also meant that the Rockets would end up with only three (3) home games, and the resultant Open Date would come at a time during which, win or lose, the Rockets would historically be starting to "throttle up."

The Rockets would take the lead early, but that was basically it. The Tigers would score twice before Halftime, the Rockets would play tenacious defense, but with an offense that seemed sporadic at times against a superior Tiger defense, it was only a matter of time before Katy would pull away. Indeed, midway through the 4th Quarter, the Tigers mounted a drive and would score. Not that it would have made any difference at this particular point in this particular game, it was also rather disappointing that the only thing the Rocket Band could muster to provide any kind of support was the lame song that so many other schools have used in which they seem to pretend they're either from Florida State or Harlandale. In addition to being kind of lame and highly un-original (unless you're a Seminole or an Indian) the thing, in my view, always takes too long to fully develop, and here was a perfect case in point. Before the Band actually got past the drawn-out percussion pre-amble, the Tigers were already in the end-zone. Even if it still hadn't worked, I for one longed to hear the Band quickly and assertively launch into "Gonna' Fly Now," from the first "Rocky" movie, in support of the "Judson Rocky's" in a game and situation in which they were decided underdogs, as was done by the Rocket Band until 1997 or so. To their credit, Band or no Band, the real-life "Rocky's" on the field still managed to get 1st-and-goal late in the game in an attempt to narrow the gap, but the Tigers, in a killing mood ever since being unexpectedly caged at the last minute before an intended Texas Stadium meeting with the Midland Lee Rebels, would have none of that, and they inflicted a major case of "cat scratch fever" on the Flight Crew. Consequently, an accumulation of factors would force a postponement of the launch unless and until a Flight Readiness Review could certify that all systems and components were fully functional.

With the Rockets in Laredo for the first time since 1979, Shirley Field was the scene of an on-the-ground test firing that would utilize the Nixon Mustangs (5-5, 4-3) as one of the test articles. The Rockets started well enough, quickly jumping out to a 21-0 lead, but then wilted in the heat. Nixon narrowed the gap to 21-14 by Halftime, and would add a FG before the Rockets finally began to pull away late in the 3rd Quarter.

Back in Converse, the Taft Raiders (5-4, 4-2) were the next test article for still one more ground-based evaluation of the Rockets. The Rockets grabbed a 3-0 Halftime lead by virtue of a 35-yard FG by Cory Elolf with 5:01 to go in the 2nd Quarter. Chris Brown scored on a 6-yard run, Elolf provided the kick at the 9:39 mark of the 3rd Quarter, and Taft answered with 3:35 to go in the 3rd. The PAT failed. In the final period, the Raiders attempted a fake punt on 4th-and-13 from the Taft 48, but the Rockets were flagged for pass interference, thus keeping the drive alive. The Rockets held, however, and on 4th Down a bad snap on the punt was scooped up by Kenyon Leno and taken in from the 15 for the score, the PAT was good with 7:34 left in the game, and the Rockets passed the test.

After the Rockets visited Round Rock (1-9, 0-5) for another series of tests, and after the Open Date, the Rockets went to Temple (7-3, 4-1) to see if they could avoid a second-consecutive case of "cat scratch fever" (the first instance courtesy of the Katy Tigers). The Wildcats got on the board first with a 25-yard interception return early in the game, but the Rockets got their systems going in the 2nd Quarter when Vincent Duncan blocked a punt out of the endzone for a Safety and following the Free Kick, Alex Richardson got a 2-yard run to cap the ensuing 53-yard drive. The PAT was good. The 'Cats then tied things up with a 36-yard FG before intermission. Elolf would add a 31-yard FG in the 3rd Quarter and a 24-yarder in the final period. Later, Temple would have a 1st-and-10 at the Rocket 12-yard line, but Brett Cannon hit Sharrod Bridges to force a fumble, Wade Lightsey picked the ball up, and got to midfield, where he threw a lateral to Leno. Leno took it from there for a 88-yard fumble return with 7:30 left in the game. The conversion pass failed but the Rockets nevertheless passed this overall test in which they were penalized for 107 yards on 11 infractions.

The Rockets then went to Blossom for a Thursday night match-up with the Lee Volunteers (1-9, 0-5). The Vols grabbed a 6-0 lead on a 25-yard pass and a failed PAT with a minute gone in the game. The Rockets quickly answered with a 1-yard Richardson run and Elolf PAT with 7:49 left in the opening period to take the lead. The Vols regained the advantage with 4:15 to go before Halftime on a 63-yard pass and a failed conversion run. Elolf would narrow the gap on a 31-yard FG with 4:11 to go in the 3rd period, which was set up by a lost fumble on a sack by Wade Lightsey at the Lee 14, and the Rockets retook the lead on a 23-yarder by Elolf with 8:25 left in the game. Chris Brown gave the Rockets an insurance score with 3:59 to go, scoring on a 14-yard, which was followed by the Elolf PAT, which capped a 64-yard drive.

A second-consecutive Thursday night game at Blossom---this one with the Churchill Chargers (2-8, 1-4)----awaited the Rockets, and after putting together a solid overall performance they finally appeared ready for launch. The Madison Mavericks (6-4, 3-2), however, had other ideas as would be discovered the following Friday in only the second game to take place in Converse in 1999. The Mavs had custody of the ground launch sequencer for most of the 1st Half, and by the time the Rockets were finally able to get to Main Engine Start, a low-thrust warning came up, and the Mavs were able to cut the Rockets off. Consequently, the Rockets were still on the launch pad, the Mavericks got away from them, and awaiting the Rockets next were the Roosevelt Rough Riders (9-1, 4-1), with a chance to pass the Rockets by as well. Hence, the Rockets would need to conduct some additional firing tests which, should they be unsuccessful, could force a cancellation of the 1999 Rocket mission.

TR QB Carlyle Holiday was more than happy to cancel the Rocket launch as a result of the Saturday evening tests conducted at Blossom. On the first play of the game, Holiday took an option keeper and raced 75 yards, scoring, at the 8:24 mark of the opening period, on a 5-yard run shortly thereafter. The PAT was good, and the Riders led 7-0. The Rockets went 3-and-out, and Holiday got another long gainer to set up his 10-yard scoring run with 2:57 left in the 1st Quarter. The PAT was good once more. The Rockets got untracked somewhat in the 2nd Quarter, scoring on a 4-yard Richardson run with five (5) seconds gone, and the PAT was good. TR answered quickly, with Holiday burning the Rockets' once more on a long play, and shortly thereafter scoring on a 6-yard run. With the PAT the Riders were up 21-7 at the break. The Riders returned the opening kickoff 57 yards to the Rockets' 38-yard line, and they were once more in business. Once more, unfortunately, the Rocket Band was essentially out of business, acting as if it were all about them and not helping the Flight Crew on the field try and stop the Riders. While the Riders were busy getting ready to score again, the Band's percussion unit, with no sense of urgency whatever and as if they were on auto-pilot, only doing as they were told, then launched into a real trite-sounding drum cadence on the track that had nothing whatever to do with supporting the team. Meanwhile Mark Jackson scored on a 1-yard run, the Villalobos PAT was good at the 8:15 mark in the 3rd Quarter, as was a 32-yard FG by Villalobos with 1:44 to go in the 3rd. Jackson scored again with 9:58 to go in the game, and the PAT would seal the deal in permanently scrubbing the launch for the 1999 Rockets. Neither the Rockets nor the Riders lost fumbles in the game, and the Riders experienced one (1) INT while the Rockets had two (2). The Rockets had a 39-yard punting average, but this was insufficient in preventing the Riders from going nearly the length of the field in scoring on numerous occasions. The Rockets had 40 carries for 119 yards while picking up 70 through the air on 4-of-12 pass attempts. Meanwhile, the Riders completed 2-of-3 passes for 82 yards, while gaining 268 yards on the ground on 41 carries, with Holiday contributing 198 of those yards on only ten (10) carries.

Although the mission was cancelled, Rocket Pride was by no means dead, and there was still plenty of work to be done if the Rockets were to eventually fly again. First off, there would be one more on-the-pad firing test to perform before the Flight Crews (ie, team) next in line, the FOD (ie, Flight Operations Directorate, otherwise known as the coaching staff), and the support teams were to adjourn for a short break before getting back to work on the prospective year 2000 Rocket mission. A herd of Brahmas (8-2, 4-1), however, was on its way to Converse in hoping to thwart the test. After having the Rockets slam the District gate on them for three (3) consecutive times, the Brahmas were more than motivated. The Rocket Flight Crew, however, was also still motivated if not somewhat hot under the collar, as they took their time leaving the Crew Quarters and arriving at the pad, to the point that the zebras, deciding they were taking too long, assessed a 5-yard delay of-game penalty before the ball was even kicked off. This further motivated the Flight Crew, the FOD, and the Rocket contingent of the 4706 on-hand to witness the test. The 1st Quarter was scoreless, but Mac's Mel Hicks returned a punt for a 54-yard score at the 6:23 mark of the 2nd Quarter, and the PAT was good. Twenty-four (24) seconds later, the Rockets responded with a 70-yard pass from QB Jarrett Jachade to Jeremy Mapalo, but the PAT failed. With time expiring in the 1st Half, Cory Elolf missed on a 44-yard FG attempt, but a Brahma ran into him, giving him another shot, which was successful from 39 yards out with "four zeros" on the clock and gave the Rockets a 9-7 lead. The penultimate quarter of the millenium for the Rockets was scoreless for both teams. Brett Cannon recovered a fumbled punt return at the Mac 6, Chris Brown took the ball six (6) yards on two (2) plays for the score, and after the PAT the Rockets were up 16-7 with 8:21 left in the game. The Brahmas quickly moved downfield and closed the gap back to two (2) points with a 21-yard pass and a PAT with 2:39 to go. Mac had one final shot with time expiring, but Cannon sacked Mac QB Robert Douglas for a 10-yard loss, the final three (3) pass attempts came up empty, the Rocket test was hence a success, and the Rockets were able to end the millenium on a positive note. The Brahmas picked up 74 yards on the ground and 136 through the air on 8-of-18 pass attempts. They also lost two (2) fumbles and experienced one (1) INT. The Rockets had one (1) pass picked off, but lost no fumbles whatever. Jachade was successful on 7-of-17 passes for 107 yards, while Chris Brown contributed nearly half of the Rockets' 117 rushing yards.

The night before a major Judson ISD election in which the stake holders turned out in record numbers and directed the District to come up with another proposal, the Holmes Huskies and the Roosevelt Rough Riders met in Converse, the Huskies emerged and continued from there all the way to the Division II semifinal match-up with Katy at Tully Stadium. They held their own for the better part of 2 and 1/2 Quarters before the Tigers got the lead for good and advanced to their Final Exam.

Meanwhile in Division I, for one of the few times (as of 1999, at least), a "Valley Team"---in this case Edinburg---advanced out of Region IV by edging out Taft, thus earning a Semifinal appointment with the Eisenhower Eagles. Interestingly, the Semifinal took place at Harlandale, and the Eagles emerged victorious and they finally got their date at UT Austin for a Final Exam.

Semifinals
Midland Lee 40 Mesquite 13
Eisenhower 55 Edinburg 14

Final
Midland Lee 42 Eisenhower 21

Semifinals
Garland 41 south Grand Prairie 38 (OT)
Katy 24 Holmes 14

Final
Garland 37 Katy 25