2005:
Spread Out

The Wagner Thunderbirds----the much-awaited "spin-off" aerospace program in conceptual development since at least 1999----began operations on Foster Road on August 22. The T-Birds----their Flight Crews, Wing Commanders and Support Personnel-----would be spending the next year on prototype design, evaluation, wind-tunnel testing and flight profile design (also known as playing a Freshman and JV schedule) before attempting some real flights beginning in 2006. In wanting to ensure that a proper Rocket Pride culture and attitude be practiced (albeit under a much different name and with some unique attributes of its own) in this first Rocket Program spin-off, the JISD appointed long-time Deputy Flight Director for Defense Pete Gibbens as the new Commander of the Thunderbirds, and some additional members of the Rocket Program’s FOD (Flight Operations Directorate---aka Coaching Staff) also accepted the invitation to help the T-Birds make some history of their own. As a further development, legendary former Rocket Flight Director and long-time Rocket Program Manager (ie AD) Frank Arnold retired, and long-time deputy Flight Director for Offense Sterling Jeter was appointed to replace him.

With new members of the FOD and new members of the Rocket Flight Crew in a rotation that, along with the Support Teams (ie Student Body and community), would be affected by the inauguration of the T-Bird Program, some additional changes would be in order. The biggest of the changes involved the FOD’s interest in bringing in some new Rocket Launch and Propulsion (ie Offensive) components and systems. Among these was the scrapping of the Rockets’ run-oriented I-formation in favor of a state-of-the-art Launch and Propulsion Offensive System known as the pass-oriented Spread. Regardless of the Rocket systems employed by the FOD and the Flight Crew, expectations were high on their part and on the part of the Rocket Program Support Teams as the time for launch of the 2005 Rocket mission drew near.

Nixon (8-2, 7-0)
August 26: 2005: Converse
In the early days of the real rocket program operated by NASA, most new launch and propulsion systems were tested on a stage-by-stage basis---frequently in suborbital trajectories---before a full-scale, all-up launch into orbit or beyond was attempted. This applied to all unmanned systems but especially the manned systems. Beginning with the Apollo-Saturn booster Program and continuing through the Shuttle Program, the manned systems were subjected to "all-up" testing in which the full system and rocket stack were launched into orbit from the get-go. The Rocket Program operated out of Converse subjected their new Spread formation Launch and Propulsion system to a Countdown Demonstration Test (aka inter-squad scrimmage), the new system was given a final Flight Readiness Review, and the Flight Crew, their FOD and the Support Teams were given a go-ahead to launch it the following week in what amounted to an all-up test, using the Nixon Mustangs as the test articles.

The Rockets, using their new Spread formation Launch and Propulsion system, lifted off on a very hot and very fast trajectory to begin the 2005 mission. The opening period saw the following developments

• Derrick Williams scoring on a 31-yard hookup from Carl Bouldin with 138 seconds gone in the mission
• Jose Mendoza crashing in from the 1-yard line for the second Rocket TD of the day with 3:52 remaining
• Alfred McDaniel getting a 21-yard dash for paydirt with "four zeroes" showing on the 1st Quarter clock
• Karl Nicholas drilling all three (3) of the concomitant PAT’s

The 2nd Quarter saw the Rockets pass through "Max Q," withstanding the region of maximum aerodynamic stress and heating, and in fact rendering the Mustangs to a rather high level of continued heat and stress. They did this with

• Kevin Taylor’s 2-yard run at the 7:23 mark of the 2nd period
• Donovan Travis returning a 78-yard INT for still one (1) more TD with 4:40 remaining in the Half
• Isaiah Carter contributing to the defensive action when he snared still another INT and in this case returned it 34 yards for still one (1) more TD with 211 seconds to go
• Nicholas nailing the first two (2) of the three (3) second-period PAT’s, and Sal Rodriguez drilling the third

Coming out of the break, the Rockets kept it up:

• Mendoza bulled his way into the endzone from one (1) yard out at the 8:17 mark of the 3rd Quarter
• McDaniel raced 73 yards for his second TD of the day with 5:45 to go in the 3rd
• McDaniel zipped 65 yards for his 3rd---and it would turn out the Rockets’ final-----TD of the day with no time left in the penultimate period
• Rodriguez toed the 1st and 2nd PAT’s of the 3rd Quarter
• Nicholas provided the Rockets’ final PAT of the day

In the final period, the Rockets were able to "loft" and coast their way into orbit and MECO (ie Main Engine Cut-off) as was the case during the 2004 boost phase at Shirley Field. This time, however, the Mustangs were able to get out of the Rockets’ DTO with some points, as you can see below

• Frank Vera hooked up with Mike Caramillo for an 11-yard TD pass with 97 seconds gone in the 4th
• Vera hooking up with Eddie Murillo for a 74-yard pass play for the score with 129 seconds remaining
• Jose Sanchez drilling the PAT after the first Mustang score

The Mustangs picked up only 24 yards on the ground on nine (9) carries. They did, however, get 271 yards through the air as part of a 24-of-49 passing effort by Vera, but the two (2) INT’s experienced were supremely costly, as shown previously. They didn’t lose any fumbles, however. The Mustangs also netted 195 yards in returns, while the Rockets picked up 132. Through the air the Rockets picked up 114 yards as part of a 6-of-9 passing effort split two-thirds/one-third between Bouldin and Bermudez, respectively. Meanwhile on the ground, the Rockets netted 325 yards, 193 of which were contributed by McDaniel on only seven (7) carries. Five (5) other ball carriers also participated for the Rockets. If there were any anomalies during the launch phase, they included an INT experienced by Bouldin and five (5) penalties for 35 yards. In all, the 35 yards weren’t too bad, but one (1) of the infractions was a Delay of Game on a kickoff. One (1) Special Teams area still awaiting Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) Data was the punting game-----the Rockets had no punts whatever.

Copperas Cove (10-0, 7-0)
September 2, 2005: Copperas Cove
The first major DTO (Detailed Test Objective) of the 2005 mission once more included an in-flight tussle with the ‘Dawgs, this time at Copperas Cove and played under slightly-damps conditions as a result of a micro-layer of drizzle that hit the area just before kickoff. Picking up where he left off the week before, Alfred McDaniel ripped off 59 yards in only eight (8) carries to give the Rockets two (2) TD’s---both coming on 1-yard runs----in the opening stanza. Karl Nicholas nailed the first PAT, but the 2nd PAT was no good. The Dawgs came alive thereafter, and were able to clog up the running routes as the game wore on. Meanwhile on offense, the Dawgs went to work and in the 2nd period, Brent Garner eluded three (3) tackles and scored from 17 yards out to get the Dawgs on the board. Kyle Matthews drilled the PAT and the Rocket lead was cut to 13-7. Matthews came through once more before the break, this time with a 28-yard FG. Matthews was successful with a 44-yard FG to provide the only score in the penultimate period. The Rockets woke up somewhat as the final period progressed, once more McDaniel answered the call for more points, and once more it came about with a 1-yard penetration into the endzone. Once more, unfortunately, the PAT was no good, although the Rockets led 19-13. The Rockets, however, were unable to get a hand up on the Dawgs as they continued to slow down the run and make it difficult for Bouldin and Bermudez to pass the ball. Finally, the Dawgs saw their chance to electrocute the Rockets with a game-winning drive with time running out. With 76 seconds remaining and starting from midfield, Garner kept the drive going with a 3rd-down hook-up with Michael Heilison, this after an incompletion and a scramble to get out of trouble. All told, the Dawgs were able to get to the Rocket 18-yard line with ten (10) seconds to go. Following a Dawg timeout and under heavy defensive pressure, Garner found Darrell Armstead in the corner of the end-zone for the score, Matthews was good on the PAT, and the Dawgs led 20-19 with four (4) seconds remaining. From there, the Dawgs recovered the onside kick, killed off the final two (2) seconds, and essentially broke the leash and got away.

Pflugerville (6-4, 5-2)
September 9, 2005: Converse
The Rockets’ new-fangled Spread offense Propulsion system continued somewhat erratically once the Flight Crew got back into Converse for a test with the Panthers. The defense, however, was sufficiently up to the task, recovering two (2) fumbles in the opening period and converting them both into FG’s by Sal Rodriguez:

• A 27-yarder at the 7:41 mark; and,
• A 30-yarder with 212 seconds remaining

The cats held onto the ball and finally concluded a drive, cracking the endzone with a 4-yard run by Antwan Cobb with 37 seconds gone in the 2nd Quarter. Garrett Lindholm’s PAT was good, and the cats led 7-6. The cats threatened again late in the Half, but an ill-advised toss-play inside the Rockets’ 1-yard line on 4th Down failed to produce the intended result. The lead nevertheless held up through the 3rd Quarter. In the final period, the cats were generous once more with the ball, and once more Rodriguez nailed a FG, this one from 22 yards out, giving the Rockets a 9-7 advantage with 5:10 to play. The cats responded in due order, and Tyler Beatty regained the lead for Pflugerville with a 5-yard run for paydirt. The pass for two (2) points, however, was no good, but the cats led 13-9 with 3:01 to go. Aided by a key block by Tony Harp, Derrick Williams salvaged the situation for the Rockets by eluding an ankle tackle at the Rockets’ 40-yard line and returning the kickoff 94 yards to reclaim the lead for the Rockets. Rodriguez was good on the PAT, and the Rockets led once more---this time with a 15-13 count---with 167 seconds left. The cats failed to produce on their answer-back possession, on 4th Down Hector Sobers put the kabash on the cats, and Mendoza bulled his way on four (4) straight carries, the final one a 3-yard punch into the endzone. The kick was blocked, the Rockets now led 22-13 with 26 tics left, and with that the Rockets were able to bag the cats.

The cats had 108 yards on the ground to show for the effort, while through the air they burned the Rockets for 170 yards as part of a 7-19 effort that also experienced one (1) INT. A punt for 64 yards also helped keep them in the game, but the three (3) lost fumbles most certainly didn’t, which mirrored somewhat the experience the previous week when a 5-turnover affair with Smithson Valley added up to a 28-21 loss. The Rockets, meanwhile, didn’t really set the world on fire either with their 187 ground yards or their 37 air yards. On the other hand, they did manage to hold onto the ball fairly well, coughing up only one (1) fumble and experiencing no INT’s whatever as part of a 4-of-9 passing effort, which was directed on this Friday evening almost exclusively by Bermudez (Bouldin was 0-for-1).

Lee (1-9, 0-7)
September 23, 2005: Converse
With Hurricane Rita preparing to blow ashore, Athletic Directors across Texas were sent scrambling to either cancel, reschedule or re-locate numerous High School football games. Many games closer to the Houston-Beaumont-Port Arthur area where Rita eventually came ashore had to be postponed to the point that many teams were left playing a permanently truncated schedule and many, attempting to still make up for lost time, would be playing on Monday and Tuesday nights for the next several weeks to come. As for the San Antonio area, it was left high and dry while East Texas was getting blown away and soaked. In wanting to leave nothing to chance, however, AD's in the San Antonio area wanted to get as many games as possible out of the way before the storm potentially reached San Antonio on Saturday. Consequently, numerous double headers were held on Thursday and Friday, and in some cases other games were re-located to places otherwise not scheduled to host anything. Consequently, the Rockets' meeting with the Vols, originally set for the Blossom Athletic Center, was instead re-set for Converse.

The Rockets took the opening kickoff and quickly drove down to draw first blood, with Alfred McDaniel and starting QB Eddie Bermudez both getting 36-yard pickups. In fairly short order, McDaniel crashed in from two (2) yards out, Rodriguez was good on the PAT, and the Rockets were up 7-0 with only 45 seconds gone. Shortly thereafter the Rockets were at it again, and at the 6:09 mark of the opening period McDaniel raced in for a 24-yard score, Rodriguez drilled the PAT, and the Rockets took a 14-0 lead into the 2nd Quarter.

In the 2nd period the Rockets poured it on with

• Derrick Williams' 13-yard pass reception from Bermudez at the 9:01 mark of the 3rd Quarter
• McDaniel's snaring a 20-yard pass from Backup QB Carl Bouldin with 19 seconds remaining in the 1st Half
• Two (2) Karl Nicholas PAT's

The down-side, however, was that Bermudez, who was being rotated with Bouldin, was finished for the day after being dinged on the play that got the 13-yard hookup with Williams for the score. Nevertheless, in the penultimate period and with Bouldin directing the offense, Jose Mendoza crashed in from one (1) yard out at the 6-minute mark, Marquis Dubose did so from three (3) yards out with 109 seconds remaining, and Nicholas helped to raise the score with still two (2) more additional PAT's. In the final period Kevin Taylor tacked on an 11-yard run to bring the count to 48-0 with 62 seconds left, although the PAT was no good.

The Vols picked up only eight (8) First Downs and netted only 108 yards split almost evenly between air and ground. The Vols were required to punt nine (9) times for a 27.5-yard average. They experienced no INT's whatever, but they did lose two (2) fumbles in the six (6) times that they mishandled the ball. Meanwhile, the Rockets lost only one (1) fumble, punted three (3) times for a 40.3-yard average, and like the Vols experienced no INT’s as part of a 6-of-16 effort that picked up 69 yards. The main damage, however, was done on the ground, where seven (7) different ball carriers netted the 397 yards that were largely responsible for moving the chains 20 times.

The week before, the 2004 Division II Finalists were shocked 14-10 by Churchill in the 26-5A opener. Not wanting to put themselves into an early survival mode, the Rangers arrived in Converse on a mission. The Rockets, on a mission of their own, were intent, if at all possible, on making it as difficult as possible for the Rangers. The First Half ended in a "seven all" deadlock by virtue of:

• Trent Rios’ 1-yard run and David Sweet’s 1-point kick to put the Rangers on the board
• Carl Bouldin’s 22-yard scoring pass to Derrick Williams, followed by Sal Rodriguez’ PAT to keep the Rockets in contention

Both offenses muttered and sputtered as the 2nd Half progressed, and hence it was becoming increasingly likely that the outcome hinged on who would make the biggest mistake in the intangibles department such as turnovers or special teams, especially given how both teams had a strong history of excellent special teams play. With the Rockets backed up in the shadow of their own goalposts and needing to punt, the Rangers’ Steven Bechtol got a piece of the ball on the kick and Aaron Hernandez snatched it in the endzone for the score. Sweet nailed the PAT and the Rangers led 14-7 with 5:16 remaining in the 3rd period. The game then returned to its previous tempo, with neither team’s offense setting the world on fire, but finally, with time running down in the final period, the Rangers were able to finally cobble together a drive that set up a 23-yard hookup from Bryan Hill to Trent Rios for the score. Sweet drilled the PAT, and the Rangers had a 21-7 advantage. The Rocket Offense----playing without Derrick Williams after he got dinged earlier in the game and consequently picking up only 12 yards and NO First Downs whatever on its final 18 plays----was unable to produce and the Rangers were able to get out of town with the win.

The Rockets picked up 198 yards split evenly between air and ground, moved the chains 13 times, punted five (5) times and experienced one (1) turnover----an INT that came as part of a 7-of-15 passing effort. Bouldin was 4-of-6 for 73 yards while Eddie Bermudez completed 3-of-9 for 26 yards. Prior to leaving the game, Williams had four (4) receptions for 73 yards. The Rangers, meanwhile, experienced two (2) turnovers---both INT’s which came as part of a 7-of-12 effort that netted 95 yards. On the ground, meanwhile, the Rangers picked up only 58 yards. All told, this allowed the Rangers to move the chains only nine (9) times. It was, nevertheless, sufficient to get the win for the Rangers.

The Rockets' Flight Crew, their FOD and the Support Team were accumulating a growing number of unanswered questions concerning the effectiveness and viability of the new Spread formation Rocket Propulsion system. What transpired during this Saturday evening meeting with TR and the Riders didn't really do much to resolve the questions, and probably resulted in some additional ones with every snap of the ball. And, it didn't take very long. Indeed, with the sluggish Rocket offense pinned inside its own 5-yard line following the opening kickoff, TR sequestered the Rocket ball carrier in the endzone for a Safety on the Rockets’ first play from scrimmage. The Riders, leading 2-0 with only twelve (12) seconds elapsed, went right to work following the Free Kick, and with a good Rider return and some relative Rocket ineptitude---albeit short-lived---were very soon knocking on the door. Roisean Haynes, however, picked off Ryan Perez’ pass at the Rockets’ 2-yard line, and the Rockets were out of danger----for now. The Rockets went nowhere fast on their ensuing drive, and following the punt the Riders were once again in business on the Rockets’ end of the field. Once more, the Rockets blunted the threat, but once more as well they were relegated to starting their drive from within their own 5-yard line. The Rockets were finally able to cobble together enough of a sustained drive and finally, with 6:46 remaining in the 1st Half, they were close enough to allow Austin Quinney to split the uprights with a 32-yard FG. The 3-2 advantage held up through the break.

Coming out of the intermission, the Rockets moved with hyper efficiency to approach midfield, and from there Carl Bouldin took a bootleg and Rocketed downrange for his 57-yard dash. Quinney’s PAT was good, and the Rockets had some breathing room at 10-2 with 166 seconds gone in the 3rd period. The Riders, however, immediately responded with a 6-play, 74-yard campaign that ended with Kelly Anderson’s 1-yard TD run. Ryan Perez’ run for two (2) points, however, was stopped two (2) yards short, so the Rockets still led at 10-8 at the 7:01 mark of the 3rd Quarter. The Rockets’ were relatively unproductive on their drive, and TR was soon back at it again. Roisean Haynes, however, stepped up once more, this time by stepping in front of Perez’ pass and returning it 65 yards for the score. The PAT failed, but the Rockets’ advantage was now 16-8 with 107 seconds left in the 3rd. This development seemed to re-invigorate the Rocket Defense and finally fire up the Rocket Offense, so that the Rockets were in big business once more. Kenneth Vincent finally closed the deal by punching in from four (4) yards out with 8:36 to go, Quinney successfully toed the PAT, and the Rockets had a 23-8 advantage and ultimately final verdict.

The QB’s were the primary ground gainers in this match-up, with Perez picking up 115 yards on 16 carries for the Riders, and Bouldin netting 102 yards on 13 totes for the Rockets. Perez was a little more successful through the air, connecting with his receivers on 6-of-22 passes for 109 yards, while Bouldin only connected on 2-of-5 passes for 22 yards, although he experienced no INT’s whatever while Perez experienced three (3) courtesy of the Rocket Defense. Overall on the ground, the Riders picked up only 140 yards on the ground, whereas the Rockets, once they finally got things going, netted 278 yards using four (4) other ball carriers beside Bouldin. The Rockets also experienced no turnovers whatever. The Riders also had 143 yards in returns compared with "only" 32 for the Rockets, and both were fairly prolific in the penalty department: TR had eight (8) for 41 yards, and the Rockets were assessed 81 yards on twelve (12) infractions. Hence, although the Rockets finally got things going, the erratic, sluggish performance of the Offense did raise numerous questions and a growing sense of concern.

Churchill (5-5, 4-3)
October 14, 2005: Converse
22 years to the hour after 14000 witnesses showed up in Converse for Part III of the 4-part drama played out between the Rockets and Chargers during the Rockets’ break-out seasons of 1982-1983, only 2762 relatively listless supporters arrived for a Homecoming meeting with the Chargers that underscored some grave concerns that were beginning to surface concerning the viability of the Rocket Program’s new Spread Formation Propulsion system. The Chargers had only twelve (12) yards of offense and NO First Downs to show for the effort in the early going, but managed to pick up two (2) FG’s by Michael Collins

• A 34-yarder, at the 9:14 mark of the opening period, that came following an INT by Jack Moses that set things up at the Rockets’ 24-yard line after a 19-yard return
• A 27-yarder, with 4:59 remaining in the opening stanza, that came after a Rocket punt and a 29-yard return by Phillip Burns that was further aided by a 10-yard penalty assessment against the Rockets.

Madison (8-2, 6-1)
October 21, 2005: Blossom Athletic Center
In stark contrast to the previous debacle the Rocket Offense did a fairly good job keeping hope alive in the First Half of the pivotal meeting between the Rockets and the Mavs. The Defense also did a creditable job keeping Chris Caflisch (aka "White Lightning") and an assortment of other Maverick offensive personnel in check as well. On the Rockets' first possession, Carl Bouldin capped off the drive with a 3-yard sweep for paydirt, Quinney was good on the PAT, and the Rockets were up 7-0 with 210 seconds gone in the opening stanza. The Mavs responded well enough on the answering drive to facilitate Tony Green's 19-yard FG to cut the Rocket advantage to 7-3 with 4:46 remaining in the 1st Quarter. After stopping the Rockets on their next possession, the Mavs were on top at 10-7, with 31 tics left in the 1st, as a result of a 1-yard Caflisch run and 1-point Green PAT. Undeterred, the Rockets went back to work, and Carl Bouldin came through once more, this time hooking up with Derrick Williams for a 45-yard pass play for the TD, and Quinney came through once more as well with the PAT. All told, this was sufficient to give the Rockets a 14-10 advantage at the break.

Undeterred as well, the Mavs came out of the break essentially spitting fire from their nostrils, and this was bad news for the Rockets. Caflisch engineered a 10-play, 66-yard drive that culminated in a 5-yard sprint to put the Mavs back on top, Green's PAT was good, and they now led 17-14. The Mav defense was subsequently able to dissect the magic (or perhaps flaws) of the Rockets' offensive propulsion scheme, and in fairly short order the Mavs were back in business on offense. With 59 seconds remaining in the 3rd period, Caflisch connected with TJ Terrell---who got burned deep while attempting to defend Bouldin's 45-yard scoring toss earlier in the game---for a 25-yard pass play for the score to put the Mavs out front 23-14. The PAT, however, was blocked, but the tone of the game had undergone a radical transformation, which for the Rockets thus far on this 2005 mission meant bad news. And, the news didn't get any better. The Mavs' Garry Hill stopped the Rockets on 4th Down on their answer-back drive. Then, later in the final period TJ Terrell came through for the Mavs once more, snaring Bouldin's pass in the endzone and hence killing any hopes that the Rockets could salvage this particular DTO.

MacArthur (5-5, 2-5)
October 28, 2005: Blossom Athletic Center
Late in the opening period Jonathan Adair popped Brahma QB Eric Udell, as he prepared to throw the ball, the ball came loose and the Rockets recovered to set things up at the Mac 20-yard line. Shortly thereafter Jose Mendoza took the ball in from 15 yards out, Quinney toed the PAT, and the Rockets led 7-0 with 67 seconds remaining in the 1st Quarter. On Mac's 2nd play after the ensuing kickoff, Hector Sobers knocked the ball loose from Wally Shraim, and once more Adair was in the right place at the right time, snatching the ball and setting the Rockets up at the Brahma 38-yard line. Kenneth Vincent converted for three (3) yards on a 4th-and-1 play at the Mac 29-yard line during the 9-play drive and, in spite of a 10-yard holding penalty, shortly thereafter Carl Bouldin connected with Jamaal Joseph for a 10-yard scoring play at the 8:48 mark of the 2nd Quarter. Once more, Quinney's kick was good, the Rockets led 14-0, and thus the score remained through the 1st Half and, for that matter, through the 3rd Quarter as well. In the final period, Mendoza punched the ball in from 1 yard out with 6:12 to go in the game, and Quinney's PAT closed out the scoring for the day.

Once more, the Rocket Defense performed creditably, limiting the Brahmas to only 118 yards split almost evenly between air and ground. The Brahmas did help put the Rockets in a hole somewhat with a 2-punt, 40-yard average, but in addition to the three (3) fumbles, they also experienced one (1) INT. The Rockets overcame 11 penalties for 110 yards and outgained the bulls by a 20 to 10 count in First Downs. They experienced no turnovers, and picked up 41 yards through the air as part of a 5-of-6 passing effort by Bouldin. Meanwhile on the ground, the Rockets picked up 251 yards on 57 plays, which were conducted by nine (9) different ball carriers as part of an effort that, although netting only seven (7) points in the 2nd Half, was instrumental in taking valuable time off the clock.

Reagan (6-4, 4-3)
November 4, 2005: Converse
Today, we have done what we had to do. If necessary, we shall do it again
Ronald Reagan in April, 1986

The training was such that….you had the confidence…..you could solve any problem……it didn’t matter what the size, what the magnitude…
Real Life NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz

The problem facing the Rockets was that they needed to beat the Rattlers by 21 points in order to win the positive-points tie-breaker for the third playoff seed in 26-5A. This all came about as a result of what happened the previous Saturday afternoon when Reagan, coming to life with an improving defense and an offense that included Marcus Wright, an emerging Sophomore Running Back, shocked the Churchill Chargers and knocked them out of contention. The Rattlers seemed to be in the driver’s seat, because the Rattlers would secure a playoff seed as long as they kept the Rockets from beating them by more than 21 points. And, that’s assuming the Rattlers didn’t simply win outright, which didn’t seem too far out of the realm of possibilities given the Rockets’ continued problems in consistently operating their Spread Offense Propulsion system. As if that weren’t enough, it would appear history literally was smiling on the Rattlers, given that this showdown would kick off at about the same time----25 years to the day earlier----that Election returns clearly showed that their school’s namesake would become CONUS’ 40th President. Jimmy Carter conceded that one fairly early to Ronald Reagan on that evening. Jimmy Rackley and his Rockets, on the other hand, weren’t willing on this evening to concede to Ronald Reagan High School and the Rattlers quite so quickly----if at all.

Things, nevertheless, began inauspiciously for the Rockets as they failed to produce on their first possession. In fairly short order, the Rattlers took over and went to work their way downfield in methodical fashion, and Greg Jones connected with Travis Tatsch on a 5-yard scoring pass at the 6:25 mark of the opening period. What transpired over the remainder of the period, however, was an object lesson in how radically a game can be transformed by Special Teams play and a Defense intent on securing a positive turnover ratio. Derrick Williams took the kickoff and returned it 86 yards for the score, Austin Quinney nailed the PAT, and the score was knotted at the 6:08 mark. Following the kickoff, the Rocket Defense came alive, penetrating through the line and into the backfield and pushing the Rattlers back. Shortly thereafter the Rockets recovered a fumble, and they were back in business with a short field. Jose Mendoza concluded the short drive with a 20-yard dash into the endzone, Quinney’s PAT was good, and the Rockets led 14-7 with 190 seconds left in the 1st Quarter. The same basic pattern repeated itself moments later, Mendoza punched in from five (5) yards out, Quinney drilled the PAT, and the Rocket advantage was up to 21-7 with 69 seconds to go in the period. The Rockets continued to attack defensively, the Rocket Offense was able to bleed some time off the clock, but the Rattlers managed to get close enough for Grant Edlund to split the uprights with a 23-yard FG with 25 seconds left in the Half to cut the Rocket advantage to 21-10.

Coming out of intermission, the Rockets were able to counteract the Rattler FG with one (1) of their own, this one a 42-yarder by Quinney with 161 seconds gone in the 3rd Quarter. Later in the 3rd period, Mendoza came through once more, this time with a 2-yard run. Quinney toed the PAT, and the Rockets were now up 31-10 and in contention for the post-season. Reagan, nevertheless, still wanted a concession---no matter how grudgingly delivered----from the Rockets, and they did their part to bring this about by pulling to within 31-13 late in the final period when Edlund drilled a 25-yard FG with 3:47 remaining. The Rockets, nevertheless, still had some life left in their Offensive Propulsion System. On the first play following the kickoff, Rob Housler got open, Carl Bouldin put the ball up, and Housler hauled the pass in and raced downfield to the 1-yard line. Bouldin crashed in on the next play, Quinney was good on the PAT, and the Rockets had a 25-point cushion with 200 seconds remaining. The Rattlers, still intent on aborting the Rockets’ mission and any further all-up tests of their new-fangled Spread Offense Propulsion System, reached the Rockets’ 44-yard with a little over a minute to go. Tony Harp and the remainder of the Rocket Flight Crew, however, would have no part of such Rattler intentions and, with proper instruction from the FOD, the Rocket Program’s Support Teams and finally, some God-given talent mixed with desire and pride, picked off Greg Jones’ pass. From there the Rockets killed the clock and hence the Rattlers’ plans for the post-season, and in the process they picked up a seemingly improbable "GO" to continue with the mission for at least one (1) more week.

Semifinals
Euless Trinity 28 ACM 6
Judson 17 Westfield 14

Final
Trinity 28-Judson14

While Madison was busy borrowing the Rockets' stadium in Converse to blow past Clemens and the injury-sidelined James Henry, the Rockets and Matadors borrowed East Central's field for this 1st-Round match-up. The Rockets, with a renewed lease on the life of the 2005 mission and hence with an opportunity to continue more all-up testing of the Spread Offense Rocket Propulsion System, opened the game with a productive drive that Carl Bouldin concluded with a 1-yard run for the TD. Austin Quinney nailed the PAT, and the Rockets were up 7-0 at the 8:51 mark of the opening period. Later in the 1st Quarter, the Rockets put the ball on the ground and the Mats' Tyler O'Neal recovered to put them in business at the Rocket 12-yard line. The promising drive, however, was hampered by an offensive penalty and, courtesy of the Rocket Defense, a sack and a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage. The Mats elected to settle for a FG attempt, but the 22-yarder was essentially dead on arrival, and the Rockets took over. The Mats had another promising drive late in the 1st Half but the Rocket Defense shut them off and stopped the drive on Downs, and the 1st Half ended with the Rockets holding onto a 7-0 advantage.

The Rockets came out of the break and once on offense they mounted a drive that consumed nearly the entire 3rd Quarter and moved the chains five (5) times before Jose Mendoza punched the ball in from two (2) yards out. Quinney's kick was good and the Rockets were now up 14-0 with 81 seconds remaining in the penultimate period. As the final period got underway, the Mats mounted another promising drive, but Jonathan Adair snatched Caleb Ramos' pass on 4th Down, the Rockets took over, and they proceeded once more to control the ball and hence the clock. Finally, with 148 seconds left to play, Mendoza bulled his way nine (9) yards into the endzone for the final TD of the day, Quinney's PAT provided the final point of the day, and the Rocket Defense in turn provided the Matadors with a goose-egg for the day.

For the game, the Mats moved the chains only seven (7) times, gaining 66 yards on the ground and 52 through the air by virtue of a 10-of-18 passing effort involving two (2) different QB's, while punting seven (7) times for a 39-yard average. The only turnover was the INT snared by Jonathan Adair. The Rockets had only one (1) turnover which, albeit coming perilously close to their goal-line, did not lead to any Seguin points. The Rockets punted five (5) times for a 33-yard average and moved the chains 14 times, which largely resulted from the 196 ground yards, 100 of which belonged to Mendoza on 21 totes and the balance which was shared among six (6) other participants.

This meeting in Converse with the pumas from Helotes may have lacked on paper some of the luster of their 2004 meeting going in, given that both teams had gotten dinged on numerous occasions in the regular season. What transpired on the field, however, was not lacking in excitement. A big determinant, however, was the 17-0 point advantage the Rockets were able to gain, primarily with a ball-control strategy that also helped bleed the clock and keep the cats in cold storage. The Rockets achieved all this by virtue of

• Austin Quinney’s 30-yard FG at the 7:30 mark of the opening period
• Jose Mendoza’s 16-yard run for paydirt with 148 seconds remaining in the 1st Quarter
• A 41-yard pass-play connection from Carl Bouldin to Derrick Williams with 8:31 remaining in the 1st Half

The pumas, however, came out of hibernation and thereafter mounted a 68-yard drive that culminated in a 9-yard scoring toss from Michael Klabunde to Justin Cantu with 68 seconds remaining in the Half. Cantu thereafter supplemented the Panther score with the PAT to draw to within 17-7. On the Rockets’ first play following the ensuing kickoff, Eric Gentry recovered a Rocket fumble, and in fairly short order the cats were really snarling, ready to scratch and claw their way back into the game, when Klabunde hauled in 28-yard halfback pass from TJ Horny with 14 seconds remaining. Cantu nailed the PAT, and the Rocket lead was now reduced to 17-14. The Rockets, however, had just what the Flight Surgeon (aka "doctor") ordered for such a turn of events: Derrick Williams took the kickoff and returned it 94 yards for the score and, although the PAT failed, the Rockets grabbed a 23-14 advantage with "four zeroes" on the 2nd Quarter clock.

The cats, however, had no intention whatever of letting the Rockets complete this particular DTO without at least a few claw marks, if not a terminal case of ‘cat scratch fever.’ The cats recovered an onside kickoff to start the 2nd Half, they quickly went to work, and with 121 seconds gone in the 3rd period TJ Horny zipped into the endzone for a 7-yard run. Cantu nailed the PAT, and the Rocket advantage was cut to 23-21. The Rockets, however, responded quickly once again, and Mendoza capped off the drive by punching into the endzone from three (3) yards out. Quinney was good with the PAT, and the advantage was restored somewhat with a 30-21 count at the 8:18 mark of the 3rd Quarter. The scoring activity attenuated thereafter, but at the 9:37 mark of the final period, the cats clawed their way back once more when Klabunde connected with Dale Kouri for a 21-yard pass play for the score. Cantu drilled the PAT once more, and the Panthers were once more within reach with plenty of time left. The cats appeared to have the Rockets right where they wanted them, getting the ball back with time running down. Two (2) completions to the sideline, from Klabunde to Lucky Muhleman, helped move the Panthers to midfield while conserving the clock, but Roisean Haynes answered the call to greatness by snaring a subsequent Klabunde pass to seal the verdict for the Rockets and bag the cats for the second consecutive year.

The Rocket Defense got things going in this Thanksgiving Friday evening meeting with the Cardinals. Jonathan Adair stepped in front of Robert Sanchez’ slant pass, blew over him and raced 31 yards for paydirt. Quinney was good on the PAT, and the Rockets were up 7-0 at the 6:26 mark of the opening period. Later in the 1st Quarter, the Rockets were able to get close enough to facilitate a 32-yard FG that came with "four zeroes" on the clock. In the 2nd Quarter, the Rockets mounted an 11-play, 84-yard drive that culminated with a 16-yard scoring run by Carl Bouldin. Quinney tacked on the PAT and the Rocket advantage was up to 17-0 with 3:38 to go in the 1st Half. The Rockets were able to get the ball back just before the break, and they effectively and efficiently mounted a 61-yard drive that was finished off by a 7-yard hookup from Bouldin to Rob Housler. Quinney drilled the PAT, and with 29 seconds to go in the Half the Rockets led 24-0.

The only scoring activity in the 3rd period came when Bouldin connected once more with Housler, this time a 24-yarder that, following the Quinney PAT, put the Rockets out front 31-0 at the 8:16 mark. The Cardinals finally cracked the endzone with 38 seconds gone in the final period when Sanchez crashed in from one (1) yard out. Johnny Guillen toed the PAT and the Rocket advantage was cut to 31-7. The Rockets responded a little later, however, and Backup QB Austin Quinney zipped in from four (4) yards out. The PAT was no good, however, thus giving the Rockets a 37-7 count. With 113 seconds remaining Mitch Cretors snatched a 14-yard pass from Sanchez to provide the Cardinals with their second and final PAT of the day, and he then hauled in Sanchez’ pass for two (2) points to give the Cards their final points of the day and close out the scoring for both teams.

The Cardinals picked up 213 yards on the ground, 142 of which belonged to Sanchez. Sanchez also connected on 6-of-17 passes for 59 yards, although he had a very damaging INT that Jonathan Adair was more than happy to use for the Rockets’ benefit. The Cardinals also lost one (1) fumble, but 141 yards in returns nevertheless helped keep hope alive for them. The Rockets, meanwhile, picked up 24 First Downs (the Cards moved the chains 19 times), while on the ground they netted 244 yards provided by six (6) different ball carriers. Through the air, Bouldin connected on 8-of-14 passes to advance the ball 95 yards. The Rockets experienced no turnovers whatever in setting up a semi-final rematch with a now-familiar nemesis.

Westfield [8-0, 4-0 (truncated regular season due to Hurricane Rita)]
December 3, 2005: Dub Farris Stadium, San Antonio Trying hard now….getting strong now….gonna fly now
cf "Gonna’ Fly Now" (aka ‘Theme from Rocky’-----an Old Skool Rocket Band classic provided for the "Judson Rocky’s")

The Rocket defense held the Mustangs to a quick 3-and-out on the opening series of the game, and the offense then went to work. With superior work and quickness by the offensive line, the Rockets were able to work their way downfield to set up a 26-yard FG by Austin Quinney to put the Rockets up 3-0 with 4:36 left in the opening period. The Rocket Defense continued their assault on the high-powered offense---which had averaged 422 yards per game coming in---to still one (1) more 3-and-out which, followed by what the Rocket Offense did next in moving the ball and killing the clock, caused the Mustangs to finish the 1st Quarter with nine (9) yards of offense and 25 yards in penalties. The Rockets, meanwhile, worked their way downfield once more, with Kevin Taylor making a 27-yard dash to the Mustang 7-yard line. Shortly thereafter, Carl Bouldin connected with Derrick Williams for an 8-yard scoring toss, Quinney toed the PAT, and the Rockets had a 10-0 advantage with the 1st Quarter clock showing "four-zeroes." The Rockets’ defensive assault continued as the 2nd period got underway. At the 10:30 mark Pierre Beasley, who up to this point had been under steady defensive pressure thus far, was sequestered by Anthony Ross and went down and thereafter out of the game with a bad ankle. Austin Shaw----who had limited passing experience up to this point---came in to replace him, and was immediately intercepted by Jonathan Adair. The Mustangs nevertheless eventually got untracked somewhat and finally, with 127 seconds remaining in the 1st Half, they got on the board with a 20-yard scoring pass from Shaw to DeMarcus Conner. Keenyn Crier was good on the PAT, and the Rocket advantage was trimmed to 10-7. The Rockets got back to work and appeared headed toward FG range with time expiring, but Danny McCray blunted the threat by intercepting Bouldin’s pass with ten (10) seconds remaining, and the Half ended with the Rockets holding a fragile 10-7 lead. Beasley or no Beasley, the other individuals---Conner, McCray and Crier---were the same individuals who inflicted some serious damage on the Rockets’ 2004 mission with time expiring in the 1st Half in Houston. If that weren’t enough of a "reminder and warning" for the Rockets of the challenge still ahead of them, nothing would suffice-----other than a little confidence-driven competence known as Rocket Pride, which thus far was by no means lacking.

The Pride-propelled Rockets came out of the break and continued their defensive assault. The Offense, meanwhile, continued to eat up clock if nothing else, driving 41 yards on the opening drive before stalling out, and it was becoming quite evident that this Semi-final affair, just like the one in the Astrodome, would very likely be determined by Special Teams and/or mistakes. The Special Teams aspect came into play midway through the 3rd Quarter when the Mustangs’ Brodrick Brown took the Rocket punt and returned it 80 yards down the Westfield sideline for the score. Crier’s PAT was good, and the Mustangs had their first lead of the day at the 6:09 mark. This seemed to fire up the Mustang Defense somewhat, and the Rocket Offense would find things progressively tougher. Things were looking somewhat tenuous for the Rockets, as it appeared that the Mustangs were perhaps in the process of finding other ways to win in the face of adversity---the kind of task, actually, that the Rockets were equally suited for. As the final period began, the Mustangs penetrated into Rocket territory and appeared poised to take things----such as the score---to a higher level. The Rockets, nevertheless, had other plans and were intent on thwarting those of the Mustangs, and Roisean Haynes and his friends were ready and willing to do their part in this regard. Their opportunity came when Austin Shaw made a long-range pitchout to Terrence Sweeney, the ball hit Sweeney behind the line of scrimmage to constitute a fumble, and the ready, willing, and able Haynes snatched it up and returned it 55 yards for the score. Quinney nailed the PAT, and the Rockets perhaps had their ticket to the Final Exam with a 17-14 lead and 10:08 remaining. It did not come easily. Although the Rockets continued to eat up the clock, the Mustangs continued to threaten on the Rockets’ end of the field. The Rocket Defense, however, continued its assault. With 145 seconds to go Tony Harp snatched an INT on 4th-and 7 at the Rockets’ 30-yard line and then, with a little over a minute to go, Donovan Travis came through with an INT of his own seal the deal for the Rockets.

"HEY! HEY!" or not, the Judson Rocky’s, consisting of the Flight Crew and their FOD, had gone through their crucible of adversity during the 2005 Rocket Mission to arrive at this Final Exam. At one (1) point, for example, upwards of 13 starting members of the Flight Crew were out for any number of reasons. One (1) of the more compelling stories was the return of Adolph Perez, who as a matter of essentially life and death was held out for a larger part of the regular season in order to lose some weight and get his blood pressure down. One (1) thing, however, that was enough to get everyone’s blood pressure up was the stuttering performance of the Rockets’ state-of-the-art Spread Offense Launch and Propulsion System. The one (1) good thing, however, was that the Rockets’ revival, beginning with the Mac game, allowed the Flight Crew and the FOD to get in several more reps and hence knowledge and Development Flight Instrumentation (DFI) data that could be used for future Flight Crews and Missions. The Rockets, however, were looking to conduct one (1) final test of it during the 2005 mission in a Final Exam with the Trinity Trojans. Among the sun-soaked 11500 witnesses that converged at The Palace on Parmer Street was Isaiah Carter’s mother, fresh from a 14-hour flight** from Seoul, South Korea where she was stationed with the US Army, and Steven Dimando---brother of Marcus Dimando and whose father was a member of the 1980 Flight Crew----who was allowed to delay by a few days his deployment to Iraq in order to lend his support to the Rockets in this Final Exam.

The Rockets, having won the toss, chose to defer until the 2nd Half, so Austin Quinney sent the kick south, and the test was on. Robert Davila returned it for the Trojans up to the 26-yard line, where Donovan Travis and Marcus Griffin made the stop for the Rockets. On 1st Down, QB Trevor Vittatoe was flushed out of the pocket by the Rocket pursuit keyed by Travis Houston and a host of others, and he played it safe and threw the pass out of bounds. On 2nd Down Dimitri Nance made up for it by picking up four (4) yards. On 3rd Down, however, Vittatoe’s pass was nearly picked off at the Trinity 45-yard line by Randez James, and Trinity chose to have Ryan Taggart punt to the Rocket 25-yard line and let the Rockets try their luck on offense. Jose Mendoza carried up to the 26, and this was followed up by Kevin Taylor’s modest pickup to the 28 from where, on 3rd-and-short, Taylor took off on a 57-yard dash to the Trinity 15-yard line. From there on 1st Down, Bouldin faked the handoff and instead darted into the endzone to put the Rockets on the board. Quinney nailed the PAT and the Rockets led 7-0 with 173 seconds gone in the game.

Davila returned Austin Quinney's concomitant kickoff to the Trinity 14-yard line, where he fumbled but immediately recovered it. A modest 2-yard gainer by Nance was followed up on 2nd Down by his sprint out to the 28, where Tony Harp made the stop. Hector Sobers made the stop on the subsequent modest pickup by Nance for three (3) yards, from where on 2nd Down Nance racked up a somewhat larger chunk of yardage up to the Trinity 40 for an ET First Down. From there, Vittatoe sought out Laderrick Handy, who accepted his pass at the Rocket 45-yard line and from there raced with the reception down to the Rocket 1-yard line. On First-and-Goal Randez James made the stop on Vittatoe’s keeper to deny the score, and on 2nd-and-Goal a bad exchange allowed James to deny the ball and hence the score to the Trojans, so he could use the bouncing ball to score for his----and hence the Rockets’----purposes instead. James beat Nance by about five (5) yards in returning the fumble-----only the 2nd turnover experienced by the Trojans in the post-season-----99 yards for paydirt. Quinney nailed the PAT and the Rockets had a startling 14-0 lead with 5:30 remaining in the opening period. Dating back to the previous meeting in 1992, the Rockets had now outscored ET 66-0.

The good news for the Trojans was that they would immediately get the ball back. The bad news was that they were now in a 14-point hole and still had somewhat of a monkey on their backs as a result of the 1992 affair. The good news, nevertheless, was that they had since "got Haka," and had numerous tactical, attitudinal and even spiritual weapons at their disposal in responding to adversity. Hence, it was their time to shine and "work the problem." Davila took Quinney’s bouncing kick at the Trinity 13-yard line and returned it to the 37. Handy took the 1st-Down handoff for three (3) yards, where Sobers made the stop for the Rockets. On 2nd Down, Nance carried to the Trojan 45, where Donald Clark and John Jackson met him. Nance thereafter carried to midfield for 1st Down. A false start moved the Trojans back to their own 45, but Handy made up for this by advancing to the Rockets’ 47-yard line, where Donovan Travis made the stop. Anthony Ross got in on the action on Nance’s 2nd-Down carry for minimal gain. On 3rd-and-5 Vittatoe faked a handoff to Nance but instead went deep. Travis, waiting at the 25, broke up the pass and in fact nearly picked it off, and Trinity elected to punt and pin the Rockets deep into their territory with the prospect of winning an impending field position chess match. On 1st Down from the 3-yard line Mendoza carried up to the 5, on 2nd Down Taylor moved up to the 8-yard line, and on 3rd Down Taylor’s pickup was just short of moving the chains as the opening period expired.

On the opening play of the 2nd Quarter, Bouldin fielded a low snap but thereafter got it off, and the Trojans were soon in business at the Judson 43-yard line. A 1st-Down handoff to Handy yielded a modest pickup, but on 2nd Down Handy caught Vittatoe’s pass at the Rocket 20-yard line, taking it down to the 15. Dimitri Nance carried from there to the 5 on 1st Down, and on 2nd Down he cashed in for his 40th TD of the season. The PAT by Pery Negreiros was good the Rocket advantage was cut to 14-7 with 128 seconds gone in the 2nd Quarter. Tony Harp fielded the pooch kick at the 25 but, in attempting to reverse direction he instead got nailed back at the 20, where Michael Rorie made the stop for Trinity. Bouldin completed his 1st-Down pass to Jamaal Joseph at the 20 for no gain, and from there on 2nd Down he got a pickup to the 27 on the keeper. On 3rd Down, Derrick Williams---sandwiched vertically between two (2) Trinity defenders---hauled the pass in at the 36 to keep the drive alive. The 1st-Down play, however, was dead on arrival and netted a 4-yard loss, on 2nd Down Taylor carried back to the original line of scrimmage, on 3rd Down Bouldin went back to pass but slipped at the line of scrimmage, and on 4th Down Bouldin punted to the Trojan 40. Bouldin, unfortunately, got dinged on the shoulder on that series and a larger part what was left of the 1st Half icing it down.

Meanwhile, on the ensuing ET series, Marcus King got a few steps ahead of Donovan Travis on First Down, but Vittatoe’s pass was just off King’s fingertips at the 37. With ET going back to what worked best, Nance took the subsequent handoff and carried to the Trinity 47. From there Nance advanced things to the Rockets’ 46-yard line, with Isaiah Carter and Chris Withrow making the stop for Judson. Two (2) carries by Nance and one (1) by Handy brought the Trojans to the Rocket 28. Handy’s 4-yard pickup was negated by an illegal shift call, but Nance got things back to the original line of scrimmage, from where Vittatoe, under pressure by Isaiah Carter, threw the ball away to cut his losses on the play. On 3rd Down Ryan Buck---in immediate earshot of Tony Harp’s footsteps--- could not hold onto Vittatoe’s hard pass at the 10, and all told this brought up 4th Down. Trinity chose to go for it, and they came through when Vittatoe threw the ball and Marcus King made the catch. After being forced out of bounds by Donovan Travis at the Rockets’ 12-yard line, King came through once more for the score, hauling in the pass on 1st Down. The PAT was good, and the score was knotted at 14 with 120 seconds remaining in the First Half.

The short kickoff was taken by Harp at the 33. On 1st Down and with Austin Quinney directing things for the moment, Kevin Taylor took the handoff and carried up to the 45 to move the chains. Mendoza took the subsequent 1st-Down handoff up the middle to midfield. Quinney thereafter passed downfield to Mychal Mitchell, who was embroiled in a difficult 2-on-1 situation. A subsequent downfield pass was nearly intercepted by Matt Steward, and the Rockets chose to punt. Rob Housler---in for the still-hurting Carl Bouldin----punted to the ET 10-yard line with 33 seconds remaining where the Trojans took a knee to end the Half.

Special Teams play and Defense were quite possibly the best chances for the Rockets given the still-experimental nature of the Rockets’ Spread Offense Propulsion System, and this had thus far proven to be the case. It appeared it would be the case in a big way when Derrick Williams took the 2nd-Half kickoff and returned it for an apparent score. In addition to the fact he quite likely had stepped out of bounds somewhere up-field, the entire enterprise was for all intents and purposes negated by an illegal push to the back call at the 17-yard line that pushed the Rockets back half the distance to the goal. On 1st Down Bouldin faked the handoff but was immediately dropped by Youri Yenga back at the 2-yard line. Jose Mendoza was likewise stopped for no gain on 2nd Down, Kevin Taylor carried up to the 15, and it was time to punt. Rob Housler punted to midfield, but a personal foul call on the Rockets allowed ET to start from the Judson 35. From there, Nance carried to the 31 and into a proverbial cloud of dust. This scenario repeated itself on a pickup to the 26 on 2nd Down, where Jonathan Adair made the stop. Tony Harp made the stop at the 24 on 3rd Down, but the apparent chain-mover was negated by an illegal motion call on Trinity that made it 3rd-and-7 instead. From there, Vittatoe connected with Handy for a 1st Down at the 11 as part of a modified tip drill that the Rockets’ Adair got in on. Adair atoned for this turn of events by nailing Nance back at the 15 on the following play, but Vittatoe rolled out and kept the ball for a pickup to the 3-yard line, where Randez James and Travis Houston made the stop for the Rockets. The QB sneak on 1st-and-Goal was unsuccessful, but the 2nd-and-Goal punch was successful, and ET had its first lead of the day with 5:25 remaining in the 3rd Quarter. The snap on the PAT was low, the kick was pretty much dead on arrival, and Isaiah Carter snatched it up and ran it back inside the ET 15-yard line, where Ryan Buck put a stop to things to preserve the 20-14 ET advantage.

The pooch kickoff resulted in a bouncing ball situation that nearly saw a repeat of the live-ball debacle in the Astrodome in the Rockets’ 1998 Final Exam with Duncanville. This time, however, the Rockets kept possession at the 29. Kevin Taylor was stopped by Ryan Foster for no gain, and a false start made it 2nd-and-15. Bouldin nevertheless carried on a QB draw out to the 38, where Siosaia Moeakiola made the stop to bring up 3rd-and-inches. Quinney picked up the First Down on the QB sneak, and from there Mendoza took off for a pickup to the ET 40-yard line. Kenneth Vincent carried to the 37 on 2nd Down but was stopped for little to no gain by Moeakiola to bring up 4th-and-2, where Vincent missed the First Down by ~four (4) inches to give the ball back to ET at the 34. Following a false start call on Trinity, Roisean Haynes made the stop on Dimitri Nance after a 4-yard pickup. Vittatoe’s 2nd-Down pass went incomplete, but on 3rd Down out of the shotgun Vittatoe connected with Handy at the 45, from where Handy---approximately 5-yards or so ahead of Jonathan Adair----carried the reception down to the 25. On 1st Down Nance---with excellent blocking---advanced things down to the 5-yard line, where Haynes made the stop for the Rockets. Nance then carried to the 2-yard line and was denied the TD----for now at least---by Roisean Haynes and Randez James (who did a good job of neutralizing an ET blocker), thus ending the penultimate period of the Division I season.

On the first play of the final period, however, Nance got in to score, and the Trojans elected to try for two (2) points on the conversion. On the play action fake the patient Vittatoe rolled out and launched the pass, which went over the head of one (1) prospective ET receiver and into the waiting hands of Jordan Scoggins to bring the ET advantage to 28-14 with three (3) seconds elapsed in the final Quarter. Pery Negreiros kicked deep, Randez James took it and handed off on a reverse to Derrick Williams, who returned it up to the 28-yard line. Kenneth Vincent carried on 1st Down to the 31-yard line, and Bouldin’s 2nd-Down pickup advanced to the 38 to move the chains. From there, Mendoza carried to the ET 49 after taking a confused handoff from Bouldin (it appeared Bouldin was about to keep it and carry it into a crowded maul but Mendoza, seeing better opportunities, snatched it instead). Bouldin carried on 1st Down to the ET 32-yard line and still one (1) more chain-mover, but Moeakiola made the stop on Mendoza following a modest gain. On 2nd-and-9 Bouldin carried to the Trinity 26-yard line, and on 3rd Down Mendoza carried to the 24. On 4th Down, Vincent caught a hard toss from Bouldin to keep hope alive for the Rockets at the 18. On 1st Down, Bouldin's pass to Housler---who was well-covered by Matt Steward---went incomplete, a 2nd-Down pass to Williams likewise went incomplete, and on 3rd Down Matt Steward beat Williams to the pass in the endzone, hauling in the INT and returning it to the ET 7-yard line with precisely eight (8) minutes remaining. On 1st Down Jonathan Adair made the stop on Handy at the 11, but on 2nd Down Nance carried to the 16 and on 3rd Down he zipped out to the 40, where Tony Harp and Randez James were waiting for him. A Handy pickup on 1st Down moved things up to the ET 46-yard line, on 2nd Down Nance was stopped for a short gain by Adair and Isaiah Carter. Subsequently---and with the play clock running down---ET called timeout and when things resumed a 3rd-and-3 pickup netted a First Down and, more significantly, the stop was made in bounds to keep the clock moving. Thereafter, Vittatoe connected with Marcus King for a good gainer, with Donovan Travis making the stop at the Rocket 17-yard line. Nance carried to the 14, and shortly thereafter the Rockets called timeout with 111 seconds remaining to try and conserve what was left of the clock and above all make the best of the situation. Nance subsequently carried to the 4-yard line, and then advanced to the ½-yard line with Isaiah Carter perhaps saving the TD on the play. Vittatoe was unable to get in on the subsequent QB sneak, shortly thereafter the clock showed "four zeroes" for the 2005 Mission, and the Rockets would have all the DFI data they would get in this all-up test of their Spread Offense Propulsion System.

Although the ultimate result and experience were less than what the Rocket Program was aiming for, the experience did provide some good DFI data and above all helped serve notice that Rocket Pride and hence Faith, Hope, and a certain amount of Love were still alive.