The 2006 Mission would mark the second all-up test and implementation of the Rocket Program's state-of-the-art Spread Offense Launch and Propulsion System. The Wagner Thunderbirds would also take to the skies for the first time.

Leander (8-2, 7-0)
September 1, 2006: Converse
The Rockets lifted off on a very hot 1st stage to begin their 2006 mission when Jose Mendoza returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for paydirt. Austin Quinney connected with the PAT, and the Rockets had a very early 7-0 lead at 18 seconds Mission Elapsed Time. The Lions, however responded efficiently thereafter with a 66-yard drive that Josh McKinley iced away with a 19-yard toss to Curenski Gilleylen at the 8:48 mark of the opening period. Derek Mimbela drove home the PAT, and the score was knotted at 7. The Rocket Defense got untracked somewhat thereafter, but only in fits and starts. With 28 seconds gone in the 2nd Quarter, Carl Bouldin took off on an 80-yard scoring dash to put the Rockets out front once more, Quinney nailed the PAT, and the Rockets had a 14-7 advantage. Undeterred, the Lions bounced back once again with a 19-yard scoring pass, this one from McKinley to Reggie Hodges. Mimbela was good once more with the PAT, and with 7:35 left in the Half the score once more was knotted. The Rockets failed to produce on their next possession, but the Lions didn’t on theirs and they had a 48-yard pass play from McKinley to Michale Cox to show for it that put the Lions in front for the first time of the day. Mimbela’s kick supplemented the advantage, and the Lions led 21-14 with 169 seconds remaining in the Half. The Rockets, however, were able to beat the clock and get down close enough for Quinney to successfully put a 32-yarder through the uprights with twelve (12) seconds remaining to cut the Lions’ advantage to 21-17 at the intermission.

The penultimate period proved to be inconclusive, with the game hanging in the balance, the Lions’ Offense kept in check and the Rocket Offense in particular kept in check. In fact, in the entire 2nd Half the Rockets managed only 25 yards through the air and 36 yards on the ground (17 of those coming on a Bouldin keeper). McKinley, nevertheless, was still connecting for some good gains, and it only seemed a matter of time before it would happen again for a score. Indeed, with time running out in the final period, McKinley converted on a 3rd-and-4 play at the Rocket 33-yard line by connecting with Gilleyen for the score. Mimbela’s PAT was good, and the Lions had the cushion they needed at 28-17 with 4:44 left to play. And so the game ended, with some serious question marks for the Rockets’ propulsion systems (ie offense) and guidance, navigation, control and cooling systems (ie defense). The Coaching Staff (aka FOD or Flight Operations Directorate) would be spending additional time with the Flight Crew in the days to come in correcting the technical issues.

The Rockets moved the chains only ten (10) times by virtue of 144 ground yards and 63 passing yards that came as part of a 5-of-14 passing effort by Bouldin and Quinney, and all told this caused the Rockets to have to punt seven (7) times for a 41-yard average. The Lions, meanwhile, had to punt only three (3) times for a 45-yard average while moving the chains 20 times by virtue of 166 yards on the ground and 286 through the air as a result of a 12-of-15 passing effort by McKinley. If there was any bright spot for the Rocket Defense, they did recover two (2) fumbles and haul in four (4) INT’s, while the Rocket Offense experienced no turnovers whatever.

Meanwhile down in Rockport-Fulton, the Wagner Thunderbirds took flight for the first time and, similar to the Judson Rockets in 1962, they had a "W" to show for it in the inaugural matchup.

Kerrville Tivy (4-6, 3-2)
September 9, 2006: Converse
The Antlers, historically a good 4A program, met the Rockets for a rare Saturday night meeting in Converse (the first such Saturday evening affair since the drizzly Quarterfinal fiasco with Austin Reagan in 1986). In a radical contrast to the drizzly conditions experienced by the Wagner T-Birds in their first-ever game here the evening before, this meeting took place in the dry and in the clear----so clear that the Rockets could see the deer in the headlights, and leave the Antlers choking in the Rocket exhaust plume. As a result of their offensive power failure the week before, the Rockets were still needing to get into orbit, and they were needing to do so in the same way that Apollo 6 finally made it into orbit after having early shutdown on two (2) of the five (5) 2nd-stage engines of the Saturn V. That Apollo 6 trajectory was a rather wild one, and the Rockets, wanting to make up for the propulsion system breakdowns from the previous week, gave the Antlers a wild ride, as the Flight Crew, their FOD (Flight Operations Directorate---aka "coaching staff"), and their Support Teams meant business. On the Antlers’ opening series, they fumbled a fake punt on 4th-and-4, and the Rockets took over deep in Antler territory. Shortly thereafter Quinney connected on a 21-yard FG to put the Rockets up 3-0 at the 8:15 mark of the 1st Quarter. Aided by numerous additional miscues, the Rockets built a 24-0 advantage by Halftime by virtue of:

• Jose Mendoza’s 9-yard scoring run---set up largely by a 53-yard reverse by Dale Kindred---with 276 seconds remaining in the opening period
• Dale Kindred’s 7-yard pass reception from Carl Bouldin at the 6:40 mark of the 2nd Quarter
• The Bouldin-to-Kindred connection once more, this time a 2-yarder with 25 seconds remaining
• Quinney’s three (3) perfect PAT’s

Bouldin connected with Kindred once more, this time on a 75-yard scoring play at the 6:12 mark of the 3rd Quarter, and Fred Porter followed this up by zipping 47 yards for paydirt. Quinney once more nailed the PAT’s, and the Rockets were finally able to get into orbit. The Antlers picked up only 80 yards on the ground and 19 through the air. They punted five (5) times for a 36-yard average, and moved the chains seven (7) times. They experienced no INT’s, but they put the ball on the turf seven (7) times due largely to poor pitch-outs and the like, and they surrendered two (2) of those to the Rockets. The Rockets, meanwhile, had no turnovers, moved the chains eleven (11) times, and they punted three (3) times for a 41-yard average, all this while picking up 118 yards through the air as part of an 8-of-13 passing effort. All this was supplemented nicely with 232 yards on the ground, courtesy of seven (7) ball carriers.

The Chargers entered this showdown with a 3-0 mark and already appeared to be firing on all cylinders, whereas the Rockets entered with only two (2) games under their belts and some lingering questions still requiring answers as this Detailed Test Objective (DTO) got underway. The Rockets, nevertheless, engineered an efficient drive to open the game, capping it with a 39-yard sprint to paydirt by Dale Kindred. Austin Quinney was successful on the PAT, and the Rockets had drawn first blood at 7-0 at the 8:49 mark of the opening period. The Rocket Defense was hot on target in the early going, making it difficult for Nick Fanuzzi and Ruben Resendiz to do any measurable damage. Finally, however, as the 2nd Quarter progressed, the Chargers got untracked, this didn’t necessarily bode well for the Rockets, and the score was soon tied at 7-7 with 8:05 to go in the 1st Half as a result of a 1-yard Resendiz run and a 1-point Jason Lewis kick. The game settled down once more, and the deadlock remained at the Half.

Neither offense could get much production following the break, although the Charger outfit seemed to be getting the upper hand. The Chargers finally showed their full hand with time expiring in the penultimate period, and with nine (9) seconds remaining they had a 14-7 lead to show for it when Fanuzzi dashed 11 yards into the endzone and Lewis once more nailed the PAT. This turn of events caused the Rocket Flight Crew and their FOD to trot their Offensive Propulsion System out of cold storage, and Dale Kindred and Carl Bouldin were once again more than happy to demonstrate how it worked, this time with a 57-yard pass play from Bouldin to Kindred for the score. Quinney’s PAT was good and the score was knotted again with 106 seconds gone in the final period. The Rockets, however, were unable to keep the Chargers from pressing deep, and eventually the Chargers, determined not to be denied, got in close enough to regain the lead at 17-14 with a 22-yard FG by Lewis with 190 seconds remaining. Undeterred, the Rockets responded with a 9-play, 61-yard drive that brought the Rockets close to redemption. The Rockets were unable to go the distance, however, so Quinney entered and drilled a 26-yard FG with "four zeroes" on the clock to deadlock things once more.

The Rockets went first in overtime, regaining the lead when Jose Mendoza recovered his own fumble into the endzone. Quinney’s PAT was good and the Rockets led 24-17. On the Chargers’ possession, Fanuzzi got in, likewise fumbling at the goal line. It appeared that the Rockets had recovered in the endzone to end the game, but the zebras ruled that Fanuzzi had already crossed the plane. Many Rockets on the Support Teams felt otherwise. From where I was it was kind of hard to tell one way or the other, so I’ll trust that the call was the correct one. One (1) goal should always be to never have to get into such "ifs and butts," and "coulda’ shoulda’. The Chargers went first in the 2nd OT, but the Rocket Defense stiffened, forcing the Chargers to attempt the FG. Lewis’ 41-yarder was good to put the Chargers back on top. On the Rockets’ possession, they got in close, but came up on 4th-and-short. The FOD elected to force a 3rd OT, but Quinney’s 33-yard attempt was wide left, dropping the Rockets to 1-2 and forcing the Rockets to realize, as anyone associated with the actual Apollo 16 mission had to do over a period of several hours when the mission was in jeopardy, that consideration of the long-term viability of the Rockets’ 2006 mission would "sort itself out" over a period several games.

With temperatures hovering near 100 degrees in the stands and even higher on the field, the Brahmas burned up the airways in this Saturday afternoon meeting, but for all the heat generated they failed to actually light up the scoreboard very much and had little to show for the effort. The Brahmas, coming off a 35-14 win over Reagan that took two (2) days to complete due to a 2nd-Quarter rain-and-lightning delay the previous Saturday evening, got on the board early by staying on the ground for a 5-yard run by Wally Shraim. Eddie Anderson toed the PAT and the Brahmas were up 7-0 at the 9:18 mark of the opening period. Later in the opening period, the Brahmas moved in close enough to attempt a 22-yard FG. Roisean Haynes, however, had other ideas on how to script this play, so he blocked Eddie Anderson’s kick. The Rockets were finally able to get untracked offensively by executing a 12-play, 80-yard drive that took nearly six (6) minutes off the clock. Dominique Mallet finished the drive off with a 24-yard run, and Quinney was good on the PAT to tie the score at 7-each with 4:59 left in the 1st Half. With time running down in the 1st Half, the Brahmas got close enough for Eddie Anderson to attempt a 30-yard FG, but once more Roisean Haynes got in the way of those plans by getting in the way of the kick and, in so doing, helped facilitate the deadlock through the intermission.

The 2nd Half continued with a similar pattern: Mac burning the Rockets through the air but getting nothing out of it, and the Rockets undertaking time-consuming drives. The pivotal one of the 2nd Half and hence the game itself took nearly seven (7) minutes and covered 80 yards in 13 plays, culminating on the 1st play of the final period with a 12-yard pass from Bouldin to Dale Kindred that Kindred hauled in one-handed for the score. Quinney’s PAT was good, and the Rockets had their first lead of the day at 14-7 with five (5) seconds gone in the 4th Quarter. The game thereafter returned to form, with the Brahmas threatening with passes, the Rocket Defense blunting the threats, and the Rocket Offense running time off the clock. The final 40-yard passing threat by the Brahmas fell incomplete, and the Rockets got out without getting burned.

Mac had only 43 yards on the ground, but through the air Kevin Schmid connected with his receivers for 323 yards as part of a 17-of-31 passing effort that also experienced one (1) INT (the Brahmas’ only turnover of the day). The Brahmas picked up 14 First Downs, and punted three (3) times for a 44-yard average. The Rockets, meanwhile, also punted three (3) times for a 34-yard average, while moving the chains 18 times, largely due to the 230 rushing yards contributed by six (6) participants, and the 103 air yards that came as part of a 7-of-8 passing effort that experienced no INT’s and was executed to near-perfection by both Bouldin in alternation with Quinney. The only serious miscues by the Rockets were the six (6) infractions for 30 yards, and one (1) lost fumble from a total of three (3) bobbles.

Roosevelt (5-5, 3-5)
October 6, 2006: Converse
The Rockets picked up offensively where they left off the previous Saturday by initiating a 13-play, 79-yard drive to start the game. Dominique Mallet finished it off by punching in from two (2) yards out, Quinney nailed the PAT, and the Rockets led 7-0 at the 6:23 mark of the 1st Quarter. The Rockets’ next series, however, kind of set the tone for how much of this mistake-prone meeting would transpire thereafter. At the end of a non-productive drive that was marred by three (3) false starts in the first four (4) snaps, Bouldin, trying to make the best of a high snap on the concomitant punt, was instead tackled for a 5-yard loss at the Rocket 18-yard line. On the 3rd play of the short TR drive, Andre Chillers evaded numerous tackles and found his way into the endzone from 15 yards out. Hector Hernandez drilled the PAT, and the score was knotted at 7 with five (5) seconds remaining in the opening period. The Rockets’ subsequent times on offense were, well, rather offensive. Dominique Drew snatched Bouldin’s pass for an INT and a TR First Down at the Rocket 35-yard line, but the Riders couldn’t get any closer than the 24-yard line, and the drive died. A pivotal defensive play was by Chris Lee, who tripped up QB Marikese White behind the line of scrimmage on 3rd Down. The subsequent Rocket drive likewise failed to produce anything substantive, but, at least the Riders were willing to reciprocate on their subsequent possession when a bobbled handoff was recovered by Cory Williams at the TR 48-yard line to put the Rockets in business with time running down in the 1st Half. From there the Rockets were able to work in close enough for Quinney to split the uprights with a 37-yard FG with eight (8) tics left on the 1st Half clock.

Coming out of the break, the Rocket Offense was unable to light up the scoreboard, but the Rocket Defense saw to it that the Riders didn’t do so either. In the 4th Quarter, however, the Rockets were able to put the game away with the following:

• Jose Mendoza’s 1-yard run with 130 seconds gone in the final period.
• Mallet’s 21-yard scoring sprint with 68 seconds left to play
• Quinney’s two (2) PAT’s.

The Riders picked up only seven (7) First Downs, 80 yards on the ground, and 35 through the air via 6-of-11 passes [no INT’s, although they lost one (1) fumble]. Significantly, however, they were forced to punt six (6) times for a 35-yard average. The Rockets, on the other hand, punted three (3) times for a 40-yard average. They picked up 16 First Downs, which resulted primarily from the 277 rushing yards contributed by five (5) ball carriers. Through the air, however, they picked up only 33 yards as a result of a 4-of-10 passing effort that was split nearly evenly between Bouldin and Quinney. The Rockets’ only turnover was the INT that, fortunately (for the Rockets), TR was unable to capitalize on. The other disheartening development for the Rockets was the six (6) untimely penalties for 48 yards.

The week before, Madison and Reagan went at it in a classic duel between the Mavs’ Devin Thomas and the Rattlers’ Marcus Wright, during which Thomas picked up a San Antonio Area single-game rushing record of 487 yards in Madison’s 48-43 shootout victory over Reagan. The task ahead of the Rockets in this particular appeared daunting to say the least. Although the Rocket Defense was instrumental in limiting Thomas to "only" 122 yards on 14 carries, more significantly the Rocket Offense played a masterful game of ball-control. After the Mavs pulled to within 31-27 with 4:02 remaining, the Rockets kept the ball for so long that when they were forced to punt the final time, the clock said "four zeroes" by the time the ball rolled to a stop

Call it the Hammer Bowl or the Sky Bowl---the two (2) names to the new series between the Rockets and Thunderbirds that were most commonly floated about for this inaugural matchup---but history was definitely going to be made, one way or the other, be it sooner or be it later. The first historic event came with 131 seconds gone in the game when Joshua Rubio connected with Eric Jackson on a 40-yard pass play to put the T-Birds on the board. Carl Howard’s PAT was good and the T-Birds led 7-0. The Rockets got going finally and tied things up at 7 when Carl Bouldin punched in from the 1-yard line with 38 seconds remaining in the opening period and Quinney nailed the PAT. Shortly thereafter the Rockets grabbed their first lead of the day on Jose Mendoza’s 14-yard run for paydirt, Quinney’s PAT was good, and the Rockets were up 14-7 with 59 seconds expired in the 2nd period. Both defenses continued assaulting the opposing offenses; hence the 1st Half ended at 14-7, and the festivities commenced.

As part of the symbolic show of JISD unity, both the Rocket Band and the T-Bird Bands, the Galaxies, Starlites, the Sabre Dancers and the Skyblazers all took the field together, and proceeded to treat the 5292 witnesses to history to a collection of the well-known ballads representing all the US Armed Services. Of course, the greatest response from the crowd was for the respective Army and Air Force songs. Then, to round things out a special ceremony at midfield recognized the contributions of former Rocket Flight Director (aka Head Coach) DW Rutledge and former Flight Director and Rocket Program Manager (aka Athletic Director) Frank Arnold and, to officially rename the Stadium for Rutledge and the overall athletic complex for Arnold. Plans were for the MC (Tom England) to use the a wireless mic on the field, but the speaker system only allowed the Rocket side of the stands to really hear what was going on, which kind of made the T-Birds feeling kind of left out. A major contributing factor was the fact that the Stadium was in dire need of some updating and improvements; consequently, hopes were that future such JISD convocations would work out a little better to everyone's liking. Nevertheless, the event served as a catharsis of sorts for the overall community, and it allowed numerous former members of Rocket Flight Crews to spend some time together with Rutledge, Arnold, and Joe Johnson, who spearheaded the effort to rename the facilities.

Some festivities of another kind would commence for the Rockets in the 3rd Quarter---a turnover fest. But first, the T-Birds got the kickoff to start the 2nd Half, and they efficiently and effectively rammed the ball down the Rockets’ throats, moving down to the Rocket 5-yard line following Malcolm Cooper’s 38-yard pickup. On 1st-and-goal, however, the ball squirted away from Cooper and Isaiah Carter snapped it up and returned it the distance. Quinney’s PAT completed the potential 14-point swing, and the Rocket advantage was up to 21-7 with 173 seconds gone in the 3rd Quarter. The game calmed down somewhat thereafter, but midway through the penultimate period the earlier-advertised fest commenced for the Rockets, courtesy of the T-Birds and the Rocket Defense. Dominick Maddox kicked the festivities off by snatching an INT at midfield. The ensuing 5-play drive ended successfully when Carl Bouldin zipped in from 17-yards out. Quinney drilled the PAT, and the Rocket advantage was extended to 28-7 with 211 seconds left in the 3rd period. On the T-Birds’ 2nd play following the kickoff, Fred Porter recovered a fumble at the 18-yard line and returned it to the 5-yard line. Shortly thereafter Porter raced in from nine (9) yards out, it was Karl Switzer’s turn to nail the PAT, and Judson led 35-7 with 132 seconds remaining. On the 2nd play after the next kickoff Quintin Green snatched an INT and returned it to the 2-yard line, Porter cashed in on it in due order, the PAT failed, but and the Rockets nevertheless led 41-7 with 48 tics to go in the 3rd Quarter. The Rockets coasted somewhat thereafter, and the T-Birds got the last word in score-wise when Jackson dashed in from 21 yards out, Geoffrey Martinez was good on the PAT, and the Rocket advantage was trimmed to 41-13 with 6:40 left to play.

Lee (3-7, 1-7)
October 27, 2006: Blossom Athletic Center
The Rockets’ offensive thrusters were rather balky in the early-going, and the opening period in the meeting with the Vols ended in a double goose-egg. Early in the 2nd period, however, Kenneth Vincent snatched Jerome Tiller’s pass, the Rockets were in business from midfield, and the 5-play drive culminated in Carl Bouldin’s 17-yard dash into the endzone. Quinney toed the PAT, and the Rockets led 7-0 at the 8:04 mark of the 2nd Quarter. The Rockets extended the lead to 14-0 by Halftime with still one (1) more Bouldin run into the endzone and still one (1) more Quinney PAT, these coming with 206 seconds remaining in the 1st Half. The Rockets supplemented the lead with a 1-yard run by Jose Mendoza at the 7:35 mark of the 3rd Quarter, although the PAT was no good. Subsequently, however, the Rockets were unable to mount any kind of consistent offensive activity, and as the final period got underway the Vols got going and, although muttering and sputtering, they eventually found paydirt with 149 seconds remaining when Jerome Tiller punched in from one (1) yard out. Manuel Martinez split the uprights with the PAT, and the scoring activity was done for the day. As a result of turnovers and other miscues, the Rockets had only one (1) offensive play to show for the final ten (10) minutes on "Flag Day"----the Vols had seven (7) infractions for 50 yards and the Rockets were likewise cited for seven (7) misdemeanors, in this case for 63 yards. Next up for the Rockets would be two (2) very crucial Detailed Test Objectives (DTO’s) that would determine a lot as to whether the Rockets’ Offensive Propulsion Systems, their Defensive Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems and their Computer Hardware and Software Special Teams Systems were "GO" for an extended mission---or not. To borrow once more from the NASA PAO during the Apollo 16 crisis, the impending decision would "sort itself out" for the Rockets over the next two (2) games.

Smithson Valley (9-1, 7-1)
November 3, 2006: Converse
In a pivotal matchup to determine the top seed for the playoffs, the Rocket Defense managed to hold off the potentially-explosive Ranger Offense through the 1st Quarter, the Rocket Offense put together a good drive as the period wound down (in fact, they ripped off 153 yards on the ground in the 1st Quarter), and with ten (10) seconds gone in the 2nd Quarter Carl Bouldin crashed in from two (2) yards out. Quinney toed the PAT and the Rockets were up 7-0. Chris Brehm got the Rangers on the board with a 9-yard reception from Byan Hill, Travis Constanzo’s kick was good and the score was knotted at 7 with 5:44 to play in the Half. The Rockets appeared to be making good progress downfield on their subsequent drive, but an untimely penalty made for a long-yardage situation that caused the Rockets to choose a punt instead with the objective of pinning the Rangers on their own 4-yard line. Against some other team, it may have actually worked, but the Rangers weren’t fazed in the least by this kind of challenge. Bryan Hill hoisted the ball downfield where Cody Renken, who was a step or two ahead of Randez James at the Ranger’s 40-yard line, hauled it in and took off for paydirt. Constanzo’s kick was good, and the Rangers had their first lead of the day with 230 seconds remaining in the 1st Half. The Rockets were unable to find any kind of quick answer to this turn of events, and the 14-7 advantage for the Rangers held up for the break.

Although the Rocket Offense had cooled down somewhat as the 2nd period progressed, the Defense was still basically "on," and was ready and willing to show its stuff in trying to turn this game around. The Rockets held the Rangers and forced a punt, and it looked as if the Rockets would get their chance to go to work on offense. The ball, however, bounced off the Rocket return man, the Rangers recovered, and they were able to continue their drive. The Rangers, who lived by the pass almost exclusively in the 1st Half, had been living almost exclusively on the ground coming out of the break; consequently, they chewed up a lot of time in moving in for the next score, which Brehm provided when he punched in from one (1) yard out. Constanzo’s PAT was good once more, and the Ranger lead was up to 21-7 at the 6:03 mark of the penultimate period. The Rockets’ Offensive Thrusters-----already prone to mutter and sputter with fits and starts-----had been on ice for far too long, the Ranger Defense made sure this would continue to be the case for the moment, and the Ranger Offense was back at work once more. Brehm cashed in for more paydirt with 62 seconds left in the 3rd Quarter, Constanzo’s kick was good still one (1) more time, and the Ranger advantage was now 28-7. The Rockets finally got untracked somewhat and they wasted little time driving down close enough to set up a 35-yard scoring pass from Bouldin to Mitchell Swan with 85 seconds gone in the final period. Quinney’s PAT narrowed the gap to 28-14. The Rockets quickly went back to work thereafter, and were threatening to bring the score even closer, but the Rangers shut the Rockets off on 4th Down, and shortly thereafter Trent Rios took off on an 89-yard dash to the endzone. The PAT was good, and the Rangers had a 35-14 advantage with 5:27 to go. Once more, the Rockets managed to close the gap, with Fred Porter hauling in a 1-yard pass from Bouldin for the score. The PAT, however, was no good, leaving the Rangers with a 35-20 lead with 4:01 left. Overall, it was too little, too late (for the Rockets). They would, however, have one (1) additional chance for the long-term viability of the 2006 mission.

The Rockets, however, had no answer for that plan, and this was one (1) "snakes in space" DTO that the Flight Crew, their FOD and their Support Teams would not be finishing (successfully, that is). The Rattlers, coming off a bye week following their last-second 14-10 win over the Rangers the week before the Rockets’ meeting with the Rangers in Converse, had no intention whatever of experiencing anything close to a repeat of what happened the last time the snakes met the Rockets. A year older and infinitely wiser, Marcus Wright and Company were on a mission, and they were fully intent on aborting the Rockets’ 2006 mission in this Saturday afternoon meeting. The Rockets got off to a promising start on their opening drive, and came out passing with the intention of unfreezing the thrusters of their state-of-the-art Spread Offense Propulsion System in the crisp, sun-soaked conditions. The snakes, however, would have none of that, they froze up the Rockets’ actuators and essentially short-circuited the drive before it got too close to the goal line. A little more back-and-forth, however, and before long the Rattlers had a 40-yard FG by Grant Edlund to show for it midway through the 1st period. The snakes then bit the Flight Crew with a 4-yard Marcus Wright TD and Grant Edlund PAT at the 9:16 mark of the 2nd period. The snakes thereafter froze the Rockets’ Defensive Guidance Platform with a hook-and-ladder play when QB Derrick Walls passed for six (6) yards to Steve Wallace, Wallace then pitched it to Wright, and from there Wright raced 56 yards for the score. Edlund’s PAT was good with 4:50 to go in the 1st Half, the Rockets were in a 17-0 hole, and thus it remained through the intermission.

The Rockets managed to pursue fairly well on Defense as the 3rd Quarter progressed, and they seemed to have the break they needed when they got a turnover. Carl Bouldin immediately thereafter connected with Dale Kindred for 18 yards for the score, Quinney nailed the PAT, and the deficit was cut to 17-7 with 185 seconds to go in the 3rd Quarter. Things were lookin’ so bright immediately thereafter that the Rockets were reachin’ for their shades once they recovered the onside kick, but any real notions of a comeback were quashed fairly quickly when the drive was terminated by a turnover. Ultimately, the snakes regained the advantage by tacking on two (2) additional Edlund FG’s----a 38-yarder and a 46-yarder at the 7:00 and 1:45 marks, respectively, of the final period-----and the snake-bit Rockets were forced to terminate their mission and come in for a rather rough re-entry and landing. The Rattlers made history and clinched their first pigskin playoff seed, the Rockets’ 2006 mission was history, and soon the Rockets’ Spread Offense Launch and Propulsion System would be history.

Some other things that would soon become history in order to facilitate the making of some new history were the Rockets' and T-Birds' Launch, Training, Mission and Flight Operations and Support Facilities, otherwise known as the recently renamed DW Rutledge Stadium and the Judson High School Red Campus. The previous Tuesday, stakeholders in the JISD directed the District to undertake an extreme makeover of both those facilities. Both projects were long in coming, given that they were passed over on three (3) consecutive occasions in 1999, 2001, and 2001 while they continued to deteriorate and, in the case of the Stadium, had become a potentially serious fire and safety hazard. The Stadium was set for completion in 2008, and the new Judson High School facility was slated to be ready by the Fall of 2010.

Semifinals
Southlake Carroll 38 Allen 0
Westlake 35 Pearland 32

Final
Southlake Carroll 43 Westlake 29

Semifinals
Cedar Hill 30 Garland 24
Cypress Falls 30 Macarthur 14

Final
Cedar Hill 51 Cypress Falls 17