AHHS Mules! '06 State Champs! ! !

"State Champs!" Oo-oo-ooh, that tastes sweet on the tongue when you say it. And I was saying it lots all day Sunday -- and still saying it today. The Alamo Heights Mules are the 2006 Texas State Champions in 4A-Division I high school football!

The championship game between the Mules and the Bulldawgs of Copperas Cove was everything I prayed it would be. E.g., there were no injuries. However, I forgot to pray that it NOT go into overtime -- and it didn't exceed regulation time. BUT it WAS one lo-o-ong game Kickoff happened at 6:20 PM Saturday and the final play came about 9:50 -- three and a half long hours later!

My companions to attend the game were Howard, a friend from Emmaus (Walk #1005) and AHHS '74 alumnus, his dad who was a member of the AHISD Board years ago, and Jimmy, '74 classmate and longtime friend of Howard's. Howard's elderly dad is very hard of hearing and walks distances with difficulty (he has both cane and walker). So it was arranged to drop off him, Jimmy and me beside the Alamodome, and Howard then go park the car. A 'dome staffer met us with a wheelchair for the elder Mr. Haring, and took us to seating for handicapped near a 25-yard-line (but high up and near an exit tunnel to concourse level). By cellphone commo between Jimmy and Howard, the later was easily able to locate our position in that crowd of over 16,000.

The Mules stormed to a 17-0 lead by first quarter's end. But the Copperas Cove Bulldawgs retaliated with two scores before Heights kicked another field goal just before the half, to lead 17-14. The halftime show, like pre-game, was colorful and entertaining. During the AH portion, the dance team, the Spurs (NO connection with our local NBA team!) performed costumed as Santa's elfs or helpers. The Cove marching band was HUGE -- but then, CCHS had been a 5-A behemoth last year!

In the third quarter Alamo Heights surged to a 33-14 lead. And they continually dominated the field. Final stats showed the Mules leading in such areas as first downs, 26-14, and total yards, 518-247.

However, the Bulldawgs refused to roll over and die. Well, I had prayed that BOTH teams play their best, and the CC Bulldawgs HAD been state-ranked in 5-A football in '04 or '05. So our opponents from up north beside fort Hood Army post fought back, with two scores, to narrow hometown Heights' lead to 33-28.

So here we were in the final quarter, getting nervous! Cove seemed to be on its way in for a go-ahead td. But they hiked the ball way past the Bulldawg quarterback, positioned in shotgun formation. Mules defenders swarmed over the fumble! And then with about 5 minutes to go, I commented to my partners that altho' Heights' offense shone with substantial passing, NOW was time to grind out the clock with runs and short passes. Coach Byrd must have read my mind (or me, his?) because grind out the clock AHHS did! With half a minute left, star qb Giovanni vizza ran the ball into the end zone for the coup de grace against Cove.

Final 4-A Division I championship score: Alamo Heights 40, Copperas Cove 28.

And the celebration began! Team, coaches & cheerleaders swarmed into a huge cluster on the Alamodome field. At one point on the big screens, I could see the trophy being lifted high by a Mule. At another point I spotted AHHS Principal Dr. Linda Foster in that crowd.

We foursome up in the stands had to await an Alamodome staffer with the wheelchair, to escort the elder Mr. Haring out following the game. But that was all right. Jimmy and Howard were occupied with greeting and hugging classmates of '74 and other alumni. And I was simply reveling in the feel of "State Champs!" Once the wheelchair arrived we exited the 'dome and three of us waited on the curb while Howard went to get the car and fight the departing traffic jam to come back and pick us up. But we had fun talking with folk, from both sides of the game. I was quick to compliment CCHS fans for the good game the Bulldawgs had played. Once we returned the elder Mr. Haring to his home, Howard, Jimmy and I drove past the school and down Broadway, where several fans were celebrating on the sidewalks while the continuous stream of cars returning from the game slowly drove past, sometimes honking in victory. And we celebrated with drinks and nachos at Good Time Charlie's!

My alma mater Borah High School (Boise, Idaho) was mythical state champs all three of my years there. And I loved it and was proud! BUT THIS is different -- there's NO "mythical" about this Texas championship. The AHHS Mules are the REAL DEAL!

And what a year '06 has been for the Mules football team! Opening game was a loss to 5-A Georgetown, then the Mules won a close one over another 5-A school, Clark. And then they handily defeated two other 5-A schools and wrapped up the season by trouncing every opponent in District 28-AAAA -- including archrival Boerne and nemesis Kerrville. Finally, there was the playoff run, beginning with a blanking of San Antonio's Fox Tech (winner of 27-AAAA) 46-0 in Alamo Stadium, Tech's home field. The Mules marched on for two strong wins in the Alamodome, and that trip to Round Rock north of Austin, and their stunning 42-14 upset of Lamar Consolidated, a Houston-area school that was not only undefeated but had not trailed in an '06 game!

AND NOW, with Copperas Cove the final victim, Alamo Heights High School is Texas State Champions in AAAA football! State Champs! ! !