Friday Night Lights, HS Football - Texas Style...

M.D. Holloway · 10-02-2011, 09:41 AM

Friday night was the 'Battle of the Mound" - Marcus HS (us) against Flower Mound HS (boo hiss!). This rivalry goes back to the beginning of Marcus HS 30 years ago. Over 11,000 turned out to the Marcus HS stadium. Normally they hold this game at Texas stadium but Jerry Jones was asking too much money so they decided to have it at home instead.

Marcus Marauders in Red and the Flower Mound Jaguars in White. One of the best football games I have ever seen. Marcus won in overtime. We are now 5-0!

BTW - the band is gotta be one of the best in the country...

pwd72s · 11:25 AM

Hard to believe that's such a production for a high school game...

Well, I guess you gotta do something in Texas.

Here's how they do it in Sacramento, CA..
http://www.news10.net/video/1193418085001/0/CAUGHT-ON--TAPE-KennedyMcClatchy-football-fight

74-911 · 10-02-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Hard to believe that's such a production for a high school game...
Well, I guess you gotta do something in Texas.

Carried to the absurd: Allen HS in the DFW metroplex is building a $60M football stadium / complex....

pwd72s · 10-02-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 74-911

Carried to the absurd: Allen HS in the DFW metroplex is building a $60M football stadium / complex....

Nice little bump to the school taxes, eh?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by 74-911

Carried to the absurd: Allen HS in the DFW metroplex is building a $60M football stadium / complex....

I think we had Allen beat back in the late 70's in Wylie. I think they actually had scalpers for tix to some of those games. Back then Wylie's pop. was 2700 and their team played in TX Stadium. I remember school closing early to bus us down there a few times. When the head coach wanted to build a house out by us in the country, he didn't make enough to qualify for the loan. So he asked for and got a raise. But back then there was a law that no one in the school dist. could make more than the superintendant. So they gave him a raise too. The only crime that ever took place there was on Friday nights when the whole town was at the football games.

M.D. Holloway · 10-02-2011, 05:25 PM

Both towns can afford it! Pulls both towns together. Better than having nothing I guess. I upsdie is that not only do both towns have great football but they also have fantastic bands. The crowd gets justas excited over halftime as the game. It is an honor to be able to make the marchig bands for these towns. So I guess the sports and arts are well represented.

M.D. Holloway · 10-02-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I think we had Allen beat back in the late 70's in Wylie. I think they actually had scalpers for tix to some of those games. Back then Wylie's pop. was 2700 and their team played in TX Stadium. I remember school closing early to bus us down there a few times. When the head coach wanted to build a house out by us in the country, he didn't make enough to qualify for the loan. So he asked for and got a raise. But back then there was a law that no one in the school dist. could make more than the superintendant. So they gave him a raise too. The only crime that ever took place there was on Friday nights when the whole town was at the football games.

Allen is ranked third in the nation I do believe. We face them in two weeks. Also go against Trinty which was #1 in the nation last year. Southlake is always ranked as well.

I can't say I agree with the insanity of the HS football around here. From what I have seen it pretty much burns great atheletes out before they get a chance to play in college. The parents are crazy as well.

The game was on Friday night, all day Saturday at the soccer games, in Lowes, WalMart and out to dinner Saturday we would run into somebody and sure enough that game was talked about. At church, at IHOP, around the block and at the park - everybodyt we saw had a comment about that game. Its a small town with a big youth focus. Its insanity.

I guess it could be worse...

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I am soooo happy we moved to NJ when we did. I HATED playing football and there was no way I was getting out playing for the Wylie Pirates had I gone to high school there. I played pee wee through 6th grade. At that time the coaches from the high school came to our practices and gym classes to start grooming the ones who'd be their future stars. I only played because I pretty much had to, being built like I am and having the friends I had. Once I moved to NJ, soccer, baseball and lacrosse were the options and none were even close to as big as football in TX.

Heel n Toe · 06:16 PM

That's awesome, Lubey.

Hey, look at those puny bleachers on the visitors' side. Heh heh... those are the size of some of the biggest H.S. bleachers here.

If that's real turf, I bet your groundskeeper makes big bucks for making it look that good.

Re: that water tower in the fifth photo... how 'bout next home game, you climb up and take some pix for us from there?

stomachmonkey · 10-02-2011, 06:24 PM

That field is brand new.

Was rebuilt last year from scratch.

Nice facility.

Mike, we were at soccer all day as well.

9 and 2 games with pictures in between.

Oh yeah, and me hauling ass back home before conners late game because he left the house without his cleats.

sammyg2 · 10-02-2011, 07:19 PM

Orange Lutheran, the local team I follow has a really good team again. #21 in the nation, #4 in Ca. and climbing. From a school with 1100 students.
I've seen three of their games so far this season. They're up against servite next week, who just lost their first game and dropped way down in the rankings. They were rated best in CA until their loss.
Should have about 20,000 people show up for that game (including me)

http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/kRSOCRcXiEC3oFXkfI4dFw/orange-lutheran-lancers/football/home.htm

M.D. Holloway · 10-03-2011, 06:45 AM

We live about a mile away from the stadium. My Wife and Daugther stayed home with nana and Papa so Max and I went with a few other dads and Sons. She said that she could hear the crowd as well as the bands from our home.

I watched the World Cup in Rugby on Sunday - now thats a rough sport! Our Daughter watched it with me and said Dad, I think Max should play that instead of Football."

All in all it did look like a lot of fun and the cool thing is about Rugby, everyone gets a chance at a 'Try' if they are in the right position. Sure there are stars but anyone willing and determined can make a good play at it.

If there was a choice I would have him do that instead of football...

bivenator · 10-03-2011, 09:27 AM

The high school stadium by my house has a video replay board. 11,000 seats and some really good hot dogs. Friday nite lights indeed.

Tim Hancock · 10-03-2011, 09:54 AM

I live in a small rural farming community. Ohio has 6 student body size based divisions in football with #1 being the largest and #6 being the smallest. Our school barely makes div 5. Since I started watching/following them in the late 90's when my daughters started attending, they made the state playoffs every year, won the state championship in '05 and won their local league in 10 of the last 11 years. Most years they have gone undefeated in the regular season games even thought their league consists of mostly larger schools. They typically have most skilled players playing both ways and typically score 35+ points in every first half and another touchdown or two in the second half with their JV kids playing.

This year they have lost two games against tough teams. I fear their long run has finally come to an end. In a game against the weakest team in the league early this season we won 83-6 (highest score anyone can remember and that was using mainly freshmen in the fourth quarter) . The next game against our long time rivals (that we have beat the last 11 years in a row) we lost 0-3 (other team kicked a field goal with 20 seconds left on the clock).

Nothing lasts forever I guess.

sammyg2 · 10-03-2011, 09:55 AM

The local big high schools around here don't usually have stadiums, can't afford em.
They just play in the closest college stadium.
Saddleback college, cerritos college, cal state fullerton, home depot center at cal state dominguez hills, etc.

Cheaper that way.

M.D. Holloway · 10-03-2011, 11:21 AM

Some schools will share stadiums too. I always thought that would be a good idea. Have several schools go in on one central location and coordinate games accordingly. If done right you could have a bunch of venues.

kanadary · 10-03-2011, 11:41 AM

amazing.. i went to the university of british columbia and they'd be lucky if they got 2000 in attendance.

sammyg2 · 10-03-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanadary

amazing.. i went to the university of british columbia and they'd be lucky if they got 2000 in attendance.

The high school I went to would struggle to get 500 to show up.
But the very top high school teams are better than some college teams, lots of folks follow them religiously.
More fun, less expensive, less BS.

We have something called the trinity league here, made up of 6 private religious schools:
Orange Lutheran
Mater Dei
Servite
St. John Bosco
Santa Margarita
JSerra
Not unusual to have 2 or three of the top schools in the state in that one league.
Makes for some really good games.

Lots and lots of NFL players come out of that league including three Heisman trophy winning quarterbacks (so far, Matt Barkley might have a shot):

Steve Beuerlein, (1983) Former Notre Dame and NFL quarterback.

Derek Brown, NFL running back.

Sean Estrada San Francisco 49ers Offensive Lineman.

Chris Galippo, Middle Linebacker at University of Southern California and US Army Bowl MVP

Frank Kalil, USFL center

Ryan Kalil, (2003) Offensive lineman at the University of Southern California starting center for the Carolina Panthers.

Blaine Nye, (1964) former NFL offensive lineman, and economics consultant.

Turk Schonert (1975), former Stanford and NFL quarterback, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Matt Slater, (2002) NFL Wide Receiver for the New England Patriots

Kurt Vollers, former NFL tackle

Matt Willis, (2002) NFL Wide Receiver for the Denver Broncos

Matt Kalil, (2008), starting offensive tackle, University of Southern California, projected as first-round pick in 2012 NFL Draft

Matt Barkley, 2009, current NCAA football quarterback for the USC Trojans

Colt Brennan, 2002, former NFL quarterback for the Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins

Matt Grootegoed, 2000, former NFL linebacker for the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers

John Huarte, 1960, Heisman Trophy winner (1964) and former NFL quarterback for the Bears, Chiefs, Eagles, Patriots, and Jets

Chris Jackson, 1988, former NFL Wide Receiver for the Dolphins, Packers, Titans, Seahawks, & Buccaneers

Matt Leinart, 2001, Heisman Trophy winner (2004) and current NFL quarterback for the Houston Texans.

Brian Finneran - National Football League wide receiver currently playing for Atlanta Falcons

Carson Palmer - Two-time Pro Bowl National Football League quarterback currently playing for Cincinnati Bengals, 2002 Heisman Trophy winner

Austin Pettis - currently playing wide reciever for St. Louis Rams

Patrick Cowan, former NFL quarterback for New Orleans Saints

Todd Husak, former Stanford and NFL Quarterback

And a whole bunch of basketball and baseball players.
There are a few senators and congressmen thrown in just for fun.