For the Uvalde Coyotes football team, an emotionally exhausting summer led to a mentally exhausting home opener.
Uvalde Coach Wade Miller said with a gasp, “Friday was one of the craziest, most tiring days I think I will ever deal with.”
For all the distractions of the media coverage, the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1972 State Champion Uvalde team, and the memorial for the 21 slain on May 24th, the Coyotes put it all aside to achieve success of the gridiron.
Uvalde 34, Eagle Pass Winn 28.
The day started before 6:30 with Good Morning America airing from Uvalde’s gymnasium and football field. The Houston Texans sent Christian Kirksey and Kamu Gurgier-Hill to run a minicamp for the second through sixth graders and to model a decal they’ll wear on their helmets for the home opener September 11th against Indianapolis. The team will be able to see the decals worn firsthand, as the Texans also invited the Uvalde team to attend the home opener.
Miller describes the media attention has become somewhat old hat for his players. “A camera shows up, they don’t blink an eye anymore.”
After the pep rally, members of the 1972 team spoke with the current Coyotes. Buck Lanning still lives in Uvalde, and did most of the work for the reunion. He gave an emotional talk, mesmerizing the players, saying these Coyotes reminded him of the 1972 team.
In the locker room, Carl Gustafson and Jerry Comalander each gave a pregame speech. Carl is the son of the late Marvin Gustafson, head coach of the 1972 team; Carl enjoyed his own career as the head coach at Churchill, San Antonio Christian, and Texas Lutheran University. Comalander, an assistant under Gustafson that year, went on the lead Churchill to a state championship in 1976, and later became the Executive Athletic Director at North East ISD.
Comalander allowed that, aside from an occasional talk to an NEISD team, he hadn’t given a given a pregame speech a while – “Only about 34 years” – but he was as ready for the moment as ever. “I felt so honored to be asked to do it. It just tremendous for me… that’s why I worked really hard at preparing my thoughts and relaying my thoughts to those kids.”
Miller was definitely impressed Comalander’s content. “He was awesome! I had to give him a little watch tap because I thought he’d make us late, but he was perfect.”
Comalander was impressed with the players as well, and attributes their behavior to Miller. “I think he’s the right man in the right place at the right time. Those kids were so respectful and attentive when we talked, which is an indication that they’ve been coached. You could just feel his relationship with them was very solid. He loves those kids, you could see that. I was just impressed with everything that took place.”
Before the game, the crowd held a 21 second moment of silence to honor the 21 lives lost on May 24th. Oscar Mireles, a member of the 1972 team, offered an invocation.
Then… at long, long last… it was time to play football.
Eagle Pass Winn coach Eric Villasenor said going into their game that “the best reward we can give the Uvalde Coyotes on Friday night is to play our best.”
Anyone watching would agree that Villasenor’s Mavericks delivered that reward.
As for Coyotes, they once again impressed Miller. “I’m proud of my kids for being mature enough to go through all of that (their Friday activities) and come out and actually be focused and play football.”
“They are mature beyond their years.”
The game would have been a sensation with any two teams. It could have been Troy vs Schenectady and still been exhilarating. The game was tied at 7, 14, 21, and 28. Uvalde took leads of 14-7, 21-14, and 28-21, and the CC Winn Mavericks used their running game to plow their way back into a tie.
Jonathan Jimenez, on a play designed to allow Uvalde to run out the clock in case of an inadequate gain, improvised a 53 yard run to set up with 6 yard touchdown pass from Brodie Carnes to Devon Franklin on a fade route with 12 seconds left.
For a few years, the Coyotes’ passing game was so prevalent that rumors started that they were actually playing Arena Football in Uvalde. Friday, however, the Coyotes ran the ball 24 times for a whopping 231 yards.
Miller credited his offensive linemen for the emergence of the running game: right tackle Adriel Gonzales, right guard JT Ibarra, center Feivel Sanchez, left guard Aiden Cantu, left tackle Luke Sagamuehl, and H-back Augie Aviles. “I thought they played phenomenal.” Of the group, only Sanchez and Aviles were on last year’s varsity: Sanchez as the starting center, Aviles as a backup guard.
In this spring, Comalander knew a reunion of the 1972 team was in the works. He received the details in his invitation shortly before the shooting took place.
“The shooting put a different light on everything.”
Comalander and Carl Gustafson carefully planned the subjects they would share with the Coyotes. “Carl talked about the fundamentals of playing the game, being ready on each snap. I (Comalander) talked more about my feelings about the team overcoming the evil that had been thrust upon them and the parents and everyone in Uvalde. I talked about the spirit that’s inside of everybody and how that spirit impacts what we do. I emphasized the point that as a result of what has happened, they are like a band of brothers and they will always be brothers because of what happened. They always remember it, and they’ll always remember each other, and what they put together this season. There was no comment from me about winning or losing the game.
“Then (I told them) this night is about you. It’s not about the 1972 State Champions… this is about you, and those 21 you have memorialized, and selecting one of your own to wear #21
“And if they’re gonna win tonight and in the future, they all need to play like they’re wearing #21.
“Then I quoted a Bible verse in II Timothy: `Our God did not give us a weak and timid spirit but rather he gave us a spirit of power and discipline and love.’ Power to play the game, discipline to do it right, and love for each other.”
Before the game, the school district recognized the attending 1972 players on the field by name while adding information about each as they exited the field.
“The people in the bleachers were just fantastic,” said Comalander. “Those people needed something to cheer for.”
Friday, Uvalde will visit the Poteet Aggies in a matchup of teams wearing maroon and white. Poteet coach Darby House feels the same desire to recognize the May 24th events as others have – the community has a prepared a souvenir for the Uvalde community – but respects Miller’s wishes to conduct such ceremonies while his team is in the locker room.
“You want to show them you love them, but they know it. And sometimes in order to heal, they need get back to some semblance of normal. We also want to have some fun and play some football.”
“We’re not trying to things to make us feel good (that) we did it. I want to know how to help them heal… what’s best for Uvalde?”
To say that House has led a football resurgence at Poteet High School isn’t quite accurate. To have a resurgence, you need an initial surge, and such are the Aggies’ struggles that there’s barely an initial surge to resurge to.
Before last year, Poteet had a single playoff victory in their history. They won 26-18 in 1958 against Schertz-Cibolo High School. Schertz-Cibolo didn’t change its name to Samuel Clemens High School until 1969.
House’s Aggies went 0-10 in his first season, but he was confident a full offseason with his players, including weight lifting and conditioning, would lead to improvement. The 3-7 regular season and playoff berth was a start, but the progress really showed in the ensuing playoff loss against Wimberley. “At one point late in the third, we were tied, and they end up playing in the state championship game. I believe that was the turning point in our program where our kids believed `If we buy in, we can play with anybody!’”
Poteet progressed to a runner-up finish in 14-3A-I in 2021 – they lost to Blanco 20-35 in the first round – then a district championship in 2021. They defeated Luling 42-10 in the first round, their first playoff victory in 63 years, then gave Vanderbilt Industrial a battle in a 13-14 a defeat.
The surge continues in 2022. Poteet has wins over Bandera (38-13) and Goliad (16-13.) House is particularly impressed with the Goliad win because the team overcame four injuries to hold on for a 16-13 win. After an injury and a Goliad score, the Aggies responded with a 7 play, 80 yard drive “because our kids believed that we could win. That’s the kind of program we take pride in building, and we’re excited to be a part of.”
Asael Moreno has an impressive 38 completions in 59 attempts for 566 passing in two games to lead the Aggies.
Uvalde has a 1209 to 494 enrollment advantage over Poteet. This advantage often makes the difference because being able to platoon players or asking the best athletes to play the entire game, but Miller has coached teams who’ve won games with similar enrollment disadvantages. He knows to expect the Aggies’ best effort.
“They’re a team that expects to win, so they’re gonna fight and fight and fight and fight.”
This year of all years, Miller respects a team that fights adversity.
Mark Kusenberger
September 5, 2022
Read more from Mark on his blog at https://mkusenberger.wixsite.com/website/blog