Before last week’s game vs, Edgewood, the greatest comeback in Howe Bulldog football history was a game played 25 years ago tonight. On Nov. 17, 1990, Howe turned the Texas High School football playoffs upside with an improbable 14-14 tie that ignited Celina’s basketball program a few weeks ahead of their schedule.
Before the season, Howe had lost the most successful head coach in Howe history in Jim Fryar who left for a similar position in Jacksboro. The previous 1989 team was chalked with more talent than anyone could imagine in route to shattering every passing record Howe had seen by becoming one of the first spread offenses in Texas High School Football history. But after that season, the talent senior class had graduated and Fryar was gone.
Howe ISD hired a second-year head coach in Joey McQueen, who was Howe’s then Superintendent Pete Simmons’ starting quarterback in high school in Ballinger.
The offense went from one of the state’s first wide open fun-and-run spread offense back to the wing-T, which to the players was like going from a Corvette to a Corsica. The ‘Dogs started their new regime by losing three of the first four games to Leonard, arch rival Van Alstyne, and Pilot Point. But the defense was really good. Led by Defensive Coordinator Billy Hill, one of the best defensive minds in Howe history, the ‘Dogs D kept Howe in every game.
Things shifted in week six that changed everything. Howe lost at Aubrey 14-7 in a game that Howe was a clear favorite and the record went to 2-4. After that game a bunch of offensive changes were made and that proved to be the key change of the season. Howe, led by a rushing attack of Michael Bailey, Michael Ross and Domingo Rivera ripped through the remainder of the District 11-2A schedule to set up a showdown with Bells. The winner went to the playoffs – the loser stayed home. Howe came from behind in the final quarter to beat Bells by the slimmest of margins, 12-11.
The Bulldogs (6-4) were to play 8th-ranked Celina (9-1) in the bi-district round of the playoffs. Howe came in 18-point underdogs by the Harris Ratings. No one gave Howe a chance and it would take a miracle and some special innovative inspiration tactics by the coaching staff. This sparked the infamous t-shirt story.
McQueen and Assistant Coach Steve Simmons came up with a story that Celina had already printed Bi-District Champion t-shirts and were wearing them in Celina and the players were wearing them underneath their jerseys ready to display them as soon as the game was over. The 17 and 16-year-old Howe players bought this fib – hook, line and sinker. Simmons and McQueen had a shirt printed up and brought it to the pep rally where the team destroyed it. Each player wore a strand of that ripped up shirt on their belt that night against Celina.
The game was played at John Clark Stadium in Plano and the players were given a letter to read from Superintendent Pete Simmons as they traveled to meet their braggadocios t-shirt wearing enemies. The letter was inspiring and Howe ISD had pulled off every bit of psychological tactics that could be found and used legally.
As soon as the game started, Howe found themselves down 14-0 quickly and thoughts of once being 2-4 on the season quickly crept into the minds of fans. At the half, the players were given a speech by Coach Steve Simmons that climaxed with a balloon pop with his bare hands and the ‘Dogs were ready to once again turn things around.
Michael Bailey, the team’s leading rusher put the game on his back and carried Howe down the field for a 3rd quarter drive. Quarterback Wade Carson hit Damion Horton on a 4th and goal pass and Howe cut the lead 14-7.
The defense allowed Celina only 12 yards of total offense in the second half which gave Howe a chance to tie the game in the 4th quarter. Howe’s Michael Ross did just that with a scamper. Monte Walker’s PAT tied the game at 14.
With only minutes to go and the UIL not yet adopting an overtime situation, McQueen and Celina Head Coach G.A. Moore met with officials to discuss the tie-breakers. Howe and Celina were tied with two penetrations each and Howe was leading the next tie-breaker in first downs, 14-4. All Howe had to do was sit on the ball and kill the clock. Howe downed the ball with a minute left and had only one more snap to polish off the tie-victory. McQueen sent the play in via Shawn Stephenson to “Drop back and take a knee.” However, Stephenson relayed the play to quarterback Carson to “Drop back and throw it deep.” A stunned Carson wanted him to repeat it and Stephenson did. On the play, Carson threw it deep down the right side of the field to Walker for a 24-yard gain at the 10 yard line and Howe picked up the extra penetration to win by that stat instead of first downs.
(Full audio broadcast with B.K. Lindsay and Lynn Burkhead)
While the fans went crazy, the coaching staff was furious. Some players, such as Carson and Stephenson, didn’t get to celebrate that improbable victory as one would think due to the irate McQueen, but all was quickly forgiven and the feeling of David bringing down Goliath set in with the team and the community of Howe.
In the very next week, Howe would once again tie Olney, 10-10 and advance on first downs. The improbable season finally was ended by Mart at Pennington Field in the regional championship.
“It was a great game and an even better team win. We weren’t given much of a chance going into the game, but I know we surprised them with how physical a team we were. Other than a a couple of plays, defensively we dominated them all night and offensively we able to move the ball pretty well. It was fun game to be apart of.” – Wade Carson, quarterback and safety
“It was a great team win. Even though we trailed at half, no one believed we wouldn’t find a way to win. The second half saw a totally dominating performance by all phases of the Bulldog team; offense, defense, and special teams. Proud to be a Bulldog!!!” – Defensive Coordinator Billy Hill
