Category: Howe News Bulletin

Recently discovered in the vault of the Howe Middle School Principal’s office was an 8mm film that was labeled Howe vs. Allen, Jr. High 7th and 8th, 1975.  After sending the film to The Video Station in Waxahachie, the 41-year-old film of games have been brought to life.

 

It’s hard to believe it’s been 28 years ago to the day that the 1988 Howe Bulldogs made history with one of the most memorable wins in the program’s history.  To put things into perspective on how long ago that was – it was Ricky Ake’s fourth game on the sidelines for Howe as the trainer.  It was the 14th Friday night that Steve Simmons was on the sidelines for Howe.  Since 1935, Howe has played in 735 games and in those games are some memorable ones.  But sitting somewhere in the top 10 and one of the best non-playoff games in history is game number 435.

It was September 23, 1988 and Howe had been to the playoffs in 1984, 85, 86 and back when they only took the top two teams to the playoffs, Howe went 8-2 in 1987 and did not get to see post-season action.  The last playoff game Howe had was in 1986 when they were punched in the mouth by Pilot Point.  Having that bitter taste in their mouths, Howe Head Coach Jim Fryar, in a bold move, scheduled Pilot Point as their homecoming game.  Very very few gave Howe much of a chance to win that game except for the players, coaches and a few die-hard optimistic fans.

Howe shocked Pilot Point in 435 with a last-second touchdown from Adam Coffey that was set up by a Jamie Engle to David Cannaday miraculous 34-yard pass and catch in the pouring rain.  The 17-14 Howe homecoming win over Pilot Point is still, 28 years later, one of the best games in school history.

Click here fore video

 

Full broadcast

Photos by Michelle Carney

Game 736 in school history, Howe’s record is 375-336-24 since the program began under the UIL in 1935.

Howe’s offense:

2012 – 20.7 pts/game; ranked 21 of 69
2013 – 11.8 pts/game; ranked 54 of 70
2014 – 28.7 pts/game; ranked 5 of 71
2015 – 34.2 pts/game; ranked 1 of 72
2016 – 33.3 pts/game; ranked 4 of 73

Howe’s defense:
2012 – 38.1 pts/game; ranked 69 of 69
2013 – 24.2 pts/game; ranked 61 of 70
2014 – 26.8 pts/game; ranked 64 of 71
2015 – 14.4 pts/game; ranked 29 of 72
2016 – 28.7 pts/game; ranked 63 of 73
Score by quarter

Howe      37  35    31    23  —  133
Opp.       23   27    28    20  —  99
Avg. – 33-25

HOWE OFFENSE
                                    LW   Total                   AVG
Rushing                     349/1300                     325
Passing                       55/103                        26
Total                           404/1403                     351

This if the fifth meeting between Howe and Caddo Mills.  Howe is 1-4 vs. the Foxes and 1-2 at Ed Locker Stadium.

10/3/1986, Howe lost 47-21 at Bulldog Stadium
10/2/1987, Howe won 28-0 at Caddo Mills
10/19/2012, Howe lost at Caddo Mills 34-15
10/18/2013, Howe lost at Bulldog Stadium, 12-7

Howe’s win over Caddo Mills in 1987 was largely due to Brennan Ross’ father Brian Ross, who rushed for 170 yards on 20 carries that early October night.  Ross scored on a 49-yarder and caught a 10-yard touchdown from quarterback Jay Skipworth in the 28-0 shutout.

Howe is 7-3-1 in games played on Sept. 23

9/23/1938, Howe tied Cumby, 0-0 at Bulldog Stadium
9/23/1948, Howe beat Tioga, 21-0 in Pilot Point
9/23/1965, Howe beat Pilot Point B team, 12-0 at Bulldog Stadium
9/23/1966, Howe beat Valley View, 20-12 at Bulldog Stadium
9/23/1978, Howe beat Alvord, 41-6 at Bulldog Stadium
9/23/1983, Howe won at Anna, 50-6
9/23/1988, Howe beat Pilot Point for homecoming in the rain at Bulldog Stadium, 17-14
9/23/1994, Howe beat Bells at Bulldog Stadium, 20-14
9/23/1999, Howe lost at Quinlan, 29-21
9/23/2005, Howe lost at Leonard, 20-14
9/23/2011, Howe lost at Honey Grove, 55-14

Howe Bulldogs Offensive Coordinator Dale West played his high school football games for Quinlan on the very field the ‘Dogs will play tonight.  However, it is the first time West has ever been on the visitors sideline.

West grew up in Quinlan, Texas and graduated from Quinlan Ford High School in 2003 where he played quarterback in the slot-T offense under offensive coordinator Paul Kilby and Head Coach Billy Butler. West credits Kilby as the biggest influence in his life. Not only did he teach West the slot-T, but also became a father-figure to him.  At 15, while in high school, West’s father passed away which led him to move in with his grandmother and then later his aunt. With both of them also soon passing, West found himself going from house to house without a place to call home. It was Kilby who took West under his wings and made sure he was okay.

“After I bounced from friend to friend’s house, I went to live with him for a little while. As I was going into college, they did a thing at their church to make sure I had money to start college with. He’s just a great guy. I don’t know where I’d be without him.” said West.

After West’s graduation from Texas A&M Commerce, he landed his first coaching position at Mathis High School as the offensive coordinator under his mentor and father-figure Paul Kilby, who was the head coach.

“We were 8-4 our first year there. They had lost multiple games the year before.” West said. “We went two deep (in the playoffs) and lost to Devine. The second year we went 10-3 and ended up getting beat by Navarro by a field goal in the third round.” With the success at Mathis and completely turning that program around, Kilby and West took their talents to Lockhart. They had also been a perennial losing football program and had gone 1-9 before they arrived. In the second year, Kilby’s coaching staff, including West, took them to the playoffs.

Coach Kilby then put his name in the hat for the head coaching job at Sweeny because they have the reputation of being a higher echelon football program. Kilby got the offer and West followed him there.

“We were there for a year and went 8-4 and went to the second round of the playoffs and got beat.” West said. “It was a fun year, but I had the opportunity to come here and here I am.”

West has run the slot-T offense ever since high school. He says that he would be a fool to try and run anything else.

“I don’t know anything else. From high school to all of my career of coaching.” said West.

It was actually Billy Butler at Quinlan who brought the slot-T to North Texas from South Texas by way of Orange Grove and Gregory Portland back in the 1980s. When Butler arrived at Quinlan, he brought Kilby with him and they turned the entire program around by using that offense.

“Coach Kilby taught me the offense when I was in high school and then I coached with him ever since.” said West.

2014 in Howe was West’s first year to not have Kilby to fall back on.

“It’s a learning curve for me because he’s the slot-T guru. He knows everything there is to know about it.” said West in an August 2014 interview.

It all started in Quinlan and now the slot-T son will return tonight to the field where it all began.

Tonight’s game will be broadcast live on HoweEnterprise.com and can be heard in real time (inside the stadium only) on 95.5 FM.