PER VAN ASLTYNE LEADER: The three victims from yesterday’s fire near Van Alstyne have been identified by the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office. The victims are: David Lee Small, age 45, Ashley Reagan Small, age 9, and Grant David Small, age 8. All three subjects had significant signs of smoke inhalation and no other signs of trauma according to preliminary reports from the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office. Toxicology reports are pending. It appears that David Small committed suicide and caused the death of his children, Reagan and Grant. Two pets were also found deceased inside of the residence.
Van Alstyne Fire Department responded to a call on Sunday to the residence of 43 Kepler Rd. just outside of city limits and called for assistance from Howe, Gunter and Tom Bean as more water was needeed. Once the fire was knocked down emergency responders discovered the bodies of three deceased persons inside the residence. The county fire marshal and fire inspector were called to the scene.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help the family. The account can be found by clicking here.
The Van Alstyne Leader will have a full story in their edition this coming week.
Howe is 10-16 vs. Leonard since the first game on 10/20/1961 in which Leonard won, 43-0. Leonard has outscored Howe, 495-456. The Tigers won the first eight meetings between the two schools before Howe finally beat them in 1973. Howe started a 7-game winning streak in 1991 which lasted until 2004. The Bulldogs are 3-10 overall at Tiger Stadium in Leonard with the last win coming in a 28-21 win on 9/26/2003.
10/20/1961
0
at Leonard
43
10/26/1962
0
at Leonard
37
10/25/1963
0
Leonard
28
10/14/1966
8
at Leonard
23
10/13/1967
7
Leonard
27
9/27/1968
7
at Leonard
25
9/26/1969
22
Leonard
37
11/10/1972
13
at Leonard
19
11/9/1973
33
Leonard
20
9/10/1976
0
at Leonard
15
9/9/1977
21
Leonard
6
10/27/1978
28
Leonard
0
10/26/1979
23
at Leonard
24
9/7/1990
12
at Leonard
27
9/6/1991
27
Leonard
6
10/14/1994
28
Leonard
0
10/20/1995
28
at Leonard
0
11/6/1998
39
at Leonard
7
11/11/1999
34
Leonard
0
9/27/2002
23
Leonard
0
9/26/2003
28
at Leonard
21
9/24/2004
0
Leonard
10
9/23/2005
14
at Leonard
20
10/31/2008
28
at Leonard
59
10/30/2009
12
Leonard
14
11/7/2014
21
Leonard
27
Howe is 13-3 in their last 16 games going back to 10/17/2014 vs. Tom Bean. It’s the best 16-game stretch since 10/17/1997 – 11/19/1998 when the ‘Dogs went 13-3. Howe also had a 13-3 stretch from 10/31/1969 – 9/10/1971. Howe also had 12-4 stretches from 9/4/1987 – 10/7/1988; and 9/24/1959 – 11/10/1960. (Howe had numerous great 16 game stretches in the 1930s and 40s).
The Bulldogs have won 5-straight home games at Bulldog Stadium dating back to the final game of 2014 vs. Leonard. It is the longest Bulldog Stadium winning streak for Howe since a 7-game winning streak inside the 1998 season. The list of the longest home winning streaks:
The 29 points vs. Whitewright moves Howe’s points per game average to 35.44 which is better than any Howe team finished.
35.44, 2015 – District Champions 33.83, 1998 – District, Bi-District Champions 33.70, 1940 – District Champions 30.82, 2010 – District Champions 29.82, 1999 – playoffs 28.69, 2014 – Bi-District, Area Champions 28.46, 1989 – District, Bi-District, Area Champions 28.10, 1987 27.80, 1960 27.09, 1991 – District Champions
Howe’s shutout of Whitewright moves their points per game allowed to 10.67 which ranks 19 of 72 teams. The 10.67 is the lowest since 1991 when the Bulldogs allowed only 6.91 points per game.
The shutout of Whitewright gives Howe five so far in 2015. The last time Howe had that many in a season was 1985. The list of most shutouts in one season:
It was the first back-to-back-back shutout since October of 2001 when Howe blanked Anna and Tom Bean in consecutive weeks. The last time Howe had three shutouts in a row was in 1991 vs. Whitewright, Callisburg, and Tom Bean. The list of consecutive shutouts by a Howe team:
Howe gave up only 66 yards of total offense to Whitewright and 45 yards of total offense to S&S. Before that, Tom Bean was held to 10 yards. Not even the defense of 1991, which held every district opponent to under 100 yards of total offense and is statistically the best since the 1940’s, had back-to-back-to-back defensive games like this.
Howe’s average margin of victory in 2015 is 24.78 which is second only to the 1940 District Champions who won by a margin of 27.20. The list of the top 10 teams by margin of victory:
27.20, 1940 – District Champions 24.78, 2015 – District Champions 21.30, 1946 – District Champions 20.90, 1987 20.75, 1998 – District, Bi-District Champions 20.20, 1942 – District Champions 20.18, 1991 – District Champions 17.44, 1945 – District Champions 17.00, 1938 – District, Bi-District Champions 16.45, 1939 District Champions
Zack Hudson recorded his 18th win at Howe which moved in a tie for 5th all-time. The list:
Leading up to the Polack Brothers Circus, that was in Howe for a one day show, the city council and I received a dozen or so emails claiming that the city was “just about profit and not concerned for the citizens”. These claims also included claims of an abused elephant that is riddled with arthritis, malnourished and has a horrible skin condition. I will not claim to be a elephant expert, but I have been around a few animals in my life and have come across some that have been beaten, starved and abused, and I can tell you that the animals that the Polack Brothers Circus have do not fit that category.
These concerned people chase this circus all over the country and have kept them from working more than once with their claims. I am from the school, believe but verify. I verified that the veterinarian records were up to date on all the animals. I checked the animals. I went to the circus and watched the animals perform, and had a great time doing it, and there was nothing that was done to show abuse, arthritis, or undernourishment. The big claim, “the elephant has TB”. The vet report says a different story.
You see a picture of me with the elephant, but my daughter and two year old granddaughter also took a picture with the elephant. I am telling you this because I am confident that this is a healthy elephant that would not hurt anyone intentionally.
For you folks that don’t live here and could care less about the City of Howe unless an elephant shows up, don’t worry about us when an elephant does show up. For those like me and my family and the 100-150 that watched the circus with us, we will invite this circus back again.
Howe is 16-24 vs. Whitewright going back to the first ever meeting between the two schools on 10/11/1935 in which Howe lost, 25-0 in Howe’s third game ever. The series has been mired in streaks with Whitewright having two separate six-game winning streaks to surmount a domination over Howe from 1948-1981 where Whitewright won 12 of 13 meetings. The Tigers also had a nine-game winning streak from 1999-2007. Howe won eight straight from 1982-1991 and currently have won five straight going back to 2008.
The series:
10/11/1935
0
at Whitewright
25
10/24/1947
18
Whitewright
0
10/28/1948
0
at Whitewright
26
9/20/1968
13
at Whitewright
32
9/19/1969
0
Whitewright
41
9/18/1970
0
at Whitewright
24
9/17/1971
6
Whitewright
39
10/13/1972
7
at Whitewright
55
10/12/1973
7
Whitewright
0
10/4/1974
9
at Whitewright
26
10/3/1975
0
Whitewright
20
11/3/1978
0
at Whitewright
21
11/2/1979
0
Whitewright
41
9/26/1980
0
Whitewright
31
9/25/1981
0
at Whitewright
21
11/5/1982
23
Whitewright
6
11/4/1983
15
at Whitewright
12
11/2/1984
18
Whitewright
7
11/1/1985
70
at Whitewright
0
10/10/1986
32
at Whitewright
0
10/9/1987
48
Whitewright
0
10/19/1990
75
Whitewright
0
10/18/1991
32
at Whitewright
0
10/7/1994
0
at Whitewright
22
10/13/1995
11
Whitewright
28
10/16/1998
55
Whitewright
0
10/21/1999
25
at Whitewright
27
11/3/2000
7
at Whitewright
14
11/2/2001
13
Whitewright
41
10/18/2002
3
at Whitewright
8
10/17/2003
21
Whitewright
34
10/1/2004
0
at Whitewright
57
9/30/2005
6
Whitewright
47
10/13/2006
0
at Whitewright
49
10/12/2007
13
Whitewright
54
10/17/2008
30
at Whitewright
20
10/16/2009
12
Whitewright
10
9/14/2012
41
at Whitewright
20
9/13/2013
31
Whitewright
0
10/31/2014
38
at Whitewright
0
Howe is 12-3 in their last 15 games going back to 10/17/2014 vs. Tom Bean. It’s the best 15-game stretch since 10/17/1997 – 11/13/1998 when the ‘Dogs went 13-2. Howe also had 12-3 stretches from 9/4/1987 – 9/30/1988, 11/14/1969 – 9/10/1971, and 9/24/1959 – 11/3/1960. (Howe had numerous great 15 game stretches in the 1930s and 40s).
The Bulldogs have won 4-straight home games at Bulldog Stadium dating back to the final game of 2014 vs. Leonard. It is the longest Bulldog Stadium winning streak for Howe since a 7-game winning streak inside the 1998 season. The list of the longest home winning streaks:
The 28 points vs. S&S moves Howe’s points per game average to 36.25 which is better than any Howe team finished.
36.25, 2015 – ? 33.83, 1998 – District, Bi-District Champions 33.70, 1940 – District Champions 30.82, 2010 – District Champions 29.82, 1999 – playoffs 28.69, 2014 – Bi-District, Area Champions 28.46, 1989 – District, Bi-District, Area Champions 28.10, 1987 27.80, 1960 27.09, 1991 – District Champions
Howe’s shutout of S&S moves their points per game allowed to 12.00 which ranks 22nd of 72 teams. The 12.00 is the lowest since 1991 when the Bulldogs allowed only 6.91 points per game.
The shutout of S&S gives Howe four so far in 2015. The last time Howe had that many in a season was 1991. The list of most shutouts in one season:
It was the first back-to-back shutout since October of 2001 when Howe blanked Anna and Tom Bean in consecutive weeks. The last time Howe had three shutouts in a row was in 1991 vs. Whitewright, Callisburg, and Tom Bean. The list of consecutive shutouts by a Howe team:
Howe gave up only 45 yards of total offense to S&S. This coming off of a performance where Tom Bean was held to 10 yards. Not even the defense of 1991, which is statistically the best since the 1940’s, had back to back defensive games like this.
Howe’s average margin of victory in 2015 is 24.25 which is second only to the 1940 District Champions who won by a margin of 27.20. The list of the top 10 teams by margin of victory:
27.20, 1940 – District Champions 24.25, 2015 – ? 21.30, 1946 – District Champions 20.90, 1987 20.75, 1998 – District, Bi-District Champions 20.20, 1942 – District Champions 20.18, 1991 – District Champions 17.44, 1945 – District Champions 17.00, 1938 – District, Bi-District Champions 16.45, 1939 District Champions
Zack Hudson recorded his 17th win at Howe which moved past Joey McQueen, Jack Osborn and James “Blackie” Wade. The list:
51, Norman Dickey, 1964-1975 41, Jim Fryar, 1985-1989 34, Davey DuBose, 1996-2000 29, John “Buck” Smith, 1980-1984 18, Leslie Walden, 1938-1939 17, Zack Hudson, 2013- 16, Joey McQueen, 1990-1992 16, James “Blackie” Wade, 1976-1979 16, Jack Osborn, 1946-1947
Brennan Ross’ father Brian was the senior leading rusher and Austin Bearden’s father Brett Bearden was the center on the team that is so very similar to the one this year.
In 1987, Howe started the season 7-1, only losing to Pottsboro In 2015, Howe started the season 7-1, only losing to Pottsboro In 1987, it was Jim Fryar’s third year as head coach In 2015, it is Zack Hudson’s third year as head coach In 1987, they had just graduated Howe’s 3rd all-time leading rusher in Stephen Ogle In 2015, they had just graduated Howe’s all-time leading rusher in Anthony Hawthorne In 1987, they recorded four shutouts during the season In 2015, Howe has four shutouts on the season In 1987, the ‘Dogs averaged 28.10 points per game, which at the time was 2nd only to 1940 In 2015, the ‘Dogs are averaging 36.25, which is first, just ahead of 1940 In 1987, the team was overloaded with sophomore talent In 2015, the team is overloaded with sophomore talent In 1987, the defense gave up 7.20 points per game to rank them 11th at the time In 2015, the defense is giving up 12.00 points per game to rank them 22nd. In 1987, the margin of victory was 20.90 points per game (ranked 3rd at the time) In 2015, the margin of victory is 24.25 points per game (ranked 2nd currently) In 1987, it was the second year of the renovated Bulldog Stadium with the track addition In 2015, it is the second year of the fully renovated Bulldog Stadium
The true distinction that will separate the 2015 team from the 1987 team will come when Howe enters the playoffs. It was a shocking and heartbreaking 23-20 upset to Tom Bean in the final game of 1987 that knocked the 8-2 ‘Dogs out of the playoffs and left them as the greatest team that stayed home.
The “Pride of Howe”, HHS Marching Band came up just short with their chances of competing for the school’s fourth state championship. Advancing to state from the area competition will be Van Alstyne, Holliday, Farmersville and Whitesboro. Howe finished fifth, just out of the top four needed to advance. Howe missed by only three rank points.
