KFDM COOP Posted November 10, 2008 Report Posted November 10, 2008 It’s been a long wait for Ross By Jim Finley Contributor Published November 10, 2008 Makes you wonder if Ronald Reagan knew what was in store for the Ross S. Sterling Rangers back in 1985. I’m betting he did. President Reagan, after all, was a big football guy. Not only did he portray the immortal George Gipp (“The Gipperâ€) in the inspiring movie “Knute Rockne – All-American (1940),†but he played a little football himself at Eureka College. (It’s a good thing Michigan didn’t schedule Eureka this year.) Moreover, Reagan was a former sports broadcaster – those guys know everything – and then there was that Cold War thing, where he was undefeated, untied, and unafraid. You may be wondering what President Reagan has to do with the BossRoss Rangers. I have the answer. It just so happens that Reagan was in the first year of his second term as president of these United States (even Massachusetts) when the Rangers made their last appearance in the state playoffs. Now they’ve reached that pinnacle again, but who would’ve predicted such a long drought way back then? Jeez, only a few of the students now enrolled at Sterling were even born then – those long, seems-like-an-eternity 23 years ago. To say the least, it’s been a long time coming. Herb Minyard and his troops should take a well-deserved bow. The Rangers, history now records, beat Channelview Friday night, 35-26, to secure sole possession of third place behind North Shore, one of the state’s true high school beasts, and Beaumont West Brook. They finished 3-2 in District 21-5A warfare and 6-3 for the season. As a reward, they get to play muscled-up Pearland (9-0) in a bi-district contest at 7 p.m. Friday in Deer Park. But no matter. They have at least one more game. Good for Ross S. To say that Sterling gaining the playoffs is even more of a colossal surprise than the final score of the Obama-McCain game (64 million to 56 million) would be an understatement. But I’m good at understatements. Coming into the 2008 season, the Rangers had all the odds stacked against them. They were so lightly regarded that Texas Football Magazine placed them at the bottom of 21-5A in its preseason predictions. Behind even Channelview, with no disrespect to the Falcons. In Texas Football and Channelview’s defense, it was a pick few could argue with. Besides, why bother? Sterling entered preseason training camp coming off a 1-9 season and returning only 16 lettermen. That was the good news. Say what? With the opening of Goose Creek Memorial High, Minyard would lose more than 50 percent of his football players, a number of whom were slated as starters. Just what he needed, right? The shame of it was that, before losing 80-plus players to the new school, the Rangers had laid the foundation for possible future playoff paradise a year earlier. To be sure, there were several pitiful performances to begin ‘07, but the Sterling troops got better and better as the year progressed. Still, despite week-to-week improvement, the Rangers found themselves having to beat playoff-bound Kingwood in their final game to avoid the school’s first winless year. In a masterful triple-overtime heart attack – and one of the best games ever played at Stallworth Stadium – they won by a 52-49 count. And, finally, maybe, hopefully, they could see light at the end of the football tunnel. Nope. It was, as someone once said, an oncoming 18-wheeler loaded with nitroglycerin. Boom! Ahead were the player transfers, and the Las Vegas odds were 114 to 41 that Sterling could match even the 1-9 slate of ’07. Dark days loomed ahead (think Wall Street here). But it didn’t happen. Minyard skillfully kept his remaining army together, got off to a good start, and finally put an end to a 23-year-old nightmare. I visited with the personable coach during the spring and ask him about his depleted situation. “It is what it is,†he said. “We’re going to play with what we’ve got. That’s all you can do.†And play they did. Now, after almost a quarter-century in which the Rangers posted a paltry 84-144 record (50-97 in loop play), they’re back in the state playoffs. Who cares if Pearland is the hairy-chested opponent? Ronald Reagan would be proud. Jim Finley is a retired managing editor for The Baytown Sun.
sahen Posted November 10, 2008 Report Posted November 10, 2008 Jeez, only a few of the students now enrolled at Sterling were even born then – those long, seems-like-an-eternity 23 years ago. wow...23 year old students, i dunno whats taking them so long, i was born in '85 and i graduated in 2003....haha good article, i didnt realize it was that good of a coaching job by minyard...im impressed
KFDM COOP Posted November 10, 2008 Author Report Posted November 10, 2008 I was at the WOS/Sterling game in 85 in the Dome.
sahen Posted November 10, 2008 Report Posted November 10, 2008 I was at the WOS/Sterling game in 85 in the Dome. i was only 6 months old so unfortunately i missed that one...i have miss this one as well (i bought tickets to the baylor/a&m game well before sterling clinched a playoff birth) hopefully that isnt another 23 year mistake....
KFDM COOP Posted November 10, 2008 Author Report Posted November 10, 2008 you should go see Sterling.
sahen Posted November 10, 2008 Report Posted November 10, 2008 you should go see Sterling. wish i could but i got the football game tickets for me and my dad (50 a piece) and then me, my mom, and him are goitn to watch baylor basketball that night (15 a piece) well in advance of Sterling clinching the playoffs...not to mention hotel reservations, too much money to eat to go see what will prolly be a blow out....Minyard apparantly did a great job this year after losing a lot of players and all, it appears he has Sterling on the road of being a consistant program, hopefully a consistantly good program, im betting my money on Sterling seeing the playoffs again w/n the next couple of years...i'll definitely make the next one...
82 5A State Champs Posted November 10, 2008 Report Posted November 10, 2008 I have the Area round playoff game between West Brook and Sterling from 1982. This was the game that was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation, and WB advanced on penetrations. Talk about a defensive battle! It was a great game.
gary-us-bonds Posted November 11, 2008 Report Posted November 11, 2008 Hope Sterling can pull off a miracle here, but I don't think it's in the cards. In fact, I think only North Shore will advance to the second round from this district. I will be pulling for all of the district teams though.
82 5A State Champs Posted November 11, 2008 Report Posted November 11, 2008 Hope Sterling can pull off a miracle here, but I don't think it's in the cards. In fact, I think only North Shore will advance to the second round from this district. I will be pulling for all of the district teams though. WHOA! You really think Pasadena Memorial can beat WB? I mean, with their non-existant defense? I think our boys have something to prove after the NS game!
westend1 Posted November 11, 2008 Report Posted November 11, 2008 Hope Sterling can pull off a miracle here, but I don't think it's in the cards. In fact, I think only North Shore will advance to the second round from this district. I will be pulling for all of the district teams though. WHOA! You really think Pasadena Memorial can beat WB? I mean, with their non-existant defense? I think our boys have something to prove after the NS game! I was thinking the same thing. I guess Panama has seen everyone play, but I don't see Pasadena beating Brook.
sahen Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 Hope Sterling can pull off a miracle here, but I don't think it's in the cards. In fact, I think only North Shore will advance to the second round from this district. I will be pulling for all of the district teams though. WHOA! You really think Pasadena Memorial can beat WB? I mean, with their non-existant defense? I think our boys have something to prove after the NS game! I was thinking the same thing. I guess Panama has seen everyone play, but I don't see Pasadena beating Brook. last year they had a really, really fast running back when they played Lee and i think he was a junior then......i think they will score a good bit but i dunno about win, maybe panama seen something if he saw them play this year, all i have to go on is last year....
gary-us-bonds Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 Memorial will run for 300 yards and score at least 35 on West Brook in my opinion. It will be up to WB to score more than that. Snelson still plays for Memorial, and he will be tough for the Bruins to handle.
westend1 Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 How did they lose to Dobie? Channelview beat Dobie like 21-0.
sahen Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 How did they lose to Dobie? Channelview beat Dobie like 21-0. I dunno how they lost to Dobie, but Dobie beat Channelview 21-0......Channelview didnt win a game all year...
westend1 Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 My bad. I was thinking Channelview won their first game. ??? ???
82 5A State Champs Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 Memorial will run for 300 yards and score at least 35 on West Brook in my opinion. It will be up to WB to score more than that. Snelson still plays for Memorial, and he will be tough for the Bruins to handle. We have done historically well this year against the run, with the exception being NS. There is not a team that is going to beat us by the run alone. Memorial's offense is very one dimensional, and if we shut down Bo Snelson, then we should be OK. I think for a team to beat us, once again, they are gonna have to do it through the air, as our secondary is still suspect.
sahen Posted November 12, 2008 Report Posted November 12, 2008 My bad. I was thinking Channelview won their first game. ??? ??? yah...it shocked me they were so bad too...Dobie ended up 3-4 in that district, so did Pasadena Memorial and South Houston...if Pasadena Memorial = South Houston then yall will roll, Sterling beat South Houston 36-0 and it wasnt even that close... That said I dont think Memorial will be equal to South Houston...That Snelson kid was very impressive last year against Lee, i imagine he is only better...he will get his yards, the question is if yall can stop the rest of their team...i'd guess yes but apparantly Panama is convinced otherwise and he saw them, maybe they had some kids hurt earlier in the year or something, i dunno...
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