Pasadena Citizen - Sports
PISD teams have success in presidential election years
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| Both Dobie and Rayburn have tasted pretty good success during presidential election years. One of Sam Rayburn's rare postseason appearances came in the 1980 presidential election year and Dobie went to the playoffs during the 1984, 2000 and 2004 presidential election years. In 1988 and 1996, Dobie fashioned 8-2 records but somehow missed the playoffs. |
By ROBERT AVERY
Never mind who has won between the donkey and the elephant, the symbols for the Republican and Democrat parties during presidential election years, how have the local high school football teams faired during those years America was choosing a president?
Now that we’re in another presidential election year, let’s look back to see if presidential election years have meant anything special for the PISD teams.
Dobie is the top vote getter for most postseason appearances during presidential election years. The school has been around for nine presidential election year campaigns on the gridiron and the Longhorns have earned four playoff berths.
Dobie advanced past the regular season during the 1976 election year as well as the 1984 election year. But then Dobie fans have to skip through the Bill Clinton years before the Horns earned another postseason berth in an election year. In 2000 and 2004 Dobie has advanced so Dobie will be attempting to make it three straight this fall.
But the first time Dobie won a state playoff game in a presidential election year didn’t arrive until the 2000 campaign.
Interesting enough, in two of the election years Dobie manufactured some of their best season records but failed to get in. In 1988 and 1996, the Longhorns went 8-2 but that dazzling record wasn’t good enough.
Two presidential election years were very kind to South Houston. In 1972 and 1996, the Trojans earned playoff tickets. In 1972, the team went 6-0 earning a meeting with Galveston Ball, losing 3-0. Then in 1996, South Houston had one of its best seasons when the club defeated Brazoswood for the bi-district crown, but lost in the next round to Nimitz.
Pasadena cornered a state playoff berth in 1996, but other than that, presidential election years have been tough on the Eagles. The program has compiled some good records, but nothing of a postseason note.
For example, Pasadena went 6-2-2 during the 1956 election year and 4-1 in district but no playoff berth. In 1964, Pasadena was 6-3-1 and 4-3 in district. Four years later, Pasadena tabulated the same two records, but Sam Rayburn grabbed the district championship away from the Eagles that year.
Speaking of Rayburn, their most celebrated success during a presidential election year came in 1980 when the Texans rolled to a 6-1-1 district record and got to play in the Astrodome for the state playoffs where they met La Marque. The Coogs won that meeting 40-14.
Rayburn also went to the playoffs during the 1996 election year when they co-shared the district title with Pasadena. There were some close calls like the 1976 team that went 6-3-1 and 4-3 in district but no postseason berth waited.
Now all are wondering what will the 2008 presidential election year bring to the table for the PISD football programs?
Now that we’re in another presidential election year, let’s look back to see if presidential election years have meant anything special for the PISD teams.
Dobie is the top vote getter for most postseason appearances during presidential election years. The school has been around for nine presidential election year campaigns on the gridiron and the Longhorns have earned four playoff berths.
Dobie advanced past the regular season during the 1976 election year as well as the 1984 election year. But then Dobie fans have to skip through the Bill Clinton years before the Horns earned another postseason berth in an election year. In 2000 and 2004 Dobie has advanced so Dobie will be attempting to make it three straight this fall.
But the first time Dobie won a state playoff game in a presidential election year didn’t arrive until the 2000 campaign.
Interesting enough, in two of the election years Dobie manufactured some of their best season records but failed to get in. In 1988 and 1996, the Longhorns went 8-2 but that dazzling record wasn’t good enough.
Two presidential election years were very kind to South Houston. In 1972 and 1996, the Trojans earned playoff tickets. In 1972, the team went 6-0 earning a meeting with Galveston Ball, losing 3-0. Then in 1996, South Houston had one of its best seasons when the club defeated Brazoswood for the bi-district crown, but lost in the next round to Nimitz.
Pasadena cornered a state playoff berth in 1996, but other than that, presidential election years have been tough on the Eagles. The program has compiled some good records, but nothing of a postseason note.
For example, Pasadena went 6-2-2 during the 1956 election year and 4-1 in district but no playoff berth. In 1964, Pasadena was 6-3-1 and 4-3 in district. Four years later, Pasadena tabulated the same two records, but Sam Rayburn grabbed the district championship away from the Eagles that year.
Speaking of Rayburn, their most celebrated success during a presidential election year came in 1980 when the Texans rolled to a 6-1-1 district record and got to play in the Astrodome for the state playoffs where they met La Marque. The Coogs won that meeting 40-14.
Rayburn also went to the playoffs during the 1996 election year when they co-shared the district title with Pasadena. There were some close calls like the 1976 team that went 6-3-1 and 4-3 in district but no postseason berth waited.
Now all are wondering what will the 2008 presidential election year bring to the table for the PISD football programs?
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