From the archives:
Shiner goes perfect en route to 1986 title
John Hines, Express-News Staff Writer
December 17, 2004
MySanAntonio.com Article | Shiner Comanche Football | Shiner Home Page
Background:
In 1984, Shiner won a Class 2A bidistrict championship and in 1985 advanced to the state semifinals.
Story line:
The stage was set for a tremendous 1986 season, and the Comanches delivered with a 16-0 record and the school's only state championship. The 2004 team will try to duplicate that feat against Stratford in the Class A state championship at 6 p.m. Saturday in Wichita Falls.
Coached by Calvin Tucker, who finished an 18-year stint at Shiner that year and now lives there in retirement, the 1986 Comanches had All-State performers in quarterback Gilbert Price, running back Shawn Carroll, linebacker Darby Darilek and cornerback Kevin Tucker.
During the 10-game regular season, Shiner outscored its opponents 363-53 and recorded five shutouts. The Comanches avenged 1984-85 losses to East Bernard with a 28-19 victory, which turned out to be the closest game all season.
The Comanches outscored six playoff opponents 143-16 in eliminating Boling 18-7, Bartlett 18-0, Mason 30-0, Cole 21-9, Winona 38-0, and Mart 18-0 in the state final Dec. 20 in Leander.
In the championship game against Mart, Price scored two touchdowns and Carroll the other. The defense had seven sacks, including three by Kevin Tucker and two by Brian Kurtz.
Notable:
The Comanches were a ground-oriented team that frequently played games in less than two hours.
Three of their backs were 1,000-yard rushers for the second year in a row — Carroll (1,703 yards, 22 TDs), Price, (1,595 yards, 17 TDs) and Lennis Brooks (1,385 yards, 12 TDs).
Just reaching 100 yards in one game was an imposing goal for Shiner's rivals. Only one back did it all season: East Bernard's Maurice Williams, with 107.
Offensive lineman Scott O'Connor's son, Chase, is a tight end on the 2004 team.
Quotable:
Defensive lineman David Schroeder, one of a handful of '86ers who has lived his entire life in Shiner, says he still thinks about the title season.
"It still means a lot," he said. "It's something that brings back a lot of memories. To see a hard hit or a good run reminds me that at one time we were actually able to do that stuff."
Postscript:
Price went on to play at Southwest Texas State and is now head coach at Shiner St. Paul. Darilek played a year at Texas Lutheran before the school dropped football.
Shiner, which went 37-4-2 in 1984-86, was picked to win district in 1987 but finished third when only two teams made the playoffs.
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