#1stangfan

The year we lost to Gilmer added even more fire to the drive for winning another one - among the players. We have two good QBs making their way through the varsity ranks, as well as several play makers who are underclassmen. The future looks good. The work starts in two weeks. 

It's never easy to take a loss this far into the season, but when it's obvious the opposing team outplayed you, the inevitable reaction is to tip your hat and acknowledge the better team won. 
You could take the time to dissect this game and look at ways that WO-S could have made the game closer or even won it. It was a winnable game, but ONLY if we would have played mistake-free football. For example - 1) overthrown passes in the first half (at least one would have been a TD); 2) play calling to include WR screens and more runs to the strong side and less between the tackles; 3) stopping PG from converting so many third downs; 4) penalties that cost WO-S a TD, a big 4th down conversion (fake punt), and long yardage situations; 5) blown coverage on PG's first play from scrimmage; 6) three turnovers (two pick 6's late)...those are some that I noticed. But, in the end PG earned the victory because they EXECUTED their offense and defense better than WO-S did. 
This year's version of WO-S football had a smaller margin for error, especially on the offensive side of the ball. We were able to make it this far despite that, but yesterday we ran into a team who was good enough to make us pay for it. It's also worth noting that PG had zero turnovers. I am a WO-S Mustang for life, but today was Pleasant Grove's day. Congratulations to the Hawks on earning your first state championship. 

Look forget the refs forget the coaching because if we had won nobody would be talking about ethier, bottom line we made wayyy too many mistakes and pg made us pay for it and we got man handle but fought to the end that's the truth, they had out number last night so we can sit here and cry about or we can support our boys and tell them too spit the blood out get get back there next December and hope pg makes it back to for a rematch in that ugly a$$ stadium 

A vast majority of high school kids never experience a state title game.  The WOS seniors did it 4 times.  Awesome.

All the more reason I don't like PG. I know they are excited because it's their first ever trip to the finals. But jeez......there opponent has a freaking 40 game winning streak. At least have some respect. Few do........most don't.

Their athletes. Sometimes it's not about the scheme. It's about the athletes. PG has them all over the field on both sides of the ball. They are well conditioned and they will not wind. We ran them all over the field for 4 quarters and they will not stop coming. 
What you are going to see is a mirror. Other than the offensive schemes these 2 teams look alot like each other. Big, strong, fast and athletic. This game is going to be EPIC and I for one can't wait to watch it. But win lose or draw you will not run PG in the ground. 
Good luck to both. I hope it's all it's built up to be.......and I think it will be. 

they do a-lot more fold blocking and X-blocks- don't rely on one back - several that can hurt you

My boys will be at the game with us, came in from out of town. Their playing days are gone, '08 and '09, then ''11-'12. I think they, as the whole community loves the idea.  We are used to supporting our team at State, Craig Jones brought the baseball team to Austin a lot the last decade, a tradition that brought us 8 of ten years there. 
He is one of the Best Baseball minds around. i hope he has a great career with the Mustangs.

Don’t feel bad.  A lot of us would have lost money betting against it.  19 seniors, 18 starters?  Back to state?  Get the heck outta here.  Oh wait...
I don’t deny WOS has some great athletes, but they are not even a large school anymore for their classification.  They have lost a ton of kids who moved out (there were a few LCM Bears this year that would have been gangbusters at WOS as well).  What they have is one of the greatest defensive minds this state has ever seen and parents who trust the coaches to do their jobs.  They outwork and outprepare virtually everyone (again coaching), and believe it or not millennials, that is still a recipe for success.  
And while Coach T couldn’t go to High Island and win state or send a kid to Saban or the Seahawks, what he could do is make almost any team, anywhere better.  And there are a lot of schools (one or two even in this area) that have very good programs that he would push to the next level IMO (I.e., state).  Lucky for the Mustang faithful, Coach T learned home is where the heart is and will retire one day as yet another Texas High School coaching legend from the fruit city...

Actually, while CardinalBacker may have overstated things a little bit, he is not completely wrong either.  There is a faction in Orange which is small but very vocal who are more focused on, shall we say, certain social issues rather than the quality of the Mustang program who will literally dance in the street when Cornel Thompson announces his retirement.  They were vehemently opposed to his hiring and have taken every opportunity that they could to criticize him, even in the last couple of years when the Mustangs have won the last game of the season.
He has had the clout and the support of most of the community which has allowed him to sustain against this faction.  While there are some that are on staff, as well as Mustang alum that are elsewhere, that are capable of maintaining current levels, I am not sure that they have the clout to withstand what Thompson has been able to.  The only saving grace is that the current school board are made up of folks that I trust to be stewards of this program and will see that a successor, whenever that is, will be in tune with maintaining what has kept WO-S on top.
But I don't know that the "whenever" will be anytime soon.

I know this day and age what i'm about to say may not be popular - BUT - I just dont feel it's the salaries or the facilities - Now dont get me wrong i coached for over 40 yrs -- and would not begrudge any coach getting a big payday. But more credit needs to be given to the communities and the parents -- Newton has little - Wos has little - but everything is functional -- its the community that supports the kids and the coaches- they believe in the programs and stand behind the people running the programs. both these programs have long teeth like Cuero -- they have been competitive for decades. You throw big salaries out there you get people coming in that dont understand the culture of these places- take their money and have a little success and haul their a--- out of there. People like T and WT just want fair pay for a days work. and for you to be proud of their efforts - not everyone has to agree with every decision but dont try to drag the program down when you dont agree. The majority of the people in these types of communities are just that they lived thru these programs and have an abundance of pride in them

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

Newton will have to play best game of the year.  No turnovers or stupid penalties.  Gunter is highly disciplined team.  They don't have Newton's speed but make up for it by not making mistakes and great fundamentals.  Just by looking at them they must have a great weight and conditioning program.  Either way Newton has had a great year with a young team and the program will be strong for years to come.

I will be so glad when the times comes for this game to be played. PG fans are so disrespectful about our coaches, players, and fans. Like I have always said "When you have a snake in your back yard cut the head of the snake off" Show PG the meaning of a beat down. Mustang Nation all the way.

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

Well...their schedule did just get a lot tougher.

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

 
Isn't that what they said last week when we played Wimberley?  Salado? Madisonville? Mexia?  Remember when they were gonna shock the world? It is the same as last year and....well... the year before.
This team has seen the spread, the Wing T, the Slot T and just about every other variation in between.  They have faced defensive juggernauts, special teams juggernauts, offensive juggernauts (are at least so we were told) and every other juggernaut in between.  40 straight times they said it. 40 straight times they went away saying "What did we do wrong?"
And with the 2017 version, they don't have the explosiveness of the last couple of years, the Chain Gang can be bent a little, but this team may be more mentally tough than the first two versions.  They can, as we have seen, take a punch to the mouth, get back up and punch back.
Who knows, they may get the fatal blow to this streak next Friday, but me, I steeled myself to that possibility for the last 2 1/2 years.
But somehow, I don't think that will happen then, either.
 

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.

Man this game almost gave me all types of heart attacks. We definitely beat the odds. We were counted out so much all year, even by people on here, but I said there was something special about this team. They fight , fight and fight til the clock hits 0:00. Defense played their butts off and Offense can score when needed. Beyond proud of this group. Now let's finish it off and bring it back again. 

Somebody refresh my memory on the poster who used to tell us WOS was great in SETX but not a state power.  The teams in East Texas were much better programs.  Oh I’m sure he will deny it now and the old site is gone.  But I remember.  And I think he recently has come back around.  
But for that guy and the others who would chime in, I got about 40 reasons, a 4th consecutive trip to the finals, and a shot at a 3peat to prove you had zero clue what you were talking about.  
Now finish this Stangs!!!

I am very proud of this team.  I am sure the players have heard plenty of comparisons to last years team and have had that shadow looming over them.  However, just like last years team, this team is undefeated going into the title game.  IF they win they will be undefeated just like last years team, and that state champion ring will look just as shiny as the one from 2016.  As a fan I am thrilled but I couldn’t be happier for this team.