Howe Bulldogs Black & White GAMEDAY 2023

Cross Country Volleyball Football

Cheerleaders

Howe Enterprise, May 24, 1973

A school band program for Howe moved closer to reality at a meeting of the Band Parents Organization, administrators, and board members Monday night. Due to the time element in employing a band director for the beginning of school next fall, those attending the meeting set a June 11 date for determining if enough interest is shown by parents, students, and other interested citizens to pursue the program further. School representatives had offered earlier to provide a teacher and practice room for a band if funds could be provided by a band parents organization to provide the necessary large instruments for the program.

It was brought out during the meeting that the smaller instruments, which are to be provided by students, could either be rented for about $10 per month on a lease purchase arrangement, or could be bought outright.

Members agreed to prepare a pledge sheet to be distributed throughout the district to further determine interest in the program. The forms outlines the

proposal and provides for persons to join the band parent organization at $2.00 per member, and/or to pledge $25.00 toward the program, which would be used toward purchase of the larger instruments, estimated at a total cost of more than $5,000. Members are striving for a goal of 100 pledges and 200 memberships, which would provide $2,900 toward the

Some of the instruments cost more than $900 each, according to a Sherman music store owner, who provided a list and cost estimate of beginning the program.

Pledge sheets may be turned in at Howe State Bank, City Hall, Reeves Cleaners, or The Enterprise office. They were distributed by school children Tuesday, and copies are also available at some downtown locations.

program, with future fundraising events planned for the additional money. Uniforms would not be needed for two or more years, it was determined.

If pursued, the program would include grades 5 through 12. Supt. Mitchell explained.

"We need a big organization to help finance these expensive instruments," he continued.

During the Monday meeting, officers were elected for the Band Parents Organization. Mrs. Norma Wallace, temporary officer named recently, served as spokesman for the meeting. Permanent officers elected included Sam Haigis, president; Mrs. Haigis, vice-president; Mrs. Glen Mitchell, secretary; Wanda Taylor, treasurer; Norma Wallace, ways and means; Mrs. Virginia Martin, membership and hospitality; and Judy Tracy, publicity.

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2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

Robin Hawkins

Robin Hawkins

Valerie Whitfield

Brent Wood

Lex Breeding

David Whitfield

David Whitfield

Danielle Mailloux

Rodney Holcomb

Paula Mullins

Paula Mullins

Sharla Powell

Sharla Powell

Sharla Powell

Kent Bearden

Carrie Mullins

April Taylor

April Taylor

April Taylor

Mandy Summers

Mandy Summers

Aaron Stringfellow

Aaron Stringfellow

Kyle Lowder

Kyle Lowder

Laura Stringfellow

Andrew Shaffer

Rhapsody Fearon

Erica Wortham

Kayla Cook

Jesse Richard

Jesse Richard

Ashley Krueger

Travis Fulton

Makenzie Duffee

Madeline Ansley

Madeline Ansley

Jessica Doty

Kaylee Dwyer

Kindle Catching

Kindle Catching

Erin Catching

Erin Catching

Chloe Scoggins

Olivia Morris

Brynn Riley

excellent members recently, they are acquiring a freshman class that were just named state champions for eighth grade.

“Pull out your shades,” said Band Director Angie Liss referring the Howe’s future being bright. Liss, serving in her 30th year employed by Howe says this year’s goal is the same as every contest year to make it to the place they don’t talk about.

The incoming freshman won OPS State with the concert march called Cluster Fluster Buster March. Liss jokes that she was never a fan of that song, but Julie Cook (Head MS band director) did, and the kids were, and they performed it masterfully.

Drum Major Brynn Riley says that the freshmen are making nice progress.

Liss says the band will be quite a bit larger this year in terms of the number of members as they’ve had good retention from middle school.

great.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Liss.

The program is called “Paradise” which is built around the song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, however, it will be a slowed down version with a minor ballad feel.

“The picture that we’re trying to portray is that everyone is always looking for paradise whether through contentment or peace. Maybe it’s a place here or hereafter,” said Liss. “Whatever your belief system is, everyone is always looking for that place and joy.”

The opener is a flute quartet and front ensemble work with some big hits from the band. The second piece is called “Joy” by Curiale. The third piece is back to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. The last movement is based on Beethoven's “Ode to Joy”. The music is going to express some dark spots, depicting the

struggles that one might go through. But will overall show the desire for

The props will look different this year with backdrops resembling clouds that progress all the way around the band. The front screens will have the word paradise in multiple languages to hammer home that the sense of joy and peace are worldwide. Ramps and stages will be placed in the front middle with the front ensemble fitting between of the flags will be decorated with mountains to match the performance.

Liss says that the band leadership spent the day with the freshman class to introduce them into the terminology and get acclimated to the setting and their leaders. They then had a pool party to build on team cohesiveness.

The band has some new faces that have moved in this year that are gelling very quickly with everyone according to Liss.

She was quick to mention that the front ensemble and percussion section have been extremely powerful early on.

Liss, who is a footballfriendly band director, is excited to get to perform on Friday nights.

“We’ve been doing all the chants and the cheers and thinking about it,” said Liss who recently incorporated the end of the fight song to be played on every first down. “I love football. I picked that

up while my kids were in Arkansas.”

The overall feel of the show will be a little different from recent years as Liss says they are going back to more of their classical roots to see what they can do to potentially boost themselves in the final results.

“That’s not what it’s all about, however. It’s about us all coming together and being a family and working towards a goal. But the goal is to obviously go where we don’t talk about,” said Liss. “We’d like to go where we don’t talk about and hang some medals around our neck.”

Liss says that in her 30th year, she doesn't have a lot of time left as she now has grandkids to chase around.

“I’ve got a few more years in me so we're even talking about what we’re going to do for next year’s show,” said Liss who is anticipating the program’s 50th year in 2024. “It’s pretty exciting to think about that in the 49 years that this band has been in existence, that I’ve been around for a whole lot of them.”

Liss served four years as a member of the Pride of Howe and even was a part of the first state championship in 1980.

“She’s an amazing person, an amazing leader, and I am very thankful to have someone with her experience and knowledge in this program,” said her drum major Riley.

Pull out your shades. It’s going to be a bright year for the Pride of Howe.

The long anticipated 2023 Howe Bulldogs season has finally arrived. Players reported to workouts at 6:15 am Monday morning in preparations for a back-toback playoff berth. Howe is coming off a 6-5 season that ended with a 39-19 loss to Palmer in the first round after Howe lost multiple starters to injury including all-time passing leader Austin Haley who did not suit up that night. But the season was a success in Head Coach Lance Bryan’s first year as Howe broke a 22game losing streak on opening night at Honey Grove which signaled a new day had dawned for the Howe Bulldogs.

Bryan is very optimistic about the 80th Howe Bulldogs team as they will be much bigger than a year ago. He said summer workout attendance allowed them to get a head start to the season with installations of schemes and formations.

“We really hit the ground on day one. We weren’t having to do a lot of conditioning. Our kids were already conditioned from the summer,” said Bryan. “It was really nice to finally get helmets on them. Once you add the pads, it starts feeling like real football.”

The last starting quarterback for the Howe Bulldogs, not named Austin Haley was Bryce Krantz in 2018. With Haley manning the quarterback position for the last four seasons, Bryan is looking to Cooper Jones to take over in the gun. Jones moves from receiver where he has played for the last three seasons on varsity and had great success with 85 catches for 1,328 yards. Jones will be more of a running quarterback as he averaged 4.19 yards per rush a year ago mainly in short yardage situations.

“He’s a bowling ball when he starts running,” said Bryan of Jones. “He’s less of a speed guy than Austin was; he’s more of a brutal runner. There’s a lot of things that he does well.”

Bryan says being here for his second year has given him and his coaches great insight on what players can do best that they might not have been doing a year ago and says some kids are in different positions which will make them better players overall.

The offensive line will look a lot bigger than last year with the return of last year’s starting tackles who missed all season due to preseason injuries. Luciano Vazquez and Seth Goolsby are each over 6’-3” and over 225 pounds.

“It’s almost like we got two new kids that moved in. They had their entire junior years taken away from them. They are practicing like guys that feel they have something to prove,” said Bryan. “This is their last year, and they know how quickly it can get taken away from them.”

Howe would not have been able to win six games in 2022 without running back Antwone Rattler and his 1,439 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bryan does not intend for the Dogs to feature one particular back to replace Rattler, but to see a variety of choices including senior Kaden Dunn, junior Braden Ulmer, and sophomore Knox Bounds. Dunn and Bounds are two of the fastest athletes in the football program while Ulmer is a punishing runner that also features exceptional foot speed.

“Ulmer is one of those guys that I felt didn’t touch the ball enough last year,” said Bryan. “When he did, he did

a lot of good things with it, and I don’t want to have to rely on throwing it to him to get him the ball. He to have a huge part in our offense and he’s going to do a lot of different things.

Bryan thinks James Cowart can also help them at the running back position.

With the loss of outside receivers Ryan Hough to graduation and Jones to a position switch, Bryan is hoping Malachi Dailey and Beau Stephens will step up in that role, however he says Stephens is better suited at the tight end position. Kolin Murphy returns as a slot receiver along with Ulmer. One surprise to Bryan is the transformation of Jeremiah Thornton who has been a lineman, but his body has changed so much that he’s gone from a defensive end and offensive lineman to a cornerback and receiver.

“He’s gotten a little bit taller and a little bit leaner. He’s gotten really fast because he dedicated himself to track,” said Bryan. “We didn’t know that he was going to turn into what he’s turned in to, but now he’s definitely going to be a guy that we’re going to put him in positions to succeed.”

Bryan also expects Garrett Rodgers and Eli Stoner to contribute to the receiver corps.

“We lost a lot of guys at receiver, but we feel like our depth is stronger this year,” said Bryan. “We’ve got a lot of kids that have a lot of strengths and we’re going to try to find out how to use those.”

The roster will be larger this year also as the Dogs got down to 18 healthy players at one point last season. As of Tuesday, Bryan thought the roster would be around 27 or so which is more than they started with a year ago. Howe began camp with

roughly 60 athletes which is a bump of about 10 from a year ago. That increase is mainly due to the highly touted freshman class showing great retention from middle school.

Defensively, Howe will switch from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3 with four down linemen. Bryan feels like the depth that they have with the defensive linemen, they would be wasting a position if they didn’t put one of their better players in the game. Bryan expects Stephens, the defensive MVP a year ago to have another great season.

The kicking chores will once again by Jonathan Garcia who is now in his second year as a starter. Bryan raved about his work ethic and his ability to handle pressure situations.

Offensively, Howe lost their coordinator Zac Cater who was named head coach for Coalgate High School in Oklahoma. Justin Graham will serve that role this year and they plan to attack defenses on the ground much more than a year ago.

Bryan says their expectation is to be in the playoffs in 2023.

“We want to exceed what we did last year and win more games than we won last year,” said Bryan.

- Howe Enterprise

HOWE SCHOOL SONG

Howe School will always be the best school. We all can make it so.

Our pride, our glory and our honor Will guide us as we go.

The teachers always help to lead us

On to reach our goal.

Howe School will always be the best school

‘Til rivers cease to flow.

HOWE FIGHT SONG

We are the Bulldogs of Howe High and we will fight to win this game, And we will cheer both loud and clear, our team to victory and fame.

Fight to the end, don’t break or bend, until we have a Victory.

Fight for the Black, the White, and win tonight

‘For the Glory of Old Howe High.

The Howe Bulldogs slammed the door shut on the 22-game losing streak on opening night a year ago at Honey Grove. They did so in dominating fashion in Head Coach Lance Bryan’s first ever game as a head coach by holding Honey Grove and their dynamic running back Ryelan Morris in check throughout most of the night. The result was a 20-15 win and Howe lit the Victory Light for the first time since October 18, 2019.

Howe kept the lights on with a high-powered offense that scored 49 at home the following week against Tom Bean. The Dogs racked up over 500 yards for the first time since senior quarterback Austin Haley’s freshman year at Bonham. Even more impressive perhaps was the 129 yards allowed to Tom Bean which was the lowest since allowing Callisburg only 60 in Zack Hudson’s final game as head coach of the Bulldogs.

While Howe’s offense kept gunning with all-time leading passer Austin Haley, the Commerce Tigers also lit the scoreboard with a 59-42 win at Bulldog Stadium.

Howe, again dominated S&S as they have throughout the years with a 68-14 win behind Antwone Rattler’s 191 yards rushing. But, again, the defense only allowed 125 total yards on the night to give Howe the easy victory, the third of the young season.

The big opening district game came at home against Leonard who was coming off a deep run in the playoffs.

Howe rattled the freshman quarterback for an easy 34-3 dominating win where Howe only allowed 135 total yards while accumulating 358.

Fall break did not come at a good time for Howe, but the Dogs scared Gunter by leading much of the initial half. But Gunter’s overloaded roster eventually took down Howe, who had half the roster size.

Bells did what Bells does they ran the football and ran it well to a tune of 418 yards and a 37-14 win. A hurting throwing arm of Haley didn’t

make things better.

Howe had a crucial matchup with Blue Ridge with everything on the line for the playoffs, but Haley’s sore shoulder and the driving rain played a big factor in the 4221 loss. Not to mention a defensive tackle named “Thor.”

Howe erased Lone Oak to enter the playoffs in the final regular season game, 34-15 and did so without Haley. Howe rushed for 424 yards and did not have any passing yards for the first time since 2018.

The Dogs lost to Palmer 3919 in the first round thanks in part to numerous injuries.

Gunter Tigers Head Coach Jake Fieszel. 2022: 15-0 state champions. Howe is 18-15 overall against Gunter dating back to the first game in 1935. Howe snapped an 11-game losing streak to Gunter in 2015. Gunter has won three in a row.

Bells Panthers Head Coach Dale West. 2022: 10-3 regional semifinalist. Howe is 35-11-5 overall against Bells dating back to the first game in 1936. Howe’s last win came in 2018 (30-15 at Bulldog Stadium). Bells is 41-21 under Head Coach Dale West.

Blue Ridge Tigers Head Coach Tim Wylie. 2022: 5-6, b-district finalists. Howe is 5-4 overall against Blue Ridge dating back to the first game in 2002. Howe had won 3straight over Blue Ridge but lost last year, 42-21 at home in the rain.

Howe Bulldogs Head Coach Lance Bryan. 2022: 6-5 bidistrict finalists. Howe snapped a 22-game losing streak on opening night in 2022. Head Coach Lance Bryan loses the school’s all-time leading passer in Austin Haley and his offensive coordinator Zac Cater. Howe looks to ground and pound.

mitted to Stephen F. Austin. The 6-0 170 pound receiver was a weapon for the state champion Gunter Tigers a year ago.

had 122 total tackles as a sophomore a year ago. He had two fumble recoveries and eight tackles for loss.

Five Year Snapshot of District 8-3A-II Members

Leonard Tigers Head Coach Justin Dozier. 2022: 6-4 Howe is 12-16 overall against Leonard dating back to the first game in 1961. The Bulldogs have won the last two meetings between the two schools, 34-13 (2015) and 34-3 (2022).

Lone Oak Buffaloes Head Coach Logan Turner. 2022: 0-10. Howe is 44 overall against Lone Oak with the series dating back to 1970 in the bidistrict championship. Howe won last season to clinch the playoffs by a score of 34-15. Lone Oak will be much improved in 2023.

Norman Dickey 1964-1975

All-time leader in wins (51).

District, Bi-District, Regional Champs.

Second in wins (41). District, Bi-District, Area Champions in 1985 and 1989. Four playoff teams.

Davey DuBose

1996-2000

Third in wins (34). District, Bi-District Champions 1998. Three playoff teams.

Zack Hudson 2013-2014

Fourth in wins (30). Most in playoff wins (5). District Champs (1), BiDistrict and Area Champs (2).

1980-1984

Fifth in wins (29). District Champions and Co-District Champions.

Leslie Walden 1938-1939

Sixth in wins (18). Had a winning percentage of .900 with a career record of 18 -2-2.

E.G.

1946-1947

Tied for seventh in wins (16). His defense in 1945 gave up zero points in the regular season

James "Blackie" Wade

1976-1979

Tied for seventh in wins (16). Brought the Victory Light to Howe.

Joey McQueen 1990-1992

Tied for seventh in wins (16) and first in playoff ties (2). District, Bi-District, Area Champions.

Howe's first head coach, Barnes Milam, seen here with the first Howe Bulldog football team in 1935.

Jim Fryar 1985-1989

John "Buck" Smith

"Jack" Osborn

L.B. Morris 1936-1937, He was Howe’s second head football coach and his 13 wins rank him 10th all-time. He is a member of the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame, Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor, and the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame.

On a field where minutes are kept, it has been over 45 million minutes between the first game at Bulldog Stadium on Oct. 3, 1935 and opening night of 2021. But in 2021 the playing surface became no longer grass (and sometimes mud). The Howe ISD Board of Trustees approved a $2 million project from Hellas Construction to rebuild the track that was originally constructed in 1986 and to place artificial turf on the football playing surface.

The school chose the top-of-theline Matrix Helix® synthetic turf system. Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation is what breaks down synthetic turf over time. The amount of play from athletes has very little effect on the overall life span.

The goal for the turf is to get the yard to stand up on end. Over time, the older turf lays flat and the flatter it lays, the more exposed it is to the UV rays.

The Helix-shaped turf fibers feature Shape Memory Technology. The fibers are curled and heat-set during the manufacturing process, allowing each fiber to spring back to its original position and secure the turf’s infill, reducing splash-out of

technology enhances the turf system’s resiliency, stability, and durability over time. The Matrix Helix synthetic turf system is also installed at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

The turf has an 8-year warranty, but the lifespan is expected to be 10-14 years.

Inside the turf are black pellets of rubber, but the installation also comes with a rubber pad underneath the turf surface for more safety.

Even if there were no black rubber pellets in the field at all, it would still pass the safety recommendation. The rubber

The crown of the field was removed and now is a flat surface from sideline to sideline. New goal posts were installed and the board decided on the “Block H” at midfield.

New fencing has been created

lane track, the concession stand would have had to be removed and the project would have gone from $2 million to approximately $10 million which relocation of bleachers on both sides of the stadium.

In 1964, Howe hired former Gunter Tiger and Austin College Kangaroo Norman Dickey as head coach. Howe had finished the ’63 season with 13 kids left on the team and Dickey went to every eligible student before his initial season and rounded up 20 kids to play football. With most of the kids underclassmen, the future looked bright for Bulldog football. Norman Dickey would go on to record more victories than any other coach in school history.

1946 team gave up 19 points in 10 games to become the best defensive team in Howe history. New coach Jack Osborne brought his undefeated record from Missouri to Howe. The Bulldogs had seven shutouts and finished the season 9-0-1. The 6-6 tie with Pilot Point cost the Bulldogs a playoff spot. Howe shared the District Championship with Pilot Point and for the first time had the label of Co-Champions. During that season, Howe sported an aerial attack for the first time with Jack Gattis throwing touchdown passes to Ned Estes time and time again.

Howe had the most successful run since the 1940s when John "Buck" Smith was hired in 1980 through the Jim Fryar years and ended with Joey McQueen at the helm in 1991. From 1984-1991, Howe made the playoffs in seven of the eight seasons back when the UIL only took two teams from each district. Howe won the district championship in 1984, 1985, 1989, and 1991. They were bidistrict champions in 1985, 1989, and 1990 and captured the area championship in 1985, 1989, and 1990.

2022 Teagan Stubblefield 2021 Avery Snapp

Erin Catching

Ally Harvey

Kindle Catching

Alli Morgan

Kaylee Dwyer

Riley Harvey

Madeline Ansley 2013 Emily Dawsey

Miranda Casteel 2011 Kathryn McGinnis 2010 Tiffani Batchelor 2009 Taylor Cook

2008 Britney Bilbrey

2007 Sigrid Debber

2006 Kiley Huntsman

2005 Andi Lands

2004 Rebecca Lowder

2003 Alison Hightower

2002 Benedicte Sebjornsen

2001 April Gregory 2000 Julie Holcomb 1999 Karra Pryor 1998 Katrina Vest 1997 Robin Davidson 1996 Tiffany Orr 1995 Sheryl Anderson

Tasha Johnson

Heather Finney

Heidi Keene

Amy Campbell

No one remembers or especially reflects through articles and holds special reunions of the ordinary team. Only the great teams that lift gold football have the honors of such. The 1998 Howe Bulldogs are one of those storied teams of yesteryear in Htown and they were recognized and honored at the Community Pep Rally on Saturday, August 19 at 7:30 pm.

Davey DuBose began his third season as the head coach of the Bulldogs in 1998. The previous season, the Dogs finished with a 6-4 record, just missing the playoffs but with wins over Gunter, Prosper, and Aubrey. But closely contested losses to Pilot Point and Van Alstyne to go along with an overloaded abundance of returning talent signaled that 1998 had the makings of something truly special. And that it was.

Howe had everything a coach wants in a favorable seven homes games, returning starters including a bruising fullback in Josh DuBose, starting quarterback Clint Grogan, a lefthanded dual-threat quarterback, a speedster receiver in Heath Horton, a big smashing offensive line, and a running back coming off a 1,242-yard season with 15 rushing touchdowns. His name was Nathanael Falls, but simply known in a 45-mile radius as “Neno.” But let’s not stop there, the defense was anchored by Justin Merchant, DuBose and slew of talent that would go on to hold their opponents to only 13.08 points per game (still 23rd all-time and 8th since 1947).

The season began with a thrashing at Bulldog Stadium over Lone Oak, 41-7 but Howe found themselves at 1-1 after being embarrassed at Massey Stadium in Pilot Point, 43-0. At the time, no one knew what was to come after that devastating loss. But the players in the locker room and their coaching staff led by DuBose longed for the opportunity to get a chance at them again and felt like there was a good chance they might.

But in the meantime, Howe reeled off 8-straight wins by an average of 41-8 on the scoreboard including a 55-0 win over Whitewright and a decisive 41-13 win over rival Van Alstyne. The 9-win regular season total was already tops in school history at the time and had them in discussion as the best team ever. But the true challenge for that title was to be tested in the first round of the playoffs. Cue the Darth Vader intro music as Howe drew none other than Pilot Point in the bi-district matchup that was to be played in their backyard of Denton ISD Stadium.

The Bulldogs and the entire city knew that the challenge was uphill, and the fans spoke under their breath hoping the Dogs would just put up a fight and make it a close game. But ‘The Deed in Denton’ was nigh upon and the locker room and their head coach had different ideas.

“I was concerned personally over how our kids would handle it,” said DuBose in a 1999 interview. “To be physically man-handled the second week of the year and now going into a bi-district game with them.”

There were many emotions leading up to the game with a community-wide pep rally with an emotional speech by a 1990 former player that faced the same situation and prevailed against Celina that year. A letter from the 1990 team, the same letter written from thenSuperintendent Pete Simmons, was distributed for the team to read on the bus to Denton.

Also, in the locker room prior to the game, a speech was given from senior Kevin Roach who had been paralyzed in a serious auto accident. He was a teammate who had been on varsity as a sophomore.

“We felt like Kevin was part of our group and should have

been on that field,” said DuBose. “I asked him to come in and give a speech to us.”

An emotional DuBose said he was left speechless and had nothing that could have been said after what Roach told them prior to the game.

“We took the field and played on emotion the first half,” said Dubose who saw the Dogs trail at the half, 7-6.

“I told them at halftime that if you remember a few months ago, we were getting beat bad at halftime,” said DuBose. “I said, ‘you’re playing these guys. You know you can play with them.’ We came out the second half and pretty much dominated.”

Howe pulled off the 8.0 Richter magnitude come-from-behind 28-14 shocker that left 2A Texas High School football in disbelief.

On the evening, the Dogs called on their horse. “Neno” carried the Bulldogs on his 6’4” frame to a tune of 31 carries for 158 yards and four touchdowns. Grogan threw for 156 yards and completed 10 of 15 passes. Horton was the leading receiver with 55 yards. The defense did allow Pilot Point 231 yards, however, Howe’s offense racked up 352.

The season ended a week later at Pennington Field where no Howe team has been successful. Boyd, perhaps the best team in 2A Texas not crowned that year served the knockout punch by a score of 28-13. But the talks of the 1998 Howe Bulldogs being the greatest team ever were in full

Howe finished 10-2 and scored 406 points while only allowing 157 that year. Only the 2015 Bulldogs have scored more (410) and had a greater points per game scored (33.83). The 2016 Howe Bulldogs that moved up to Class 3A-I and made it to the third round also have to be on the lips of the coffee shop drinkers, but the Deed in Denton ranks as if not the greatest game in school history, it’s in the same breath with the 14-14 tie with Celina that saw Howe advance on stats in the first round of the 1990 playoffs.

Falls finished his career with 3,057 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns. Tyler Grisham is the only other Bulldog to eclipse the 3,000 yard mark.

Grogan finished his career with 1,722 yards passing which is good for sixth overall in school history.

DuBose left Howe after the 2020 season. He finished his Howe career with 34 wins and 20 losses which places him third all-time on the win list for Howe head coaches only behind Norman Dickey (51) and Jim Fryar (41).

Falls and his teammates along with former head coach DuBose returned to Bulldog Stadium to be honored on their 25th anniversary as perhaps the greatest Howe Bulldogs team of the 79 that have dawned the black and white to this point.

-Howe Enterprise

discussion at the local coffee hangout.

In the early 1980s, high school mascots were not abundant in North Texas and Howe had no intentions of having one either. But a cheerleader tryout that went awry for a returning varsity cheerleader led to the creation of something great.

In the fall of 1984, the Bulldog mascot, not yet named, took the field for the first time. The Bulldogs were one of the only teams around to have a mascot, but Terry remembered the first encounter with a rival mascot.

Tina Terry, a sophomore varsity cheerleader didn't make the cut her junior year and to make things worse, her sister Tanja was selected. Both sisters and their mother Betty went cheerleader outfit shopping at the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) store in Dallas. The mom of the varsity cheerleader and former varsity cheerleader had a thought when she saw a true gray Bulldog mascot costume

"The first other mascot was in Anna, and I ended up motioning to the Anna Coyote to meet me in the middle of the field," said Terry. "We kind of did a little round of fisticuffs right before the game."

Even though Terry was the first mascot as a junior and bought the suit, Gilstrap required her to try out again against other competitors to

be mascot again her senior year. Terry won the nomination against several competitors. Once Tina Terry graduated from Howe High School in 1986, the family donated the Bulldog suit to the school. Jodi Shannon took over as the mascot and the name "Spike" first appeared that fall. Since that first fall of 1984, the Spike club has grown to several members. Following Terry and Shannon were Heather Turnbow, Brandi Whaley, Michelle Haynes, Casey Keene, Janet Middleton, Jamie Middleton, Sarah Earls, Courtney Williams, Jennifer Finney, Adrianne Tidwell, Kelly Wrede,

Melissa Boatman, Lindsay Nicholas, Ashley Stogsdill, Kelsa Bertrand, Kiley Huntsman, Tayler Earnhart, Hannah Holt, Kallie McClain, Megan Ing, Marissa Rose, Darby Stewart, Rachel White, and Chris Blaszak, Kiley Fleming, Emma Sutherland, Reagan Troxtell, Skiley Buchanan, and now Aviana Acevedo.

When Tina Terry didn't get selected for varsity cheerleader, she didn't tuck her tail, she grew one. And the Bulldogs have never been the same since.

- Howe Enterprise

Anna Bi-District Champs* forfeit

Lewisville - Bi-District (home)

Lewisville - Bi-District

Sanger - Bi-District

Frisco - Bi District

Lone Oak - Bi-District Champs

Windthorst - Regional Champs

Farmersville - Bi-District

Farmersville - Bi-District Champs

Grand Saline - Area Champs

Groveton - Regional

Pilot Point - Bi District

Farmersville - Bi-District

Royse City - Bi-District Champs

Electra - Area Champs

McGregor - Regional

Celina - Bi-District Champs

Olney - Area Champs

Mart - Regional

Van Alstyne - Bi-District

Pilot Point - Bi District Champs

Boyd - Area

Pilot Point - Bi District

Farmersville - Bi-District

Grand Saline - Bi-District

Maypearl - Area

New Boston - Area

Cooper - Bi-District

Hughes Springs - Area

Waskom - Regional

Edgewood - Bi-District

New London West Rusk - Regional

Grandview - Bi-District

Jefferson - Area

Mineola - Regional

Palmer Bi-District

Panther Stadium, Van Alstyne, TX

Bulldog Stadium, Howe, TX

Teachers College, Denton, TX

Whitesboro, TX

Newsome Stadium, McKinney, TX

Ron Poe Stadium, McKinney, TX

Leeper Stadium, Gainesville, TX

Bearcat Stadium, Sherman, TX

Warrior Stadium, Bonham, TX

Homer B. Johnson Stadium, Garland, TX

Tiger Stadium, Corsicana, TX

Clark Stadium, Plano, TX

Williams Stadium, Garland, TX

Bulldog Stadium, Howe, TX

Memorial Stadium, Wichita Falls, TX

Mesquite Memorial Stadium, Mesquite, TX

Clark Stadium, Plano, TX

UTA Maverick Stadium, Arlington, TX

Pennington Field, Bedford, TX

Clark Stadium, Plano, TX

Denton ISD Stadium, Denton, TX

Pennington Field, Bedford, TX

Pennington Field, Bedford, TX

Denton ISD Stadium, Denton, TX

Tom Kimbrough Stadium, Murphy, TX

Pirate Stadium, Wylie, TX

Wildcat Stadium, Paris, TX

Jackie Hendricks Stadium, Princeton, TX

Van Memorial Stadium, Van, TX

Rose Stadium, Tyler, TX

Royse City ISD Stadium, Royse City, TX

Forney City Bank Stadium, Forney, TX

Northwest ISD Stadium, Justin, TX

Lindale Eagle Stadium, Lindale, TX

Royse City ISD Stadium, Royse City, TX

Buffalo Stadium, Lone Oak, TX

Most points scored in a single game

Most points given up in a single game

Most points scored in a single playoff run

Most points given up in a single playoff run

Least points given up in a single playoff run

Least points scored in a single playoff run

Most wins in a single playoff run

Most ties in a single playoff run

Most wins vs. an opponent

Most losses vs. an opponent

Most games vs. an opponent

Total shutouts

Total times shutout by opponent

Last shutout by Howe

Last time shutout by opponent

Most overall points scored vs. an opponent

Most overall points given up vs. an opponent

Most wins by a head coach

Most losses by a head coach

Most playoff games started

started

started

Frisco, Farmersville (2), New Boston

Celina, Olney

all 14 wins vs. 14 different teams

Farmersville

Farmersville

Windthorst, Grand Saline

Frisco, Farmersville (2), Mart, New Boston

Grand Saline

New Boston

Hughes Springs

Lewisville, Farmersville

Zack Hudson

Jim Fryar

Andrew Griffin

Brandon Wall

Tyler Grisham

Brice Honaker

Mike Helpenstell

Clay Marshall

Tanner Hartsfield

Matt Griffin

Game Records

Yards are not a complete list (482 games have been completed). Point records are completed