High school athletics keep towns connected

Ray Swindle/Telegram file Temple running back Samari Howard scores a touchdown during the Wildcats’ playoff game in December 2020 against Rockwall-Heath.

BY JOSH WEAVER

TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

Not long after Temple played Dallas Highland Park in the 2016 Class 5A Division I football state championship game, Amy ShawWilliams stood in one of the grand foyers of AT&T Stadium and got right to the heart of it all.

“It doesn’t matter how far the team goes, win or lose, we are going to support the team. And I think (the players) see that and they see how much Temple loves them, and we’ll go to the ends of the Earth for them,” ShawWilliams, a 1991 Temple grad, said that winter afternoon.

“Our heart bleeds blue.”

That was the case for many that particular Saturday in December, for many long before that, many today and many, many more in the future — even with the town’s evolving landscape — because roots are firmly planted.

Temple residents live and breathe the deep, longstanding Wildcats traditions and they especially embrace their student-athletes through thick and thin, never resisting great lengths to show it.

Around Temple it’s known as Wildcat Nation.

At Belton High it’s Big Red.

During its Class 3A football state title run in 2017, Rockdale had the initials “TFND” — which stood for Tiger Fight Never Dies — on its jerseys. It was a particularly stirring motto that year as the town rallied around one of the players after his father died.

Following his final high school game in 2016, former Temple football standout Ta’Quon Graham — who in April was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons after a four-year career with the Texas Longhorns — described what Wildcat Nation represents.

“It just means that we have a whole lot of support backing us win, lose or draw, and you can’t ask for anything more from a fan base to be there game in and game out,” Graham said. “I love our fan support … and it’s just a great town to live in and be in, and be a part of.”

Surrounding communities — from Troy to Salado over to Holland, Cameron and Buckholts and more — also have their own brand of fervor, which was necessary and needed during the pandemic, when portions of the 2020-21 athletic season were carried out with attendance restrictions.

Support at home or on the road miles away certainly goes beyond the gridiron, too.

School pride overflows from every venue.

In August, mask requirements didn’t dampen the crowd at a Rogers’ season-opening volleyball match — a five-set comeback win for the Lady Eagles that was well-attended even by visiting Fairfield fans.

Ray Swindle/Telegram file Lake Belton’s Casey Schultz hits a two-run home run in the third inning of the Lady Broncos’ 4-1 win over Robinson in May in an area-round series opener.

Ray Swindle/Telegram file Academy’s Chris Preddie (23) tries to put up a shot over San Antonio Cole’s Adreaell Ray during a state semifinal game in March in Buda.

Jon Farrow/Telegram file Troy’s Kaycee Cavanaugh attacks against the block of Salado’s Lainey Taylor (24) during the Trojanettes’ four-set victory in September.

In March, Academy boys basketball faithful filled to the brim their allotted section of Buda Hays’ Oran Bales Gymnasium when the Bees battled San Antonio Cole in the Class 3A state semifinals — which capped Academy’s best season since 2002.

First-year athletic programs at Lake Belton already boast their throngs of avid followers, many of whom have tagged along during the spring as the Broncos baseball and softball teams advanced deep into the playoffs.

During the 2020-21 school year area athletes/teams advanced to the state championships in cross country, tennis, basketball, soccer, golf, track and field, wrestling and powerlifting.

As a small sampling of the area’s rich athletic history, across football, basketball, baseball and softball, teams have combined for 30 state championships.

Success, certainly, is fun to celebrate. But, after all the practices and games, it goes back to being part of something much bigger.

“Wildcat Nation is such an effective culture because the team is part of the culture. That’s the difference to me,” Temple head coach Scott Stewart told the Telegram in 2016. “These kids love seeing the fans, and those people love their football team.”

High schools in the Telegram sports’ coverage area Temple Academy Bartlett Belton Bruceville-Eddy Buckholts Cameron Yoe Central Texas Christian Copperas Cove Gatesville Granger Harker Heights Holland Holy Trinity Catholic Jarrell Killeen Killeen Ellison Killeen Shoemaker Lake Belton Lampasas Moody Rockdale Rogers Rosebud-Lott Salado Troy

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM

Locally owned and helping businesses grow into the future. Keeping you informed and keeping our community connected are central to our mission.

PRINT

Every day news, advertisements, classifieds, and sports from your local community. Sundays feature local businesses, arts and entertainment. Special inserts include Parade Magazine, Sports and other TDT publications.

ONLINE

Full access to www.tdtnews.com is included at no additional charge with every print subscription. Go online with your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone for breaking news, read the “E-edition” of the newspaper and access our electronic archives from anywhere in the world.

LIVING

Distributed 4 times a year, Tex Appeal is all about Central Texas living… the people, the places and the things that make us appealing. Come dine with us, shop with us and travel with us. The journey will be amazing. Copies can also be picked up at select advertiser locations and the Telegram office.

Life and Style in Central Texas

Paying It Forward KAREN CLOS GIVES BACK AT TAMUCT

ROYCE CRAWFORD CONTINUES HER SON‘S LEGACY Cherished Memories

Summer 2021

Offering Insurance

ALLISON FINNEY KEEPS THE FAMILY BUSINESS GOING

CENTRAL TEXAS TICKETS

DENISE AYERS LEADS CTE PROGRAM AT TEMPLE HIGH SCHOOL Making Connections

WOMEN IN BUSINESS ISSUE Colonial Property Management IN THE SPOTLIGHT

TICKETS.COM Powered by Frank Mayborn Enterprises CENTRALTEXAS CentralTexasTickets.com was launched in January 2019 to provide an affordable, local online marketplace for Central Texas organizations, businesses and venues to promote and sell tickets to their events. Since then nearly 100 events and performances have been promoted with 14,000 tickets sold, generating more than $200,000 for local organizations.

TDT EVENTS

The Day for Women is a well-established, well-attended event in its 17th year, with over 40 vendors all under one roof. Each year the event draws an average of 500 attendees who look forward to shopping with the many local businesses and the keynote speaker at the luncheon.

For subscription information visit www.tdtnews.com or call 254-778-4444