Vol 119 | Issue 24
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Publishing since 1913
Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Undisputedly earned SHSU wins first solo conference title in university history By Zach Birdsong Sports Editor The Bearkat football team made sure that nobody was going to stop them as they cruised past the Northwestern State Demons, 43-17, and won the first undisputed Southland Conference title in school history on Saturday. While the school has previously won three conference championships (1991, 2001,
2004), they were all split championships. As well as securing the first undisputed conference title, SHSU became the first Texas member of the conference to go unbeaten and untied in the conference. The team also improved to 10-0 (7-0 in SLC) this season and jumped up to number 2 in the Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) rankings and received 71 first place votes, five away from
being tied with Montana State for the number 1 spot. After North Dakota State (previous number one team)
lost, the Bearkats are the only unbeaten FCS school and are currently riding the longest winning streak in all of division I football (12). The winning streak is tied for the longest in school history which was set in between 1955 and 1957. As the final seconds of the clock ran down on Saturday, head coach Willie Fritz was hit with a Gatorade bath as the team celebrated in the middle of the field as Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett
presented the conference trophy to the Fritz. “It was awesome,” linebacker Kash David said. “Being a senior and going out with a championship, that’s what every player across the nation dreams about. They want to go undefeated and win their conference championship. My dream came true tonight. It took five years, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” — See CHAMPS, page 4
INDEX
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The History ........... pg. 2 The History ............ pg. 3 The Present ............ pg. 4 The Present ............ pg. 5 Special .................... pg. 6
THE PAST
Page 2 Tuesday, November 15 , 2011
Still successful 55 years later
How ‘11 is the new ‘56 By Zach Birdsong Sports Editor
The 2011 SHSU football team has been on a roll this season, and they will be competing for their first undefeated season since 1956 on Saturday. While this year’s team stands alone as being one of the better teams that Sam Houston has put on the field, the comparisons between 1956 are present and vivid. In 1956, under head coach Paul Pierce, the team battled their way to a perfect 9-0 regular season and competed in the last ever Refrigerator bowl game against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. Sam Houston won that game, 27-13, and continued on to complete its perfect 10-0 season. In between 1955-57, the team was able to win 12 games in a row and set the school record for the
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longest winning streak. In 1964, the team gave a valiant effort and won their first eight games of the season. The team would finish 9-1-1 and were named National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NIAA) Co-Champions. This season, under head coach Willie Fritz, the team has ran rampant through opponents and has now matched the 1956 team, now 10-0 on the season, and is currently riding its own 12-game winning streak (the longest current streak in all of Division I football). Led by the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) secondranked defense, the Bearkat football team now finds themselves ranked number 2 in the country, the highest ranking in school history, and is five votes away from being tied with Montana State for the top spot in the nation. The team will travel to San Marcos this Saturday and take on the Texas State Bobcats in the final game of the regular season. If the team is able to defeat the Bobcats, they will receive a first round bye into the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. While it’s not a guarantee, the athletic department is hopeful that Sam Houston State will be able to host three playoff games this year. “It’s possible that Sam Houston could host as many as four home playoff games beginning as early as Thanksgiving
NOW AND THEN. The 1956 SHSU football team, top, held many school records until the current team, members of which can be seen celebrating the recent Southland Conference victory below, met or broke many of the previous team’s records. Currently, the 2011 team is ranked No. 2 in the nation, with Montana State ranked No. 1. The current team will face off against Texas State in San Marcos on Saturday in their last regular season game. This year is the first time the Bearkats claimed sole possesssion of the SLC championship.
weekend,” Bobby Williams, director of athletics, said. “But the more likely scenario is that Sam Houston will receive a first round bye and would begin play on Saturday, December 3.”
The tournament bracket will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 20 on a special that will air on ESPNU. For more information about the team, visit gobearkats.com.
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AD DEADLINES Tuesday’s Issue - Friday 5 p.m.
FLIPPING FOR IT. This year’s game against Stephen F. Austin State University, otherwise known as the Battle of the Piney Woods, held at Reliant Stadium in Houston, wasn’t the first time a member of the Bearkat football team flipped over another player in an effort to make it across the goal line. No. 44, seen above, flipped over an opposing player during a game in 1956.
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A LONG HISTORY. While many Bearkats remain unaware of the school’s history, the university has several championships under its belt, though this year is the first time it was taken solo.
IS PRESENT
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All photos from Houstonian Archives
PUSHING FORWARD. In 1964, under the direction of head coach Paul Pierece the Bearkat football team won their first 8 games of the season as they went on to finish 9-1-1 and were named NAIA Co-Champions. The rest of the 1960’s didn’t bode well for the Bearkats as they finished below a .500 winning percentage in three out of the five seasons.
OVER THE EDGE. Terry Sweeny of Midde Tennessee State University is tackled by Bobby Lynch of Sam Houston State Teachers College in the Refrigerator Bowl. The Bearkats would ultimately claim victory in this 1956 game over MTSU 27-13.
THEN AND NOW. Quarterback Ronnie Choate of Sam Houston State Teachers College pushes forward over the line of a 1956 game against Texas A&I. The Bearkats would take the game by a score of 28-14. Choate would also win several national titles in golf as well as coach SHSU’s men’s golf team to success for several decades.
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THE FALL AND RISE. Bearkats in the 1970’s saw success early on in 1970 when their record was 8-2-1. The team progressively got worse, having losing records throughout the rest of the decade including a 1-10 record in 1977. Coach Ron Randallman in 1984 and 1985 brought the Bearkats out of their slump gaining the best record in over a decade. In 1986 the Bearkats played their way into the first round of the FCS tournament, only their first year as a Division I team. Randleman would lead the Kats to three more appearances in the playoffs. In 1991, the team entered the first round of the NCAA tournament but were knocked off in that same round. In 2001, the team made their way to a quarterfinal appearance. In 2004, the team went 11-3 in the season and continued their wave of victory to a semifinal appearance. This year, the team wants to go all the way.
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Page 4 Tuesday, November 15, 2011
THE JOURNEY TO
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LET’S GO, 1-0. Offensive lineman Chris Crockett, senior, and running back Tim Flanders, sophomore, celebrate with team mates after winning the Southland Conference Championship undisputedly for the first time in university history. The Bearkats will conclude their regular season schedule against Texas State University in San Marcos on Saturday. Afterwards, the Kats will begin the NCAA Division IAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. As of November 14, SHSU is ranked No. 2 in the nation and holds the longest active winning streak in all of Division I football.
Sincere in the “Wild Bearkat” formation and Demons linebacker Anthony Gilbert recovered the ball in the endzone. page 1 The Kats took their first offensive drive David was one of 12 seniors who were of the third quarter down for a touchdown. honored before the game, as it would be Bell, in trouble, was flushed out of the their last regular season home game of pocket and found Flanders open downfield their collegiate career. for a 35-yard touchdown, widening the Early and often in the game, the lead to 30-7. offense clicked and they racked up 443 The Demons added a field goal as kicker yards. Running back Tim Flanders, John Shaugnessy made a 34-yard field quarterback Brian Bell and wide receiver goal. Richard Sincere led the way for the Two plays later, the Kats scored again offense, combining as Sincere ran for a 12-yard for 425 yards and five touchdown that was set up touchdowns. “We’re not done yet by the previous play when On the first drive of Flanders ran for a 43-yard and we’ve got six gain. the game, the Kats took the ball downfield for a The Kats finished their more weeks of going scoring 5-play, 82-yard drive on the next drive 1-0....We still have a after Bell connected with that was capped off by a 36-yard touchdown for a 62-yard lot of football left to Sincere run by Sincere. touchdown. play” On the following The Demons capped kickoff the Kats forced off the scoring and added -Linebacker their first turnover of one more late in the fourth the day as the Demons quarter as running back Kash David fumbled the ball away. D.J. Palmer ran for a 1-yard On the first play of touchdown. the second quarter, “We are really excited, Flanders scored his first touchdown of happy and proud that we came away with the day on a 15-yard run, giving him 18 this hard fought victory,” Fritz said. “I rushing touchdowns on the season. know I sound like a broken record, but I After the Kats added a 38-yard field really feel like I have the best coaching staff goal by Craig Alaniz to increase the lead in the country. Those guys do a tremendous to 16-0, the defense again stepped up job. I’m really proud of our seniors. Those and safety Darnell Taylor intercepted guys embraced me and the coaching staff, Demons quarterback Brad Henderson and they made it a heck of a lot quicker and returned it for a 23-yard touchdown. transition that most people that we would The Demons would add a touchdown have had.” on a bad snap that went over the head of Next, the Kats will travel to San Marcos to take on Texas State (6-5) and are looking to become the second undefeated team in school history, the first being in 1956. “We’re not done yet and we’ve got six more weeks of going 1-0,” David said. “Once we watch the tape on Monday, it’s 1-0 next week. This is a great feeling and we are going to enjoy it tonight, but it’s not over yet. We still have a lot of football left to play.” Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 3 p.m.
From CHAMPIONS
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JUKING OUT THE DEFENDER. Running back Tim Flanders jukes out Northwestern State defender Derek Rose. Flanders finished the game with 145 rushing yards and 2 total touchdowns.
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
HURDLING THE OBSTACLES. Wide receiver Richard Sincere jumps over an SHSU offensive lineman to score against Northwestern State on Saturday. Sincere had a stand out performance in the game and ran for 75 yards and two touchdowns.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Page 5 Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Moments to Remember
BEARKATS BY THE NUMBERS
1) SLC Victory
2
Saturday night, the Bearkat football team clinched their first undisputed Southland Conference Championship in school history after defeating the Northwestern State Demons 43-17. Despite having won the Southland Conference title previously three times in history (1991, 2001, 2004) they had all been split-championships. SHSU went 7-0 in the SLC and became the first Texas member of the conference to go unbeaten and untied in the conference.
398
Points scored
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
2) Flanders’ Flip
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
During the “Battle of the Piney Woods” rivalry game against Stephen F. Austin, running back Tim Flanders had a stand out play. In the middle of the third quarter, SHSU had the ball and was lined up at the nine yard line. Quarterback Brian Bell handed the ball off to Flanders and from there Flanders barraged his way to the goal after attempting to jump over SFA defender Josh Aubrey, Flanders wasn’t quite successful and flipped across the goal line. The play went viral and was included on SportsCenter’s top 10 the Monday after and later was nicknamed the “Flanders Flip.” At the post game press conference, head coach Willie Fritz was asked about the play. Fritz jokingly responded with “I told him he should have kept his feet.”
3) Beating SFA
2520
Rushing yards
1675
Passing yards
188
To the delight of many SHSU fans, the Bearkats chewed up and spit out the Stephen F. Austin State University’s Lumberjacks at Reliant Stadium on Oct. 8. After an early field goal by the Lumberjacks put them in the lead, that was the last time they would have it. The Bearkats would go on to win 45-10 for their fifth season win. Though they got the win the team isn’t gloating. “We are just trying to stay humble,” linebacker Darius Taylor said, who finished with two interceptions. “We’re just taking it one game at a time, and we are just trying to keep this thing rolling.” Although the team stayed humble, students, alumni and the rest of the university community will hold the victory and experience as a personal trophy for the rest of their lives.
First downs
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4) OT Victory at
New Mexico
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FCS ranking
At the end of September the football team traveled to Albuquerque, NM., to take on the Division I-FBS New Mexico Lobos. The team was able to etch out a win in Overtime, 48-45. The win marked the third in school history that Sam Houston was able to beat an FBS opponent (2000 & 2001). The offense was able to generate 547 yards of total offense and the game was highlighted by running back Tim Flanders who finished with 194 yards and set a school record for most rushing touchdowns with five. Down 35-21 in the fourth quarter, the Lobos battled back and sent the game into overtime. The Lobos started overttime with the ball and settled for a field goal. SHSU responded with a with a touchdown by Flanders which ended the game.
5) Decimating the Cardinals
53
Touchdowns
652
Total plays
7190
Avg. attendance
Going up against a new-program in the Lamar University Cardinals, the Bearkats were predicted to have a tough time against the Cardinal offense that, at the time, was ranked amongst the top of Southland Conference teams. However, the Cardinals became the eighth victim of the Bearkat team. The scoring started early and on the first offensive play of the game, Kats quarterback Brian Bell hit wide receiver Richard Sincere for a 77-yard touchdown. “We’ve been working on that play all week,” Sincere said. “People know we can run the ball, so it was just a good play. Our O-line gave the quarterback time to get me the ball and I just tried to sell blocking. I came off and there was nobody to be found.”
34:02 Avg. possession Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
time