Coronado High School - Legend Yearbook (El Paso, TX)

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“After a while, you really don’t think about playing in the Sun Bowl; you just concentrate on the game,” explained senior running hack, Kelly Boren. When Coronado began its final game of the regular season against Burges Nov. 16, it had already taken the district title with the win against Irvin Nov. 9. Coronado’s chances looked brighter from the first play of winning another the game after Burges running back George Downey was injured. Later in the first quarter, one of Coach Brooks’ assorted running backs, Kelly Boren, made a 21-yard dash for the first touchdown. Later, after the T-birds made the score 13-9 with a Forrest Rich touchdown, came the end of the half. Following a Boren TD, Robert Butchofsky blocked a punt and fell on it in the end zone as a result of a bad Burges snap. Both teams scored in the final stanza, to leave the score 35-7. The T-birds’ substantial victory over Burges was the first time in three years the confrontation didn’t end up in a 15-14 score. Next week on Nov. 23, Coronado again journeyed to the Sun Bowl to play 2-AAAA representative, Bel Air, for the bi-district title. Attempting to win their 10th victory on a row was not as easy a task as the other games had been for the T-birds. The Thunderbirds again became the first to put a dent on the scoreboard when quarterback Brad Robalin connected with Dave Richer at midfield. Gilbert Martinez booted in the extra point. Coronado repeatedly made costly offensive mistakes, which were apparent throughout the second half. Martinez again kicked the pigskin for a 24-yard field goal leaving the score 10-0 at the half. When the third quarter began, Bel Air took control of the game and scored later in the fourth quarter. Martinez kicked another field goal later in the quarter to finalize the tally at 13-6 with Coronado on top. Coach Brooks was not very impressed with his team’s pre- regional performance. According to tackle, David Georges, I think that Coach Brooks was hanpy that we won, but not to proud of our performance.” As the sun rose over the giant Thunderbird on the mountain, 45 hopeful football players and a tense coaching and training staff boarded a chartered bus headed for Lubbock, for the regional play-offs against Lubbock Monterey. Their disappointing performance against the Bel Air Highlanders brought about a great show' of dedication from the team members as well as the coaches. Many an hour was spent viewing films of the Monterey Plainsmen and their awesome running back Willie Johnson. A FLEET OF T-BRID running backs is led against the Monterey Plainsmen by senior Steve Nichols. Following are quarterback Brad Robalin and back Forrest Rich.

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for a 32-yard scoring pass tying the game at seven each. Minutes later Doug Simms booted a 39-yard field goal for Coronado’s first lead of the game. Touchdowns by Forrest Rich, Matt Bautista and Blake Jameson put the T-birds out of reach at the half 31-7. Midway through the third quarter, Kelly Boren bullied 14 yards to Eaydirt, raising the count 38-7. Asperate efforts by the Foxes brought the score within ten points 38-28, but once again Boren took the glitter out of that effort by running 85 yards for a touchdown, giving the T-birds a 45-28 Homecoming victory. The T-birds next hit the road to put their unmarred district record against the El Paso High Tigers Nov. 2 at Jones Stadium. The eager T hird squad started full blast by scoring on all its first three possessions. Forrest Rich and Jay Saad scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter, sending the T-birds into the locker room with a 35-0 lead. As the second half to underway, Coach Brooks emptied Coronado’s bench, resulting in five more touchdowns for the invincible T-bird team, while the frustrated Tigers continually failed to reach paydirt. Coronado came away with not only a 68-0 victory, but also with what ranked as one of the highest margins of defeat ever forced on the Tigers in their long history. On Nov. 9. 45 armor-clad” football players ventured from the watchful gaze of the mighty Thunderbird to the other side of the mountain in eager expectation, knowing that a victory against the Irvin Rockets would give them the district title. At 7:30 both teams settled down for a long game, but after a scoreless first quarter, anxiety began to be felt by both players and fans. Relief was finally felt by the cheering T hird supporters when Steve Nichols scored to put Coronado on top 7-0 at the half. A determined T hird crew charged forth from the locker room at the start of the second half, willing to do just about anything for the prized district crown. A 39-yard sprint by- Mike Jarvis for six points early in the third quarter brought closer and closer the realization of being district champions. With the score 14-0, the spirited T-bird fans continually prodded their team onward. With 4:26 left in the third quarter. Jay Saad followed fullback Bobby Butchofsky’s block through the line for a 21-0 Coronado lead. Although a last effort by the Rockets gave them six points, the game was ended and the triumphant Thunderbirds had firmly clinched their first outright district championship in three years. DURING A TIMK OUT. linebacker Bobby Butchofsky asks head ci»ach Don Brooks for some advice on a special play. {GAINING YARDAGK for a first down, running back Forrest Kit h sidesteps an Andress defender. v WITH THK All) of the offensive line's block- ing. running back Kelly Boren escapes a tackle for yardage against the Irvin Rockets. varsity football 127

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'H ,J „l +. fenders. rt Martinez successfully kicks the ball igh the uprights. VARSITY FOOTBALL 11-2 8 14 Permian 21 9 Ysleta 35 12 Palo Duro 28 6 Andress 33 0 Bowie 35 0 Austin 45 28 Jefferson 68 0 El Paso 21 7 Irvin 35 7 Burges 13 6 Bel Air 24 8 Monterey i 15 Lewisville ♦JUNIOR MATT BAUTISTA proudly displays his feelings about being a regional champ. On Dec. 1. all of the long hours and krd work paid off as the fired-up T- rd squad blasted their way to a 28-8 ctory over the favored Plainsmen, d the long-awaited regional title. Jay Saad got the game going for ie T-birds midway through the first [tarter, when he stripped the ball pay from Monterey’s Willie Johnson i the Coronado 24-yard line. Twelve ays and 57 yards later, Robalin fted the ball to Brian Peer in the id zone for the only score of the t st half. iAs the third quarter got underway, teve Nichols recovered a Willie )hnson fumble on Monterey’s 17- ird line to put Coronado back into ;oring position. Robalin spotted ide-open Forrest Rich in the end ne for the score, and the extra bint by Gilbert Martinez raised the mint to 14-0. With three minutes left in the third uarter, Monterey scored and added le two-point conversion to cut the '-bird lead to 14-8. The determined T-bird team ■fused to let the Monterey iuchdown dampen its spirits. In the fourth quarter, Coach Brooks gave Martinez the chance to show off his kicking leg for a field goal attempt from 42 yards out. The kick was good and Coronado owned a nine point lead. With 29 seconds left in the game, Jay Saad reached pay dirt from one yard out to end the afternoon’s play with a 24-8 victory. On Dec. 7, proud T-bird members wearing three-piece suits and cowboy- hats, strutted onto an airplane, on their way to Dallas, Texas Stadium and the quarterfinal playoffs against the Lewisville Farmers. At 2 p.m. on Dec. 8, the huge stadium was far from being filled, and the Lewisville crowd greatly out- numbered the small, but energetic Coronado bunch. The game started on a grim note for the T-birds when offensive tackle David Georges was sidelined with a head injury. Moments later senior end Brian Peer was carried off on a stretcher with a recurring neck injury. The Farmers’ towering defense continued to penetrate Coronado’s offensive line to reach Robalin and his backfield mates before some of his handoffs were even completed. Midway through the second quarter, the Farmers scored from five yards out to take the lead. After fruitlessly trying to move the ball, Coronado kicked the ball away and Lewisville started its second scoring drive. Starting quarterback Hal Stewart found a receiver open for a Farmer 'I'D with 35 seconds on the clock, the extra point was no good, and the score was 13-0 at the half. The Birds gained momentum early in the third quarter after Robert Butchofsky recovered a Farmer fumble 28 yards from Lewisville’s end zone. Long gains by Mike Jarvis and Forrest Rich enabled Robalin to carry the ball into the end zone from the one-yard line for a T-bird score. The fans were on the edges of their seats when Coronado faked a Martinez 49-yard field goal attempt on fourth down, but all hopes for a possible touchdown were crushed when Robalin’s pass sailed out of bounds. The final straw that broke the T- birds’ back was a high snap from center Mark Musgrave over Rich’s head late in the third quarter with the T-birds in punt formation. Rich was standing on his own 15 when the ball flew by him. He raced into the end zone and caught up with it a step before he went out of the end zone for a safety and Lewisville’s final two points. As the seconds ticked away and the game ended, the players’ dream of winning the quarterfinal championship faded out of sight. But even greater than the feeling of defeat, was an overwhelming feeling of pride in themselves and their school. • WITH THE AID of the T-bird offensive line, senior Forrest Rich scrambles for yardage in the Cowboy Stadium. varsity football 129