John F Kennedy High School - Universe Yearbook (San Antonio, TX)

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UPSET OF WHEATLY STILL SWEET TD MATA By Harry Page Express-News Staff Writer ome guys just refuse to take all the credit for their success. It wasn t just me said Frank Mata, who led the Kennedy Rockets to their first district football title in 1968. It was not a one-man show. I had tremen- dous support. It's embarassing when people come up and say 'you were the greatest. ' Mata, who has been the athle- tic coordinator at Rhodes Mid- dle School in the San Antonio Independent School District the past four years, was the city's big-school scoring champion in 1968. He scored 16 touchdowns for 96 points - two more than Seguin's Cleveland Vann. Ted Gosline of Class 2A Randolph scored 104 points that season. The 5-foot-7 All-City running back rushed for more than 1,300 yards and passes for three touch- downs during his senior season. Good athletes We had a bunch of good ath- letes said Mata, and we all knew it. We knew what we could do. It was obvious that Kennedy had great talents because we also won district titles in track and baseball that school year. Mata noted that athletes like Fernando Moreno, Jimmie and Mario Gutierrez, David Castillo, Alfred Lozano, Israel Torres, Raymond Rodriguez, Ernest Vil- lafranco, Charles Sandefur, Lon- nie Felton, Felipe Aguillon, Ru- ben Villegas, Daniel Juarez, johnny Felan and Victor Garcia deserved more than their share of credit for the Rockets' success in sports during 1968-69. Mata was the District 32-4A 100 yard dash champion with a 10.2. clocking, was second in the 22.0-yard ff- SA I S D EQUSIQI I Name: Frank Mata Age: 37 Best known as: All-City running back at Kennedy High School in 1968. Currently: Athletic coordinator at Rhodes Middle School. dash and anchored Kennedy's win- ning 440-yard relay team in 41.8 at Larredo. He also was the starting centerfielder on the baseball team and hit .34O. In all sports, especially football, the guys on the second and third teams were so intense in practice that it made us play better, said the 37-year-old coach. It got us ready to play against our oppo- nents. Lions avenged loss One would argue that Kennedy's 60-56 win over jay in 1983, in which fullback Albert Benavides scored a city-record seven touch- downs, would be the Rockets' greatest upset. Football purists however, would contend that Kennedy's 21-14 win over the Wheatly Lions on Nov. 7, 1968, was one of the biggest sur- prises in the city's grid history. In that game, Mata scored on a 24-yard touchdown run and passed to Villafranco for another touch- down in the first quarter, and scored what proved to be the win- ning touchdown on a 58-yard inter- ception return in the third period. Wheatley, the eventual city champion, had entered the contest with 14 straight wins, including a string of six consecutive shutouts, a string of 19 shutout quarters, and tradition against Kennedy, then in only its sixth year. The Lions and their famous Wrecking Crew did get their re- venge by beating Kennedy, 48-0, two weeks later in district. Mata did not play in that game because of an elbow injury sus- tained in a 14-13 loss to arch rival Edgewood the week before. That year, Wheatly lost to Austin Rea- gen, 37-6, in the Class 4A quarterfi- nals. Yes my fondest memories was beating Wheatly, said Mata. Warren Woodson, who was athle- tic director at Trinity at the time, said it was the greatest all-around individual football performance he had ever seen. That made it more meaningful. I knew I had a good game but I didn't think it was that good when we faced Wheatly the second time and I was on the side- lines. Kennedy, which finished in a co- championship with Laredo Martin, finished 7-4 that season, also losing to unbeaten Holy Cross l21-191 and Lanier Q14-121. Ironically, Rhodes is one of Laniers feeder schools. The Rocket team was coached by Buster Gilbreth, who would later win a pair of state titles at Cuero. I played sports from sunrise to sunset on the fields where I was raised in Mirasol Courts. Mata said I never saw a basketball court, and I guess that's why I didn't play it in high school. I was always playing with the big guys. Plus, I had some older brothers who were good athletes but never played in high school. Mata eventually went to Trinity but injuries ended his career after two years. As a freshman, he was the Tigers' top rusher and scored a pair of TD's. He eventually re- ceived his degree from St. Mary's in 1976. Sports

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4 7 STUDE T TRAINERS At right, Trainers: Terry Galdeano, Terri Almaraz, Mi- chelle Galindo, Carmen Gutierrez, and Sandra Ca- lindo. Middle Left: If I do it with my eyes closed, it may come out right, hopes Terri Almaraz. Middle right: Terry wonders if her name will appear in the newspaper today. Below: Do you really know what you're doing, Sandy? asks Michelle Galindo. Bottom Right: I don't think anyone will notice if I take a quick drink, decides Marisol Cantu. Ffa, . '- -r f , 1 ,1 ' - ,.'r v ' i f ,i Q K ' Y .' 5.19. 0 -' - 1 -1 - g t T Y .V fV--f , ymfafaihf - Q wav' ., ts i .Q 2' an Y N f of ywstsifzbf ,Y i , .2 -1, ,fa.,fv.W.. . 4 f , ,, W Y ,,',t , ai , f V ' , K. I - x Sports ,fy .. A V, 5 4 ' ' , , Wi . ,. . W W ' . V Q F Q , V' , ' V W I 'JWW ,S QW , I , 1 , ,,,, 1, , , ,,.,,,. ,,t V ..- V -. 'wwf' 3 i , if ., , ,'gy:Zl',:-lg .:,'ffs. ' 4 fffg35f'i'Hg-.Gere i V- ' - 1: if , , ,, ,,,,.,, M W , - f f ete , A E ,, Q V ' -V I , ' Z K - 15: V .- l wink . 5gri?!fi 2g15'.:- - 1 , fix, f' ti , ,iw f ' - M ,Q 1 ' K 1-,: 'I ell ff - ' - ' i' . H 'V ' ff F Q 1.329 ff V2 af 5352 fi!! 5 5 ., . e,,,a,se f eeef esa -Q

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