Last week we included the description of Coach Gilbreath’s first two years with the Gobblers. In addition to arduous off-season training, Gilbreath “resolved to field the very best athletes – period. It didn’t matter the color of your skin, whether your parents were employees of the school, whether your father was the mayor or president of the school board - if an athlete came in with the proper attitude, had sufficient knowledge of the game, was physically up to the challenges of his program, and was willing to contribute as a team player, he could be a starter.”
This set the team on a successful trajectory that culminated in a 1973 state championship win.
1974 – (15-0) Backto- Back One might find it puzzling to ponder how a team could improve on a perfect season, but that was the mindset of the coaching staff and the goal of the ’74 squad. As the non-district schedule played out, the Gobblers won decisively over: Yoakum (36-0), Victoria Stroman (230), Edna (23-6), Samuel Clemens (39-0), and Refugio (56-0), racking up four shutouts, with only a single score by the Edna Cowboys allowed by the Gobbler defense.
Realignment prior to the season had removed San Antonio Judson and Samuel Clemens from the District 14AAA lineup, and added back Pleasanton and a new-comer, San Antonio Southside. District results fell right in step, with victories over: Gonzales (550), East Central (346), Pleasanton (28-0), Southside (74-0), and New Braunfels Canyon (7-0). Cuero’s defense shutout four district foes and the Gobblers achieved a second perfect 10-win regular season.
***** On November 15th, Cuero and their District 14-AAA arch-rival Uvalde Coyotes met once again in the first round of the playoffs. Buster savored a 21-0 shutout against the once dominant Uvalde pack. In the Bi-District matchup on November 22nd, against the Brazosport Exporters, the Gobblers went in at halftime with a 7-6 lead. With five minutes remaining on the game clock, trailing 13-7, Cuero took possession near mid-field and six plays later scored and converted the point after touchdown to nudge out a 14-13 win.
Then on Friday, November 29th, Cuero faced the Gregory-Portland Wildcats in quarter- final competition. In the opening period, following a fumble, Cuero took possession on the G-P 14, and in four plays scored the first touchdown of the game. The point-after failed, and the Gobblers led 6-0.
Late in the second quarter, the Wildcats blocked a punt and took over on the Cuero 19. After a first down at the nine, the G-P quarterback completed a pass into the end-zone for a score. With the point after good, the Wildcats escaped into the locker room at halftime leading 7-6.
In the third period, after being pinned deep, a short Cuero punt gave G-P the ball on the Cuero 35. Following a pass interference call on the Gobblers, the Cats had a first down on the Cuero 16. Several plays later from the eightyard- line, a G-P rusher broke several tackles and crossed the goal for a touchdown. The point after failed, but the Wildcats extended their lead to 13-6.
After the ensuing kickoff, Cuero’s offense took possession on its own 26. Four explosive rushing plays later, the Gobblers hit paydirt for their second score, and the game was tied at 13 apiece. With valuable ticks dwindling, the official statistician informed both benches that not only was the score tied, penetrations were also even at 3-3, and G-P had an advantage on first downs 13 to 9.
Gregory-Portland took possession and began slowly moving downfield while eating up those precious seconds from the game clock. A Wildcat offensive player was flagged for holding, and their drive stalled forcing a punt. A short kick into the stiff breeze gave the Gobblers one final chance from their 37-yard-line. A defensive holding call after Cuero’s first down pass attempt moved the Gobbler line of scrimmage to exactly midfield.
Desperation time caused tempers on both sides to flare, and the Cats were penalized for piling on. A Gobbler running play gave Cuero the needed yardage to win the game strictly on penetrations. All that was needed at that point was for the Gobblers to retain possession and drain the remaining seconds from the scoreboard clock.
Coach Gilbreth did not savor winning by the first down scenario. The offense continued to move forward, and another piling on penalty gave Cuero the ball on the G-P six. Three plays later, with twelve seconds remaining, Cuero scored the 19-13 go-ahead touchdown. The playoff series with Gregory-Portland, dating back to the 1970 season, concluded that night with three quarter- final victories for Cuero.
The Gobblers’ AAA semifinal bracket pitted 13-0 Cuero against 12-0 Jacksonville. The game was played at 8:00 PM Friday, December 6th in Kyle Field at College Station. Brownwood faced Gainesville in the other semifinal.
The Jacksonville Indians were one of those Cinderella teams the prognosticators had overlooked for most of the season. From late August, Cuero had consistently ranked in the top three by Harris and the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Jacksonville hadn’t placed in the top ten until mid-November. Nevertheless, they had churned out an undefeated season, making them a venerable threat to halt the Gobblers playoff run.
Cuero took charge in the first half, putting up a robust 24-7 lead prior to intermission. In the third quarter, Cuero scored again stretching the advantage to 31-7. The Jacksonville gang was determined not to go easy into the night, mounting a desperate fourth-quarter rally and scoring twice before the clock expired. The final touchdown was a 52-yard pass to end the night’s tally at 31-21. With the win, the Gobblers would advance to the AAA title matchup as the defending champion with a perfect 14-0 season, and an admirable 29-game winning streak.
In the other semi-final contest, played at Baylor Stadium in Waco, the unranked Gainesville Leopards, in the final period, completed a 21-yard touchdown pass against the #3 Brownwood Lions with one second remaining on the game clock. The extra- point attempt failed as the clock expired; the scoreboard exposing the final score: Gainesville 20 – Brownwood 20.
With penetrations also tied at four apiece, Gainesville got the nod to advance on first downs by the narrowest of margins: 16-15. Had the Lions been able to move forward to the championship game with Cuero, it would have been a rematch of 1970 final, but fate would not oblige the Gobblers a second go at Brownwood.
The seemingly obvious field choice for the game against Gainesville was Baylor Stadium in Waco. Coach Gilbreth convinced the opposing coach to play the State game at 8:00PM Friday night December 13th at Kyle Field in College Station, the same venue Cuero had just played in to defeat Jacksonville in the semi-final.
From north of Dallas, the Leopards would be on buses close to four hours to Kyle Field; the Gobblers travel time was 2-1/2 hours. This gave the Gobblers a slim comfort advantage; shorter travel time, and playing in familiar environs. The media polling prophets had Gainesville as ten-point underdogs. Gametime weather conditions at College Station for the State Final, similar to the 1970 championship game in Austin, were not ideal for ball handling.
Going into the locker room at halftime, two rushing touchdowns by the Gobblers had generated a 13-0 lead over the Leopards. Gainesville made it a one-possession game in the third quarter, with 13-7 posted on the scoreboard. Still in the third period, the Gobblers put up another rushing touchdown, advancing their lead to 19-7. In the final quarter, opponents traded possession several times with no additional scoring, and the clock expired.
With the victory, the Gobblers had successfully defended their State title, recorded back-to-back perfect seasons, increased the string of wins to 30 games; and their outright domination over a two-year period had solidified Cuero’s claim as a legitimate high-school football dynasty. Pride in the program was a given - by the coaches, school, and the community. Even neighboring towns and regular-season foes sent their congratulations.
