Six-Man Spotlight — Major TXHSFB programs once played six-man ball

Think six-man football is small potatoes? Think again! Many schools you wouldn’t guess played six-man football early on in their gridiron history. Here are a few notable examples. Katy Tigers (Now Class 6A, with enrollment of 3,297) The Katy Tigers began their football program in 1939 as a six-man football team. They had 16 boys out for football in their inaugural season, finishing 1-7 with a lone 40-30 win over Waelder (now a Class 1A basketball-only school). According to the school’s yearbook “The sport was received enthusiastically by the community. The Dad’s Club sponsored the organization and purchased some of the 250 dollars’ worth of equipment. At the end of the season, money enough to light the field was raised by popular subscription.” Katy won its first district and bi-district championship in 1943 with a 14-13 win over Danbury. Eight state championships later, Katy is one of the state’s largest schools and features a $70 million stadium. Allen Eagles (6A, enrollment: 6,380) The mighty Allen Eagles first found their winning ways on the 6-man gridiron. When Allen struggled with numbers playing 11-man ball in their first two seasons from 1936 to 1937, it decided to join the popular six-man revolution in 1938. The Eagles played in what was considered District 4 in the first year of UIL-sanctioned six-man football in Texas, winning the district championship (though there is debate as to whether Allen was in official standing with the UIL that season). Allen won its six-man district title in 1940, tied for another district championship in 1943, and then won at least a share of ten more district titles between 1945 and 1956 — winning its first playoff game in 1948. The Eagles moved to eight-man football in the 1958 season, winning district titles and playoff games there before returning to 11-man in 1962. A bit of trivia: Oglesby — with a current enrollment of 48 — beat Allen — with a current enrollment of 6,380 — in the Eagles’ first playoff game in 1945. Copperas Cove Bulldawgs (6A, enrollment: 2,230) Like Allen, Copperas Cove limped through 11-man football early in its history. Cove opted to join the six-man ranks in 1939 and enjoyed great success, winning the school’s first district title in 1942. From its original district in 1939, Cove is the only school left standing — then-district bunkmates Ireland, Pearl, Flat and district champion Turnersville have long since consolidated or closed. The Bulldawgs were bi-district champs by default in 1946, beat Blanco for the bi-district championship in 1948, and enjoyed a golden era from 1952 to 1954. Copperas Cove returned to 11-man play in 1956. Los Fresnos Falcons (6A, enrollment: 3,270) Los Fresnos tried to field a football team as far back at 1930, but didn’t find stability until its move to six-man ball in 1939. The Falcons won their first district title in 1940 and continued their success from there, culminating in 1946 with a bi-district championship and one of the nation’s best six-man squads. After two more district titles in 1947 and 1948, Los Fresnos moved to 11-man ball in 1949. Dripping Springs Tigers (5A, enrollment: 1,669) Dripping Springs played in the first official UIL six-man football district in 1938, finishing in a three-way tie for the district title with Prairie Lea and Martindale. This was before the 45-point mercy rule was instituted in 1939, and the Tigers took advantage, beating Wimberley 98-6 and Dale 105-0 in consecutive weeks. Pearland Oilers (6A, enrollment: 3,789) Believe it or not, the Oilers started their football program as a six-man squad in 1939, playing in a district with Friendswood, Sweeny and eventual district champion Danbury. Pearland won its first district title in 1941, winning the school’s first playoff game with a 52-0 win over New Waverly. Other notable schools that once played six-man football include Friendswood, La Marque, Dickinson, Richland, Celina, Santa Fe, Orangefield, La Joya, Pflugerville, Sharyland, Cedar Hill, Manor, Willis, Prosper, Hutto, New Carney, Lubbock Copper, Medina Valley, Splendora, Abilene Wylie, Sweeny, Tarkington, Venus, Nevada Community, Caddo Mills and Hempstead. Those communities have long outgrown six-man football. There is a flip side however: many of the schools these now-11-man programs once shared the field with are now defunct, including Five-In-One, Ireland, Indian Village, Indian Rock, Dale, Josephine, Westminster, Damon, Addicks, Dowell and Gober to name a few.