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Plano proves 2 Good 2 Be 4gotten
BY Kevin Hageland Staff Writer
When Plano Senior junior quarterback Carson Meger fumbled the ball with 1:33 remaining in Saturday’s Class 5A State Semifinal between Plano and Euless Trinity, the Wildcat’s quest for an eighth state title appeared over.
It wasn’t. At least not until another 45 minutes elapsed and 12 more points were put up on the scoreboard.
Plano was defeated, 30-27 in double overtime, meaning the Wildcats would have to settle for being the second best team in the state, in many people’s minds at least, for the second time in three years.
And with all that rich tradition, will the 2007 Plano team be remembered amongst the Wildcats’ all-time great squads?
“I definitely think they will be remembered,” said Carlos Cuevas, Jr., 2007 Plano graduate. “The 1993 team didn’t win the state championship, but everyone still talks about what a tremendous team they were. No one will forget this team either.”
The 1993 Plano team was one of three Wildcats squads in the last 14 years to advance to at least the Class 5A State Quarterfinals without winning the title, with 2005 and 2007 being the other two. The 1993 Plano team was in the state championship, losing to Converse Judson, 36-13. The bitter disappointed of that result was somewhat relieved a year later when Plano captured its seventh state title by defeating Katy, 28-7.
But that bit of history served as little consolation to Plano fans on a cold evening at Texas Stadium.
“I don’t even have a kid that is in the program anymore, but this still hurts,” said Carlos Cuevas, Sr. “It may be a cliché, but I really believe, ‘Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.’”
Perhaps a fresher comparison for this team in the minds of Plano football fans is the 2005 squad, that lost to Southlake Carroll, which went on to win state, 37-27, in the Class 5A Quarterfinals.
“This feels real similar to 2005,” said Wes Perryman, Plano senior. “This season is not a failure; we are just disappointed right now. But a lot of teams would love to have made it this far and to think that we would even be mentioned among the all-time great Plano teams is an honor.”
The sentiment that this squad will be remembered in the annals of Plano history was echoed by assistant head coach JayDon McCullough.
“Considering there are only a few other teams that are playing this late in the season, this group is already in tall cotton,” he said. “Even though we lost, I’ve never been prouder to be a Wildcat.
“I think this is a special team that will be remembered. And if no one else remembers this team, I will for sure.”
The legacy of this squad appears destined to be remembered via the Plano Wildcats Quarterback Club website, which lists the names of all the soon-to-be graduating seniors and has a message that states, “Great job guys, we are all proud of you.” This is the same website that calls the Plano squad of two years ago, “That great team from 2005.”
The University Interscholastic League record books may not have the 2007 Wildcats marked down as champions, but former and current players, coaches, parents and even the QB Club website have already done their part to ensure the memory of this 13-2 team lives on.
And judging by the reactions from other figures at the game, those supporters are just the tip of the Wildcat nation.
“They weren’t on the winning end,” said Cliff Odenwald, former Plano ISD athletic director. “But those kids just played their hearts out tonight.”
The Plano players all looked dejected as they exited the Texas Stadium locker room and headed towards the bus. But each player, not just the most prolific ones or the first wave, still had a throng of fans waiting in the bowels of the building to cheer them on with bells ringing and yells of, “Alright Cats.”
That is the kind of thing that will be remembered.
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