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56 straight losses and in the playoffs!

Houston Scarborough has lost every game this season.  In fact, they have lost every time they have taken the field over the past 56 games.  Regardless of whether they win their final game this year against Houston Kipp Sunnyside, they will be in the playoffs!

Houston Scarborough is an anomaly because they were in a five team district and one team (Houston Jones) eliminated athletics.  With the UIL expanding the playoff teams to four per district, they are in automatically.

In fact, 55.8% of all teams in the state will be in the playoffs.  This is a far cry from the days when I played Texas high school football and only the district champions went to the playoffs.

Yes, I love the additional matchups.  I love that some great teams that would previously not make the playoffs will be playing in the postseason.  Heck, I normally think, "the more the merrier."

At some point however, something like a 0-56 (or 1-57) team making the playoffs just screams that things have swung too far in the other direction.

I had a great conversation with Houston Scarborough Head Coach, A'Jani Sanders about this historic drought and the situation that has them headed to the playoffs.

"For us, we had hoped we would break the streak.  If we execute our game plan, we feel we have a chance each and every game," Sanders said.  "Our outlook is that we are one of the few teams in the state that has been fortunate to have been promised 11 games," he added.

I asked Coach Sanders how he keeps the kids motivated.  How does he  get them to strap on the helmet and take the field with this streak hanging over them? His answer refocused my question,  "It is not about the streak or the wins.  It is that every week is an opportunity to play the game of football.  We get to play this great game each week!"

Yes, a winless team will likely make the playoffs for the first time in history, but the Spartans are a team that probably more than others realize what a privilege it is to play "the greatest sport in the greatest state!" ™

What are your thoughts?

by Chris Doelle

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