The Connally offense faces McCallum on Oct. 17 at The Pfield in Pflugerville.
Provided by Pat McCord
PFLUGERVILLE — Didier Thorpe said he gets approached by strangers in Walmart offering congratulations. Damari Reed is constantly asked by classmates when the next game is.
There’s a different vibe around Connally football recently, and it’s one that hasn’t been felt in almost a decade.
Article continues below this ad
For the first time since 2016, the Cougars have not only made the playoffs but won a postseason game and guaranteed themselves a winning record.
Since a last-second loss Oct. 17 to McCallum,when it fell to 3-4, Connally has put together a memorable four-week stretch. The Cougars routed Navarro and Elgin, beat rival Pflugerville to qualify for the postseason, then Friday torched San Antonio Jefferson 65-0 in a Class 5A Division II bidistrict playoff game for their seventh win.
After scoring more than 60 points three times with its lowest point total being 49, the last month has been quite a jolt for a program that won six games between 2018-22.
“I was here when we went 0-10 (in 2022), so I’ve seen the transformation from that to going 6-4 and beating schools like Pflugerville and Elgin,” said Thorpe, a senior defensive end who is looking to play next year at a small college. “It’s meant a lot to the program, and to me as well and to the school. It’s been kind of a breath of fresh air, knowing that we still have a good football team and there’s still hope for our football program.”
Article continues below this ad
A consistent rise for the Cougars
Football success can sometimes be an uphill battle at Connally. With strong interest shown in other sports — the boys soccer program, for instance, has 65 players — roster numbers can be limited. (When healthy, the Cougars dressed 38 players for varsity games in the regular season.)
And with the school’s official UIL enrollment including Newcomer Academy, an on-campus Pflugerville ISD school that serves roughly 400 students new to the country, most of whom do not play sports, Connally is pulling from a student body closer to a large Class 4A school than a mid-sized 5A one.
But since 2022, it’s been a steady rise for Connally in both success and participation. The school hired longtime area coach Charles Burton in January 2023, then increased its win total the next two seasons, with its four-win campaign last year matching the best season of the previous seven.
Article continues below this ad
Blowing out Bryan Rudder and Taylor in nondistrict games signaled this Cougars team had potential, and now with their four-game winning streak, they’ve caught the attention of the school and the community.
“I have teachers telling me ‘congratulations’ all the time,” said Reed, a senior offensive lineman who has helped pave the way for an offense averaging 417 yards a game. “Everybody’s recognizing that we’re doing something good this year and could be doing something good for future years.”
Burton said the players have bought in and showed dedication to the program from the first day he took over. But last offseason went particularly well, he noted, and Friday’s playoff win was the culmination of the players’ hard-nosed attitude on the field and work ethic off it.
“The guys were locked in,” said Burton, a former NFL Europe player who led Del Valle from 2013-2020. “The moment didn’t get too big for them. It wasn’t like, ‘We have to win this because it’s our first playoff game in so many years.’ Our guys went out there and were just themselves.”
Article continues below this ad
As Connally approaches its Class 5A Division II area-round game Friday against Richmond Randle, there’s optimism this season’s success can be sustained.
Quarterback Jase Watkins (1,852 yards, 26 TDs passing; 851 yards, seven TDs rushing) and running back Jonah Garcia (896 yards, 19 TDs rushing) are juniors, with most of the other skill players also being underclassmen. Though Thorpe, Reed and other key linemen will have to be replaced, as well as several starters on defense, the Cougars will bring back a core group of players that could have them shining again next year.
It’s something that could keep Connally football as one of the hot topics in its attendance area covering southern Pflugerville and northeast Austin.
“Connally has an awesome community,” Burton said. “I think we’ve been raising the bar the last three years, and … there’s been an emphasis on ourselves (during games) and just what heights we can reach.”
Article continues below this ad
Pflugerville ISD football excelling
The bidistrict round of the playoffs was a banner night for Pflugerville ISD.
Not only did Connally win, but Pflugerville routed San Antonio Sam Houston 64-35 and Weiss rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to beat La Porte 42-35.
“It’s special when you get three out of four teams in the playoffs and then go three for three in the first round,” Weiss coach Malcolm Hill said. “Central Texas sometimes gets slept on, but we’re doing a really good job out here in Pflugerville on all levels. And I’m thankful that (Connally and Pflugerville) won.”
Article continues below this ad
Weiss is in the area round of the playoffs for the first time in program history, and Hill noted there’s been a prideful atmosphere around the school this week.
“It’s hard to win playoff games, especially when you have to go on the road, so I’m just thankful for these kids,” said Hill, who was just hired in May. “There’s been a cloud hanging over the program the last few years of getting out of the first round … and (the comeback) was kind of what we’ve been building on our foundation of not giving up, keep fighting, remaining disciplined and just believing in ourselves to push through.”
For Pflugerville, it won a playoff game for the second straight year, something which Panthers coach Charles Taylor said is immeasurable.
Article continues below this ad
“The big part about it is it creates culture, because some years you’re better than others,” said Taylor, who like Burton has been a longtime fixture in Central Texas football as he previously coached at McCallum. “All the kids know is that Pflugerville wins playoff games and Pflugerville goes to the playoffs. And sometimes believing is all you need.”