By Allan Jamail
April 7, 2022 – Houston, Texas – At the Bayou City Center, some 20 miles away from the Eastside Boys’ home turf, the GPISD’s Championship Mustang football team was given an awesome celebration banquet. Over a thousand family members and fans attended to witness a recap video titled, “The Eastside Dynasty,” of the team’s 3rd state championship title in 4 years.
On December 18, 2021, the North Shore Mustangs beat the Duncanville Panthers 17 – 10 in a thriller to capture the UIL 6A Div. 1 Texas High School Football State Championship in front of 43,000 plus spectators. The game was a brutal defensive struggle; Head Coach Kay called it a “slugfest,” rightly so. Only 3 touchdowns were made, and a pair of field goals.
At the banquet, Superintendent Dr. John Moore welcomed everyone, followed by graduating senior Kris Ross’ invocation. North Shore’s Senior High School AF JROTC presented the colors prior to the Pledge of Allegiance.
Terri Moore, Associate Superintendent, kept the program’s agenda moving in an orderly fashion. She introduced the Special Guests and gave the following points of information about the team’s season.
She said, “Now, you all may know the season officially started on January 11, 2021. That’s a total of 337 days devoted to making this championship dream come true. During that time our champions have had:
–71 offseason workouts
–18 spring practices
–30 summer speed & strength workouts
–112 days of practice
— And played 16 varsity games (and 42 sub-varsity games)
During the season, the varsity team also
–Traveled 1,372 miles by bus
–Logged 2,274 total snaps (897 offense, 917 on defense, 460 special teams)
In their four years, this senior class (the class of 2022) of varsity football team played in 63 games with an overall record of 60-3 with 4 district championships, 4 regional championships, and 3 state championships This is equivalent to more than 6 regular seasons in 4 years. And finally, to fuel this powerhouse of players, they devoured more than 1,980 pregame meals!!”
The banquet meal was delicious. It consisted of a mixed salad with choice of dressings, a variety of fresh baked bread rolls, superb seasoned baked chicken, grilled Brussells sprouts, roasted potatoes, and finished with a dessert of either strawberry shortcake with a whip cream topping or chocolate cake with a chocolate syrup topping. To wash it all down the tables had pitchers of ice lemonade or water.
NFL Pro Football player Earl Mitchell from the Mustang’s Class of 2006 was the Keynote Speaker. Remarks were made by Vivian Dancy, GPISD Athletic Director and Jon Kay, Mustang’s Head Football Coach.
Dancy said that it takes an entire village within the school district to create the type of team to be able to win state championships. She said it requires a tremendous sacrifice made by lots of people including parents getting their kids to and from practice, coaches being away from their homes 6 to 7 days a week, bus drivers, stadium cleaners, and lots of others.
She mentioned parents, fans, teachers, coaches, groundskeepers, trainers, cheerleaders, band members, dance team members, ball boys, custodians, trustees, administration staff, ticket takers, law enforcement, doctors, ambulance medical staff, video crew, game announcers, athletic office staff and administration, campus police and security department members to name part of her recognition.
Coach Kay echoed much of what Ms. Dancy said, and he also said he was thankful and honored to be able to coach a team in which everyone in the district was on the same page of winning a state title. He said the district has given him and his teams their unwavering support in so many different areas of the football program that it has allowed them to accomplish the winning seasons they’ve enjoyed. He said even a team in the NFL couldn’t have had better planning for our trips to the games this season.
Kay said to the players that he didn’t want this championship title to be their most important and greatest accomplishment of success in their life.
“Simply let this be a mere step or carrot to make you grow.”
He said to the parents and family of the players, “Help me make sure these athletes do not stop here. Don’t let them settle for this title as their highest achievement, but to reach for bigger and better goals to make more successes in their lives.”
Those involved in the winning season were given several memento gifts, a photo album of this season’s games played, an engraved award plaque, and other mementos of the title run.
Closing remarks were made by Principal Joe Coleman, Ed. D. followed by Mustangs varsity center junior Zach Chavanne giving the Benediction.
Elected officials have made the following statements about the banquet or the team’s winning season.
State Representative Ana Hernandez said, “Congratulations North Shore football team for another remarkable year in which all of your work, sacrifice, and effort was rewarded with another State Championship! Go Mustangs!”
“Thank you to all of the Eastside Dynasty stakeholders for putting on such a beautiful banquet honoring not only our amazing student athletes, but all of the support staff, teachers, administrators, coaches, and trainers that helped accomplish the goal of State Champion for our Mustangs!”
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia said, “Congratulations to the North Shore Mustangs on a FIFTH state championship. Your dedication and ferocity on the field is so impressive. Thanks for all the hard work you put in to making Galena Park and the North Channel Community so proud. Special thanks to all your coaches, teachers, parents and guardians for making this success possible. We are all so proud of you! On to number six!”
State Senator Carol Alvarado said, “Congratulations to North Shore High School for winning the Texas 6A High School Football Championship again! Winning one state title is no small feat but three championships in four years is simply extraordinary! You’ve made the whole city of Houston proud. Go Mustangs!”
County Commissioner Adrian Garcia said, “North Shore should consider renaming itself to Title Town High School! The Mustangs 4th championship under Head Coach Jon Kay shows how consistently dominant the team has become under his leadership. North Shore’s program does an amazing job representing the excellence of Harris County, and we’re so lucky to have such a fantastic institution in the Precinct 2 community, that not only is fun to watch but more importantly is helping to build young men to be future leaders. Great job Mustangs!”
Photojournalist Allan Jamail and wife Linda photographer and statistician haven’t missed a Mustang game since the early 1990s. They’ve seen every state championship victory and in more recent years following the Mustangs, they’ve donated and logged thousands of miles and hours so the district and the NC Star newspaper so fans can keep up with GPISD activities. The Jamails said it as all been worth it, especially when after the banquet so many players and their parents thanked them for their coverage of the team.