1961 Roster
1961 Schedule
CB
WR
QB
CB
HB
RB/LB
WR
QB
CB
HB
RB/LB
Richard Avila
Alfredo Avila
Luz Pedraza
Jackie Roberson
Harry Lantz
Joe Gonzalez
Jim Hulme
Raul de la Garza
Fabian Barrera
Oscar Avila
Abel Benavides
Nick Padilla
Bill Brumley
Raul Alvarado
Verl Hopper
Johnny Badeaux
Tommy Stone
Raul Zamora
Freddie Edwards
Alfredo Avila
Luz Pedraza
Jackie Roberson
Harry Lantz
Joe Gonzalez
Jim Hulme
Raul de la Garza
Fabian Barrera
Oscar Avila
Abel Benavides
Nick Padilla
Bill Brumley
Raul Alvarado
Verl Hopper
Johnny Badeaux
Tommy Stone
Raul Zamora
Freddie Edwards
Donna vs San Benito (Scrimmige)
Donna 0, Rio Grande City 20
Donna 8, Mercedes 12
Donna 22, Mission 12
Donna 30, Weslaco 14
Donna 30, Los Fresnos 12*
Donna 14, La Joya 0*
Donna 14, La Feria 6*
Donna 36, Edcouch Elsa 0*
Donna 42, Lyford 0*
Donna 34, Raymondville 0*
Donna 32, Regugio 0 (Bi-District)
Donna 12, Devine 7 (Regional)
Donna 32, Sweeny 14 (Quarter Finals)
Donna 16, Brady 14 (Semi-Finals)
Donna 28, Quanah 21 (State)
* Conference games
Donna 0, Rio Grande City 20
Donna 8, Mercedes 12
Donna 22, Mission 12
Donna 30, Weslaco 14
Donna 30, Los Fresnos 12*
Donna 14, La Joya 0*
Donna 14, La Feria 6*
Donna 36, Edcouch Elsa 0*
Donna 42, Lyford 0*
Donna 34, Raymondville 0*
Donna 32, Regugio 0 (Bi-District)
Donna 12, Devine 7 (Regional)
Donna 32, Sweeny 14 (Quarter Finals)
Donna 16, Brady 14 (Semi-Finals)
Donna 28, Quanah 21 (State)
* Conference games
| Head Coach: Earl Scott Asst. Coaches: Bennie La Prade Verle Clay Don Cummings |
Alfredo Avila
Freddie Edwards
Richard Avila
Thursday, November 23, 2000
Athletic Director rooting in Carroll as Tigers take on his alma mater
Avila is a member of the only state championship team from the Valley
By Lee Goddard
Caller-Times
Corpus Christi Independent School District athletic director Richard Avila was a member of the 1961 Donna state championship team.
Donna will play Carroll Friday in a 5A regional playoff game.Richard Avila was treating it just like any other football game. An 18-year old
cornerback, Avila and his teammates at Donna High School had just secured the 1961 2A state title and, as they had done all year, Avila
assumed the defense would race the offense off the field and into the locker room.But as Avila, linebacker Raul "Chief" de la Garza and end
Fabian "Outlaw" Barrera waited in the locker room, no one came after them. So they went back onto the field at Austin's Memorial Stadium
and saw a sight that can overwhelm teenagers from small Rio Grande Valley towns.
Local rooting interest
It's 39 years later and Avila is facing a dilemma. Now the athletic director for the Corpus Christi Independent District, he is cheering on
Carroll in the state playoffs. But tomorrow night, things will be a little different as the Tigers take on Donna, the school that Avila played
for, won a title for and later coached. "Earlier this week, I said my heart was in Donna, my paycheck is from Carroll," Avila said. "It was
all in jest, but it's true. I want the Carroll Tigers to win. Maybe it's a little selfish, but I like being from the only team to win a state title
from the Rio Grande Valley." While Avila's loyalty remains with the local team, there are others - at least four others - that live in the
Corpus Christi area and will be rooting for Donna. In a curious twist, of the 15 surviving members of the 1961 Donna Redskins, five live in
and around Corpus Christi. Four of Avila's former teammates - Raul Alvarado, Abel Benavidez, Bill Brumley and Nick Padilla - call this area
home. There is no question where their allegiance lies. "If he's rooting for Carroll, he's the only one," Brumley said. "If the rest of us find
out, he'll be in a world of hurt." A little more sympathetic is Benavidez. He knows all about divided loyalties. He had two sons that played
football at Carroll, as well as a daughter who was a Tigerette. His sons and daughter will sit on the Carroll side of the field, while Benavidez
and his wife Mandy will cheer from Donna's side. So Benavidez is understanding of Avila's predicament. "He's the athletic director. He's
got to be partial," Benavidez said. "But we know his heart is really with Donna."
A devoted following
What is it that inspires this devotion to Donna all these years later? The simple answer would be the state title. But the real answer is all the
events that made up the season, and now make memories for the champions. There was the start of the season when, banged up by San
Benito in a preseason scrimmage, the Redskins dropped the first two games. There was the 13 game-winning streak that gave the Valley its
first - and only - football state title. Maybe the fact that, with not enough funds in the coffer, the team traveled on game day by bus to the
site of their playoff games. With one outstanding exception being a train trip to face Sweeny in the third round. More likely, it was the
townspeople that made the whole year memorable. Benavidez remembers the bank giving interest-free loans to supporters to travel to
Austin and cheer for the Redskins. "It was a poor migrant town," Benavidez said. "The only way people could go was if the bank lent them
the money. There were a lot of poor people in that town."
Winning it all
But not poor enough to stop them from following the Redskins playoff run. The game wasn't short on drama for those that followed the
teams. Quanah held a 21-12 lead with the ball and little more than three minutes remaining in the game. Quanah fumbled, Donna recovered
and Alfredo Avila, Richard's cousin who had lived with Richard's family since he was barely out of diapers, hauled in a long pass. Fred
Edwards, later a linebacker at Texas, plowed in for the score, and a 2-point conversion cut the lead to one. Donna tried an onside kick, but
the Indians recovered. "They got it," Richard Avila said. "They made a big joke about it. But then they decided to throw that screen pass."
The screen pass was to Avila's side of the field and Oscar Avila, Richard's cousin and Alfredo's brother, picked it off. Another pass to
Alfredo allowed Edwards to bull in and give Donna the lead. Quanah drove the field, but time ran out with them deep in Redskins territory.
Then Richard Avila, de la Garza and Barrera raced to the locker room. But, after no one showed up, they ran back out and the whole
experience is what Avila cites as his biggest memory of the season. Fans had poured into the middle of the field - about 500 from each side
as Avila recalled - and the national guard was mingled with the Donna fans, who surrounded coach Earl Scott and the rest of the players.
Avila, at about 150 pounds with his uniform, grabbed Scott along with Jackie Roberson and hoisted the coach up on their shoulders. "He
was so happy, that he kept slapping me on the side of the face," Avila said of Scott. "He wasn't doing it to hurt me, but he was just so
excited that he kept slapping. He was knocking the hell out of me. The fondest memory was to carry coach out because he was a
father-figure to a bunch of us. You could see tears in the old man's eyes, he was so happy." Benavidez's most vivid memory came the next
day. All the team members - those Catholic and those not - would go to a shrine and celebrate after a victory. The players raced to the
shrine the next day, while the townspeople ran right behind them. "It meant so much to the town," Benavidez said. "We had put the town
back on the map."
The aftermath
Lost in Donna's run at the title was that the Redskins made the final four in basketball before bowing out. Scott's assistant Bennie La Prade
coached the team, which consisted of only one non-football player, and, like the football team, had a close bond. That bond has remained
through the years. Avila, who coached at Donna from 1989-1991, forged two of his strongest friendships - with de la Garza and
quarterback Luz Pedraza - on that title team. And, inspired by Scott to seek higher education many found success later in life. The team is
finally getting rings to commemorate the state title. Everyone was awarded medals, but an individual had to get his own ring. At a reunion a
couple of years ago, the subject of rings was broached, with each player paying for his ring, and all chipping in to present rings to the sons
or widows of those deceased.The rings should be ready next year, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the title. But 40 years is a long
time. Of the three players in the locker room after the game, Avila is the only one still alive. Barrera died in a car accident, while de la Garza
contracted hepatitis through bad seafood and died 20 years ago. That loss was particularly tough for Avila. He had been the best man at de
la Garza's wedding, and de la Garza returned the favor. Each named sons for the other. "The more time goes by, some of you teammates
die," Avila said. "Some have major surgery. But you can't take this away from us. You can never take it away."
Athletic Director rooting in Carroll as Tigers take on his alma mater
Avila is a member of the only state championship team from the Valley
By Lee Goddard
Caller-Times
Corpus Christi Independent School District athletic director Richard Avila was a member of the 1961 Donna state championship team.
Donna will play Carroll Friday in a 5A regional playoff game.Richard Avila was treating it just like any other football game. An 18-year old
cornerback, Avila and his teammates at Donna High School had just secured the 1961 2A state title and, as they had done all year, Avila
assumed the defense would race the offense off the field and into the locker room.But as Avila, linebacker Raul "Chief" de la Garza and end
Fabian "Outlaw" Barrera waited in the locker room, no one came after them. So they went back onto the field at Austin's Memorial Stadium
and saw a sight that can overwhelm teenagers from small Rio Grande Valley towns.
Local rooting interest
It's 39 years later and Avila is facing a dilemma. Now the athletic director for the Corpus Christi Independent District, he is cheering on
Carroll in the state playoffs. But tomorrow night, things will be a little different as the Tigers take on Donna, the school that Avila played
for, won a title for and later coached. "Earlier this week, I said my heart was in Donna, my paycheck is from Carroll," Avila said. "It was
all in jest, but it's true. I want the Carroll Tigers to win. Maybe it's a little selfish, but I like being from the only team to win a state title
from the Rio Grande Valley." While Avila's loyalty remains with the local team, there are others - at least four others - that live in the
Corpus Christi area and will be rooting for Donna. In a curious twist, of the 15 surviving members of the 1961 Donna Redskins, five live in
and around Corpus Christi. Four of Avila's former teammates - Raul Alvarado, Abel Benavidez, Bill Brumley and Nick Padilla - call this area
home. There is no question where their allegiance lies. "If he's rooting for Carroll, he's the only one," Brumley said. "If the rest of us find
out, he'll be in a world of hurt." A little more sympathetic is Benavidez. He knows all about divided loyalties. He had two sons that played
football at Carroll, as well as a daughter who was a Tigerette. His sons and daughter will sit on the Carroll side of the field, while Benavidez
and his wife Mandy will cheer from Donna's side. So Benavidez is understanding of Avila's predicament. "He's the athletic director. He's
got to be partial," Benavidez said. "But we know his heart is really with Donna."
A devoted following
What is it that inspires this devotion to Donna all these years later? The simple answer would be the state title. But the real answer is all the
events that made up the season, and now make memories for the champions. There was the start of the season when, banged up by San
Benito in a preseason scrimmage, the Redskins dropped the first two games. There was the 13 game-winning streak that gave the Valley its
first - and only - football state title. Maybe the fact that, with not enough funds in the coffer, the team traveled on game day by bus to the
site of their playoff games. With one outstanding exception being a train trip to face Sweeny in the third round. More likely, it was the
townspeople that made the whole year memorable. Benavidez remembers the bank giving interest-free loans to supporters to travel to
Austin and cheer for the Redskins. "It was a poor migrant town," Benavidez said. "The only way people could go was if the bank lent them
the money. There were a lot of poor people in that town."
Winning it all
But not poor enough to stop them from following the Redskins playoff run. The game wasn't short on drama for those that followed the
teams. Quanah held a 21-12 lead with the ball and little more than three minutes remaining in the game. Quanah fumbled, Donna recovered
and Alfredo Avila, Richard's cousin who had lived with Richard's family since he was barely out of diapers, hauled in a long pass. Fred
Edwards, later a linebacker at Texas, plowed in for the score, and a 2-point conversion cut the lead to one. Donna tried an onside kick, but
the Indians recovered. "They got it," Richard Avila said. "They made a big joke about it. But then they decided to throw that screen pass."
The screen pass was to Avila's side of the field and Oscar Avila, Richard's cousin and Alfredo's brother, picked it off. Another pass to
Alfredo allowed Edwards to bull in and give Donna the lead. Quanah drove the field, but time ran out with them deep in Redskins territory.
Then Richard Avila, de la Garza and Barrera raced to the locker room. But, after no one showed up, they ran back out and the whole
experience is what Avila cites as his biggest memory of the season. Fans had poured into the middle of the field - about 500 from each side
as Avila recalled - and the national guard was mingled with the Donna fans, who surrounded coach Earl Scott and the rest of the players.
Avila, at about 150 pounds with his uniform, grabbed Scott along with Jackie Roberson and hoisted the coach up on their shoulders. "He
was so happy, that he kept slapping me on the side of the face," Avila said of Scott. "He wasn't doing it to hurt me, but he was just so
excited that he kept slapping. He was knocking the hell out of me. The fondest memory was to carry coach out because he was a
father-figure to a bunch of us. You could see tears in the old man's eyes, he was so happy." Benavidez's most vivid memory came the next
day. All the team members - those Catholic and those not - would go to a shrine and celebrate after a victory. The players raced to the
shrine the next day, while the townspeople ran right behind them. "It meant so much to the town," Benavidez said. "We had put the town
back on the map."
The aftermath
Lost in Donna's run at the title was that the Redskins made the final four in basketball before bowing out. Scott's assistant Bennie La Prade
coached the team, which consisted of only one non-football player, and, like the football team, had a close bond. That bond has remained
through the years. Avila, who coached at Donna from 1989-1991, forged two of his strongest friendships - with de la Garza and
quarterback Luz Pedraza - on that title team. And, inspired by Scott to seek higher education many found success later in life. The team is
finally getting rings to commemorate the state title. Everyone was awarded medals, but an individual had to get his own ring. At a reunion a
couple of years ago, the subject of rings was broached, with each player paying for his ring, and all chipping in to present rings to the sons
or widows of those deceased.The rings should be ready next year, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the title. But 40 years is a long
time. Of the three players in the locker room after the game, Avila is the only one still alive. Barrera died in a car accident, while de la Garza
contracted hepatitis through bad seafood and died 20 years ago. That loss was particularly tough for Avila. He had been the best man at de
la Garza's wedding, and de la Garza returned the favor. Each named sons for the other. "The more time goes by, some of you teammates
die," Avila said. "Some have major surgery. But you can't take this away from us. You can never take it away."
| www.DonnaRedskinFootball.com The Unofficial Site of The STATE CHAMPS |
