GRAPE CREEK, TX — After 19 losses in a row, you better believe it felt good when the Grape Creek Eagles snapped that losing streak with a 20-13 win over Brady last year.
Grape Creek’s win the next week, however, might have been just as important.
The Eagles beat Ballinger 30-13 in their season finale to take the momentum of back-to-back wins into the offseason.
“It did wonders just for the psyche and morale of the kids and the staff,” Grape Creek head coach Tanner Thiel said. “We had been close several times, so it was nice to finally get the monkey off our back and get a win, and then carry that over into the next week and win again.
“We ended up being tied for third with Brady and TLCA and lost out on a points tiebreaker, but it still absolutely springboarded us into the spring and summer. Hopefully, it’ll be like that and carry over when we start this year as well.”
Grape Creek isn’t far removed from a 2021 season when the Eagles won a share of their first district title since the program began in 1998.
It was a first-round playoff loss to Alpine in 2021 that started the losing streak.
Grape Creek's Win Over Sonora 2021 (Contributed: Grape Creek Community Page)
Now the Eagles have a two-game winning streak, and they bring back seven starters on both sides of the ball.
Grape Creek has a six-game nondistrict schedule — which includes games against San Saba, Reagan County, Bangs, Colorado City, Tahoka and TLCA — to try and build up some speed before district play.
“If we start off the way we left off last year, we’ve got a chance to put some wins on the board early and hopefully carry over that confidence into district,” Thiel said.
Grape Creek is in District 4-3A Division II with traditional power Wall (ranked No. 9 in the state). The rest of the district — Merkel (6-4 last year), Coahoma (5-5) and Stanton (1-9) — seems more manageable.
“Wall will be the favorite. They’re well coached and really good, but everybody else is very competitive,” Thiel said. “I don’t feel like there will be a whole lot of dropoff in our district.
“It’s kind of going to be one of those any-given-night deals where it can go any way, and I feel confident we can compete in this district and compete for one of the playoffs spots for sure.”
Grape Creek is led by Sire Garcia, who broke onto the scene last year as a sophomore. He had 68 tackles and two interceptions and was named the district’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
“He’s special,” Thiel said. “He kind of has all the tools. He’s got nice size and strength, he can move, he’s a really good athlete. He had a coming-out party on defense especially, but he’s going to be our running back, too. He started off last year at tight end for us, because we didn’t know where we wanted to use him.
"About the time district rolled around, we moved him to running back, and he led our team with eight rushing touchdowns in district. So he kind of came on offensively, too, and we’re going to lean on him on offense and defense this year.”
Thiel said the coaching staff hasn’t settled on a starting quarterback to operate the team’s run-heavy offense, though senior Daniel Anchondo is the frontrunner after seeing time behind center last year.
“He’s got a good arm, and he’s got a chance to throw the ball for us, but there’s the possibility of using several guys back there,” Thiel said. “He’s kind of a dual threat because he can run and throw, but he’s a little on the smaller side, so we have some heavier packages where we’ll sub him out and bring in a bigger body to kind of stick back there with Sire. Gabe Santillan is one we’ve experimented with back there.”
Angel Perez, a second-team all-district wide receiver and cornerback, leads a group of Eagles’ playmakers on the perimeter.
Thiel is excited about a senior-heavy offensive line that returns a lot of experience, led by Lucan Clemons.
“As far as a leadership role, he’s going to be one of our main leaders and captains,” Thiel said. “He’s the type you can depend on to be here every day, make good grades, make good decisions and not get in trouble. He didn’t miss a single day of summer workouts, so he’s a very dependable, hard-working kid.”
Grape Creek Eagles
(San Angelo LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
Grayson Bond and Osiel Arellano are among the other senior returners on the line.
Bond, a second-team all-district defensive lineman, will also anchor the Eagles’ defensive front with Clemons and Arellano.
Grape Creek’s entire secondary returns with safeties Santellan and Brayley Woods and cornerbacks Perez and Randy Rodriguez.
Garcia will lock down the linebacking corps, where Josue Arellano could be an impact newcomer, Thiel said.
“Defense will be one of our strong suits. We’re going to be well-coached and physical, and that makes my life a lot easier calling offense knowing we have a defense behind us that’s going to be really stout,” Thiel said.
Grape Creek’s season begins Friday, Aug. 30, at “The Graveyard,” Rogan Field in San Saba. The Eagles’ home opener is Sept. 6 against Reagan County.
Grape Creek Eagles
2024 schedule
Aug. 30 at San Saba
Sept. 6 Reagan County
Sept. 13 Bangs
Sept. 20 at Colorado City
Sept. 27 at Tahoka
Oct. 4 San Angelo TLCA
Oct. 11 Coahoma*
Oct. 18 at Stanton*
Oct. 25 Wall*
Nov. 1 Merkel*
Nov. 8 Open
*District 4-3A Division II game
2023 results
Stanton L 6-42
Christoval L 8-14
Bangs L 6-42
Ozona L 22-57
Junction L 20-55
Wall L 0-67
San Angelo TLCA L 12-35
Early L 0-54
Brady W 20-13
Ballinger W 30-13
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