Over the past ten years, the Wolverines have definitely proven to be the team of the decade. The Wolverines, being led by their prestigious leader, Coach Rick Hulett, have been a part of the post-season play for the last ten years. So, let's turn back the clock and relive some of those outstanding moments of past seasons.
Beginning in 1991, with a previous season record of 4-6, the senior class made it a goal to better this record. The 1991 season was a complete turnaround from the previous season as the Wolverines put together a 9-1 regular season. After taking the District title, the Wolverines went on to the first level of the playoffs, Bi-District. The Wolverines had their outstanding season put to a halt in the Bi-District round by the Crosbyton Chiefs with a score of 25-6.
The Wolverines began their 1992 season with a victory over the Sundown Roughnecks but later lost to the Sudan Hornets. After taking the loss to Sudan, the Wolverines went on to win their regular season games and took the District title once again. Next up for the Wolverines would be the Idalou Wildcats. This Bi-District game was all defense during the first three quarters. As the fourth quarter began with the score still 0-0, Brian Hulett scored 2 touchdowns to give the Wolverines the Bi-District Championship and a berth in the second round of the playoffs. During the Area round of the playoffs, the Wolverines battled against the Memphis Cyclones, who had won the State Title in 1A in 1991. The Cyclones had lots of speed, but the Wolverines defense simply shut them down. Brain Hulett went on to clinch the victory for the Wolverines once again as he threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Burr Barton. The Wolverines won the Area Championship with a 7-6 victory and advanced to the Regional round of the playoffs. Waiting for the Wolverines in this round were the Hamlin Pied Pipers, backed by a strong backfield and a huge team. Turnovers proved to be the Pipers' nemesis. The Wolverines were leading 16-12 late in the fourth and the Pipers fumbled the ball. The Wolverines recovered and ran down the clock to clinch the Regional Championship 16-12. The Wolverines then went to take on the Goldthwaite Eagles in Snyder. In this Quarterfinals round, the Eagles came back in the fourth quarter to win 15-14. This 1993 team made school history by being the first team to advance that far in the playoffs.
The Wolverines began the 1993 regular season with 6 straight wins and went on to finish out the regular season undefeated. Claiming the District title once again, the Wolverines' first opponent of the post season were the Post Antelopes. Israel DeLeon's huge defensive play of stopping a Post runner on a 2-point conversion claimed for the Wolverines the victory, 21-20. Next up for the Wolverines in the Area round were the Stratford Elks. With a huge defensive effort, the Wolverines went into half-time with a 12-0 lead. Allowing the Elks to only 71 yards through the first 3 quarters, the Wolverines went on to win 21-8. During the Regional round, the Wolverines battled the Hamlin Pied Pipers once again. Unlike the previous year, however, the Wolverines blew out the Pipers 48-7. However, the Wolverines fell once again to the Goldthwaite Eagles in the Quarterfinals 10-0.
With a strong group of seniors and after 3 straight trips to the playoffs, Coach Hulett and his Wolverines had the entire community caught up in football fever. The Wolverines strolled through the district season undefeated, once again claiming the District Title. In the first round of post-season play, the Wolverines' first were the Post Antelopes. The Wolverines shutout the Antelopes and went on to win 24-0. The Wolverines took on the Stratford Elks in the Area round once again. After the first half, the Wolverines were trailing 7-0. However, the Mean Green Defense came out the second half with a mission of total shutdown. The Wolverine defense allowed the Elks to only 29 offensive yards in the second half and went on to score 26 unanswered points. The stats from the second half were outstanding. The Wolverines won the offensive battle 212-29 yards, and they held the Elks to only 2 first downs while they had 17. Once again at Lowery Field in Lubbock for the third straight year, the Wolverines took on the Winters Blizzards in the Quarterfinals. The Wolverines mission for the state title was stopped once again as Winters came from behind to clinch the victory 9-7.
The 1995 Wolverines went on to win 9 straight games. However, the Wolverines' quest for the District Title would come down to the last district game against the Hale Center Owls. The Wolverines sneaked by with the victory 8-7 and claimed the District Title once again. The Wolverines then went on to lose in the Bi-District round to the Sundown Roughnecks 17-14. The Wolverines finished the season with a 9-2 record.
After the district re-alignments, the Wolverines were moved down to Class 1A. This had no effect on the Wolverines as they stormed through the regular season undefeated. However, the last game of the regular season for the District Title was not an easy one. The Wolverines, who were ranked #2 and the Kress Kangaroos, who were ranked #5, would take it down to the last game of the season. With about 3000 people in the stadium, and the Wolverines trailing 17-13, James Williams left the crowd awestruck as he threw the game-winning pass to Oscar Castillo. The Wolverines clinched the District Title with a 19-17 victory. In the Bi-District round, the Wolverines travelled to Childress to take on the Windthorst Trojans in the Regional round. In the midst of the snow and cold weather, the Wolverines' season came to a stop as they simply could not get on the board. The final score was 20-0. The Wolverines finished the season 12-1.
The 1997 team started off the season with a 3-0 non-district record and went on through district with only one loss, to the Nazareth Swifts. With that, the Wolverines came out Co-District Champs. The Wolverines went on to lose in the Bi-District round against the Gruver Greyhounds 6-0.
After losing a bulk of the team the 1998 team had some drastic rebuilding to do. They began district play with a 1-4 record. The Wolverines lost their first district game, but they would climb their way back to the top claiming the Co-District Championship once again. Sharing the district title was more than thought possible when the 1998 season began. The Wolverines then went on to battle the Petersburg Buffaloes for the Bi-District Title. The game was back and forth until time ran out. With the game tied 14-14 through the first overtime, the game went into a second overtime. In the second overtime, Luke Templeton made a big defensive sack to stop the Buffaloes, sending the game into a third overtime. Finally, in the third overtime, Slade Quisenberry plunged in from the 1 yard line to give the Wolverines a 6 point lead. However, the game was still not over. The Buffaloes got the ball back; Quade Furr intercepted the ball and ended the Buffaloes season. The Wolverines were stopped in the Area round by the Gruver Greyhounds again, 28-6.
The 1999 Wolverines began the season with a loss to Sudan, but still came back to win the District Title. The next victim for the Wolverines in the Bi-District round were the Valley Patriots. The Wolverines claimed the Bi-District Championship with a 37-7 victory. However, the Wolverines were stopped by the #1 team in the state in the Area round. The Wolverines gave it all they had, but came out short, falling to the Wheeler Mustangs, 21-7.
The 2000 Wolverines strolled through district play, out-scoring their opponents 198-6. The Wolverines were given a bye and then advanced to the Area round to take on the Wheeler Mustangs once again. However, this time the Wolverines would not give up, and they came out on top 23-21. During the Regional round, however, the Wolverines were stopped by the Iraan Braves 33-13.
Congratulations to the past and current Wolverines for their spectacular decade and GOOD LUCK to the upcoming Wolverines.
