1999-12-16

By Philip Forester / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

COMMERCE - They stand like a big black-and-gold roadblock in the way of the Commerce Tigers' path toward Texas' gridiron throne room, mercilessly swatting away their East Texas challengers. They even have the gall to use the same nickname as the program whose hearts they have broken twice in the past four years on the most visible stage.

The Sealy Tigers have dominated Class 3A football since 1993, as they have posted a 94-7 record in that span and won four state championships. Along that road, Sealy has knocked off Commerce in the title game twice.

Somehow, it's fitting that these two teams would meet again, as they did in 1995 and 1997, to play for the final championship of a decade they have ruled. The two Tigers will tangle at Texas Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Division II finals.

The twin Tigers have combined for 217 wins since 1990 and also two very emotional championship games - elation for Sealy, frustration for Commerce.

The Commerce players, many of whom were at both previous meetings with Sealy in both spectating and playing capacities, have many memories of the pain that has been brought to this program.

For fullback Ryan Sienty, there's his fumble in the Tigers' 28-21 loss in 1997. Halfback Avin Johnson recalls thinking, "Will we be back here?"after that loss. Center Ben Raed thinks of the utter frustration of the 1997 game. Lineman Chris Luckey just remembers losing. Most of the players who suited up in Commerce black-and-orange that night in the Astrodome have replayed that game in their minds, hoping that it might turn out differently in the end.

And coach Steve Lineweaver? He has to be dogged by the nagging thoughts of The Call, when he decided to go for a potential game-winning two-point conversion in the last minute of the 1995 game. That decision didn't work out, as quarterback Matt Webber's pass fell incomplete and the Tigers lost, 21-20.

But to the members of the 1999 Commerce team, one win should probably sweep away the Sealy-inflicted pain that has heaped up since 1995.

"You can say we are taking this personally," said Commerce quarterback Chad Anderson, who was a starting free safety on that 1997 team. "We thought we should have won that [1997] game."

Statistics bear that out. Commerce outgained Sealy, 295-238, and had a 24-13 edge in first downs. But Commerce had 80 yards in penalties and turned the ball over three times, including Sienty's fumble, which then-sophomore Wesley Martinez scooped up and returned 61 yards for a third-quarter touchdown to give Sealy a 21-6 lead.

"We made some stupid mistakes in that game," said Sienty, who has rushed for 1,172 yards and scored 25 touchdowns this year, his third season as a starter. "We thought we were a better team in 1997, but those mistakes killed us."

That 1997 game featured several sophomores on both sides of the ball, including Sealy running back Brian Johnson, who has run for a team-high 2,220 yards and 21 touchdowns this year. Both teams employ the same schemes they did two years ago.

"There's not much difference at all - in fact, their numbers are even the same as they were two years ago," Sealy coach T.J. Mills said. "They have the same kind of kids, very explosive."

In a way, Saturday's game will represent maybe a replay of that 1997 game. And the 1995 contest, too. Especially for the Commerce faithful.

"Back in two-a-days, one of the older folks in town came up to me and asked me, 'Are y'all gonna beat Sealy this year?' " Sienty said. "That was before the season, before anything. And they were talking about Sealy."

Lineweaver knows all too well the curse that Sealy has put on Commerce. That decision in 1995 has been questioned, and he would not say if he would, or would not, go for two again.

"We played to win that game - the one thing I wish is that we had converted it," Lineweaver said. "I've heard it said that there's no greater thrill than to win the Super Bowl and there's no lower low than to lose the Super Bowl. It's probably the same for us.

"Since [Sealy] inflicted those losses on us, you can say some might be taking it more personally. But if we win, no matter who we beat, it would be just as exhilarating."

And maybe cathartic.

Philip Forester is a free-lance writer based in Garland.