Memorable Evening by John Adams, Advocate Sports Writer; 9/14/1976

Football coaches prefer for their players to play one game at a time.  And, once that game is played, it's best to forget it, according to coaches.

"We buried TCU in the grave at 7:30 p.m. Sunday," Southern Methodist coach Ron Meyer said following his team's opening victory Saturday.  "You can only enjoy a victory a sweet 24 hours."

You can bet that St. Paul of Shiner players did not forget their Saturday night victory after 24 hours.  In fact, they'll probably remember it for 24 years.

The game won't be so memorable because of the score, 56-12, in favor of St. Paul against Giddings State School in Giddings.  Nor will Eddie Matula's 163 yards rushing be long remembered.  He gains that kind of real estate regularly.

It wasn't how the game was played that was unusual; but how it ended.

"The game was called by a minor eruption with seven minutes to play," said St. Paul's second-year head coach Robert Fikac.

Giddings' players erpted after one of their teammates was injured when tackled on a fourth-quarter play, according to Fikac.

Although the tackle was rather routine (no penalties were called on the play), an apparently frustrated Giddings' team took to the offense -- without the football.

"They started hitting our kids with their helmets," said Fikac, "who was as surprised as his players by what happened."

Officials quelled the uprising quickly, however, and no St. Paul players was injured.  "They kept their helmets on," Fikac said of his startled players.

Fikac found out later that the injured Giddings' player was not hurt seriously:  "He had a sprained neck and was back at school Monday, according to their coach."

Normally, coaches would make a point to reschedule a team they beat 56-12, but Fikac says, "We won't schedule them again."

Last Saturday's unforuntate incident hasn't affected Fikac's optimism about the football season, however.

"We're improved over last year," he noted. "And I think we have a chance to go undefeated in non-district games.  St. Paul will face its toughest test this week against San Antonio St. Anthony, defending district champion in 4-A of the Texas Christian Interscholastic League.

One of the reasons for Fikac's optimism is the running of Matula, a 6-1, 175-pound junior who has passed the 2,000-yard rushing mark for his career.

Source:  Victoria Advocate, Victoria, Texas, Tuesday, September 14, 1976, page 13.