Carlisle's Creek

Basketball Coaching Records - 1953-Present

Submitted by Ed Davis and Buddy Carlisle

Buddy Carlisle, the current basketball coach of the Clear Creek Wildcats, is continuing the legacy that was begun way back in 1953 by his dad (George Carlisle) at Webster High School. From that 1953/54 team of 'Cats until the present day, the basketball program has enjoyed great success with the teams winning 70.4% of their games against top-flight competition throughout these 53 years.  We should be proud of the accomplishments of both the coaches and players from all those teams down the years. Buddy has compiled the coaching stats for those teams and we are happy to publish those in the blog for all to enjoy.  Especially check out the Grand Total over the 53 years at the end of the stats.  Amazing!  Thanks, Buddy, for these stats and the fine job you continue to do at the Creek.

                                     Clear Creek Basketball (1953 to the Present)

Coach George Carlisle (1953-1962)

Year           Won     Lost     Finish 

1953-54        31         2       Regional Finalist
1954-55        22         8       District Finalist
1955-56        33         1       3rd in State
1956-57        33         3       3rd in State
1957-58        33         4       3rd in State
1958-59        27        14       Bi-District Champs
1959-60        39         3       3rd in State
1960-61        36         2       2nd in State
1961-62        34         5       3rd in State
Total           288       42       87.3%

Coach Henry Bauerschlag (1962-65)

Year           Won     Lost     Finish 

1962-63        26         6       State AAA Champs
1963-64        25         7       2nd in State
1964-65        26         4       District Champs
Total           102       17      85.7%

Coach Bill Krueger (1965-72)

Year           Won     Lost     Finish 

1965-66        28         3       2nd in State
1966-67        27         4       3rd in State
1967-68        35         1       Regional Finalist
1968-69        33         4       Regional Finalist
1969-70        36         3       Bi-District Champs
1970-71        36         4       Bi-District Champs
1971-72        31         7       District Champs
Total           243       26      90.3%

Coach Jack Worthington (1972-75)

Year           Won     Lost     Finish

1972-73        19       13      
1973-74        14       21      
1974-75        10       24      
Total             43      58      42.5%

Coach Randy Hollaway (1975-78)

Year           Won     Lost     Finish

1975-76        15       15      
1976-77        18       18      
1977-78        26         7      
Total             59      40      59.5%

Coach Buddy Carlisle (1978-Present)

Year           Won     Lost     Finish 

1978-79        20        13                  
1979-80        19        13      
1980-81        16        20      
1981-82        13        21      
1982-83        19        13      
1983-84        24        10      
1984-85        12        18      
1985-86        16        18      
1986-87        19        14      
1987-88        28          7      Bi-District Champs      
1988-89        23        10      
1989-90        20        13      
1990-91        15        18      
1991-92        26          9      Regional Semi-Finalist      
1992-93        23          9      Bi-District Qualifier      
1993-94        20        13      District Co-Champs
1994-95        25          8      District Champs      
1995-96        24        10      Bi-District Champs      
1996-97        25          8      Regional Quarter-Finalist      
1997-98        19        12      Bi-District Qualifier      
1998-99        30          4      District Champs      
1999-00        11        22      Bi-District Champs      
2000-01        19        12      
2001-02        13        17
2002-03        15        17      
2003-04        18        16      
2004-05        28          8      District Champions         
2005-06        21          8      Thru 1/27/06  1st Place in District
Total          561      361     60.8%

Grand
Total        1296      544     70.4%

 

Putting It In Perspective

Posted by Dan Jensen

     Clear Creek basketball has meant so much to all of us.  All those great coaches, all those great players, all those great wins and that bright, shiny, silver basketball trophy that was awarded to our state champions of 1963.

     I remember how we kept coming up short in the state tournament and witnessing other teams gathering in midcourt at Gregory Gymnasium when the champions received their bright, shiny, silver basketball.  With the lights shining down upon them, they just glittered, glittered, glittered.

But time passes.  And, with the passing of time, things can change.  I believe it was 1974 when the phone rang one day and it was my League City cousin calling to tell me that his son was starting as a sophomore for old Clear Creek.  He invited me to an upcoming game.

     Other things were on my schedule then and besides there was no more Carlisle, no more Bauerschlag and no more Krueger at Clear Creek and we were not dreaming of bright, shiny, silver basketball trophies any more.  We had been 14-21 the year before, the first losing record in 22 years.

     But, there was still interest, of course, and it was heightened by the opportunity to see a kinsman play.  We had an infant that kept my wife at home but my five-year-old daughter wanted to go with me.  So, to League City we go and, as we walked into the gym, I directed her to the home side and up we climbed.  "See the ones in maroon?  They're the Wildcats.  That's who we want to win," I said.  "Come on Wildcats," she said.  On the drive back home, she asked, "Daddy, why didn't the Wildcats win?"  "Just didn't score enough points," I replied.

     Not long afterwards we went to another game and sat in about the same place.  On the drive home, Elizabeth said, "Daddy, why didn't the Wildcats win?"  By then, I was plumb tired of answering that question.  "I don't know, they just didn't," was my not so kind response.

     But, maybe a third time would be a charm and we went back again.  As we entered the gym this time, daughter dear pointed to the visitor's side and said, "Let's go over there.  I want to sit on the winning side."  Now, that was a blow.  Five year olds just don't realize how hurtful they can be.  I couldn't do anything because her mother would wonder where she got all those gashes and bruises but, for the official record, we sat on the Clear Creek side, even if the season ended on a 10-24 sour note.

     But, I did begin to ponder those sunny slopes of long ago, all those great coaches, all those great players, all those great championships--and that bright, shiny, silver basketball trophy with that special inscription.  In the foyer after the game, I thought that I would educate daughter dear about those wonderful days of yore.  She wasn't wearing sunglasses but I wanted her to see that bright, shiny, silver basketball.  Oh, that trophy case was jammed with trophies from those thrilling days of yesteryear.

     But, where was our state championship trophy?  I look and look but no trophy is shining any more than any other.  Do they have it in some special place?  It was a plumb puzzlement.  Then finally, I did see it.  State champions, 1963.  The basketball was not bright.  It was not shiny.  I guess it was silver, it was hard to tell.

     Things had sure changed, in more ways than one.  But, it did provide some perspective.  As important as Clear Creek basketball was, and is, there are things that are far more important.  Things that will never rust, corrode or pass away.  Things that are eternal.  "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." Isaiah said that and I agree.  Don't you?

Best All-Time Players: One Committee's Opinion

Posted by Dan Jensen

As I mentioned on another thread, John Platzer assembled a ten person committee in 1968 to select our all-time basketball team.  It was for one of the area's weekly newspapers.  There were two or three after the Galveston County Press and I don't remember which one.  This information is from an old clipping sent by Les and Helen Talley.

I do think the voting was skewed a bit since some of the players selected were recent ones that were more on the voters' minds that others but I realize that different folks will have different opinions anyway.  I definitely think Robert Brown should be higher on the list but there are just so many really good ones.

Bennie Lenox and Bill Doty were the only unanimous choices and Bennie got nine of the ten votes for outstanding player.

First Team:

Bennie Lenox

Bill Doty

Paul Timmins

*Scooter Lenox

*James Davis

*Boonie Wilkening

*Tied in voting

Second Team:

Curly Lenox

Richard Huhn

Chuck Trcka

Jimmie Dale Lenox

Norman Lunday

Third Team:

Robert Brown

Paul Hackett

Bill McGuire

Paul Blanchard

Pat Jensen

Fourth Team:

Steve Huhn

Terry Mathis

Joddie Witte

Garvis Hadley

Bill Howard

Honorable Mention:

Arthur Landriault

Bobby Rule

Larry Kelly

Edward Davis

James Collins

Larry Walker

Rick Jones

Hugh Taylor

Charles Milligan

Johnny Valentino

Billy Coleman

Wayne Townsend

William Frost

Kent Rindy

Anybody Remember Bennie Lenox?

Posted by Dan Jensen

     It's been 46 years since Bennie Lenox's senior year at Clear Creek and some of our young pups--if we have such reading this site--may need a history lesson and some of our oldtimers may enjoy a refresher course. 

     We've had players break Bennie's school records for individual game and career scoring but we should never forget his great days at Clear Creek.  Included in his three year career total of 2,357 points (502, 804, 1,051) was his personal high of 46 against a good Houston Sam Houston team in the Brazosport tournament. 

     Actually, his personal high was 53 points for Texas A&M against Wyoming in an Oklahoma City tournament.  And, since the Southwest Conference is no more, that will stand for all time as a league record.  He was 6-2 when he left Clear Creek but now is 6-4 and living in Bertram, Texas.

     He was the number two gunner as a sophomore behind senior Chuck Trcka but blossomed into an all-state player as a junior with a 20 point scoring average.  As a senior, he was all-state again, truly the best player in the state regardless of classification.  He scored 25 points per game and averaged just three quarters per game since we often won by large margins.  He no longer holds the career scoring record but his 1,051 points in 1960 remains a single season record. 

     As a junior, he scored over 30 five times: LaPorte 39, Houston Reagan 33, Big Sandy 33 (he always did well against that renowed team), Dickinson 31 and Northside San Antonio 31. 

     In addition to the 46 against Houston Sam Houston as a senior, he scored 40 against Lufkin and 41 against Brazosport.  He had six 30 point games with 38 against LaPorte, 37 against Deer Park and maybe best of all, 36 against Belton in the state tournament that included a last second game winner.

Busted Bats and Busted Butts

Posted by Garvis Hadley

During my baseball days at Webster High, ’53-’56, we didn’t have aluminum bats such as those in use today at every level except in the majors.  That was to be a thing of the future. I suppose Texas A&M had not perfected the aluminum tree at that time.  However, we did have some of the finest “lumber” available then because no one ever shattered a bat into several pieces like you see done in major league baseball nowadays.  Certainly had nothing to do with how hard we could, or could not, make contact with that fast approaching orb.  Heck, bats generally lasted so long it was difficult to see the trademark because of their having been racked, stacked and sacked so much as well as the beating the bats took when being flung down and across that gumbo clay of the field we played on.

However, on a rare occasion someone would hit a ball so far up on the handle of the bat that it would crack the handle, and that bat was retired.  Not to worry though.  Our fine baseball coaching staff in those days was of a frugal nature and would go to extra effort to re-cycle things, especially a busted bat.  It did not find its way to the dumpster (another thing that didn’t exist in those days), but instead wound up in the hands of our beloved Shop Teacher, B. E. Davis.  Mr. Davis would ply the bat handle with glue and then would flatten two sides of the barrel of the bat on a planer until the barrel was about ¾” thick.  That bat somehow made its way to the Coaches' office in the gym and took a place in the arsenal the Coaches maintained.

You see, ALL THE COACHES apparently thought that inside the black lines of the gym floor was sacred territory and was not to be trod upon in anything other than the proper foot attire - Keds, gym shoes, tennis shoes, sneakers and such.  No, Air Jordans did not exist then.  One caught walking “inside the black lines” was likely to be introduced to one of Mr. Davis’ products, 99.99% of the time.  Yep, ya gotcher butt busted with a busted bat.  I got mine busted a couple of times. It mattered not what gender you were, nor who you were.  Only time I was able to avoid a swat or two was when we were about to board the school bus for an away game and I suppose they were sympathetic to my having to sit for an hour or so on a busted butt.  Darned if I don’t believe the Coaches would take turns lurking in the gym lobby, or behind the stage curtains, or other such places just so they could catch a violator.  And, they caught many of them.

What I really didn’t understand, and still don’t to this day, knowing how they maintained such an arduous devotion to the safety and sanctity of “inside the black lines,” is how they could stand to attend a school dance, or a graduation ceremony, or other school function where wearing street shoes on the floor was allowed.  It must have been misery for them.  I am so thankful for the strength and will power of our Coaches.

Who's Our Biggest Rival Now?

Posted by Dan Jensen

I note from the District 24-5A schedule that we host Clear Lake on Tuesday and go to Clear Brook on Friday.  I wonder if these rivalries are as big as Dickinson, LaPorte, LaMarque, Alvin and Deer Park were in days of yore? 

Who is our biggest rival now?  Are Lake and Brook, despite being in the same school district as us, teams that we would rather beat than any other?

I wonder about such things and hope that some of our folks on the scene will share their thoughts with us.

The Follies, Great Coaches, and Other Memories

Posted by Joddie Witte - Class of 1954

The SWT Follies

What a great group of guys this was. Although I do not recall exactly who the architect responsible for the start of this group was, I do remember that Jack Worthington, former coach and principal in the Spring ISD, and me were probably the originators of the group that became known as the Follies.

We developed all kinds of routines to perform from the bench during time outs. One of the routines which the fans and students seemed to enjoy was when the last person on the end of the bench, away from the side-line huddle between Coach Jowers and the team, would stand up, lean to his left, and, with his left hand up to his left ear, would simulate listening to what was going on in the huddle. This was then followed in sequential order until the last player next to the side-line huddle would stand up in this listening mode. At this time, the fans would go wild as if we had just scored the winning bucket at the end of the game. On several occasions, I was that last person to stand up in the Follies routine.

Coach Jowers never looked as if or ever acknowledged that the Follies existed. To be honest, I think he thoroughly enjoyed the timeouts. The fans were enthusiastically involved and it was a spark for the team. To my knowledge, there never has been another Follies group in college basketball except at Southwest Texas State University.

SWT and Sam Houston State

I must comment on Garvis Hadley’s comment about Sam Houston always beating Southwest Texas State.He may regretfully remember the game at Huntsville in 1958. It was the last conference game of the year. We were averaging 92 points per game and Sam Houston had a great ball club. The starters for Southwest Texas in this game were Rudy Davilos, an All-American guard, Boonie Wilkening, left-handed jump shooter and all-conference guard, Don Turkey Foster, leading rebounder in the conference, Charlie Sharp, All-American post who had one of the most unbelievable hook shots in the nation, and me. Sam Houston led most of the game. In the fourth quarter, Coach Jowers turned us loose with a full-court press. In a very low scoring game (I do not remember the exact final score but each team had under 50 points), I was the leading scorer with 20 points. I hope that Garvis will make a comment if he remembers this game. I remember Tom Goodman being at the game – he was playing baseball for Sam Houston State.

Three Great Coaches

Let me share a story or two about the three great coaches that I was fortunate to play for. Number 1 is George Carlisle who was and is known to all. This website is about him.

Coach number 2 was Johnny Frankie at Wharton Junior College who was a legendary coach there. I had received a scholarship to play basketball at Wharton Junior when I graduated from Webster High School. I remember Coach Carlisle telling me I needed to be prepared to sweat blood. He was correct. I recall one time when we played a bad ball game at Wharton. At the end of the game, Coach Frankie threw one of the side-line chairs across the gym floor causing several persons to jump as the chair went all the way to the other side of the gym floor. He worked us out after that game until about 12:30 AM (that’s right – until after midnight!). All of us sweated some blood after that workout.

I also remember one time during a half-time review in the dressing room, Coach Frankie was so upset that he hit the portable chalkboard with his fist, knocking a hole through the chalkboard.

Coach number 3 was Milton Jowers at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. He was an outstanding coach and motivator. His teams were always fundamentally sound and as drilled as the Follies were. There are many stories about Coach Jowers and I would like to share a couple with the Clear Creek group.

Stephen F. Austin University defeated SWT in a game played at Nacogdoches. Throughout the game, a group of SFA students would hit a wood railing with large sticks. Coach Jowers approached the SFA coach at half-time to ask him to stop this display. The SFA coach said he had no control over the student body. So the hammering of the sticks continued in the second half. Well, guess what! SFA still had to come to San Marcos in the second half of the conference schedule.

Coach Jowers went to Dr. Hemke, Chair of the Music Department and a big supporter of Bobcat athletics, and asked him what type of instrument sound would have an impact on a person’s concentration. Without hesitation, Dr. Hemke said that the cymbals would be this type of instrument. Well, the SFA team arrived in San Marcos for the big conference game. The game started and every time an SFA player prepared to shoot the cymbals would sound off on the end of the gym where SFA was shooting. The SFA coach approached Coach Jowers at half-time to request that the students stop using the cymbals. Coach Jowers told him he had some control over the student body and that he would speak to them. He did speak to them and, in the 2nd half, the students were moved to the other end of the gym (the end where SFA would be shooting this half!) and the cymbals would again sound off when shots were about to be attempted. SWT won this game and many lessons were learned by all.

One other story about Coach Jowers needs to be told. One hot day we were working out. Many of us had “cotton-mouth” from lack of water. We were in a half-court scrimmage and fixing to go full-court. I thought Coach Jowers said to get a quick drink of water. As I leaned over the water fountain, someone kicked me in the butt. As I turned around, there was Coach Jowers. He said, “Son, do you want to play basketball?” Needless to say, I did play some basketball that day and did so without a drink.

I also lettered in baseball at SWT during my time there.

Final Reflections

In reflection, I was very fortunate to play for these three legendary basketball coaches. I was also fortunate to be inducted in the Hall of Honor at Southwest Texas State University. These coaches had a great impact on my career. Coach Carlisle formed the foundation for all of my fortunate success in life after college. I have been in education for 47 years and still counting. I have been fortunate to serve as superintendent in 8 school districts – 7 of those as an interim superintendent. I am proud to have coached a basketball team at Hutto into the 1961 state finals. Coach Carlisle also had his team from Clear Creek in that tournament that same year.

This is enough reading for now. I look forward to continued dialogue with former Wildcats. It is now time for Ralph Parr to get active on this website.

What Are Incorrect Team Records Worth?

Posted by Dan Jensen

Someone sent me a copy of the program for the 37th annual Clear Creek basketball tournament of 1969.  Boy, this will be fun reading, I thought.  It had the Wildcat roster.  Paul Trcka and Buddy Carlisle were seniors on that team.  What good players they were.  Hank Bauerschlag was on the varsity as a freshman.  What a good player he became.

Then there were Clear Creek team records from the beginning of the glory years (1953-54) through the 1968-69 season.  I anticipated more fun.  But, a plumb puzzlement quickly pounced upon me.  One of my favorite teams was the one in 1956.  My brother Pat was a senior on that team and I thought sure we went to the state tournament with a perfect 32-0 record.  Well, I guess I thought wrong because the team record is listed as 30-4.

On another thread, Pat claimed that this was the best Clear Creek team of all time, hands down.  Others in that starting lineup, Garvis Hadley, Paul Blanchard, Robert Brown and James Davis may claim the same thing.  How could they do that after losing so many games?  Those rascals would probably also claim they won their first 32 games that year and broke the school record.  Are they all a bunch of liars? 

I know that bunch well and always thought they were such nice children, so maybe I better check this out.  Hey, I wrote a bunch of that stuff down for several years.  Where did I put that book?  Here it is!  Let me dust it off and see if maybe someone needs dusting off.

Yep, that 1956 team finished 33-1 and I solemnly promise that is absolutely correct.  Yeah, we split two games at the state tournament, so we did win our first 32 games that year.  I thought so, but it's good to be sure about such important things.  Accuracy is absolutely vital in such matters.

Well, anyone can slip up now and then.  Ain't nobody perfect.  Wait a minute!  It's hard to believe, but the record of the team right before it is wrong too!  Unbelievable!  The 1955 team is listed at 26-5 but it was really 22-8.  Somebody missed that as badly as the other one.

As I look further, my plumb puzzlement turns to plumb scorn and outrage.  The 1957 record is wrong too!  It should be 33-3 instead of 32-3.  Close enough, you say?  We are not pitching horseshoes here, we are talking about season records.  Well, the 1958 record is listed correctly.  Hallelujah!  Hold the shouting please, because the 1959 and 1962 records are wrong too.

I switch to a list of the records in district play.  The first three are wrong.  I cannot stand any more of this.  I can go no further. 

What is the meaning of this!!  Who is responsible for this!!  I want his name!!

Poor Dickinson...Poor Dickinson

Posted by Dan Jensen

I wonder if Dickinson is our oldest rival?  I wonder what our all-time record is against that school?  Since I grew up in League City, the nearby Gators were a team that I loved for us to beat.

When George Carlisle coached for Clear Creek, we beat them and beat them and beat them.  Make that, we beat them 25 times without a single loss over an 11 year span.  I wonder if the current Coach Carlisle can say he never coached in a losing game against Dickinson?  I wonder about such things and one reason I do is that we play them tomorrow (Dec. 21).

Some blood thirsty Wildcats may want a cumulative score for those 11 years.  It was 1,543 to 951.  That averages out to 61-38, a 23 point bulge.  We beat them by 20 or over seven times, 30 or over five times, over 40 twice and over 50 once.  The season of 1956-57 was a particularly good year.  Our all senior starting team of Robert Brown, James Davis, William Frost, Stanley Magee and Tom Goodman drilled the Gators, 73-31 and 92-41.  That was the year we scored 72 points on them in football and had four touchdowns called back.  Someone tell me if Dickinson scored.  I truly don't remember.

Now, Dickinson can rightly claim that it made the state tournament before us.  It was the year before (1954-55) as the Gators got hot behind a very good player named Wayne Williams and made it all the way to the Class A state tournament.  We were Class AA.  I don't know if Dickinson lost the first game or the second game but it did not win a state championship.

How did the Gators do that year against us?   Well, you know we beat them.  You just want the scores.  They were 69-50, 67-39 and 54-43.  Maybe playing us unusually close in that third game inspired them for their stretch run.

Ye Olde Edward Davis

Posted by Dan Jensen

I am very pleased to have gotten acquainted with Ed (formerly Edward) Davis because of The Carlisle Project and this blog.

I had no idea all these years that he graduated from Baylor and that he is avid Bear sports fan--as I am.  I also found out that he lives in Waco and had gotten acquainted with Baylor pitcher Steven White and sometimes sat with his parents, Mike and Benda, at the Baylor Ballpark since they were Clear Creek folks.

Well, I saw several Baylor games a couple of years ago when my daughter then lived in the area, and also sat with the Whites at some games.  I marveled that our paths had never crossed.  I marvel no more.  Today, I received a Christmas letter and picture of Ed and his wife.  You talk about an old codger, Ed is one.  Maybe he is two.  I may have seen him several times at the ballpark but never, never, never would I have recognized him as the Sir Edward from days of yore.

We need a section in this blog where we can all send our current pictures for posting.  I could see some of you guys on the street and not even speak to you.