FRISCO, Texas —
At Frisco Lone Star, talent is just the beginning.
“It’s like a brotherhood,” said sophomore quarterback Garret Rangel.
The Rangers' foundation, built on having a strong football family, coupled with plenty of skill, has propelled them to the top spot in the 5A Division I rankings.
"You know, I really think it’s the mantra that we have the we, the team, the us, the family,” said head coach Jeff Rayburn. "These kids love each other. They love their coaches, and they play for each other."
And they’re playing as well as anyone in the state. There are just four Dallas-area undefeated teams remaining on the 5A level. Two of them will do battle this week when Lone Star faces The Colony in a district 5-5A showdown.
And boy, do the top-ranked Rangers ever have a score to settle.
Last year, The Colony pulled off a dramatic come-from-behind game-winning touchdown with just 8 seconds left. It was a 57-yard hook and lateral play that left Lone Star devastated, settling for second place in the district.
"That hurt everybody,” said receiver Marvin Mims, a Stanford commit. "And the last way I want to go out as a senior is to not win district."
The Rangers say they’re determined to create a different outcome this time around.
"You know we’re going to get our revenge, that’s how we’re going into it,” Rangel said. "We should have won that game last year, and this year it’s like we have something to prove, like why we should be district champs.”
They play with a chip on their shoulder, but they’re confident, too. Especially after snapping Highland Park’s then state-high 33-game win streak earlier this season, handing the Scots just their second loss at home in the last 21 years.
"Winning that game just proved it to these guys and just gave them that extra bit of confidence knowing they could go into a hostile environment against a great team and come out victorious,” Rayburn said.
Mims called it a wake-up moment for the rest of the state, but perhaps more importantly, a wake-up for the team.
“It was a wake up to us of how good we can be," he said. "If we come out here with the right mindset every week, no matter who we play, we’re going to climb, climb, every week and just get better."
And who knows? Perhaps the best from this brotherhood may be the best there is in the state.