EAGLE IN TIGER TOWN
The Rockdale Tiger football team and fans can take comfort in knowing that their season ended to the 2018 UIL Texas 3A-DI state champions.
RHS fell to the Grand-view Zebras 45-21 in November of last year in a game Rockdale was as close as three points in the final seven minutes. After the stripes knocked off RHS, they rolled through the next four games of the playoffs to make it to AT&T Stadium in Arlington against Malakoff.
Grandview took down the East Texas power for the second time in three months with a 35-21 victory.
The Zebras were led by sophomore quarterback Dane Jentsch, who passed for 171 yards in the title game, and 103 yards from junior running back Elijah Golden against Malakoff.
Although dominant, the Zebras weren’t even District 9-3A DI champs. They lost their first district contest to West 42-41, which led to them facing off with the third-place Tigers in the bi-district round of the playoffs.
“This was a team similar to us the year before that improved later in the season,” Coach Jeff Miller said. “Before we even played them, I knew they were the top team in that district, and weren’t the second best to come from that district.
“Every time they ran the ball,” Miller said. “There was a chance they could turn it into a big play, especially with their offensive line. When they weren’t running, they could throw that ball too.”
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Right around the time the Zebras became state champs, Rockdale athletes were making a little history of their own. Some RHS softball players had cameos in a Ford commercial that was shot in Rockdale and is expected to air during Super Bowl LIII, Sunday, Feb. 3.
“It was definitely something the kids can take with them for the rest of their lives,” said Erin Palmer, Rockdale High School head softball coach. “It’s an experience they’re never going to forget, and it was kind of a once in a lifetime thing for a lot of people.”
It was a stroke of luck for the community as Mike Brown reported. Kara Clo-re of the Rockdale Municipal District had a photographer friend that told her the automobile company was looking to do a commercial that “emphasized how hard-working their trucks are and wanting to film in a hard working town.”
This led to Clore contacting the film crew and to the crew making their way down to the Rock to scout places to film. One site was the soon-to-be-finished RHS softball stadium.
Lance Weidner, the maintenance director for R.I.S.D. alerted his crew of the new plans on Dec. 17, and got his staff to meet the readiness standards for the filming two days later.
“We got to show off our new field as well,” Palmer said. “And to have some exposure for that was really cool.”
The following RHS athletes will appear in the background during the advertisement: Tyley Arledge, Mariana Casarez, Emily Depine, Karley Leopold, Payton Miller, Lilly Phillips, Hannah Rodriguez, Ryleigh Eanes, Averie Hubbs, Haven Jimenez, Macy Knesek, Mackenzie Musto, Emma Roberts, Brande Breithaupt, Salome Cardona, Yarely Navarro, Andrea Salazar and Jena Locklin.
Senior Autumn Montelongo was also a “feature extra,” according to Palmer.
RHS softball coaches Palmer, Kirk Palmer and Meghann Wrinkle are also in the background.
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