Tonight, 6-2 Memorial takes on 7-1 Stratford.
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Every high school football team has a rival. It’s for bragging rights. The week before leads to pranks, pep rallies, and signs students make. In Houston’s Spring Branch/Memorial “Beltway” area, Memorial Mustangs and Stratford Spartans are rivals.
I was a Mustang, so I member many games versus the Spartans, tough teams led by coach Oscar Cripps and, then, Craig McKay, during my senior year. The Spartans won the 1978 state title.
This year, the Mustangs are 6-2 under Gary Koch, who also coached me in high school. The Spartans are 7-1 under Todd Rankin. The two teams are somewhat evenly matched, and they like running the ball.
I think the 2022 match-up will be exciting to watch, played under the lights on Friday night at Tully Stadium. It’s for bragging rights, after all.
