Long after they have ended, winning streaks will always be spoken with reverence.
Long after they have ended, losing streaks will always be spoken with a sense of relief and the wish to never return.
Imagine the emotions Corsicana’s football team experienced following last Friday’s 49-28 District 6-5A victory over Mesquite Poteet.
That victory vanquished a district losing streak of 25 games that stretched back to the end of 2021 and became the narrative connected to the Tigers.
The postgame celebration summoned joy, excitement, some tears and the resolve that things are improving for a program that had been down on its luck in recent years.
When Corsicana alum Eugene Rogers took over this program before the 2024 season, he knew this day would come. Maybe not quickly. Yet it would come.
“It’s been a long time, but it was expected,’’ Rogers said. “When I took the job, I knew what I was getting into. I know the history. The program had taken a downturn.”
Last Friday became another threshold crossed. Not only did Corsicana pick up its first district win in nearly four years, the Tigers (3-3, 1-2) have collected the most wins in a season since that 2021 team finished 6-4.
That victory also meant the Tigers can look at themselves differently and look at the rest of their season differently. There are four more challenges in front of them.
The next one is 7:00 p.m. Friday at Community National Bank and Trust Stadium (KRVF, 106.9 FM pregame coverage begins at 6:00 p.m.) against Greenville. Win that one and they can think seriously about the postseason.
“At the start of the season, I told the kids we are a playoff team,’’ Rogers said. “I wanted to take them somewhere they haven’t been. Even if they can’t see it, I want them to work and act like a playoff team. Getting in line with expectations. Not everybody sees that.”
However, you know what they say. Actions speak louder than words.
The only actions going on in Navarro County recently were a bunch of losses. Between 2022-2024, Corsicana went 4-26 including Rogers 1-9 debut campaign.
“It had to change,’’ Rogers said. “Kids were not showing up for practice or workouts. They didn’t love it like I did. It concerned me. It was going to be a matter of time with the kids under me. We we’re blessed to win that one game.’’
When 2024 concluded, there was a time to catch breaths. That didn’t last long. It was time for some honest conversations between the head coach and his players as the offseason began.
“[Former Denton Ryan head coach and current Denton ISD AD] Joey Florence is my mentor,’’ Rogers said. “He said if you want to get great at something, we got to work on football. But we had to do things the right way. We had show those kids that we loved them.’’
Weight room workouts began before every school day. During the offseason, every player from incoming ninth graders to rising seniors worked on football skills.
The Tigers weren’t in full pads. They just worked on throwing and catching. Players were put in formations and game situations so they would understand the plays.
Simply put, they did football stuff and kept doing football stuff. Most importantly, the players kept showing up and kept showing up. That’s called building a culture.
A program that needed to rebound had to win every day between January through June in order for the wins to be posted on Fridays in the fall.
Two moments revealed something was indeed different. Corsicana went to Hallsville Sept. 12 and pitched a shutout, 23-0. The Tigers lost the 2024 meeting, 31-7.
Then Corsicana fell, 38-30, at undefeated and 6-5A power Crandall on Sept. 26. Two Pirate non-offensive touchdowns were the difference. Corsicana dropped the 2024 meeting, 45-20. The gap was closing.
Rogers doesn’t believe in moral victories. Those are almosts. Programs aren’t rewarded for almosts. Deep down, he saw the buy-in evolving. He wanted his team to play Crandall with a fearless mindset. It did.
Fast forward to Oct. 10 against Poteet. The second half began a new lease on life. When 49-28 ended, the Tiger offense finished nearly with 550 yards. Quarterback Kevin Pointer threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns.
Rogers is paid to look ahead for his program but simultaneously keep it in the moment. A win over Greenville means a winning record and a .500 district record. It also signals the Tigers have control over their postseason destiny.
Their losses to the district leaders Terrell and Crandall don’t hurt should those teams hold form and claim two playoff spots. Realistically, the Tigers will be in the mix with the other five district teams for what should be the other two playoff berths.
“We were just trying to give those guys a chance and instill some things in them,’’ Rogers said. “After Crandall, I told them the standard is to win football games. I could see that by upholding things [against Poteet]. It’s starting. It’s a process of building programs.’’
Kevin Lonnquist is a veteran sports journalist and broadcaster with nearly four decades of experience covering athletics across North Texas.
A former beat writer for The Dallas Morning News and Arlington Morning News, he reported on the Texas Rangers from 1996–2000, breaking major stories on player contracts and team moves.
For the past 20 years, Kevin has served as the voice of the Aledo Bearcats on KTFW 92.1 Hank FM, while continuing to write and analyze high school sports across the DFW area.
He brings a seasoned perspective and deep passion for storytelling to NTX Varsity.
Four Years in the Making: Corsicana Wins
By Kevin Lonnquist
NTX Varsity Sports Columnist
Long after they have ended, winning streaks will always be spoken with reverence.
Long after they have ended, losing streaks will always be spoken with a sense of relief and the wish to never return.
Imagine the emotions Corsicana’s football team experienced following last Friday’s 49-28 District 6-5A victory over Mesquite Poteet.
That victory vanquished a district losing streak of 25 games that stretched back to the end of 2021 and became the narrative connected to the Tigers.
The postgame celebration summoned joy, excitement, some tears and the resolve that things are improving for a program that had been down on its luck in recent years.
When Corsicana alum Eugene Rogers took over this program before the 2024 season, he knew this day would come. Maybe not quickly. Yet it would come.
“It’s been a long time, but it was expected,’’ Rogers said. “When I took the job, I knew what I was getting into. I know the history. The program had taken a downturn.”
Last Friday became another threshold crossed. Not only did Corsicana pick up its first district win in nearly four years, the Tigers (3-3, 1-2) have collected the most wins in a season since that 2021 team finished 6-4.
That victory also meant the Tigers can look at themselves differently and look at the rest of their season differently. There are four more challenges in front of them.
The next one is 7:00 p.m. Friday at Community National Bank and Trust Stadium (KRVF, 106.9 FM pregame coverage begins at 6:00 p.m.) against Greenville. Win that one and they can think seriously about the postseason.
“At the start of the season, I told the kids we are a playoff team,’’ Rogers said. “I wanted to take them somewhere they haven’t been. Even if they can’t see it, I want them to work and act like a playoff team. Getting in line with expectations. Not everybody sees that.”
However, you know what they say. Actions speak louder than words.
The only actions going on in Navarro County recently were a bunch of losses. Between 2022-2024, Corsicana went 4-26 including Rogers 1-9 debut campaign.
“It had to change,’’ Rogers said. “Kids were not showing up for practice or workouts. They didn’t love it like I did. It concerned me. It was going to be a matter of time with the kids under me. We we’re blessed to win that one game.’’
When 2024 concluded, there was a time to catch breaths. That didn’t last long. It was time for some honest conversations between the head coach and his players as the offseason began.
“[Former Denton Ryan head coach and current Denton ISD AD] Joey Florence is my mentor,’’ Rogers said. “He said if you want to get great at something, we got to work on football. But we had to do things the right way. We had show those kids that we loved them.’’
Weight room workouts began before every school day. During the offseason, every player from incoming ninth graders to rising seniors worked on football skills.
The Tigers weren’t in full pads. They just worked on throwing and catching. Players were put in formations and game situations so they would understand the plays.
Simply put, they did football stuff and kept doing football stuff. Most importantly, the players kept showing up and kept showing up. That’s called building a culture.
A program that needed to rebound had to win every day between January through June in order for the wins to be posted on Fridays in the fall.
Two moments revealed something was indeed different. Corsicana went to Hallsville Sept. 12 and pitched a shutout, 23-0. The Tigers lost the 2024 meeting, 31-7.
Then Corsicana fell, 38-30, at undefeated and 6-5A power Crandall on Sept. 26. Two Pirate non-offensive touchdowns were the difference. Corsicana dropped the 2024 meeting, 45-20. The gap was closing.
Rogers doesn’t believe in moral victories. Those are almosts. Programs aren’t rewarded for almosts. Deep down, he saw the buy-in evolving. He wanted his team to play Crandall with a fearless mindset. It did.
Fast forward to Oct. 10 against Poteet. The second half began a new lease on life. When 49-28 ended, the Tiger offense finished nearly with 550 yards. Quarterback Kevin Pointer threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns.
Rogers is paid to look ahead for his program but simultaneously keep it in the moment. A win over Greenville means a winning record and a .500 district record. It also signals the Tigers have control over their postseason destiny.
Their losses to the district leaders Terrell and Crandall don’t hurt should those teams hold form and claim two playoff spots. Realistically, the Tigers will be in the mix with the other five district teams for what should be the other two playoff berths.
“We were just trying to give those guys a chance and instill some things in them,’’ Rogers said. “After Crandall, I told them the standard is to win football games. I could see that by upholding things [against Poteet]. It’s starting. It’s a process of building programs.’’
Author
Kevin Lonnquist is a veteran sports journalist and broadcaster with nearly four decades of experience covering athletics across North Texas. A former beat writer for The Dallas Morning News and Arlington Morning News, he reported on the Texas Rangers from 1996–2000, breaking major stories on player contracts and team moves. For the past 20 years, Kevin has served as the voice of the Aledo Bearcats on KTFW 92.1 Hank FM, while continuing to write and analyze high school sports across the DFW area. He brings a seasoned perspective and deep passion for storytelling to NTX Varsity.
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