Calling on Wylie fans, past and present, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wylie winning its first state football championship and the players and coaches who made it happen! The Wylie community is invited to meet the players and coaches from the 2004 team from 5-6:30 p.m. this Friday (10/11) at Wylie’s Performing Arts Center to recognize this momentous time in Wylie Athletics.
Coach Sandifer, who served as Wylie’s head football coach for 34 years, said the 3A Div I State Championship team consisted of players who had watched previous teams just miss the opportunity to win the title and this built the heart they needed to finish what those players had started.
“I think this team had a spirit inside,” said Sandifer. “Wylie had lost in the semi-finals the year before and had lost in 2000 when these kids were in junior high. They wanted to achieve this goal.”
Sandifer said talking about finishing what was started was a main talking point and was considered brash at the time because Wylie was not ranked. Chad Copeland, team member and now a coach for Wylie, said many players had siblings who played on the 2000 state team so focusing on “finishing business” fueled the team even through off-season and summer workouts, but he said a dedication from each player on the team to do their part to their best ability pushed them to earn the title.
“We had to compete to keep our starting spots as there were others competing to take them, which is what made our team great,” said Copeland. “What made that team was the fact that all 66 players were bought in and knew their role and took great pride in it.” An ideal he impresses upon his players today.
Sandifer said Wylie went on to beat three ranked teams during the play-offs to meet Cuero, the number one ranked team, in what was a tight championship game. Wylie’s win came down to the wire, winning the game in the last seconds with a field goal to break the tied score of 14-14.
“It was such a hard-fought game. Every play was heightened because of this, and it was only appropriate that the win came down to kick,” said Sandifer. “It was surreal.”
Sandifer said he particularly recalls the match-up between the two teams with their lineman. “The quality of football played by the lineman…both teams had linemen weighing 300 pounds and that was 20 years ago. Several on both teams went on to play D1 football,” said Sandifer.
Sandifer said it was a time of pride for Wylie and he looks forward to celebrating this achievement with his former players and coaches this Friday at the event as well as hearing all about their new accomplishments.
“I hope they feel proud,” said Sandifer. “It was a great accomplishment, but I am even more excited to hear the stories about what they have accomplished over the last 20 years with their jobs and families.”
In addition to the meet and greet, the players will attend Wylie’s varsity game against Palo Duro and be recognized at half-time by Wylie ISD. It is sure to be a great time for Wylie fans to once again celebrate the 2004 State Champs on the gridiron.
By Kristen Johnson
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