Dec. 8, 2004, 1:37PM

Football energizes Clear Lake community
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Falcons team shows school's prowess extends beyond basketball

By THAYER EVANS
Chronicle Correspondent

Growing up and attending Clear Lake High School sporting events as a youth, Scott Oswald always dreamed of the day he'd finally be able to play for the Falcons basketball team.

Back then, the now 18-year-old high school senior envisioned himself carrying on the school's boys basketball tradition that legendary coach Bill Krueger built with 637 of his career 1,096 victories and the 1989 state championship.

"I can't remember any of the games for football," Oswald said. "I remember the basketball games, but not football."

Oswald, however, has led the school's football team to this year's Class 5A Division II semifinals as its quarterback.

More than just hoops

Punctuated by last Saturday's dramatic double-overtime 35-34 upset of defending state champion Katy, the Clear Lake Falcons appear to be shedding the school's long-standing reputation as a basketball-only
juggernaut.

The team is a win away from playing in the state championship game, but first will have to play Smithson Valley at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Alamodome in San Antonio.

"I could never figure out why (football) didn't come around," said Krueger, who retired in 1996.

"But I've always felt like they could do it."

The school's students and residents of the Clear Lake area are rallying behind the team. From a speech by school alumnus and current Houston Texans center Steve McKinney before a game last month to handmade Clear Lake High School signs that line Bay Area Boulevard on game days, enthusiasm for Falcons football is evident throughout the school and community.

"Locally, they are the team to watch," said League City Councilman Keith Dill, who graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1980. "It's just great to see them play. They're exciting."

"I love going to the football games," said sophomore Shannon Lindamood, 16. "It's the highlight of my week."

The only blemish on the team's 13-1 record is a 31-13 road loss to Alvin on Oct. 15.

"After we lost to Alvin, people were saying how we weren't for real and that we were a joke and everything," said Oswald, who has rushed for 1,908 yards and 32 touchdowns this season and also plays on the basketball team. "Even some of our student fans were saying that. We just wanted to prove everybody wrong. We are for real."

School is electrified

Cara Ellis, a home economics teacher at the school, said students and faculty members are abuzz about the football team.

"It's like, electric," said Ellis, a 14-year teaching veteran in her first year at the school and who is a 1979 graduate. "Each week has gotten more energized and more energized. It's like a fever. People are
so spirited ... Everyone wants to be part of it." Ellis said that one of her friends who graduated from Clear Lake High in 1977 and played on the football team contacted her recently in search of a Falcons T-shirt to support this year's team.

She said her friend is a writer in Hollywood, where he also teaches a writing class. "He was (making) his students do extra credit to find out about the District 5A (Division II playoffs)," Ellis said.

The winning ways of the Falcons also have had an impact on football coach Troy Aduddell. He said the outpouring of support from the Clear Lake area has been almost overwhelming at times.

"I walked into a store (this week) and a lady gave me a card and a box of candies," Aduddell said. "She said, 'I just love the games.' "

Phone keeps ringing

Throughout this season, Aduddell said, he received numerous telephone calls and e-mails from former football players, students and faculty members at the school.

He said a Florida man, who played football for the school and graduated in 1987, and his family are flying in for this Saturday's game.

Principal Linda Rawlings said this year's team has united the school and the community.

"I think that we kind of willed this to happen in a sense, along with all the talent on the team," said Rawlings, who taught at the school for 18 years before becoming principal in 2003.

'It's our time'

Rawlings said she's not surprised by the success of this year's team.

"It's our time for football," she said. "We had our heyday with Coach Krueger. ... Academically, we've always been strong ... It's great to see another program recognized."

Even if the team were to lose this weekend, Rawlings said this season would not be a disappointment. Nonetheless, she is more than optimistic about the team's chances on Saturday.

"You could tell from the very beginning of the season that these guys were really determined," Rawlings said. "They've just never given up."