On firm footing in new school district, La Marque exhales
Now a part of 3A and Texas City ISD, Cougars put focus back on winning
Uncertainty breeds anxiety.
It also creates concern, causes confusion and contributes to chaos, all of which complicated La Marque coach Mike Jackson’s job of keeping staff, players and parents focused on football competition.
“This time last year, we don’t know if there’s going to be a La Marque High School after the school year,” Jackson said.
Now the only uncertainty is how many games the team will win — just how Jackson likes it.
The Cougars, after several years in school-district survival mode, have a stable home with Texas City ISD, which boosted their program’s numbers and made a level playing field in Class 3A.
“We feel like it’s a good situation for us for the next couple of years where we’ve got a chance to stabilize the program and go out and compete,” Jackson said. “We’ve been winning. The winning has never stopped.
“It just felt like we were fighting uphill all the time, trying to overcome things. Now it’s a completely different feeling where we feel like, ‘All right, now we’ve got some resources behind us, so let’s rock and roll.’ ”
Hot water is one of those resources.
The seemingly basic necessity was unavailable to La Marque’s players after practices or home games the past five years, Jackson said, as the troubled La Marque ISD battled the Texas Education Agency over its academically unacceptable performance, finally leading to its closing in November.
If players wanted to clean up after a game, they did so with a cold shower.
Combined with so many other obstacles, including outdated equipment and the school’s uncertain future, the program reached an all-time low last season, with barely 70 players across all levels.
Jackson was down multiple starters and half his staff last August.
“It gets to the point where families are leaving La Marque, and even if they’re living there, they’re sending their kids to other schools,” Jackson said. “People aren’t happy with the education, the accountability ratings aren’t there, and basically, we were losing kids by the droves.
“Now we have a situation where we’re part of TCISD and the stability is there.”
Only one thing is missing: the Battle by the Bay.
The La Marque-Texas City football rivalry is one of the oldest in the Houston area, dating to 1959. Until this season, they had failed to meet just one time, in 1961.
Now, as step-siblings, the schools won’t face off for at least the next two years.
Because of the disparate enrollment numbers, Texas City ISD didn’t want the merger to include a meeting on the field.
La Marque, in 4A the past four years, is down to 458 students. Texas City is home to 1,920.
“It’s an adjustment,” Jackson said. “We enjoy playing them, but it gets to the point — when you have 450 kids and they have almost 2,000 — where you’re putting your kids at a disadvantage and they’re not really getting what they need to out of it.”
La Marque has everything it needs to chase a sixth state championship.
The program’s numbers are growing, with more than 90 players suited up.
Coaches are returning, including offensive coordinator John Launius — Jackson’s OC when he landed at La Marque — and the team is squarely situated in District 12-3A, Division I, where it’s the largest of six schools.
“This year, we’re the hunters again, and we make no bones about it,” Jackson said.
Senior De’Marco Guidry will lead the hunt.
The all-state linebacker is expected to have a heavier load at running back. He rushed for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns on 64 carries last season while backing up 2,000-yard rusher Daequan Jones.
Sophomore safety/RB Perry Preston, junior tackle Marlon Ford, junior linebacker Jaden Bishop and senior LB Allen Franklin also are back for a defense loaded with seven returning starters.
“We’re in pretty good shape,” Ford said. “If everybody does their job and does what the coaches taught us, we’ll be in great shape.”