THE PLAN WAS SIMPLE AND EASY. Calallen High School’s varsity football team was supposed to just walk into Javelina Stadium fired up after losing to Flour Bluff the week prior - and possibly waving goodbye to the District 31-4A crown - and the Brahmas were supposed to just lie down like a bunch of dogs and take a good old fashioned beating.

I mean who are the Brahmas, many outside of our city limits probably thought.

Well, no one was laughing at H.M. King in the fourth quarter after David Lewis managed to dig through a pile of Wildcats and pierce the ball into the goal line to give the Bulls a 13-12 lead.

Lewis previously gave H.M. King a 7-6 advantage scoring on a 5-yard run just before halftime. But it was not just Lewis’ scores alone that brought the Brahmas close to defeating Calallen, but everything prior.

On defense, Blake Sugarek got things rolling with an early sack. Sean Cantu broke up a first quarter Calallen pass into the end zone. Jordan Polhemus and William Cumberland later chased the Wildcat’s signal caller out of bounds for a loss.

On offense, Demetre Richardson ran like a man possessed against a team that should have squashed him. Hunter Woodall and Marcus Ramirez made lengthy receptions to help the Bulls move the ball.

And when H.M. King needed their fans to stay in their seats…they did! The post game applause and cheering was something that showed community unity to a group of boys - some of whom played in their final home game of their career - who needed it.

Friday’s effort by the Brahmas was not good enough to win, but it was good enough to prove they are anything but losers.

“We have a good football team and our kids played hard all night long and gave them a run for their money,” Head Coach Andrew Hrncir said. “A couple of breaks did not go our way and that happens in a high school game. I think you have two good football teams out here and I think we are a very good football team, this program is getting better and on the right track.”

At 3-3 in district, H.M. King concludes its regular season at Flour Bluff on Friday.

“We will do what we have done all year long,” Hrncir said. “Try to get better every day, these kids are playing hard right now and that is all we can ask of them.”

It has been one of those seasons for Hrncir and the Bulls. Still, H.M. King’s head honcho and his boys are ready to answer the bell for the final round.

“The boys have heart and we had a couple of games this season go against us,” Hrncir said. “We turned the ball over in a couple of district games where we should not have, but I will play and fight with these guys anytime and against anybody.”

The plan was simple and easy. H.M. King should have gone down easily to Calallen. But they didn’t.