Thirty years is a long time, but for the men who wore Grapevine Mustangs uniforms in 1996, the memories haven't faded much. The Class 4A Mustangs opened that season ranked No. 1 in the state and backed it up, navigating a demanding non-district schedule loaded with 5A programs before finishing a perfect 15-0 with a 34-19 victory over Buda Hayes Consolidated in the state championship game.
It was the first state title in the program's 90-year history — a milestone that head coach Mike Sneed and his staff had quietly believed was within reach from the start of the season. The Mustangs returned to their home field for a homecoming reunion, introduced to the crowd in a moment that several former players described as surreal.
Much of Grapevine's firepower that season ran through a pair of cousins. Senior wide receiver Jack Brewer and junior tailback Tellis Redmon combined for some of the most memorable plays of the championship run. Both went on to play college football at the University of Minnesota, and Brewer spent five seasons in the NFL after his collegiate career.
The bonds built during that 1996 season have only deepened with time. To a man, the former Mustangs say that being the first team in school history to reach and win the ultimate game is a distinction that never leaves you.
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