Several standout athletes and championship teams that left their mark on San Antonio high school sports will be honored this summer as part of the latest SAISD
Several standout athletes and championship teams that left their mark on San Antonio high school sports will be honored this summer as part of the latest SAISD Hall of Fame induction class.
Among the individual inductees is former Jefferson distance-running star Debra Arzola, who captured back-to-back state championships in the 1990s and established herself as one of the city's premier track and field athletes. Jefferson also produced another Hall of Fame honoree in Keith Bullock. A star on the basketball court for the Mustangs, Bullock went on to play at Texas Tech before reaching the NBA with the New York Knicks.
Edison's Howard Fest will also be recognized for a football career that took him from San Antonio to the University of Texas and eventually the NFL. The standout offensive lineman built a reputation for durability, appearing in 112 consecutive NFL games during his professional career. Another inductee is Ramon Richards, who starred at Brackenridge before continuing his football career at Oklahoma State and later playing defensive back for the Los Angeles Rams.
The Hall of Fame class will also celebrate two championship teams. Brackenridge's 1962 state championship football team will be inducted, honoring one of the most successful squads in school history. Joining them will be the 1997 Fox Tech basketball team, which brought home a state championship and remains one of the city's most memorable high school basketball teams. The induction ceremony is scheduled for August 8, when the athletes and teams will officially take their place among SAISD's sports legends.
She is perhaps the fastest long-distance runner that San Antonio ISD has ever produced. Debra Arzola, Class of 1993 from Jefferson High School, was one of only a few athletes in district history to win back-to-back state championships in any sport. In her time, Arzola was the queen of long-distance high school runners, winning the Class 5A 3200-meter run state championships in 1991 and 1992.
Her district-record 11 minutes flat time in the 2-mile run at the 1992 state meet still stands today. Her mentor and track coach at Jefferson was Lemuel Cook, an award-winning athlete and coach for SAISD. After high school, Arzola was an all-conference runner at San Jacinto College and the University of Texas at San Antonio. The pinnacle of her career came in the early 2000s when she made the USA Olympic Trials and trained with the Mexico Olympic Team.
She has competed in multiple marathon races throughout the country including in New York and San Antonio. Her career-best marathon run was at an Olympic-caliber 2:49:00. He is one of the greatest basketball players ever to come from San Antonio ISD. Rick Bullock, a 1972 graduate at Jefferson High School, was a dominant force in his era.
During his three years at Jefferson, he scored 1,941 points in 104 games, including 893 points in his senior season. At 6 feet 9 inches tall, Bullock was the leader on a Mustangs team that powered its way to the 1972 Texas 5A State Championship game. Jefferson bowed to Dallas Roosevelt in the title game. The star center scored 44 points in that contest, a UIL state championship game individual record.
He was a blue-chip athlete who signed to play college basketball at Texas Tech University. Bullock rose to All-American status at Texas Tech, leading his team to two Southwest Conference championships and two NCAA tournament appearances, including a big-time run to the NCAA Sweet 16 tournament in 1976. He is the only Texas Tech basketball player in school history to score both 2,000 points and get 1,000 rebounds.
He played professionally for the New York Knicks, Continental Basketball Association and Euro League. He was a dominant force in the offensive trenches and was one of the greatest linemen to ever play the game of football. Howard Fest, a 1964 graduate of Edison High School, soared high playing nearly 10 years in the National Football League. At Edison, he was a tight end that set all kinds of school records.
He played college football at the University of Texas under legendary coach Darrell Royal. For the Longhorns, he was a tight end and then converted to an offensive tackle. During his time at UT, he helped the Horns win the Bluebonnet Bowl. In 1968, he was drafted by the NFL/AFL Cincinnati Bengals.
He was an original member of the Bengals, playing eight years for the team. He began as an offensive tackle and then switched to guard. During eight seasons with Cincy, he played in 112 straight games. He never missed a game.
His teammates called him “Mr. Consistency. ” In the 1976 NFL expansion draft, he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played two seasons before retiring. A flashy personality mixed with speed and swagger, this quarterback was one of the best to ever play the game of football for San Antonio ISD. Ramon Richards is a proud graduate of Brackenridge High School from the Class of 2013.
He was a four-year letterman who earned all-district, all-city and all-state honors. His greatest achievement came in 2012 when he guided his Brackenridge Eagles into the state playoffs and upset then state-ranked Alamo Heights 25-24 in Alamo Stadium to claim the Class 4A bi-district championship. Richards was a dual-threat quarterback who excelled both through the air and on the ground. He signed a four-year scholarship to play football at Oklahoma State University.
He started 35 games for the Cowboys starring as a cornerback and safety. In his collegiate career, he had 10 interceptions, including a game-sealing interception in overtime against the Texas Longhorns in 2017. Richards was selected as an undrafted free agent for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and was part of the team that won Super Bowl LIII.
Off the field, Richards has dedicated his life to giving back to the community – hosting football camps for youth and visiting schools as a mentor and motivational speaker. From humble beginnings to a stunning state title upset, the 1962 Brackenridge Eagles became one of the most celebrated high school football teams in San Antonio history.
After opening the season with just two wins in its first five games, the Eagles found their rhythm once district play began in Week 6. The team went a perfect 5-0, powering to the 16-4A league title. During district action, the Eagles dominated, piling up 232 points while surrendering just 8 to their opponents. In the playoffs, Brackenridge knocked off Highlands, Brownsville and Houston Spring Branch.
In the state championship game, Brackenridge stunned previously undefeated Borger with a thrilling 30-26 upset victory. The Eagles finished with an 11-3 record. Quarterback Vic Castillo, playing his only season of varsity football, made the most of his senior year. The sidearm-throwing signal caller threw for 2,145 yards and 25 touchdowns in 1962, becoming the first high school player in Texas history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.
All-American and legendary running back Warren McVea set multiple state and national records during his remarkable high school career. The team was composed of 34 players who rose to greatness. Head coach was Weldon Forren. The Brackenridge Eagles’ storybook run to the state championship remains one of the best achievements in SAISD history.
Power through adversity defined the 1997 Fox Tech boys basketball team. The San Antonio inner-city school stunned Texas by winning its first-ever state basketball championship, capping a 36-3 season with a 68–59 upset of Dallas Lincoln for the Class 4A title. Fox Tech carved its path by toppling state power Alamo Heights three times in four meetings, including an epic regional final.
The Buffaloes were led by two standout guards: 6-foot-6 Robert Bell and 6-foot Lenny Brown, both future college players. During the title run, Bell completed a stellar four-year career by setting the all-time San Antonio city scoring record with 2,664 points. The team’s three other big starters were Marlon Gonzales , Charlie McKinnies and Shawn Phillips .
Key contributors rounded out a deep seven-man rotation within a 12-man roster: Michael Guerrero , Antwan Reed , Anthony Huerta , Juan Oviedo , Phonexai Chanthadara , Carlton Dukes , and Daniel Woods . The program was led by head coach Gerardo Marquez, an SAISD Hall of Famer, with assistants Charles Cooper, Juan Guzman, and Mike Simpson.
Athletic training support came from staff trainer Mike Post, student trainers Celinda Villarreal and Gina-Lori Rodriguez, and student managers Rosell Smith and George Campos. Established in 2014 in collaboration with the SAISD Foundation, the SAISD Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes alumni who have made a positive impact in sports, either through excellent athletic achievements or excellent athletic program contributions. Since its inception, 64 honorees have been inducted into this prestigious hall.
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