Texas High School Football Team with 0-10 Record in State Playoffs

District structuring and the closing of an athletic department has allowed a win-less high school football team into the state playoffs.

Houston Scarborough High School is not only winless this season, but also has a 57-game losing streak, making their inclusion into the playoffs confusing.  However, their entrance into the playoffs has more to do with their district.  Earlier this year, the school was placed in a five-team district just before one of the other schools in the district had their athletics department shut down.  As four teams from the district make the playoffs, the winless Scarborough Spartans get a shot at the playoffs.

This season, the Spartan's lost by an average score of 53-8, but that's actually an improvement over last season where they were scoreless for six straight games.  Coach Ajani Sanders, who took over coaching duties this season, remains optimistic for his team,

They've asked me ... 'Coach, you just got beat 66-6. Why are you so excited?'  All I want in life is an opportunity. Hey, this week is opportunity No. 11.

Sanders is also optimistic that his team with put up a good effort, and that the opposing team, West Orange-Stark, won't let the game get out of control,

I trust that these coaches out there, they're not going to embarrass the kids.  I'm not going to help the score get run up on me either. I'm not going to be passing the ball every other play if it's getting out of hand.

Of the nearly 1,300 eligible high schools in Texas, just over half make it to the playoffs, but the Spartans appear to be the state's first winless team to get the honor.  The Spartans are 23 loses away from the state record of 80 straight defeats by Houston Davis from 1985 to 1993.

via ABC News