By: Tony Thomas
From 2009-2011, the Aledo Bearcats won three Class 4A football state championships. They were led by a 5’10” 185 pound “1988 Barry Sanders-like” running back named Jonathan Gray. In 2010 and 2011, Gray scored an unbelievable 124 rushing touchdowns combined over that two-year stretch.
The National Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011, he was also named 1st Team All-American by Parade, Sports Illustrated, and USA Today. Gray’s name is etched in stone all over the Texas High School Football record books, including:
- #1 in career 100-yard rushing games= 51
- #2 all-time career rushing yards= 10,889 (2008-2011).
- #1 and #2 in single-season 100-yard rushing games= 16 in both 2009 and 2011
- #1 all-time in career carries= 1,225
- #3 in rushing yards-single season= 3,888 (16 games) in 2011.
With Gray toting the rock, Aledo posted a record of 56-4 with the three aforementioned state titles.
He also set the national high school record for touchdowns scored with 205.
The 2010 Season
Gray rushed for 3218 yards and 59 touchdowns, averaging almost a 1st down on every carry (9.14 yards per rush).
He scored at least one TD in every game except for two that season, and had many multiple touchdowns games.
In two games vs Stephenville, it appeared that Gray was indeed a mere mortal as he was kept OUT of the end zone. He rushed for a combined 193 yards in those two games. But for the rest of the games on the schedule he simply could not, and would not, be stopped:
- Weatherford 213 yards 8.52 yards per carry 5 TDs
- Lake Travis 144 yards 4.80 yards per carry 1 TD
- Timber Creek 232 yards 11.60 yards per carry 5 TDs
- Springtown 213 yards 9.68 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Byron Nelson 246 yards 15.38 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Boswell 302 yards 20.13 yards per carry 5 TDs
- Azle 195 yards 10.83 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Birdville 314 yards 14.95 yards per carry 6 TDs
- Brewer 256 yards 12.19 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Wyatt 189 yards 15.75 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Waco 213 yards 7.35 yards per carry 6 TDs
- Hereford 81 yards 5.40 yards per carry 1 TD
- Poteet 107 yards 3.69 yards per carry 2 TDs
- LaMarque 323 yards 11.54 yards per carry 8 TDs (state championship)
2011 Season (14-2)
Gray rushed for 3,886 yards and 65 touchdowns in 2011, averaging over 10 yards per carry. He scored at least one touchdown in every game that season:
- Stephenville 223 yards 8.92 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Weatherford 336 yards 22.40 yards per carry 5 TDs
- Lake Travis 269 yards 9.28 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Timber Creek 209 yards 26.13 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Springtown 347 yards 21.69 yards per carry 7 TDs
- Byron Nelson 197 yards 9.38 yards per carry 3 TDs
- Boswell 243 yards 17.36 yards per carry 6 TDs
- Azle 168 yards 8.40 yards per carry 4 TDs
- Birdville 254 yards 8.47 yards per carry 7 TDs
- Brewer 189 yards 11.81 yards per carry 3 TDs
- Dunbar 193 yards 7.42 yards per carry 3 TDs
- Mansfield Summit 321 yards 9.44 yards per carry 3 TDs
- Randall 303 yards 15.15 yards per carry 3 TDs
- Stephenville 195 yards 10.83 yards per carry 1 TD
- Corsicana 218 yards 9.91 yards per carry 5 TD
- Manvel 241 yards 7.53 yards per carry 1 TD
Gray went on to play for the Texas Longhorns. He suffered some injuries throughout his college career, but he did rush for 2,607 yards during his career in the burnt orange. That is good enough for 12th on school’s all-time rushing list.
He is a member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, inducted in 2018.
Thanks for reading.
Material for this article sourced from texashsfootball.com, maxpreps.com, texasfootball.com.
