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NEEDLES - It's been more than four decades since Needles High won a state championship in football. That 1965 win came in the California Interscholastic Federation. The Mustangs made high school history on Nov. 17, capturing the state title in the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association 2A Division.

Exclaimed Needles Unified School District Superintendent Dave Renquest, “I haven't been this excited in 43 years!”

Bill Darrow, athletic director at NHS, added, “I would like to congratulate the players and the coaches for a great year. A state championship and an 11-1 record is tough to do. It's hard to win that many games in a year. It's a great accomplishment, to the credit of the coaches and players and all their hard work.”

This was the third try for the Mustangs since joining the NIAA in 1985. “We lost in 1987, when my youngest son was a senior; and again in '99,” Renquest remembered. “Both games practically came down to the final play and this one last night wasn't any different. We were down 14-12 with eight or nine minutes to go. We marched the length of the field in 22 plays, made the last touchdown with 1:03 to go, then held them off for the win.”

This is the sixth year the Mustangs have played for Head Coach Steve Price. Said Renquest: It's been a pretty big turnaround in six years from 0-10. That's where we were six years ago. He not only breathed life back into the program, he pumped life back into the program and, I think thereby, a little life back into the town as well.”

Renquest praised the school's students for their success in academics and citizenship, as well as athletics. “They're good academics or they wouldn't be playing,” the superintendent pointed out, “and they've been perfect ladies and gentlemen thanks to leadership from the football coach and the cheerleaders sponsor.”