It's no secret that this has been a special class for MacArthur Athletics.
The football team reached the postseason for the first time in more than a decade and the track squad is looking to build on a solid 2019 season.
"It's been big-time to change the culture here," Broderick Starnes Jr. said. "We've been the class to have turned it around and that's pretty special. It's been hard, but it's been a mindset of never giving up. We live by the saying here, 'Mac Pride Never Dies'."
At the epicenter of the Generals' success is Starnes – a dual-sport star who has often been the undercard.
National recruit Joshua Eaton has stolen the headlines over the years, but now Starnes is making his name known. The 6-foot-2 receiver is also one of the more accomplished sprinters in Texas.
"It's a lot of training," he said of playing multiple sports. "You have to eat right. You have to stay in shape because once you are done with one season, you are on to the next. I love being a senior and seeing my name on Texas Milesplit. For a long time, I've been the undercard. Now, I'm at the top and showing everyone what I'm capable of."
Barnes has high hopes for track in 2020. "It's state or nothing," Starnes said. "We have great chemistry and are challenging each other during every practice."
Starnes signed with Southwest Minnesota State University and will be a Mustang come the fall. "The school really made me feel like home," he said. "I also love the fact that they want me to play both sports."