The game pitted cousins, Jay Layden of Forney and Jerry Layden of Jesuit. Jerry Layden’s father, Pete Layden, was the football coach at Forney in the early 1920’s and was from a prominent Forney Layden Family. Jerry’s older brother, Pete Layden, was an All-American at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1941, playing with Jack Crain* on the Longhorn teams.

The startup lineup for the Forney Jackrabbits during 1945 were:

Dennis Costello, Left End
Dick McKellar L.T.
Frank Hickson L.G.
George Venner - C. (Venner became mayor of Mesquite in 1987)
J.C. Owens - R.G.
Frank Shipley - R.T. (of Forney Shipley families)
J.C. Matthews - R.E. (Son of Forney School Principal J.P. Matthews)
Dan Shipley - QB - (Dan Shipley played fullback for SMU in 1947-48 - starting)
Chlarence [sic] Williams - LH
Rob Roy Johnson - FB
A.J. Layden - R.H.

The 1945 Forney Jackrabbits won their district.

*Jack “Jackrabbit” Crain was a two-time All-American running back at the University of Texas in the late 1930’s and went on to serve four terms as a State Representative.

Notes by Forney Heritage Society member Patrick Costello.