Galena Park North Shore is the blueprint for empire building, a dynasty spanning 29 years and three different head coaches.

For most empires, increasing longevity means increasing vulnerability. Dark days create strong leaders who lead a prosperous reign. Prosperity makes weak leaders who plunder it.

But first-year head coach Willie Gaston has the mighty Mustangs in their fifth state championship in six years, facing Duncanville on Saturday afternoon in the Class 6A Division I title. There's been no drop off the first season without legendary predecessor Jon Kay, who took a job as Rice's linebacker coach for the 2023 season. That's because Gaston was molded and coached by the man who revived North Shore's program, mentored under the man who launched it into this historic run, and has now earned the keys to the kingdom.

Kay's first job out of college at 22 years old was coaching seventh-grade football at Cunningham Middle School, a feeder for North Shore. Gaston played on that middle school team, believing it'd be his only year with the fiery Kay. Then he showed up for eighth-grade ball to find out Kay had moved up with him. Ahead of his freshman season at North Shore, he arrived for summer strength and conditioning and learned Kay had ascended to the high school ranks as a defensive position coach.

So when Kay had to verbally reprimand athletes during his nine-year run as North Shore's head coach, where he posted a 117–18 record, Gaston related to the kids and told them why it was necessary. Kay coached hard. It's how Gaston coaches now.

"He's ripped my butt more than anybody ever going through a program," Gaston said in a sit-down with DCTF in July. "I tell some of my kids, 'I had that same coach rip me from seventh grade (on).'"

But back in high school, David Aymond was the boss. Known as the Godfather of the Eastside, Aymond arrived at North Shore in 1994 and resurrected it from a program that'd never made the playoffs into a team that won 78 consecutive regular season games at one point.

Gaston played quarterback for Aymond, a signal-caller that burned with a competitive fire that he tried to ignite his teammates with. He was a two-time Team MVP, going 25–3 as a starter.

"It was like having a coach in the huddle," Aymond said. "Because he would tell players exactly the way it needed to be, whether it's an assignment or the type of effort that was needed. He was in command all the way."

Gaston capped an illustrious high school career in the 2001 regional semifinals, going toe-to-toe with Houston Madison's Vince Young in the Astrodome. Gaston's offense compiled 605 total yards of offense in a valiant 61-58 defeat.

After high school, he became a four-year letterman at cornerback for the University of Houston and signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2007 as an undrafted free agent. In 2008, he and high school teammate Dylan Lineberry visited North Shore's campus, expecting to start jobs shortly at Ferguson Plumbing Supply. Lineberry has enjoyed a successful career at Ferguson. Gaston talked with Coach Aymond and became an offensive assistant instead.

"Coach Aymond had that aura about him," Kay said. "When he said, 'This is how it’s going to be,' that’s the way it was. And none of us questioned it.”

But Aymond didn't have to do much persuading. From those early days playing for Kay at Cunningham Middle School, Gaston loved football. In high school under Aymond, he'd learned not every teammate had his competitive energy. Every athlete comes from different circumstances that require them to be motivated differently.

"He's demanding," Aymond said. "Yet, he's very patient and understands the passion for the game, and (has) compassion for what it’s about and the people that make up the game."

Gaston cut his teeth as an offensive assistant under Aymond, learning how to become an offensive coordinator coaching sub-varsity games. Aymond remembers Gaston's creativity, scheming for those games to hide deficiencies. Aymond retired after the 2013 season with a 206–42 record, and Kay immediately vaulted from defensive coordinator to head coach.

Kay called on the man he first coached in middle school to be his offensive coordinator, and North Shore reached five state championships from 2014-22. In February 2023, Kay told Gaston he'd gotten an opportunity to coach linebackers at Rice and was going to check out the campus. After spending the day there Thursday, Kay told Gaston he was making the jump to college. Kay had spent his entire adult life in the North Shore system. Despite all the success, he felt the program needed a new voice. And he knew Gaston was ready to take the head job. Like Aymond's before him, Kay's coaching staff was a collaborative effort.

"I think when you have a program that’s been that successful, it's ridiculous to think anybody's doing it alone," Kay said. "I certainly wasn't. It wasn't like I was locking myself in a room, smoking a bunch of cigarettes, and making all these decisions on my own."

When Kay announced his resignation that Monday, February 27, and put his full backing behind Gaston, the question posed to Galena Park ISD was simple. Did they like what North Shore was doing on the football field? Gaston took over on Tuesday, February 28.

When the Mustangs walk onto AT&T Stadium Saturday, it'll be with a new coach with the same philosophy as the men before him.

And the same dominance.