A Notice

When I started this blog, my purpose for it was to be a place where the Cy Woods community can keep up with what the football team is doing. My mission hasn't changed... but it has come to my attention that some people are completely missing the point.

I've allowed anonymous comments to be posted on the blog, but not before I've vetted them. How does this moderation work? Well, when someone posts a comment, I get an e-mail notifying me of a comment that is awaiting moderation. The contents of these e-mails contain the comment that will potentially be posted, or trashed. I read it, and if everything sounds alright, then it gets posted on the blog. If not, well.... obviously you said something that I found objectionable.

Today, I received two such e-mails. The points of these comments isn't relevant to the point that I am trying to make; what is relevant is that both of them basically said that Coach Neill should be fired because they did not agree with his playcalling, regarding R.J. Harmon's fumble on Saturday afternoon. In my opinion, openly calling out a coach and basically writing something along the lines of "he should be fired for _________" is complete and utter crap and comments like those have no place on this blog, ever. If they had said that the call to run the halfback pass was ill-advised given the game situation without saying "that's terrible playcalling, Coach Neill should be fired" or something along those lines, then I would have been perfectly fine with that. But when they want [insert coach's name here] fired because they didn't agree with a certain part of the gameplan or if their kid isn't playing or whatever their grievance is, then that's where I draw the line.

Edit, thanks to the commenter below: And you're doing this AFTER A WIN. A win!!!!! Seriously?

Let me rehash this from the ground rules post... watch what you say. And please, think before you go through with posting a comment. I'm not going to allow this blog, my creation, to be hijacked by some buffoon who openly complains about the coaches or mocks a player. 

The same thing goes with players. I'm sorry to say, sir or ma'am... you may think that your son is going to play Division I college football.... but ask yourself this: Is he honestly putting in the work that is required of a prospective Division I college football player. Comments such as "oh, my kid's way better than so-and-so, why isn't he starting?" Or... "why isn't my son playing a certain level, be it the JV Cardinal team or the varsity?" don't have a place here, either. Maybe, just maybe... he's not putting in the work. I've seen many players who had all the talent in the world just go through the motions for 4 years. I've also seen lesser players give their all and compete fiercely for 4 years.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Dustin never has a bad thing to say about this team or the coaches. He's such a butt-kisser! Well, that couldn't be further from the truth. I operate this blog independently; no one from Cy Woods is involved. I am not some kind of propagandist, nor am I the mouthpiece of the coaching staff... they have little input on what I do here. Criticism is welcome. This isn't Soviet Russia or anything... I'm not going to quash all criticism and just leave you with nothing but blind homerism. No wait, let me rephrase that first sentence.... constructive criticism is welcome. However, referring to a specific player by their name, or a coach, is taboo and such comments will be dealt with in the manner I see fit. See, if you have a blog of your own, then you can do whatever you please. But this one isn't yours, so my suggestion is.... play by my rules or... don't read. 

OK... rant over. Recollecting myself....

Know Your Enemy: Jersey Village Falcons

Cy Woods Wildcats (5-3, 5-2) vs. Jersey Village Falcons (5-3, 4-3), Friday, October 31, 7 PM, Pridgeon Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats faced another stiff test in the form of the defending district champions, the Cy-Fair Bobcats. The vaunted Bobcat defense was no match for the Wildcat offense as they racked up 565 yards. However, the Wildcats had to beat themselves as well, as they committed 11 penalties and turned the ball over 6 times, which resulted in 17 Bobcat points. The 6th turnover turned into a touchdown that gave the Bobcats a 31-28 lead with 2:25 left in the 4th quarter. 

However, the Wildcats recovered, and Luis Reyes sent the game to overtime with a 37-yard field goal with 5 seconds to go. After they got the ball first to begin overtime, Nick Hooper put Woods ahead with a 6-yard run. And when it was Cy-Fair's turn to get the ball, Bryson Powers ended the game with an interception.

Nick went 15-26 for 254 yards, a touchdown, and 3 interceptions. He also added 93 yards on 28 carries and scored 3 times. R.J. Harmon had 98 yards on 14 carries and a 31-yard touchdown reception, and C.J. Jones had 107 yards on 18 carries. Defensively, Michael Wirt, Elijah Pierson also had interceptions, and Danny Malone recorded his first sack of the year.

And now, the Cats get to face the district's top defense. Some 3-game stretch, right? I mean, they've taken on the top offense in the district and are now facing the top 2 defenses. 

The Enemy: Jersey Village Falcons

2013 Record: 6-4, 5-4 (t-5th) in District 17-5A

On Friday at the Berry Center, the Falcons dropped a hard-fought battle against Langham Creek, 35-23. That marked their 3rd loss in their last 4 games since a 4-0 start. 

The 1 win in that stretch was a 47-3 mauling of Cy Lakes. That snapped a 2-game losing streak which saw them drop a pair of games that they felt they really should have won, 28-16 to Ranch and 28-24 to Creek. Those 2 losses really derailed a 4-0 start, which saw them beat Cinco Ranch 15-14 at the buzzer, nip Springs 21-14, and dismantled Ridge 30-7 and Falls 38-7.

Players to Watch

QB Deshun Qualls, RB LaVance Moore, WR Rokeem Paul, WR Brandon Major, WR/RB Josh Bland, OL Joel Holmes, OL Sigi Mora-Garcia, OL Aires Gilmore-Gardner, DB Jordan Williams, DB Christian Taylor, DB Lakent Alexis, LB/DB Mason Mireles, LB/DB Elton Crawford,  K Jordan Henderson

All-Time Series

Woods leads 5-1.

Previous Meetings

November 9, 2013: JV 42, Woods 0

November 10, 2012: Woods 35, JV 14

October 1, 2011: Woods 63, JV 24

October 2, 2010: Woods 35, JV 14

October 3, 2009: Woods 31, JV 13

October 4, 2008: Woods 56, JV 6

2¢ on Jersey Village

At the beginning of the season, the Falcons were probably considered the "it" team of the district. Dave Campbell's Texas Football predicted them to finish 2nd in the district, and Varsity Wires pegged them as district champions over Cy-Fair. After a 4-0 start, it looked like the Falcons' dream date with Cy-Fair in the season finale for the district championship would come to fruition. This was a stark departure from the Falcons of years past, when they were a fixture at the bottom of Cy-Fair ISD football.

Unfortunately, 2 straight losses against Ranch and Creek, both very winnable games in their eyes, laid those plans to waste, and then a loss to Langham now has them on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. Don't be fooled, though, these Falcons definitely aren't the doormat that they used to be.

On offense, they are led by Deshun Qualls, last year's Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Qualls is a dynamic, dual-threat quarterback who has firmly secured his place as one of the district's top young talents. Alongside him is LaVance Moore, who was the district's Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2012. Moore is a quick and elusive back who has started for 3 years. Rokeem Paul has emerged as Qualls's favorite target; he's caught 6 of the 11 TD passes thrown by Qualls this season. Joel Holmes, one of their team captains, is a 3-year starter and their anchor on the offensive line. He'll be accompanied in the trenches by a pair of imposing juniors in Mora-Garcia and Gilmore-Gardner.

The Falcon defense is the 2nd-stingiest unit in the district, allowing just 136 points, 2nd only to Cy-Fair. However, they allow the fewest yards per game in the district. Also, they are the only team in the district that has allowed fewer than 1000 passing yards. What you need to know is that the Falcon defense is fast and athletic. I would say that they probably have the best collection of athletes on the defensive side of the ball in this district. The Falcons have an excellent secondary that is led by the trio of Christian Taylor (who will also line up at WR in certain situations), Jordan Williams, and Lakent Alexis, who was 2nd in the district in interceptions last season. Mireles and Crawford are both returning starters at linebacker; both are also capable of playing in the secondary and they're both rangy, athletic defenders. Also, watch for a couple of sophomores on the defensive line in Greyson Newton and Jacob Clarkson.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

In the 2013 regular-season finale, the Cats' final tune-up didn't exactly go the way they wanted, as they were smacked 42-0 by the Falcons, who were fighting for the final playoff spot in District 17-5A. Ridge's win over Springs in their final game of the season rendered that point moot. This was the Falcons' first win in a series that was overwhemingly in the Wildcats' favor.

Facts & Figures From This Series

- Not a figure from this series, but this will be the 82nd game in Cy Woods history. Or, the Cats will have played a full NBA season's worth of games in their history with the completion of this game.

- The Wildcats led 56-0 at halftime in the very first meeting back in 2008; this was the most points that the Cats have scored by halftime.

- The Wildcats recorded 724 yards of total offense in the 2011 meeting, a team record.

- From 2008-11, the date has decreased by 1 day with each passing year. More of an oddity, I suppose.

JV & Freshman Game Information

JV at Jersey Village, freshmen at home. 5 and 7 on Thursday.

For JV Games: Directions to Jersey Village

Cy Woods 38, Cy-Fair 31 (OT): Powers Island

2014 Record: 5-3, 5-2 in District 17-6A

Note: I didn't attend this game either, so everything will be from the box score. As much as I enjoy watching the Wildcats play... family first. I hope you understand.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in October at Pridgeon, the Wildcats got themselves a crucial victory as they knocked off Cy-Fair 38-31 in overtime. With the win, they have a playoff spot all to themselves. They haven't formally punched their ticket to the playoffs just yet, but they're definitely in prime position.

For the first time since 2010, the Cypress Woods Wildcats had more points at the end of a football game than the Cy-Fair Bobcats. It's been a long time coming. This was Wildcats' 2nd overtime game in team history; I don't think you'll need much help remembering the first one.

The Wildcats won despite allowing 223 yards and 3 touchdowns to the district's leading rusher, Jacorey Aleem, committing 11 penalties and turning the ball over 6 times (3 interceptions, 3 fumbles lost). Sheesh. Penalties have been a significant problem for Woods all season, and, including this game, they've committed 9 turnovers in their last 2 contests. Somehow, they emerged from this game with a monumental victory. You know that old saying about how a good team is able to overcome their mistakes....

So, What Happened Was...

48 minutes was apparently not enough time for the outcome this game to be determined. No matter.

Well, the Wildcats had a rather inauspicious start to their afternoon as Aleem led off the game by slicing his way to the endzone from 36 yards out, and then after Nick Hooper was strip-sacked to end Woods' first possesion of the day, the Bobcats added a field goal, and before you knew it, the Wildcats were down 10-0. On the ensuing Woods drive, though, Nick atoned for that earlier mistake by punching it in from 10 yards out to put the Wildcats on the board for the first time.

End 1st: Fair 10, Woods 7

In the 2nd, Aleem struck again from 15 yards. Nick's 3 interceptions all came in the 2nd quarter.

Halftime: Fair 17, Woods 7

Cy Woods came out of the locker room guns blazing as they scored on their first 2 possessions of the 2nd half to take a 21-17 lead. Nick scored his 2nd rushing touchdown of the day from 17 yards out, and he found R.J. Harmon for a 31-yard TD reception. However, Jacorey Aleem would have the last word in the 3rd quarter with his 3rd touchdown run of the day. This one came from 5 yards out and gave Cy-Fair a 24-21 lead heading into the final 12 minutes of regulation.

End 3rd: Fair 24, Woods 21

Elijah Pierson kicked off the 4th quarter with an interception, and then on a reverse pass, Zac Duncan found Nick Hooper for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats the lead once more. All of a sudden, the game took a turn for the worse as R.J. Harmon coughed up the ball and Justin Burrell recovered the loose ball and scored for the Bobcats, giving them a 31-28 lead with 2:25 to go. The Wildcats suddenly had to mount up a response. They were able to move the ball, racking up 3 first downs in the process. However, Nick was dropped for a loss of 4 yards, which forced a 3rd and long, but a facemask penalty against Fair on the play breathed new life into the Wildcats' final drive and put them at the Bobcats' 20. However, nothing doing for them over for the next 3 plays, so... enter Luis Reyes. The sophomore came on to attempt the biggest kick of his young career.... and he nailed a 37-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation.

End of Regulation: Woods 31, Fair 31

The Bobcats won the overtime coin toss, but they let the Wildcats have the ball first. 9 plays later, Nick Hooper punched in his 3rd rushing touchdown of the day from 6 yards out, topping that off by steamrolling Burrell to get in the endzone. Now... it was the defense's turn. 2 Aleem runs put the Bobcats in a 3rd and 6 situation from the Woods 21. Clayton Kopecky dropped back to pass, but Bryson Powers closed out the biggest Wildcat win of the season with his 2nd interception of the campaign.

Final in OT: Woods 38, Fair 31

Turning Points

1. With approximately 4 minutes to go in regulation, Nick Hooper appeared to have a 51-yard touchdown run... only to have that wiped out by a holding call. Because I was not at the game, I cannot speak as to how dubious that penalty was. That run would have given the Wildcats a 2-score lead, and overtime most likely would not have been needed.

2. Two plays later, R.J. Harmon fumbled the ball, and Cy-Fair's Justin Burrell returned the fumble for a touchdown, giving the Bobcats a 31-28 lead.

3. The Bobcats gave the Wildcats the ball to open up overtime. Well, their defense had been so good all season, but it's a double-edged sword when the offense that gets the ball is so explosive.

Ground

Of the 925 yards of offense amassed in the game, 596 of them were on the ground. 301 of those 596 rushing yards belonged to Cy Woods: Nick Hooper and Jacorey Aleem scored 3 touchdowns apiece for their respective teams. C.J. Jones recorded his 3rd 100-yard rushing game of the year, leading the team with 107 yards. R.J. Harmon chipped in with 98 on 14 carries, and Nick got 93 on 28 carries and scored 3 times; his 3rd turned out to be the difference.

Vine by Brian Sutton:


All statistics per TSRN.

C.J. Jones: 18 carries, 107 yards
R.J. Harmon: 14 carries, 98 yards
Nick Hooper: 28 carries, 93 yards, 3 TD
Zac Duncan: 1 carry, 7 yards

Air

Nick had a rough go of it, but then again, opposing QBs have been flayed alive by this Cy-Fair secondary. He threw 3 picks; 2 to Josh Curtis and 1 to Brandon Richmond. However, he found R.J. for a 31-yard TD in the 3rd. Zac Duncan is now 2-2 on the season with 2 touchdown passes. Efficient.

Nick Hooper: 15-26, 254 yards, TD, 3 INT
Zac Duncan: 1-1, 6 yards, TD

Tre' Hart, who transferred to Cy Woods from Louisiana last year, has emerged as a top target out wide in this offense. Nick has caught 2 passes this year, and both have been for touchdowns. Efficient.

Tre' Hart: 5 recs, 87 yards
Zac Duncan: 3 recs, 50 yards
Jordan Johnson: 2 recs, 43 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 recs, 0 yards
Chad O'Donnell: 1 rec, 34 yards
R.J. Harmon: 1 rec, 31 yards, TD
Taylor Tesch: 1 rec, 9 yards
Nick Hooper: 1 rec, 6 yards, TD

Defense

Danny Malone, special teams ace, recorded a big sack early in the 2nd quarter, which forced a Cy-Fair punt. The Wildcat secondary matched the Bobcats as they picked off Clayton Kopecky 3 times. The third one, by Bryson Powers, finished off the victory.

Sacks: Danny Malone 1 (8 yards lost)
Interceptions: Michael Wirt 1, Elijah Pierson 1, Bryson Powers 1; all of them now have 2 interceptions on the season.

Special Teams

Jordan Johnson punted once for 42 yards. Luis Reyes hit all 5 of his extra points, and he sent the game to overtime with his 37-yard field goal.

Johnson returned the 2nd half opening kickoff 31 yards, and Bryson Powers lost 10 yards on a punt return.

Other Notes

Normally when someone commits 4 turnovers, their confidence is supposedly so shot that they find themselves on the bench. Nick, though, showed tremendous character and poise in rebounding from those blunders. And eventually, he rallied his team to a huge win.

This is the 2nd time this season that the Wildcats have won a game despite committing 10+ penalties and turning the ball over at least 5 times.

Men of the Match

As much as I want to knock his grade down a notch with all the turnovers, it's got to be Nick Hooper. Because... despite the turnovers, he was never rattled, and he did not allow those mistakes to snowball into a total disaster. And eventually, when he got the opportunity to lead his team to a win, that's exactly what he did.

Coming into this season, Nick was expected to be a leader for this team, and he's more than delivered on that.

Another Man of the Match goes to Bryson Powers for the pick. And one more for Luis Reyes, who's been quite the find at kicker this season. Game hanging in the balance? Not a problem for him.

Honorable mentions go out to R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones for their big days on the ground, Danny Malone for his sack early in the game, and Michael Wirt and Elijah Pierson for getting their 2nd picks of the year.

Looking Ahead

On Halloween, the Wildcats will be at Pridgeon for the final time this season as they host the Jersey Village Falcons. Kickoff is at 7:00.

Know Your Enemy: Cy-Fair Bobcats

Cy Woods Wildcats (4-3, 4-2) @ Cy-Fair Bobcats (6-1, 5-1), Saturday, October 25, 1 PM, Pridgeon Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

On double Homecoming Friday at the Berry Center, the Cats' push for the playoffs began as they squared off against Langham Creek, the last remaining undefeated team in District 17-6A play. It was a high-octane tilt as both teams combined for 98 points and 1366 yards on offense. This game was tied at 24 at halftime, but the Cats were undone by 3 2nd-half turnovers and ultimately fell 55-31 despite Nick Hooper's record-setting night. He had a team-record 448 passing yards and 2 TDs and 155 yards rushing and 2 TDs, giving him 603 total yards, another record, on the evening. His 2 touchdowns in the air went to Zac Duncan and Tre' Hart for 22 and 65, respectively, and added 2 scoring runs from 5 yards and 11 yards. 

The Enemy: Cy-Fair Bobcats

2013 Record: 12-2, 8-1; District 17-5A Champions 

Playoffs: 5A Division I, Region III Final, lost 10-3 to Pearland

Coming off their first loss of the season, the Bobcats looked to rebound against Cy Falls on Saturday at Pridgeon. The offense was anemic coming out of the gate and they trailed 9-3 at halftime. 

But, in the 2nd half, their defense shackled the Falls offense and their offense got a little something going, as their bread and butter, the running game, gave them the lead. Jacorey Aleem scored the game's only 2 touchdowns in the final 24 as he punched it in from 4 yards in the 3rd and 10 in the 4th. Even with those 2 touchdowns, though, Fair wasn't out of dodge yet; late in the the 4th, the Eagles had a potential touchdown negated by a block below the waist, and then with a chance to run the clock down with 2 minutes left in the game, the Bobcats lost the ball on a fumble. On their final drive of the game, Falls made it to the Cy-Fair 7, but on 4th down, their bid to tie the game was denied by Maxx Chrest, who closed out the game by snaring his district-leading 6th interception of the season. Thanks to Aleem's 2 scores and some clutch defense in the closing moments, the Cy-Fair Bobcats survived a scare, topping Cy Falls 17-9.

They looked as though they'd steamroll through district play, but a 31-21 loss to Langham Creek put those plans to waste. Before that loss, they had outscored their opponents 205-27 through the first 5 games. 20 of those points were scored by Cy Springs, while the other 7 belong to Ridge. They blanked The Woodlands (9), Creek (27), and Lakes (71).

Players to Watch

RB Jacorey Aleem, QB Clayton Kopecky, WR Noah Hess, RB Blake Faecher, TE Brock Wright, TE Will Dawson, WR Cody Chrest, OL Hunter Gonzalez, OL Austin Deculus, LB James Kohlschmidt, LB Quintelro Baker, DL Ross Donelly, DL Tebi Njilefack, DB Maxx Chrest, DB Brandon Richmond, DB Josh Curtis, DB Spencer Wright, K/P Braden Mann

All-Time Series

Series tied 3-3.

Previous Meetings

October 12, 2013: Fair 30, Woods 23
October 13, 2012: Fair 49, Woods 20
September 17, 2011: Fair 14, Woods 0
September 18, 2010: Woods 28, Fair 14
October 23, 2009: Woods 21, Fair 7
October 24, 2008: Woods 42, Fair 20

2¢ on Fair

Cy-Fair High School, since its inception in 1941, has long been the flagship school of Cy-Fair ISD ("The Original, The Best") and a point of pride for many in the Cypress community. Obviously, being in Texas, the football team has been one of its greatest institutions.

After the departure of the legendary Sam McGuffie, the Bobcats went through 2 dark, dark seasons in 2008 and 2009. Those years seem like an eternity ago; they went from worst to (a 3-way tie for) first in 2010 and have been the kings of this jungle known as Cy-Fair ISD football ever since, adding 2 more outright district championships to their trophy case.

I thought I'd be a Bobcat... until Cy Woods opened. Since then, I've bled red and gold. I'm the only Wildcat in my family. Obviously, I'm not in high school anymore, so this game has no impact on bragging rights in the house. My brother graduated from Cy-Fair last year, and I also have a cousin who's currently a sophomore there.

The Bobcats probably run the same 10 plays on offense for 48 minutes, but they are devastatingly effective at what they do. As Albert Einstein defined it... insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.... but don't tell these guys that; the Bobcats subscribe more to the theory of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Clayton Kopecky, who took the reins midway through last season, is the typical Bobcat quarterback; he's confident in his decision-making, can run a little, completes the passes that need completing, and rarely makes mistakes; his 2 picks against Langham were very uncharacteristic. He was also rather ineffective against Falls, as he was just 3-8 for 35 yards and an INT. Cody Chrest and Eric Thornburg give Kopecky a couple of good targets on the outside. Brock Wright, Brady's brother, has also emerged as another option on their offense as a sophomore. Will Dawson and Noah Hess are solid blockers in the run game. Hunter Gonzalez, a 3-year letterman, is their leader on the offensive line. Joining him on the line is an emerging talent in Austin Deculus, another sophomore.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the district's leading rusher is a Cy-Fair Bobcat. Jacorey Aleem, coming off a torn ACL last season, is a man on a mission. He's simply making up for lost time, is all. Aleem became the first player in the district to score 100 points and run for 1000 yards after his 210-yard, 2 TD showing against Falls. Also, keep an eye out for RB Blake Faecher, another one of the great sophomore running backs in this district. This following tweet from Ross Donelly probably says it all, after Faecher scored a touchdown against Lakes that was made possible with a hurdle reminiscent of a man who once wore #2 for Cy-Fair:

Cy fair has a new mcguffie @BlakeFaecher
— Ross Donelly (@Rossino_90) September 27, 2014

This Bobcat defense is something serious; they've allowed just 9.6 points per game. They are not just one of the best defenses in the city, they've built a very strong case for being one of the best in Texas.

When speaking of the Cy-Fair defense, you wonder where you should begin. I would say that it begins with Ross Donelly. He is the only player in the entire district who can say that he is a 4-year starter. Donelly has been the rock of one of the great defenses in this district for 4 years, and as a testament to his excellence, he was a unanimous 1st-team All-District pick last season. He's been even better as a senior. James Kohlschmidt returns to lead their linebackers; he too was a unanimous 1st-team All-District selection. These two have a solid supporting cast in the front 7 with DL Njilefack and LB Baker leading that group.

Others say that the Bobcat defense begins with the secondary. The Cy-Fair secondary features some of the best ballhawks this district has to offer. Maxx Chrest, last year's interceptions champ in District 17-5A, is hell-bent on defending his title this season; he's leading the way with 6 picks, including the game-saver against Falls last week. Brandon Richmond, a 3-year starter, is a hard-hitting safety. Both of them will also feature prominently in the return game, as well. Josh Curtis has come through with some clutch interceptions this season. Mann is a strong-footed kicker/punter; he has a 61-yard punt, which is the longest in the district this season.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

The Wildcats were completely suffocated by the Bobcat defense in the 1st half and trailed 16-0 after the first 24.

Woods sprang to life in the 2nd half as Mason Roberts scored on a 48-yard pass, and the subsequent 2-point conversion was successful. However, the Bobcats had an answer for every Wildcat score and their 16-point lead at halftime held up. Woods had the ball last, but time ran out on them, and so the Bobcats picked up their 3rd straight win in the series with the 30-23 scoreline. Sam Stewart scored on a 13-yard catch with less tham 8 minutes left in the 4th, and a 2nd 2-point conversion was also successful, which made it a 1-score game again. Mason added a 10-yard run with a minute left in the game to make it a 1-score game yet again.

Random Facts and Figures from This Series

- The Wildcats' 3-game losing streak to the Bobcats was their longest active losing streak against a team entering this season. Now, they have a 2nd 3-game losing streak to Langham Creek.
- In their first meeting, Woods put up 42; they've yet to top 30 points ever since.
- The 2011 game was the first time that Woods has been shut out in a game.

JV and Freshman Game Information

JV at Woods, freshmen at Fair, 5 and 7 on Thursday.

For Freshman Games: Directions to Cy-Fair

Surely you jest?

Langham Creek 55, Cy Woods 31: Homecoming VII, Simply Outgunned

2014 Record: 4-3, 4-2 in District 17-6A

Note: I did not attend this game due to a death in my family.

On Homecoming VII, the Wildcats had an unhappy beginning to the weekend as they fell to the Langham Creek Lobos, 55-31. This was also the Lobos' homecoming game, and well, someone had to be saddled with an unhappy one, I suppose. Also, there was a concert going on! Great scheduling! The Wildcats fall to 4-3 all-time in Homecoming games.

This was your garden-variety 17-6A game... 98 points and 1,366 offensive yards, or 0.78 offensive miles. Woods was outgunned in the 2nd half mainly because the Langham defense tightened the clamps on them, and as a result, the wheels fell out from right under them. The Lobos turned the Cats' 3 2nd-half turnovers into 14 critical points.

This loss negated an incredible night from Nick Hooper, who took ownership of the single-game passing yards record (448, previously 442 by Colton Huntsman in 2009) and total yards record (603). Turnovers, man. Also, the offense in the 4th quarter still persists as a serious issue that needs to be addressed. They lost one game in the 4th, almost lost another in the 4th, and well... in this one, they were thumped in the 2nd half because of those turnovers.

Because I wasn't at the Berry Center, all I can do is compose a recap looking at a box score. But then again, that's what I usually do when I recap the games of the Astros' minor league system. All offensive numbers are per TSRN.

So, What Happened Was...

A fun game if you enjoy offenses that put points up on the board at an arena football-like pace, but you probably won't be sleeping for a bit if you're more defensive-minded.

Zac Duncan opened the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown grab. Then, Nick punched it in from 5 yards out to give the Cats a 14-0 lead. Langham Creek got on the board as Paul Watson connected with Quartney Davis for a 33-yard touchdown.

End 1st: Woods 14, Langham 7

In the 2nd quarter, the back-and-forth began as Langham tied the game on a 21-yard run from Toneil Carter. On the ensuing Woods drive, Nick Hooper found Tre' Hart for a 65-yard TD as the Cats regained the lead. Watson then fired a 31-yard touchdown pass to Trelen Norton to re-tie the game at 21, and then on the next Wildcat drive, Luis Reyes untied the game with a 25-yard field goal. After 24 minutes, the game would be tied at 24 as Joel Scarbrough ended the half with a 31-yard field goal.

Halftime: Woods 24, Langham 24

The Lobos seized control of this game because (1) they scored on their first 4 possessions of the 2nd half, and (2) their defense clamped down on the Cats offense. Scarbrough ended the 1st half with a field goal.... and opened the 2nd half with a field goal, this one from 25. Nick then found Jared Taylor for a big gain, but Taylor coughed up the ball, which was recovered by the Lobos. They'd cash in as Watson found Norton for the 2nd time in this game; this one from 9 yards out. Nick Hooper scored his 2nd rushing TD of the night as he ran it in from 11, but the Lobos got a 1-play drive with Paul Watson finding Quartney Davis for a 75-yard score; that was Davis's 2nd receiving TD of the night.

End 3rd: Langham 41, Woods 31

Watson scored on a 1-yard run, and then Nick was picked off by Jordan Murray as the Cats were driving. However, that turnover didn't bite them as they got the ball back right away, as Watson coughed it up. Their next turnover did, though, as Nick coughed it up, and then 1 play later, Toneil Carter iced the game with a 78-yard TD run.

Final: Langham 55, Woods 31

Turning Point

The 2nd half, which the Lobos won 31-7. In the 3rd, Langham scored on all 4 of their possessions (a field goal and 3 TDs) in that frame, while the Cats lost a fumble and turned the ball over on downs, with a touchdown sandwiched in between, on their 3 drives. Langham took a 41-31 lead into the final 12 minutes, and iced the game with 2 TDs in the period.

Ground

In the ground portion of the Nick Hooper Show, he had 22 carries for 155 yards and 2 scores. He constituted 71% of the Cats' rushing attempts, 90% of its rushing yards, and 100% of its rushing touchdowns.

Nick Hooper: 22 carries, 155 yards, 2 TD
Jordan Johnson: 1 carry, 19 yards
R.J. Harmon: 4 carries, 7 yards
Jared Taylor: 1 carry, 0 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 carries, -3 yards
Zac Duncan: 1 carry, -5 yards

Air

If it's any solace to Nick, he's now the new owner of the record for most passing yards in a single game by a Cy Woods quarterback. His 448 bests the 442 put up by Colton Huntsman in 2009 against Klein Oak.

Nick Hooper: 27-37, 448 yards, 2 TD, INT

For the 2nd time this season, Jared Taylor and Tre' Hart both had 100+ receiving yards, while Zac Duncan finished at 97.

Jared Taylor: 6 rec, 116 yards
R.J. Harmon: 6 rec, 46 yards
Zac Duncan: 5 rec, 97 yards, TD
C.J. Jones: 5 rec, 44 yards
Tre' Hart: 3 rec, 112 yards, TD
Taylor Tesch: 1 rec, 32 yards
Chad O'Donnell: 1 rec, 1 yard

Defense

It.... just was not the defense's night. The 55 points allowed ties the record for most points allowed in a game, which last happened against Stony Point in the 2009 playoffs. The 745 yards is most likely a record.

I will compile defensive stats later.

Special Teams

Luis Reyes hit all of his kicks... he had a 25-yard field goal in the 2nd and hit 4 extra points. He also had an 18-yard punt.

1-1 FG (made 25), 4-4 XP

Jordan Johnson punted once for 34 yards.

The return game was quiet, as the Lobos declined to kick the ball in C.J. Jones's general direction.

Bryson Powers: 1 punt returned, 4 yards
Zac Duncan: 2 kicks returned, 3 yards
Jordan Johnson: 2 kicks returned, 33 yards
Taylor Tesch: 1 kick returned, 9 yards

Other Notes

I wasn't in attendance.

Man of the Match

Nick Hooper, for his record-setting performance.

Honorable mentions go out to Tre' Hart, Jared Taylor, and Zac Duncan.

Looking Ahead

In their one and only day game of the season, the Wildcats will take on the Cy-Fair Bobcats next Saturday at Pridgeon. Kickoff is at 1:00, and they'll be the away team.

A team that sports a 4-2 district record is usually sitting pretty.... but in this district, no one sits pretty. Well, except for Langham, I guess, since they're undefeated and all...

Know Your Enemy: Langham Creek Lobos

Cy Woods Wildcats (4-2, 4-1) vs. Langham Creek Lobos (5-1, 5-0), Friday, October 17, 7 PM, Berry Center

Homecoming VII. It's also a double homecoming! 

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats crashed Cy Lakes' homecoming and rolled to a 52-10 victory. C.J. Jones was back at at again with a 38-yard TD run and an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Nick Hooper had a solid night throwing the ball, going 10-13 for 198 yards and 2 TDs. He also added a 16-yard touchdown run. Bryson Powers had a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, Wade Carson posted a dozen tackles and had 2.5 sacks. Elijah Pierson and Matt Swalm both had interceptions, and the Spartans could only muster a touchdown against the backups deep into mop-up time.

The Enemy: Langham Creek Lobos

2013 Record: 8-3, 7-2 (2nd) in District 17-5A
Playoffs: 5A Division I, Region III bi-district, lost 27-23 to Alief Taylor

On Saturday at Pridgeon, the Lobos took on Cy-Fair in the battle of the 2 remaining undefeated teams in District 17-6A. This Game of the Year candidate more than lived up to its billing as it was a back-and-forth, smash-mouth affair. In the end, the Lobo devil magic struck once again as they scored 14 points in the final 19 seconds (part of a 17-0 run to close out the game) to snatch yet another victory from the jaws of defeat, as they won 31-21 in what could very well be an instant classic. They went ahead 24-21 thanks to Trelen Norton's 1-yard touchdown reception on 3rd and goal from the 1 with 19 seconds left, and their final touchdown was a pick 6 returned by Jordan Murray as time expired. And now, they enter this game as the sole unbeaten team in district play, and also....... there's a 3-way tie for 2nd.

After winning 2 straight on two walk-off touchdowns against Falls and Ranch (having two games end in this fashion may be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but in this district, who even knows), the Lobos got a couple of less dramatic, more convincing victories as they knocked off Creek 48-23 and overwhelmed Lakes 56-17. The Lobo devil magic very nearly worked on Klein Oak as well, but they were bested in the dying seconds, 50-44.

Players to Watch

QB Paul Watson, RB Toneil Carter, WR Trelen Norton, WR Quartney Davis, LB Keith Batista, LB Mikey Hoehner, LB Connor O'Malley, DB Douglas Eke, DB Micah Pryor, K/P Joel Scarbrough

All-Time Series

Woods leads 4-2.

Previous Meetings

September 13, 2013: Langham 48, Woods 20
September 14, 2012: Langham 32, Woods 31 (Homecoming V)
October 14, 2011: Woods 50, Langham 44
October 15, 2010: Woods 55, Langham 27 (Homecoming III)
October 31, 2009: Woods 42, Langham 7
November 1, 2008: Woods 58, Langham 20

2¢ on Langham

As you can see by their 3 victories snatched from the jaws of defeat, anything and everything will happen in a game involving the Langham Creek Lobos. Is it luck? Clutch? Devil magic? Divine intervention? Making plays when needed (although that probably falls under clutch)? All five? Who really knows... what we do know, though, is that they've come out on top, and that their comebacks have just completely defied logic.

Ever since Connor Feist arrived on the scene, the Lobos have sported an offense that can put up points at will, and that could be an understatement. Perhaps not coincidentally, they've taken a spot among Cy-Fair ISD's elite. Don't blink.... because they'll be up 2 scores before you know it, and they'll snatch a win from right under your noses before you can figure out what on earth just happened.

At the helm of this Greatest Show on Turf-like offense is Paul Watson, who got his feet a wet as a sophomore last season. Now, he's taking over for Kyle Cutbirth, who was the district's Offensive MVP last season. He is currently locked in a battle with Cy Falls' Casey Rosellini to be the district's leading passer. While Cutbirth and Feist weren't totally stone-footed, Watson has shown to be more of a threat than those two with his legs. Trelen Norton and Quartney Davis are the district's two leading receivers. Norton isn't just the district's leading receiver, his numbers are among the best in the entire state of Texas. Toneil Carter is another one of the great young running backs in Cy-Fair ISD. This breakout sophomore trails only Cy-Fair's Jacorey Aleem in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. I'll tell you... the class of 2017 is something serious in this district... it could be argued that the best sophomore talent in the city resides in District 17-6A.

You might think that the defense would be their Achilles' heel, but they surrendered the 3rd-fewest points in the district last season. They allowed over 30 points in just 2 games all year. In fact, the Lobos swept the MVPs last year, as DL Dexter Collins was named Defensive MVP. They have given up quite a bit on the scoreboard this season, but on most nights, their offense usually outguns the opposition... and the defense gets the stops that they need in order to set up those heart-stopping finishes.

Hoehner and O'Malley are returning starters; Hoehner, who garnered 2nd-team honors as a sophomore, was also a part of the Lobo baseball team that won district last season. Micah Pryor, also a 2nd-team All-District pick, was last season's Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Keith Batista was a 1st-team All-District pick. Douglas Eke is currently trying to keep pace with Cy-Fair's Maxx Chrest, the district's defending interceptions champ.

Joel Scarbrough, last year's 1st-team All-District kicker and punter (yes, you read that right), is running a campaign this season in order to raise awareness for childhood cancer. Here's a story from Varsity Wires, and here's the link to his campaign.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

In the 2013 district opener for both squads, it was all Langham as they took advantage of 4 Cats turnovers to win in runaway fashion, 48-20. The Cats held a 14-13 lead in the 2nd, but the Lobos seized control by rattling off 28 unanswered points. Nick Hooper had a tough night, throwing 3 interceptions. Samuel Stewart scored on a 33-yard run in the 1st quarter and caught a 25-yard pass from Nick for another touchdown in the 2nd, giving the Cats the aforementioned 14-13 lead.

Random Facts and Figures From This Series

- This is the 3rd time that Woods will take on Langham for Homecoming.
- This is also the first double homecoming in Woods' history.
- The 41 points that Woods hung on Langham in the very first season is the most they've scored in a single quarter.
- Entering this season, Langham Creek was one of two schools in the district (the other being Cy-Fair) with an active winning streak against the Wildcats.

JV and Freshman Game Information

JV at Langham, freshmen at Woods. 5:00 and 7:00 on Thursday.

For JV Games: Directions to Langham Creek

Going south on Barker, it'll probably be best to approach the school via the neighborhood using Hudson Oaks.

Cy Woods 52, Cy Lakes 10: Preparing for the Playoffs for the Playoffs

2014 Record: 4-2, 4-1 in District 17-6A

Unlike last year's affair, where the offense struggled to get off the ground, the Cats raced out to a 28-0 halftime lead and were up by as much as 52-3 as they spoiled Cy Lakes' homecoming festivities, winning 52-10. The Wildcats had 4 touchdown drives of 3 plays or less. 

Yes, as we all know, Cy Lakes isn't a very good team, but the Cats didn't play down to their competition. They blitzed the Spartans early and often and ended up cruising to a big win, giving them a shot of momentum heading into their biggest 3-game stretch of the season, one that may very well define their season. They won a game that they were expected to win, and did so in convincing fashion.

So, What Happened Was...

The defense forced a 3-and-out to lead off the game. R.J. Harmon had a 33-yard catch on the Cats' first offensive play of the game, and two plays later, Jared Taylor opened up the scoring with a 9-yard run. After another 3-and-out and a poor punt that gave the Cats the ball at Lakes' 25, Tre Hart scored on a 12-yard pass from Nick Hooper. 

End 1st: Woods 14, Lakes 0

The offense had a couple more chances to extend the lead, but two of their drives were stopped thanks to a holding call and a sack to end the 1st quarter, and two straight 5 yard losses on their first possession of the 2nd quarter. The defense forced another 3-and-out, and Bryson Powers took a punt 75 yards for a score. The Cats' next offensive series lasted one play: Jordan Johnson caught a 60-yard TD pass from Nick. 

Halftime: Woods 28, Lakes 0

Nick kicked off the 2nd half by engineering an 80-yard scoring drive that culminated in him scoring on a 16-yard run. After yet another 3-and-out, C.J. Jones found the endzone once again, this time on a 38-yard run. The Spartans got on the board thanks to a 22-yard field goal from Marcos Staiano on a drive that was aided by a personal foul and a pass interference called against the Cats. On the ensuing kickoff, C.J. left everyone in the dust as he took it 80 yards to the house. 

End 3rd: Woods 49, Lakes 3

With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Luis Reyes connected on a 48-yard field goal, Cy Lakes, held out of the endzone for nearly 45 minutes, finally got in with a 3-yard run by Trevonte Delaney with a little under 4 minutes to go in the game.

Final: Woods 52, Lakes 10

Turning Point

In such a lopsided game, it could be tough to pinpoint the instance where the momentum of the game took a dramatic shift into one team's favor. But, I'll take a shot. On Lakes' 2nd possession of the game, the Cats forced them into 3 straight negative plays, and a poor punt gave the offense the ball at the Spartan 25. 2 plays later, Tre Hart scored on a 12-yard catch. 

Ground

Only 3 carries for C.J. Jones, but they all went for good gains, none better than his 38-yard scoring run in the 3rd. Interestingly, the usual suspects were rather quiet in the run game. 

Nick Hooper: 6 carries, 9 yards, TD

Jacobi Boudreaux: 6 carries, 27 yards

C.J. Jones: 3 carries, 61 yards, TD

Jared Taylor: 3 carries, 35 yards, TD

R.J. Harmon: 2 carries, 5 yards

Slade Ortiz: 2 carries, 1 yard

Mikey Roberts: 1 carry, 8 yards

Jordan Johnson: 1 carry, 6 yards

Reece Clark: 1 carry, 4 yards

Reid Epps: 1 carry, 2 yards

Zac Duncan: 1 carry, 0 yards

Air

A very efficient night for Nick Hooper, who started off by completing 8 of his first 9 passes. He found Tre' Hart for a 12-yard score in the 1st, and then in the 2nd, Jordan Johnson was on the recieving end of a 60-yard TD. Reece Clark was at the helm for Woods' final scoring drive, which was capped off by Luis Reyes' school-record field goal. Jordan Johnson also came in at quarterback deep into mop-up time, but he did not attempt a pass. R.J.'s lone pass attempt came on 4th down and was incomplete.

Nick Hooper: 10-13, 196 yards, 2 TD

Reece Clark: 4-7, 64 yards

R.J. Harmon: 0-1

R.J. Harmon: 4 recs, 60 yards

Zac Duncan: 2 recs, 35 yards

Taylor Tesch: 2 recs, 32 yards

Jordan Johnson: 1 rec, 60 yards, TD

Tre' Hart: 1 rec, 12 yards, TD

C.J. Jones; 1 rec, 25 yards

Cayden Sessions: 1 rec, 20 yards

Reid Epps: 1 rec, 11 yards

Cameron Jones: 1 rec, 4 yards

Defense

Even against a lesser opponent, and with the exception of a touchdown scored against backups, the Wildcat defense was ironclad, forcing 5 3-and-outs, 6 punts, and 2 turnovers. As you saw on Friday, they kept the Spartans off the scoreboard for the first 24 minutes. The 10 points allowed are a new season low. 

Wade Carson had a monster night as he posted a dozen tackles and 2.5 sacks. Randall Medlin had another solid night on the defensive line, as he recorded a sack for the 2nd straight game. 

Starting in place of Shane Lawless, Elijah Pierson recorded 7 tackles and returned an interception 20 yards. The Outlaw was in uniform but was held out. 

Through 6 games this season, Tyler Greaves has probably been the Cats' most consistent player on the defensive side of the ball; by my count, he's got 53 total tackles through the first 6 games of the season. He forced another fumble and teamed up with Wade to get a sack in the 2nd quarter. 

Tackles: Wade Carson 12 (7 assisted, 4 tackles for loss), Elijah Pierson 7 (6 assisted, 1 TFL), Tyler Greaves 6 (5 assisted, 2 TFL), Randall Medlin 5 (3 assisted, 2 TFL), Isiah Clay 5 (4 assisted, 1 TFL), Elijah Kinnison 5 (1 assisted), Bryson Powers 5 (3 assisted), Matt Swalm 5 (3 assisted), Justyn Johnson 4 (1 assisted, 2 TFL), Brandon DePrato 4 (3 assisted, 1 TFL),  Morgan Tosten 3 (all assisted, 1 TFL), Danny Malone 3 (2 assisted),  Myles Wilson 3, Michael Wirt 2 (1 assisted), Jake Jones 1 (assisted), Robert Barrientez 1 (assisted), Brandon Love 1 (assisted), Justin Lawson 1 (assisted, TFL), Davion Owens 1, Juan Goodman 1 (TFL), Zach Thornton 1 (assisted), Hayden Stoeber 1 (assisted), Jacobi Boudreaux 1 (assisted), Brandon Kula 1

Sacks: Wade Carson 2.5 (18 yards lost), Randall Medlin 1 (8 yards lost), Tyler Greaves 0.5 (6 yards lost)

Fumbles forced: Tyler Greaves 1

Interceptions: Elijah Pierson 1, Matt Swalm 1

Special Teams

Luis Reyes posted his 2nd 10-point game of the season. He made all 7 of his extra points and kicked a 48-yard field goal in the 4th quarter for the Cats' final points of the evening. Luis now holds the record for the longest field goal in team history; the previous mark was Nathaniel Crea's 47-yarder against Katy Taylor in the 2010 playoffs.

Luis Reyes: 1-1 FG (made 48), 7-7 XP

No punts! Well, the Cats did line up to punt once, but a botched snap resulted in Jordan Johnson scrambling for 6 yards, which was well short of the 1st down marker. (It was 4th and 23.) It's the 3rd time that Woods didn't punt the ball in a game; the other 2 instances happened in 2008 against Falls, and 2011 against Springs. 

Bryson Powers had a punt return touchdown erased against Falls, but he got his punt return TD in this game. This one went 75 yards and put the Cats up 21-0 midway through the 2nd. 

C.J. Jones returned his 2nd kickoff for a touchdown with an 80-yard dash in the 3rd, which came after a Lakes field goal. C.J. now stands alone; he's returned more kickoffs for touchdowns in a single season than anyone else in Cy Woods history. 1 more return for a score, and he'll tie Bryce Callahan's single-season record for return TDs in a season, whether it be punts or kicks. Bryce returned 3 punts for touchdowns in 2009. 

Bryson Powers: 2 punts returned, 76 yards, TD

C.J. Jones: 2 kickoffs returned, 95 yards, TD

Zac Duncan: 1 kickoff returned, 12 yards

Other Notes

It's fun when everyone on the roster gets in the game, isn't it? 

Skylar Schulz, one of the Cats' starting offensive linemen, was credited with a tackle.... for Cy Lakes.

History! The Greaves brothers, Tyler and Austin, became the first pair of brothers to appear in the same game for Cy Woods. 

You have to hand it to the Spartans. They'll be overwhelmed on most nights, but they'll fight until the clock strikes zero.

Man of the Match

Wade Carson wreaked total havoc on the Cy Lakes offense. As a unit, the defense was excellent, but I felt that Wade's effort in this game was especially noteworthy. He was in on pretty much every play, and he made a defnitive impact on this game.

Honorable mentions go to Luis Reyes for his 10-point game, Nick Hooper for a solid, turnover-free night, and C.J. Jones for providing his usual fireworks. 

Looking Ahead

A monumental 3-game stretch awaits the Wildcats.... the playoffs have come early in District 17-6A, and it's going to be a frantic final 4 weeks. Looming on the horizon for the Cats are Langham Creek, Cy-Fair, and Jersey Village.

Kicking off this veritable Murderers' Row is double homecoming with the Langham Creek Lobos! Homecoming VII will take place at the Berry Center on Friday at 7:00. The Wildcats are the home team in this matchup. The longest halftime ever awaits.

Know Your Enemy: Cy Lakes Spartans

Cy Woods Wildcats @ Cy Lakes Spartans, Friday, October 10, 7 PM, Pridgeon Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Cats rebounded from their loss to Cy Ranch by taking down Cy Creek 35-21. They shook off a sluggish start that saw them trail 14-7 at halftime. The 2nd half was a radically different story as they rattled off 28 unanswered points to take a 35-14 lead in the 4th quarter. And... the only points they allowed in the 2nd half came on a cosmetic touchdown as time expired.

The two-headed monster of C.J. Jones and R.J. Harmon wreaked havoc on the Cougars defense, even if only one of them scored. C.J. had 103 yards and 2 touchdowns on 10 carries, and he also had an 11-yard TD reception to his name. On the flip side, R.J. Harmon slashed and sliced and diced his way to 162 yards on 20 carries. 

The Enemy: Cypress Lakes Spartans

2013 Record: 1-9, 1-8 (10th) in District 17-5A

On Saturday at the Berry Center, the Spartans took an early 3-0 lead on Langham Creek, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the Lobos and although it looked like they put up a good fight, Langham was simply too much as they fell 56-17. Cy Lakes has been outscored 198-19 in their 4 district losses this season. They also dropped their season opener to Mayde Creek 37-23.

Players to Watch

WR Deonte Andres, WR Rashad Henry, WR/RB Rajon Richardson, QB Colin King, OL/DL Conrade Miller, LB Matthew Wilson, LB Aaron Powell, DB Braelon Herman

All-Time Series

Woods leads 4-0.

Previous Meetings

September 28, 2013: Woods 34, Lakes 14

September 29, 2012: Woods 63, Lakes 13

October 6, 2011: Woods 63, Lakes 14

October 7, 2010: Woods 34, Lakes 0

2¢ on Lakes

Cy Ranch and Cy Lakes both began varsity play in the 2010 season. The similarities end there; ever since their debut games, both teams have taken radically different trajectories. While Ranch has built themselves a solid program (and I am saying this from a non-homer perspective), Cy Lakes has been entrenched in the cellar of Cy-Fair ISD football, and obviously, their struggles on the field have been well-documented. 

But... speaking as a former player, I know that no opponent can be taken lightly. Thinking that you've got the win in the bag before you even step on the playing field and underestimating your opponent are the two biggest cardinal sins in sports. Regardless of the quality of your opponent, you just don't do those things.  

This is Lakes' homecoming game. This will be just the 2nd time that the Cats are a homecoming opponent; in 2012, they defeated Cy Springs 48-13. 

Conrade Miller is their anchor on the offensive line, and there will also be stretches where he'll play on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage. At the helm is sophomore QB Colin King. He has shown some promise, but at the same time, he is also getting a baptism by fire. He has a good weapon out wide in Andres, their top returning receiver. Rajon Richardson, another returning starter, is a shifty runner in the open field. Rashad Henry was a starting safety in last season's tilt, but he's making the transition to offense. Powell and Wilson give them 2 returning linebackers, and DB Braelon Herman was listed as their top sophomore by Dave Campbell's Texas Football.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

For 36 minutes, the Wildcat offense had absolutely nothing going for them. The rain started falling in the 2nd quarter, and after a busted coverage, the Cats found themselves behind 7-0 at halftime. And then during halftime, the Berry Center was placed under a lightning delay for nearly 2 hours. After 3 quarters, they still trailed 14-6. This was a very, very sloppy affair as both teams put the ball on the ground 3 times. The Cats lost all 3 of their fumbles, while the Spartans lost 2 of the 3 they fumbled. Both teams also threw 1 interception apiece.

In the 4th quarter, the Cats offense finally found their way out of the haze they had been listlessly wandering through as Nick Hooper and Sam Stewart carried them to the finish, running for 2 touchdowns apiece as the Cats took this game by a final score of 34-14. Sam ran for a team-record 247 yards in this game, while Nick ran for 119 and 3 scores.  

Random Facts and Figures From This Series

- The Wildcats have either scored 34 or 63 in the 4 wins. 

- The 34-0 win in 2010 was the first shutout in team history.

- The Cats set a team record with 532 passing yards in the 2011 game.

- Lakes is one of two teams that has yet to beat Woods in a game of football. 

JV and Freshman Game Information

Freshmen at Lakes, JV at Woods. I believe that Lakes only has 1 JV team. Not sure about the fish. 

For Freshman Game(s): Directions to Cy Lakes

Cy Woods 35, Cy Creek 21: Bouncing Back

2014 Record: 3-2, 3-1 in District 17-6A

After letting the game against Cy Ranch get away from them last week, the Wildcats were back at it on a beautiful Friday night, looking to regain that lost momentum. There would be no losing streak as the Cats topped Cy Creek 35-21, despite a lethargic, mistake-filled 1st half on their part. The Cougars finished off the scoring as time expired... no, no, I'll leave that alone. All in all, it was a solid rebound job from the Cats after a tough loss.

Now, after you saw Reece Clark in the game at QB to finish out the 1st half, I know what you're thinking... I'll go ahead and answer.

No, there is no quarterback controversy at Cy Woods. Reece is a solid QB and when he's been called upon, he has shown that he's more than capable of commandeering the offense. However... Nick, sink or swim, is this team's starting quarterback. They both bring a lot of good things to the table, and they both possess the ability to drive opposing defenses nuts.

So, What Happened Was...

Aside from allowing Creek to score first, the Wildcat defense was excellent to lead off the game, but the offense was unable to get themselves off the ground in the process, which prompted Reece Clark's entry into the game in the 2nd quarter. On his 2nd series, he completed a 27-yard pass to Taylor Tesch and a 28-yard pass to Zac Duncan, which set up a 1-yard TD run from C.J. Jones that was wiped out by a holding call. No matter... C.J. got his score with an 11-yard catch-and-run, which put the Cats up 7-6 with 5:15 left in the 1st half. That would be the only points that the Cats would put up on the scoreboard in the first 24 minutes.

The Cougars regained the lead inside of 2 minutes as they cashed in after picking off Reece. He threw another pick on Woods' next drive, but the Cats offense gained new life as that interception was wiped out by defensive holding. They got as far as Creek's 21 yard line, but unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize on that penalty and turned the ball over on downs with 35 seconds to go. They went into the locker room down 14-7.

The Cats seized all the momentum in this game when they scored 28 unanswered points in the 2nd half to take a 35-14 lead, which was capped off by Jordan Johnson's 37-yard TD reception.

C.J. Jones is a really, really good player, if you haven't heard. He opened up the 2nd half with an 8-yard TD run and scored again from 74 late in the 3rd. On 4th and goal from the Creek 2, Zac Duncan took a reverse, but instead of running it, he found a wide-open Nick Hooper in the endzone. That was Nick's first TD catch since November 2, 2012, when he scored from 12 yards out against.... Creek. The Cougars pulled one back as time expired, and that's the score you saw on the board on Friday, and the one you see at the top of this page.

Turning Point

For the 2nd straight week, C.J. opened up the 2nd half with a touchdown. His 8-yard run sparked a 28-0 scoring run in the 2nd half for the Cats.

Ground

R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones both topped the 100-yard mark. C.J. ran for 103 on just 10 carries and scored twice. R.J. put up 162 on 20 carries. The only blemish on his line was losing a fumble in the 2nd quarter. Despite not finding the endzone after scoring twice in the previous week, R.J. put up another big game on the ground.

These are the numbers that I got. I gotta tell you, doing play-by-play by hand is pretty hard.

R.J. Harmon: 20 carries, 162 yards
Nick Hooper: 17 carries, 85 yards
C.J. Jones: 10 carries, 103 yards, 2 TD
Jared Taylor: 2 rushes, 3 yards
Jacobi Boudreaux: 2 carries: -2 yards

Air

The Cats had some good things going for them in the passing game after that nightmare last week. Still needs some refinement: some timing issues, some balls thrown behind receivers, receivers dropping passes.

Nick Hooper: 10-20, 155 yards, TD, INT
Reece Clark: 5-12, 98 yards, TD, INT
Zac Duncan: 1-1, 2 yards, TD

Zac Duncan became the 4th player to top 100 receiving yards this season.

Zac Duncan: 4 rec, 104 yards
Jared Taylor: 4 rec, 40 yards
C.J. Jones: 3 rec, 29 yards, TD
R.J. Harmon: 2 rec, 23 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 rec, 37 yards, TD
Nick Hooper: 1 rec, 2 yards, TD
Taylor Tesch: 1 rec, 27 yards

Defense

The defense, aside from a couple of 1st-half scoring drives, was solid all night as the 21 points were the fewest they've allowed all season. They were even better in the 2nd half as they tightened the clamps on the Cougar offense, only allowing a touchdown as time expired. I'm a bit surprised that Creek didn't have more plays that lost yardage, but they did have plenty that went for less than 5.

The defensive line play was rather good in this game: Randall Medlin had a nice night, as he had a sack and recovered a fumble after Jake Jones jarred the ball loose in the 2nd quarter. Justyn Johnson and Isiah Clay combined on a sack in the 3rd. They did take a bit of a hit as Morgan Tosten left the game with an injury.

Brandon DePrato put his skills as a former receiver to good use as he picked off his 2nd pass of the season. The Outlaw Shane Lawless was in on 15 tackles, tying Tyler Greaves for the season-high in that category.

Tackles: Shane Lawless 15 (12 assisted, 1 tackle for loss), Tyler Greaves 11 (9 assisted), Wade Carson 10 (9 assisted), Justyn Johnson 8 (1 TFL), Randall Medlin 8 (2 TFL), Brandon DePrato 7 (1 TFL), Michael Wirt 6 (1 assisted, 1 TFL), Isiah Clay 5 (all assisted, 1 TFL), Morgan Tosten 5 (1 assisted), Bryson Powers 4 (3 assisted), Myles Wilson 3, Nick Bailey 3 (1 assisted), Matt Swalm 3 (all assisted), Kason Franklin 3 (1 assisted), Jake Jones 3 (2 assisted), Jared Taylor 2, R.J. Harmon 1, Elijah Kinnison 1, Brandon Love 1 (assisted)

Sacks: Randall Medlin 1 (4 yards lost), Justyn Johnson 0.5, Isiah Clay 0.5 (3 yards lost)

Fumbles forced: Jake Jones 1
Fumbles recovered: Randall Medlin 1

Interceptions: Brandon DePrato 1 (2 season)

Special Teams

A rather quiet night on this front. Jordan Johnson only punted twice, averaging 37 a kick. Luis Reyes missed a 27-yard field goal with a minute left in the game, but he made all 5 of his extra points.

Luis Reyes: 0-1 FG (missed 27), 5-5 XP
Jordan Johnson: 2 punts, 74 yards (37 average)

The Cats only had 3 kick returns in this one. Bryson Powers did not return any punts.

Jordan Johnson: 2 kicks returned, 25 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 kick returned, 10 yards

Observations

Nick had a tough start, but he showed tremendous character and poise in rebounding and his efforts in the 2nd half played a significant role in getting the Cats the victory.

When Reece is in, just know that the offense is in good hands. He's come a long, long way since his freshman year, when he was the starting QB on the B-team.

Myles Wilson can roll... he showed that speed off when he chased down a Creek receiver in the open field in the dying moments of the game.

Danny Malone, special teams ace, did not have a tackle on special teams, but he did have a rather impressive-sounding hit on the final drive of the game. He also unveiled a new hammer! Well, after 6 years, even the hammer, which is awarded to the player with the biggest hit in the previous week's game, is undergoing changes. What can I say... new era in full swing, all the way down to the hammer.

SLEDGEHAMMER 2.0. "Forged Oct. 3, 2014" #GATA #CDUB #THECLOSER #ACE pic.twitter.com/IMIn1N7f1u
— Danny Malone ♠️ (@dannymalone56) October 4, 2014

Jordan Johnson's TD catch gave the Cats their first 4th quarter points of the season.

Man of the Match

C.J. Jones. His 2 scores in the 3rd quarter helped the Cats create separation between themselves and the Cougars. We know that R.J. Harmon is a special talent as well, but I feel that C.J. has been the breakout player for the Cats this season.

Looking Ahead

The Cats will return to Pridgeon on Friday as they take on Cy Lakes at 7:00. It's homecoming.... for the Spartans. So naturally, Woods will be the away team for this game.