Manvel 63, Cy Woods 47: Too Much D'Eriq King, Wildcats Ousted

Final 2014 record: 8-5

The Cy Woods Wildcats mounted a valiant effort against the #2 ranked Manvel Mavericks, but in the end, they fell just short of a date with Katy, falling 63-47. With this loss, the Cats' season comes to an end.

The Cats just couldn't find an answer to D'Eriq King, the outstanding Mavs QB. King demonstrated why he's so highly regarded, as he was responsible for 551 yards and 6 touchdowns (5 passing, 1 rushing). Manvel just had an answer for every Woods outburst, and eventually, they found a way to take control. There were juncutres in this game where the Cats needed something to work out in their favor, and it didn't. This game was definitely winnable. I've refused to let this place degenerate into a forum for complaining and negativity, so please. Don't start.

Just tip your hat. This game was a battle of two great programs, and, unfortunately, only one of them could move on to the next round.

My heart goes out to the Class of 2015. You know, I'm struggling to find anything to say that'll lessen the pain of this loss, and I've come to accept that I may not completely heal this wound, but I'm going to give it a shot. Also, after 4 months of this, you've probably figured out that I'm not exactly the best at this writing stuff.

This is not how you envisioned going out, but nevertheless, you can hold your heads high. The losses you suffered this season shouldn't dampen the passion that you showed for this game all through your childhood and adolescence. Through this game, you forged lifelong friendships and created new ones. You've learned many a lesson through the adversity that comes with being a football player. You've celebrated the victories, you've mourned the losses. No matter the outcome, you have all strived to be better than you were the previous day. Although you still feel sorrow over this loss, I hope that whenever you find yourself reminiscing on these days, you'll remember all the joyous moments that came with being a Cy Woods football player.

The day you walked into Cy Woods for the very first time, you became a part of something special, and Coach Jones would always remind you of that. I remember the very first time you played in a game wearing a Cy Woods uniform (you guys would probably rather forget that). You've all come a long way since that first game against A&M Consolidated. You've transformed from being timid freshmen wondering what on earth you were getting yourselves into, to a group of young men who have provided leadership and valuable contributions to this team on and off the field. It's been a pleasure watching you guys play all these years, and I wish you nothing but the best for whatever lies ahead in your futures.

To Nick Hooper: The undisputed face of the program. Like I told you after the game, I have enjoyed watching you play for 4 years. You have been a great ambassador for my our school, and every time you have stepped on the field, you have carried yourself with a poise well beyond your years. All these characteristics that you brought to the table every game reminded me of a guy that I used to be teammates with. For 4 years, you embodied what it means to be a Wildcat: a talented athlete, a fearless, tenacious competitor, a leader on and off the field, and overall, an outstanding person. For much of this night, it was obvious that you were hurting, but you made it up in your mind that if it was your last game, you were going to do everything in your power to finish it. That is what being a Wildcat is all about, folks.

To Wade Carson: I remember that one day sometime during freshman year where I suggested that you wear #4 to continue the legacy that Bryce left. And you kept saying no, while I kept on insisting on it. Looking back on that day, I realize that it was probably unfair of me to suggest that. I felt that it would not have been fair to you to have to be compared to Bryce and what he accomplished during his time at Woods. Instead, you forged your own path and you became a great player in your own right. And I keep telling you that you've worked harder than Bryce ever did. 

So, What Happened Was...

On the first play of the game, the Wildcats got a defensive touchdown as Wade Carson scooped up an errant backwards pass and scored from 10 yards out. The two teams then traded turnovers on downs, and then Manvel got on the board as D'Eriq King found Reggie Hemphill-Mapps for a 13-yard score. The Cats answered by digging into the bag of tricks; R.J. Harmon found a wide-open Taylor Tesch for a 40-yard touchdown. King responded with a 5-yard TD run. The Cats were driving to end the 1st quarter, but disaster struck inside the redzone as a botched pitch was recovered by the Mavs at the 15 yard line.

End 1st: Woods 14, Manvel 14

That turnover didn't hurt, but the next one did. Nick Hooper was rocked, and the Mavericks recovered that fumble at the Woods 30. Manvel cashed in as King found Gary Haynes for a 7-yard scoring pass. And, disaster struck again as a direct snap sailed over C.J. Jones' head and pinned the Cats back at their own 8, which basically amounted to another turnover. After the punt, D'Vaughn Pennamon extended the Maverick lead with a 44-yard run. The Wildcats would respond by marching 90 yards, which was aided by 3 Manvel penalties. Nick Hooper capped it off with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Halftime: Manvel 28, Woods 21

C.J. Jones was intent on starting off the 2nd half with a bang as he took the opening kickoff into Manvel territory. On a 2nd & 5, Nick found an unoccupied area and scrambled for 20 yards to put the Cats at Manvel's 5. Unfortunately, the red zone woes reared its ugly head, and on 3rd & goal, Nick had the end zone in his sights, but the turf monster claimed another victim. The Cats would have to settle for a 24-yard field goal from Luis Reyes. The Mavs extended their lead as King connected with Haynes for a 15-yard catch-and-run job, but Nick would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run, and the Cats got the 2-point conversion. After the failed onside kick, Pennamon struck again as he sauntered in from 4 yards out.

End 3rd: Manvel 42, Woods 32

On the first play of the 4th quarter, Qyalan Clay added to the Manvel lead with an 11-yard TD run. Then King found Haynes for a 3rd time with a precision bomb. That one went 77 yards. And then Pennamon took a pass from King and dashed 42 yards to the house to push the Maverick lead to 63-32. But... the Cats would not go gentle into that good night. Not so fast. On the next Wildcat drive, they came out firing and capped it off with a Jared Taylor 36-yard touchdown reception. The onside kick was recovered, and one play later, Jordan Johnson beat 2 Mavericks and took that Nick Hooper pass 45 yards for a touchdown, and then the Cats tacked on another 2-point conversion to make it a 2-touchdown-2-point conversion game. Manvel recovered the onside kick, but the Cats were able to get a 3-and-out. A holding call, a false start, and 2 straight sacks put the Cats in a 3rd & 34 situation. Enter Reece Clark. And on that 3rd & 34, Tre' Hart pulled down a huge catch that netted the Cats those 34 yards. Reece found Zac Duncan for 2 first downs on what looked to be the same play, but any hope of a comeback bid was squashed by an interception by Collin Scott.

Final: Manvel 63, Woods 47

Turning Point

After Nick Hooper scored on a 1-yard run in the 3rd quarter to cut the Woods deficit to 35-32, the Cats decided to go for an onside kick. Unfortunately, that didn't work out. The Mavericks scored on their next drive, which sparked a 28-0 run that gave them a 63-32 lead. And that was where the game got away from the Cats.

Look, I didn't have too much of a gripe with that call. At that point, the game was still very much within reach. Why not catch them by surprise? They gambled, and it didn't pay off. Unfortunately, they couldn't kick the Mavs off the field, and they paid for it.

The Cats also lamented over the points they left in the red zone. Namely, the bad pitch that the Mavs recovered in the 2nd quarter. Nick getting eaten up by the turf monster when it looked as if he was going to walk in for a touchdown to kick off the 2nd half. That's at least 12 points left on the table right there.

Ground

No one has scored more touchdowns on the ground in Cy Woods history than Nick Hooper. His 1-yard run in the 2nd quarter gave him the record, and he added another 1-yard scoring run to give him 22. No one has run for more yards in Cy Woods history than R.J. Harmon. He'll finish the year with 1,118 yards on the ground. This will also be the first time that the Wildcats will finish a season with 2 1,000 yard rushers. Nick finished with 1,002.

R.J. Harmon: 16 carries, 105 yards
Nick Hooper: 18 carries, 38 yards, 2 TD
C.J. Jones: 11 carries, 22 yards
Zac Duncan: 2 carries, 10 yards
Jordan Johnson: 3 carries, 5 yards

Air

Nick delivered one of the gutsiest performances I've ever seen, as he was clearly on one leg for a vast majority of the game. He fired 2 TD passes to Jared Taylor and Jordan Johnson midway through the 4th quarter to re-invigorate the Cats, who were barely clinging on to their playoff lives. R.J. Harmon fired a 40-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Tesch in the 1st quarter. Reece Clark came on in relief in the final Cats drive of the season, came out firing, and was on the verge of making it a 1-score game late, but an interception sealed the Cats' fate.

Nick Hooper: 17-28, 208 yards, 2 TD
Reece Clark: 3-4, 68 yards, INT
R.J. Harmon: 1-2, 40 yards, TD

Defense

The Wildcat defense had their hands full with D'Eriq King, and then some. They were able to get a few stops, but King was just too much. The 63 points they surrendered is the most given up in a single game. Elijah Pierson managed to get to him early in the 2nd quarter. Bryson Powers, bad knee and all, fought through his injuries and delivered with a fine performance, getting his 3rd interception of the season. We haven't heard the last of him.

Sacks: Elijah Pierson 1 (3 yards lost)

Interceptions: Bryson Powers 1 (3rd of season)

Special Teams

Jordan Johnson punted the ball 3 times for 97 yards. His best kick of the night went 40 yards after a rugby-style kick.

Luis Reyes hit all 4 of his extra points, and converted on a 24-yard field goal early in the 3rd. He will finish the season with 95 points, a new single-season record for a Cy Woods kicker. The previous record was 94 by Nathaniel Crea in 2010.

As usual, no one wants to kick to C.J. Jones. But, the Mavericks decided to do that to begin the 2nd half, and he very nearly made them pay. C.J. had to settle for a 55-yard return. Zac Duncan was the primary kick returner; he managed to stay on his feet on one return and took it all the way to the Mavericks 17.

Zac Duncan: 6 kicks returned, 96 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 kick returned, 55 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 kick returned, 8 yards

Other Notes

Despite all the clamoring for the coaches to take a visibly injured Nick Hooper out of the game, I don't think that's how he wanted to end his high school career.

Everyone who was at Rice that night saw the Wildcats' signature resilience on full display. Out-athleted? The Cats don't care. These kids played their final game with every fiber of their being and they left it all on the field.

To the people who left early: No, no, Dustin...... be better than those people who left early.

Men of the Match

This one goes out to the seniors. Thank you all for your hard work throughout your 4 years. You've represented this school with class while wearing that uniform, and you've continued a tradition of excellence that is expected of those who wear the colors of the Cy Woods Wildcats.

In Conclusion....

And so ends another chapter of Cy Woods football. The torch has now been passed on to the class of 2016. See you in the spring.

Know Your Enemy: Manvel Mavericks

Cy Woods Wildcats vs. Manvel Mavericks, Friday, November 28, 7:30 PM, Rice Stadium

The Wildcats will be the away team in this game.

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats matched up against the Katy Taylor Mustangs in the area round of the Texas High School Football Playoffs. The Mustangs were able to execute their offense in the early going and as a result, they were able to stick around with the Cats for a bit. But, the Cats got two big stops in the 2nd, turned on the jets, and left the Mustangs far, far behind in the rearview mirror. They ended the game on a 49-3 run after Taylor tied the game at 14 in the 1st and cruised to a 63-17 victory. R.J. Harmon put up 128 yards on the ground and 2 scores, and he also caught 3 passes for 62 yards and 2 more scores. Reece Clark was called upon to take the reins after Nick Hooper was knocked out of the game with an ankle injury and finished 9-14 for 150 yards and 3 scores.

And now up next for the Wildcats is the #2 team in the state of Texas, the Manvel Mavericks.

Actually......


It appears that everyone outside of Cy Woods is already looking forward to that Katy-Manvel dream matchup for all the marbles in Region III... welp, good season. It was Manvel's destiny to meet Katy in the playoffs, so why bother playing this game?

I feel sorry for Cy woods
— JOHNNY✌️ (@DeriqKing_) November 22, 2014

Im sorry but Manvel bout to beat tf out of Woods 😂😂
— EOGA#⃣5⃣7⃣ (@DeeChilllin) November 22, 2014

As someone who's been a part of/watched all but 1 season and 3 games' worth of Cy Woods football, and as someone who has experienced the grind of being a high school football player (well, again... I was on the team for 4 years; I didn't really play all that much), I've learned that pretty much everything can happen at this level. For example.... last week, Spring, which is currently in the middle of its first playoff appearance in a decade, faced Lake Travis, one of the premier programs in the state. I'm highly sure Spring entered that game as a significant underdog, but... they came out with a 34-28 win that shook up the playoff landscape substantially. And in the 1st round, a 5-5 South Grand Prairie team gave Euless Trinity all it could handle before ultimately falling 32-29.

Also, you can look at 2009, when Woods went up against the #2 team in the state of Texas, the Skyline Raiders. The Cats and their motley crew led by Colton Huntsman and Bryce Callahan went up against a squad loaded with Division I pledges in a game that nobody gave us a chance to win, much less stay within 2 scores. And you know what happened? We thumbed our noses at all those prognosticators, outworked that all-star team that night in Temple, and left with one of the greatest victories in Cy Woods history.

So.... why not Woods?

Also, to be perfectly honest, those two tweets (from high school kids, no less) bothered me more than they should have.

The Enemy: Manvel Mavericks

School district: Alvin
UIL District: 22-6A
2014 regular-season record: 10-0, 8-0 (champions) in District 22-6A

Manvel season-to-date

W 42-17 vs. North Shore
W 35-17 vs. Dobie
W 63-7 @ Pasadena
W 52-7 vs. South Houston
W 62-35 @ Dawson
W 52-7 vs. Alvin
W 61-7 @ Sam Rayburn
W 70-0 vs. Pasadena Memorial
W 35-33 @ Pearland

Playoffs
W 45-22 vs. Beaumont West Brook
W 76-23 vs. Travis

This is the first meeting between the Wildcats and the Mavericks.

Players to Watch

QB D'Eriq King, WR Reggie Hemphill-Mapps, WR Gary Haynes, RB Qyalan Clay, RB D'Vaughn Pennamon, WR Sean Dykes, DB Will Lockett, DB Deontay Anderson, DB Uryan Hudson, DB Derrick Tucker, LB Jordan Carmouche, LB Shane Jackson, LB Collin Scott, DL Hasaun Glasgow

2¢ on Manvel

These two schools both opened in 2006. While Cy Woods was able to achieve instant success right off the bat in 2008, Manvel's road to prominence was a more gradual build-up. They were 3-6 in their inaugural season of varsity football and 5-5 in year 2, but then, they turned the corner in 2010 and emerged as not only one of the top programs in the area, but one that's in the conversation for a state championship every season.

Two words immediately come to mind: speed and athleticism. Their core is mainly composed of juniors. At the forefront is the explosive D'Eriq King, who isn't afraid to stir the pot a little, as you can see. With a 42:2 TD:INT ratio in the passing game and 10 more touchdowns on the ground, King has shown why he is one of the most sought-after players in the country in the class of 2016. And he's got plenty of weapons at his disposal. 8 Mavericks players have double-digit receptions. Gary Haynes, who led them in interceptions 2 years ago, shifted to receiver with devastating results. He's the one who made a Vine of himself chucking a hail mary pass and then shooting himself out of a cannon to catch it, which has now gotten over 27 million loops. Haynes is described as being "hard to tackle in a phone booth."



Reggie Hemphill is a UT pledge for 2016 who is averaging over 22 yards a catch, and 12 of his 26 catches have been for touchdowns. Sean Dykes is 2nd to Hemphill with 11 touchdown receptions. Clay is their primary back; he too is averaging over 7 yards per carry. Also, watch out for Pennamon, a junior RB who is averaging over 10 yards per carry and averaging a little over 12 yards per touch, when his receiving stats are taken into account.

More of the same on the defensive side of the ball. Deontay Anderson is widely considered to be one of the top safeties in the country for the class of 2016, and he's got suitors (over 30 offers) lined up left and right vying for his commitment. Lockett, a UCLA commit, leads the Mavericks in interceptions. Scott, Carmouche, and Jackson are their top 3 linebackers. These 4 have been called "athletic heat seekers with noses for the ball." Scott leads them with 91 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. Hasaun Glasgow, a junior, has chipped in 5 sacks of his own from his defensive end spot. Tucker, a sophomore, has emerged as a key player in the secondary.

Long story short: Manvel is a team that is loaded with elite athletes on both sides of the ball. Coupled with excellent coaching, they are the most complete team that Cy Woods will face to this point. Will it be easy to beat a team like this? Of course not.

But... are they beatable? YES!!!



Last Time the Wildcats were in the 3rd Round of the Playoffs

Cy Woods took on Clear Creek in a battle of the Wildcats. Fittingly enough, the venue was Turner Stadium, home of the Humble Wildcats. Cole DeVilliers led things off by taking the opening kickoff 95 yards for a score, which set the tone for the night. The big difference was a 21-0 2nd quarter in favor of Cy Woods, which saw Fredrick Anderson score from 7 and 8 yards out, and Colton Huntsman added a 47-yard TD run later in the quarter. Fred ran for 120 yards and scored 4 touchdowns on the ground, while Colton added 2 touchdown runs of his own as Woods came out on top 52-34.

Directions to Rice Stadium

Good luck. At least it won't be raining?

Cy Woods 63, Katy Taylor 17: Wildcats Strike Fast, Strike Often

2014 Record: 8-4, 2-0 in playoffs

On a Saturday afternoon at the Berry Center where the skies threatened with thunderstorms all afternoon.... with no measurable rain to speak of until after the final whistle (just in time), the Cy Woods Wildcats braved the (non-existent) elements and stormed past the Katy Taylor Mustangs 63-17.

The Mustangs were able to get their offense going in the early stages of the game and flustered the Cats defense by converting their 3rd downs. They were able to hang with the Wildcats in the 1st quarter and tied the game on a couple of occasions. Taylor tied the game at 14 with 1:31 remaining in the 1st, but then the Cats kicked their offense into that gear we're all too accustomed to seeing and left the Mustangs in the dust, finishing the game on a 49-3 run. The Wildcats' quick-strike capability was on full display; 7 of their 9 scoring drives went 5 plays or less (3 were 1-play drives), and they didn't take long to score either. Their longest drive lasted 8 plays and took 2:16 off the clock, which was also the longest drive in terms of time.

Props go out to a resurgent Katy Taylor program. They suffered through 3 very rough years, and then in 2014, they used the lessons they learned from those 3 tough seasons, withstood the growing pains involved with rebuilding, and made their return to the playoffs. The Mustangs made the opening moments of the game interesting, but in the end, it was too much Cats offense at breakneck speed.

So, What Happened Was...

The Mustangs got the ball to begin the game. They looked as if they caught the Wildcat defense off guard as they came out firing; 4 of their first 5 plays were passes, which included a juggling catch-and-run job from Jacob Palfreyman that went for 47 yards. However, the Cats defense came out with a win as the Mustangs missed a field goal.

Nick Hooper's first pass fell incomplete, but he connected on his next 3; the last of which found a wide-open R.J. Harmon, who took it 54 yards to open the scoring. After a long march down the field, the Mustangs got on the board thanks to Brett Vinzant's 2-yard run. It didn't take long for the Cats to respond as one play later, Nick found an even more wide-open Taylor Tesch for a 73-yard TD pass. Taylor answered with an 11-yard touchdown run from Eli Walters. The key play on that drive was Jacob Yohr taking a screen pass and scampering 52 yards. Tesch returned the ensuing kickoff to the Taylor 22. The injury bug struck as Nick was knocked out with an apparent leg injury after a 2-yard run. Enter Reece Clark. On his first play of the day, he found Tre' Hart for a 14-yard touchdown to put the Cats back in front.

End 1st: Woods 21, Taylor 14

The defense was suffering from an inability to kick the Mustangs off the field, especially on 3rd down. They needed a stop, and they got one in the form of Michael Wirt's 3rd pick of the season. On the ensuing Woods drive, Jared Taylor found the endzone on a 6-yard run. The Cats got another stop with a 3-and-out, and Clark connected with R.J. Harmon for a 4-yard touchdown. The big play on that drive was Jared Taylor's 61-yard catch. The Mustangs got a score at the halftime buzzer with a 22-yard field goal from Brady Bortka.

Hafltime: Woods 35, Taylor 17

On the opening drive of the 2nd half, R.J. took a direct snap and scored from 71 yards out without even being touched. The Cats stuffed the Mustangs on a 4th down, and they didn't let a false start on the first play hamper their next drive; Reece wound up connecting with C.J. Jones for a 48-yard touchdown. R.J. struck again with a 51-yard run, and C.J. capped it off with a 56-yard scoring run. There was no scoring in the 4th quarter.

Final: Woods 63, Taylor 17

Turning Point

The Wildcat defense managed to dial up consecutive stops with Michael Wirt's interception and a 3-and-out in the 2nd quarter. The offense scored on their ensuing possessions after these stops, and then they proceeded to open up the floodgates on the Mustangs.

Ground

R.J. Harmon became the 3rd Wildcat to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, joining Fredrick Anderson and Colton Huntsman. He now stands at 1,013, and the all-time record of 1,036 set by Fred in 2010 is very much in his crosshairs. C.J. Jones ripped off a 56-yard run for Woods' final points.

In the 4th quarter, Randall Medlin picked up a blocked punt and turned it into a 27 yard gain. Great heads-up play, especially with all the Taylor players completely oblivious to the fact that he had the ball until he got the first down.

R.J. Harmon: 5 carries, 128 yards, 2 TD
C.J. Jones: 2 carries, 58 yards, TD
Randall Medlin: 1 carry, 27 yards
Jacobi Boudreaux: 6 carries, 15 yards
Austin Goffney: 2 carries, 11 yards
Jared Taylor: 2 carries, 8 yards, TD
Nick Hooper: 2 carries, 8 yards
Reece Clark: 2 carries, -5 yards

Air

This time, the Cats' passing attack took center stage. Nick and Reece were slingin' it, that's for sure. They combined for 315 yards and 5 touchdowns. The timing was excellent, the route running was crisp, but there were a couple of balls that could have been caught had the receivers made that extra effort to dive for it.

Hey, it's the playoffs. Next week isn't guaranteed, no more holding anything back, and all those other clichés. You've got to sell out to make the play for your team no matter the circumstances. That's the difference between advancing and getting knocked out.

Reece Clark: 9-14, 150 yards, 3 TD
Nick Hooper: 5-6, 165 yards, 2 TD

Jared Taylor: 3 recs, 67 yards
R.J. Harmon: 3 recs, 62 yards, 2 TD
C.J. Jones: 3 recs, 50 yards, TD
Tre' Hart: 3 recs, 49 yards, TD
Taylor Tesch: 1 rec, 73 yards, TD
Zac Duncan: 1 rec, 14 yards

Defense

After looking as though they'd be unable to stop the Taylor attack early, the Cats were able to solve that puzzle. And then, they proceeded to absolutely suffocate the Mustangs, holding them to just 3 points after the 1st quarter.

Michael Wirt broke a 6-way tie for the lead with his 3rd interception of the season in the 2nd, which he returned 20 yards. But... his lead was short-lived as Jake Jones restored a tie with his 3rd pick of the season in the 4th quarter.

Sacks: Randall Medlin 0.5, Wade Carson 0.5 (10 yards lost)

Special Teams

Luis Reyes.... did what he usually does, and what he usually does is hit all of his extra points. He went 9-9 in that respect. Jordan Johnson punted twice for 67 yards; a third punt was blocked, then recovered, and then advanced for a first down by Randall Medlin.

Zac Duncan: 1 punt returned, 8 yards; 1 kick returned, 5 yards
Taylor Tesch: 1 kick returned, 53 yards

Other Notes

- Taylor DB Rodney Clemons had an incredible interception that was ruled incomplete. I'm actually quite sure that he caught it, but there was no replay. He got a heat-of-the-moment unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after spiking the ball after the pass was called incomplete.

- The Wildcats eclipsed the 500-point mark for the 2nd time in team history in this game. They now stand at 549. The record is 601, which was set in 2010.

- It was nice running into a few old friends.

- Here's hoping that Nick's injury isn't serious. It would be an absolute shame if this game was the last time we see him in a Cy Woods uniform.

Man of the Match

After Nick was knocked out of the game, Reece Clark came on in relief and did an excellent job of commandeering the offense.

Looking Ahead

In the Sweet 16 of the Division II, Region III bracket, otherwise known as the regional semifinals, the Wildcats will take on the Manvel Mavericks at Rice Stadium on Friday, November 28 at 7:30. They will be the away team in this contest, which will be the first game that will see the Cats venture outside of the friendly confines of Pridgeon Stadium and the Berry Center.

Know Your Enemy: James E. Taylor Mustangs

Cy Woods Wildcats (7-4) vs. Katy Taylor Mustangs (8-3), Saturday, November 22, 11 AM, Berry Center

Start time rescheduled. There is an 80% chance of thunderstorms on Saturday.

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats kicked off their 2014 playoffs with a bang as they ran roughshod on Aldine Davis, romping to a 66-15 victory. That was a game in which all of their touchdowns were scored on the ground. C.J. Jones and Nick Hooper scored 4 apiece, Jacobi Boudreaux added one more, and the defense and special teams also turned in a dominant outing, with a blocked punt, an interception, and 2 fumbles recovered.

And now, the area round awaits. In their previous 2 forays into the 2nd round, the Cats have run into the buzzsaw known as the Katy Tigers. They'll play a Katy ISD school again, but... this team is wearing blue.

The Enemy: James E. Taylor Mustangs

School district: Katy
UIL district: 19-6A
2014 regular-season record: 7-3, 4-3 (4th) in District 19-6A

Katy Taylor season-to-date

W 40-14 vs. Clements
W 14-13 vs. College Park
W 16-10 @ Beaumont West Brook
L 50-7 @ Katy
L 48-0 vs. Seven Lakes
W 50-24 @ Strake Jesuit
L 14-10 vs. Cinco Ranch
W 34-7 @ Mayde Creek
W 25-21 vs. Morton Ranch
W 24-7 @ Tompkins

Last Saturday, in a game that was taking place at the same time as the Woods game, the Mustangs dispatched Reagan 37-15 at Delmar Stadium.

Players to Watch

QB Brett Vinzant, WR Jacob Yohr, RB Eli Walters, RB Brandon Miller, OL Zach Lucas, OL Kregg Lemons, OL Dominic Villarreal, DB Rodney Clemons, LB Jake Granato, DB Kale Johnson, DB Zach Schindler

Previous Meeting

These two teams met in the 2nd round in 2010 at Tully Stadium. That night, the Cats absolutely ran the Mustangs off the field and strolled to a 67-7 victory. They held a 53-0 lead at halftime. The 67 points represents the most points they've ever scored in a playoff game, and the 60-point margin of victory still stands as the largest in Cy Woods history. Colton Huntsman threw for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also, deep into mop-up time, when the game had pretty much been decided, Sam Stewart, then just a freshman, made his debut.

That game happened 4 years ago. It won't have any bearing on Saturday's result.

2¢ on Taylor

The Mustangs are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 after three tough years where they won just 4 games combined.

Statistically, they were middling (on both sides of the ball) in their district; they entered the playoffs averaging 275 yards per game. But, they'll have their moments where everything is clicking on offense. They aren't explosive, but they are adept at gaining yardage in chunks, which in turn melts the clock.

Brett Vinzant finished 4th in District 19-6A in passing yards and touchdown passes. He's somewhat mobile as well, as he's 2nd on the team in rushing. Brandon Miller is their leading rusher; he's currently 10th in rushing yards and tied for 5th in rushing touchdowns with a couple of Cinco Ranch players. He'll split carries with Walters. Jacob Yohr, a junior, is their leading receiver; he is averaging 20.5 yards per catch. Their offensive line is anchored by Lucas, Lemons, and Villarreal, three well-built seniors.

They may be in the middle of their district defensively, but they'd be 3rd behind Jersey Village and Cy-Fair in terms of total yardage allowed per game. Rodney Clemons' 3 interceptions leads the Mustangs. He and Granato are the captains of their defense. Clemons will be joined in the secondary by Zach Schindler and Kale Johnson, who is described as being a "physical downhill player."

Directions to the Berry Center

Surely, you jest.

However, for the Katy Taylor fans who are reading this...

Cy Woods 66, Aldine Davis 15: Opening-Round Romp

2014 Record: 7-4, 1-0 in 2014 playoffs

On a dreary afternoon at the Berry Center, the Cy Woods Wildcats kicked off their playoff campaign with a 66-15 shellacking of the Benjamin Davis Falcons, who were playing their first playoff game. One more point, and they would have tied their highest output in a playoff game.

This was a pretty good Aldine Davis squad and the Cats just absolutely drubbed them, flying out to a 45-7 halftime lead. They got the jump on the Falcons and went for the jugular right away. Nick Hooper and C.J. Jones ran roughshod over an imposing Falcon defense to the tune of 4 touchdowns apiece and the Wildcat defense grounded an offense littered with explosive athletes.

Good win. Now, on to the 2nd round.

So, What Happened Was...

Davis opened up the game with a first down on the first drive of the game, but the Cats quickly snuffed out the threat and forced a punt... that never got off because the Davis punter dropped the ball right as he was about to kick it. This gave the Cats the ball at the Davis 26-yard line for their first drive, and just two plays later, Nick Hooper opened up the scoring with a 23-yard run. He added a 57-yard TD run later on in the quarter, and after the Falcons got on the board thanks to Josh Vinson's 41-yard touchdown catch, C.J. Jones answered with a 54-yard scoring run.

End 1st: Woods 21, Davis 7

The Outlaw Shane Lawless blocked a punt early in the 2nd quarter and the Cats recovered the ball at the Davis 2. One play later, C.J. Jones punched in his 2nd rushing touchdown of the game. Nick shimmied and made the Davis defense look foolish with his 3rd score, which came from 14 yards out. C.J. then struck again with a 6-yard scoring run, and Luis Reyes put 3 more points on the board just before the half.

Halftime: Woods 45, Davis 7

Isaac Jackson found Darrell Hubbard for a 31-yard TD pass in the 3rd, but Nick Hooper capped off his day with a 7-yard TD run on the ensuing Woods possession.

End 3rd: Woods 52, Davis 15

C.J.'s day was done after scoring his 4th rushing touchdown of the afternoon. That was his 2nd score from 2 yards out. And finally, Jacobi Boudreaux provided the cherry by finding pay dirt with an 80-yard run.

Final: Woods 66, Davis 15

Turning Point

The Cats forced a three-and-out on Davis' first drive of the 2nd quarter. On the ensuing punt, they broke through the Falcons protection, and The Outlaw Shane Lawless got the block. The Wildcats recovered the loose ball at the Davis 2, and one play later, C.J. Jones scored his 2nd rushing touchdown of the game.

They then proceeded to open the floodgates by scoring 17 more points, giving them a 45-7 lead at halftime.

Ground

All 9 Wildcat touchdowns were scored in the running game, which, yes, is a record. The 458 yards they amassed on the ground were the 2nd-most in a game in team history; they put up 464 against Springs in 2011.

Nick did what he has done all season on the ground. His 4 touchdowns give him 20 on the year, which ties him with Fredrick Anderson for the most rushing touchdowns in a single season in Cy Woods history. C.J. Jones chipped in 4 scores of his own. The Cats had 3 100-yard rushers in a game for the first time since the 2011 season finale against Springs. Nick and C.J. joined Jeff Bogan and Fred as the only players to score 4 rushing touchdowns in a game. Jeff did it against Langham in 2011, and Fred scored 4 against Clear Creek in the 2010 playoffs.

Shifting to Nick... he has now amassed more carries in a season than anyone in Cy Woods' brief history, with 204. The previous record was set in 2009, when Colton Huntsman ran the ball 200 times.

C.J. led the way with 157, and R.J. Harmon added 118. The third may surprise you. It was 3rd-stringer Jacobi Boudreaux, who finished with 104. 80 of those came on the final Woods touchdown of the day in the 4th quarter. Nick had 88 yards.

Nick Hooper: 14 carries, 88 yards, 4 TD
C.J. Jones: 12 carries, 157 yards, 4 TD
R.J. Harmon: 8 carries, 118 yards
Jacobi Boudreaux: 6 carries, 104 yards, TD
Jordan Johnson: 3 carries, 9 yards
Reece Clark: 1 carry, -7 yards
One carry was a bad pitch that was recovered by Woods for -11 yards. It was not credited to anyone. Like anyone would want an -11 yard carry on their final line...

Air

Was not utilized much because of the immense success the ground game was having.

Nick Hooper: 6-16, 78 yards
Reece Clark: 3-7, 32 yards

Jordan Johnson also appeared at QB, but did not attempt a pass.

Zac Duncan: 4 recs, 35 yards
Jared Taylor: 3 recs, 25 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 recs, 50 yards

Defense

The Wildcat defense came up big in this game as they completely grounded a fine Davis offense, holding them to just 47 rushing yards. Their big-play threats, Lexington Thomas and Anthony Malone, were held to 81 yards combined. The Falcons' big target outside, Josh Vinson, did give the secondary some issues as he managed to gain 142 receiving yards, but he was the only receiver, and really, only offensive player for that matter, to get anything going against the Cats.

Myles Wilson, a sophomore safety, had an excellent afternoon as he led the team with 11 total tackles. He also had a chance for an interception... if he would've turned around to find the ball. It hit him right in the hand and he wasn't even looking. Shane Lawless, Wade Carson, Keith Watson, and Elijah Pierson were all disruptive forces from their linebacker spots. Morgan Tosten, a starting defensive end, recorded 4 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, as did Elijah Pierson.

Tackles: Myles Wilson 11 (5 assisted), Wade Carson 9 (5 assisted, 1 tackle for loss), Shane Lawless 9 (2 assisted, 2 TFL), Morgan Tosten 6 (3 assisted, 4 TFL), Elijah Pierson 6 (5 assisted, 4 TFL), Keith Watson 6 (3 assisted, 1 TFL), Danny Malone 4 (3 assisted), Nick Bailey 3 (1 assisted, 1 TFL), Austin Greaves 3 (1 assisted, 1 TFL), Zac Duncan 3 (1 assisted), Jake Jones 2 (both assisted), Tre' Hart 2 (1 assisted), Justyn Johnson 1 (for loss), Hayden Stoeber 1 (for loss), Chad O'Donnell 1 (assisted), Jacobi Boudreaux 1, Josh Robbins 1 (assisted), Randall Medlin 1 (assisted), Michael Wirt 1 (assisted), Isiah Clay 1 (assisted), #52 1 (assisted)

#52, a defensive end, is a JV call-up, so he didn't have a nameplate on the back of his jersey. I think his name is Jose Garcia.

Keith Watson and Wade Carson both forced a fumble, and both of them were recovered by the Cats, as Elijah Pierson and Zac Duncan were in the right place at the right time on both occasions.

Sacks: Morgan Tosten 1 (6 yards lost)

Interceptions: Nick Bailey 1 (returned for 43 yards)

Special Teams

Luis Reyes put up 12 points as he went 9-9 on extra points and nailed a 40-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the 1st half. That's 4 10-point games for the sophomore kicker.

Jordan Johnson had 5 punts for 161 yards, for just over 32 yards per punt.

The Outlaw Shane Lawless blocked the first Davis punt of the 2nd quarter and the Cats recovered it at the Davis 2. One play later, C.J. Jones punched it in for a score.

Punts blocked: Shane Lawless 1

C.J. Jones: 2 kicks returned, 47 yards
Zac Duncan: 3 punts returned, 15 yards
Taylor Tesch: 1 kick returned, 16 yards

Other Notes

- Every year, the first playoff game gets colder and colder. Not sure what's up with that.

- The offensive line took another hit, as guard Shiva Reddy left the game with a knee or ankle injury.

- Speaking of the offensive line, they did an excellent job against the massive Davis defensive line in the running game.

- It was good to see Tyler Greaves back in uniform, although he was held out after tweaking his knee last week against Springs.

- Tobi Orundami, a freshman nose tackle, made his varsity debut on the final play of the game. He's wearing #93 for this playoff run. The coaching staff is very high on this kid... he'll be one to watch over the next 3 seasons.

- And how could I not mention Andrew Gallagher's 8-yard reception? The big fella was able to rumble downfield.... too bad he's not eligible to touch the ball.

Man of the Match

You can go a lot of ways here.

C.J. delivered with his best performance on the ground to date, while Nick is on the verge of re-writing the Cy Woods record books. Or maybe even Jacobi Boudreaux, who got his chance to showcase his skills late in the game. On the defensive side, Myles Wilson had a fine game in the secondary, while Shane Lawless blocked a punt to go along with his solid afternoon from his inside linebacker spot. Wade Carson was relentless as usual, and finally, Morgan Tosten and Elijah Pierson busted up the most plays as their 4 tackles for loss indicated.

Looking Ahead

In the area round of the 2014 Texas High School Football playoffs, the Wildcats will take on the Katy T....... aylor Mustangs. Kickoff is set for 1:00 at the Berry Center on Saturday. Let's just hope it'll be a little warmer.

A History of Cy Woods Uniforms

The Cypress Woods Wildcats have only had a varsity football program for nine years, but they have quickly adapted to this time in football history where new uniforms every two years or so have become the norm, thanks to the infinite number of combinations that the Oregon Ducks and other Nike-outfitted teams unveil seemingly every year and the subsequent re-designs by teams wearing Adidas and Under Armour in order to keep pace. Currently, the Wildcats are outfitted by Nike; they began wearing Nike uniforms in the 2014 season. Prior to 2014, Cy Woods' uniforms were supplied by Ripon Athletic, a smaller manufacturer based in Wisconsin.

In sports, uniforms are the ultimate fashion statement. Every athlete, regardless of the competition level, wants to perform well when they are on the field, but they also have a desire to look flashy while they perform well on the field. This mentality stems from Deion Sanders' mantra: "If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good." Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour have all capitalized on this trend, especially in Cy-Fair ISD.

I will also keep a separate page running to track the Wildcats' record when wearing a certain uniform combination. This post will be updated at the conclusion of each season, and when the Wildcats receive a new set of uniforms.

1st Generation: 2008-2010

Debut: September 6, 2008 vs. A&M Consolidated
Final game: October 26, 2012 vs. Cy Falls

Record when worn: 40-13
Current status: Freshman Cardinal (A-team) and JV Gold (B-team) uniforms

Description

- Manufacturer: Ripon Athletic
- Cardinal jersey and pants, white jersey and pants; gold belt
- No name on back.
- Solid cardinal pants; white pants had a red and gold stripe running down the leg
- "Cats" in gold on cardinal jerseys and pants, "Cats" in red on white jerseys
- White numbers with gold trim on cardinal jerseys, cardinal numbers with gold trim on white jerseys

Helmet: Gold, with one red stripe down the middle. At the back, the player's number was placed on each side of the stripe. Single-digit numbers to the right.

These were the originals: a nice, simplistic design. The only thing that could probably qualify for frills is the trimming around the neck and across the collar.

Notes

- In 2008, all white did not bring the Cats good results; they lost both games when they wore all white (43-41 against Ridge, 54-25 against Creek).
- This look was brought back in 2011 in order to snap a 2-game losing streak that gave the Cats an 0-2 start in district play. That move paid off as they won 8 straight games before falling to Katy in the 2nd round of the playoffs.
- This uniform set was brought back for the final time at the varsity level in 2012; the Wildcats had a 3-2 record that season.

2nd Generation: 2011-2013

Debut: September 2, 2011 vs. A&M Consolidated

Final game: November 22, 2013 vs. Katy

Record when worn: 10-10

Current status: JV Cardinal uniforms

Description

- Manufacturer: Ripon Athletic

- Cardinal and white jerseys, cardinal and white pants; gold belt

- No name on back.

- "Cats" in gold on cardinal jerseys, in red on white jerseys

- Cardinal pants now had a white/gold stripe pattern; stripe pattern on the white pants remained unchanged.

- Same color scheme for numbers as 1st generation; however, numbers were ironed on instead of sewn on.

- Gold collar on cardinal jerseys, white collar on white jerseys.

Helmet: Same as the first generation. The claw scratch decals were added in the 2012 season and debuted against Lakes. The stripe and number stickers were abandoned in the 2013 season.
Current status: JV cardinal uniforms.

This was the combination that I liked the least. The shoulder pattern on both home and away jerseys just had way too much going on. On the cardinal jerseys, they were gold sandwiched in between 2 random spots of white, and vice versa on the white jerseys, sandwiched in between 2 spots of gold. Even the pattern of the word "Cats" looked amateurish compared to the previous generation's.

This was definitely a look that would have been more appropriate for a junior varsity team.

Snafu: The #56 jersey, worn by Tyler Mock in 2011, had one of the shoulder numbers placed upside down, so it looked like 9-backwards 2, or 95. He ended up having to wear #57 against Cy-Fair, but he was able to switch back to #56 after the decision was made to return to the previous jerseys.

Notes

- The Cats were largely monochromatic with this look; the white/cardinal combination was tried once, and in that game, they lost 54-21 to Ridge in 2012.

3rd Generation: 2014-16

Debut: August 29, 2014 vs. Klein Collins

Final game: November 4, 2016 vs. Cy Ranch

Record when worn: 15-18

Description

- Manufacturer: Nike
- Cardinal and white jerseys; gold, cardinal, and white pants.
- Names on back of jersey.
- Solid gold pants; White pants have a gold stripe running down the thigh. In addition to the swoosh, which is found on the right leg, the pants also have 212° in red on the left leg. Cardinal pants only have a white swoosh.
- Cardinal pants returned in 2015 against Cy Creek (game 5). The Wildcats wore Cardinal pants for the remainder of the 2015 season.
- Cardinal jerseys have a white collar, a white swoosh, "Wildcats" in white, and white numbers. White jerseys have the same features in cardinal.

Helmet: Gold. Claw scratch decals on both sides. Gold paint for the helmets is a different shade from previous years.

This is a classic, clean design from Nike. Sometimes, simplistic is best, and these uniforms are a prime example of this simplicity. It sure beats having to see the Cats take the field in those eyesores from the previous generation.

Notes

- The Wildcats have worn cardinal jerseys with white pants three times and have lost every game when wearing this combination.
- The white top/gold pants combination was worn for the first time in Week 10 of the 2016 season.
- In 2014, the Wildcats wore nameplates on the back of their jerseys for the first time. In 2015, player names were replaced with "212°" on the back.

4th Generation: 2017-19

Photos by Kyle Ransleben

Debut: September 14, 2017 vs. Cy Springs

Final Game: November 22, 2019 vs. The Woodlands

Description

- Manufacturer: Nike

- Jerseys and pants are both solid cardinal and solid white.

- Gold pants added in 2019.

- Both jersey sets have the Wildcats logo in the middle.

- Cardinal jerseys have white features (swoosh, numbers, logo); white jerseys have the same features, only in cardinal

- Numbers on front and back are more elongated than the previous Nike jerseys

- Names on back of jerseys (no names on back after 2017)

- Numbers on shoulders of jerseys

- Solid cardinal and white pants; swoosh (white on cardinal/cardinal on white) on left front hip. 212° in white/cardinal on both rear hips (small, but can be seen up close)

I didn't think it was possible to get more simple than the previous jerseys, but here we are. This is the exact same template that Washington State is using, so yes... it looks like another Nike cookie-cutter design. I don't really mind it, however. 

Notes

- With a new uniform comes a new helmet decal: "WILDCATS" written in an arc superimposed over a cardinal W. The W has a gold outline.

5th Generation: 2020

Photo courtesy: Phlox Photography

Debut: September 26, 2020 vs. Kingwood

Description

- Manufacturer: Nike

- These uniforms are virtually identical to the previous generation's, only with tweaks to the numbering.

- All other design elements from the previous generation were carried over.

Know Your Enemy: Benjamin Davis Falcons

Cy Woods Wildcats (6-4, 6-3 in District 17-6A) vs. Benjamin Davis Falcons (6-4, 5-1 in District 18-6A), Saturday, November 15, 1 PM. Berry Center

So, the Cypress Woods Wildcats find themselves in familiar territory: the Texas High School Football playoffs. They will be the #2 seed from Division 17-6A, so they will be at the bottom of the Region III bracket. That means no Katy in the 2nd round, but Manvel in the 3rd could be looming. But.... first things first: the bi-district round. The Wildcats will be matched up against one of the newest schools in the Houston area, Benjamin Davis, from Aldine ISD.

So, who is Benjamin Davis? 

Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was the commander of the famed Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He was one of the most decorated pilots during the war, and he was an instrumental figure in the racial integration of the Air Force. He retired from the Air Force in 1970 as a Brigadier General (three stars), but he was promoted to General (four stars) by President Clinton in 1998.

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Cats punched their ticket to the playoffs as they outgunned Cy Springs 70-44. R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones provided the firepower for the Cats, as they combined for 7 of the 10 touchdowns. R.J. ran for 180 and 3 scores on 16 carries, while C.J. did his damage both ways, catching 4 passes for 54 yards and 3 touchdowns and running for 124 yards and another touchdown on 18 carries. 

The Wildcats held a 63-26 halftime lead; the 63 points marks the most that they've scored in a single half. Defensively, Matt Swalm, Kason Franklin, and Zac Duncan had 1 interception apiece. They may be without the services of Matt, Kason, Bryson Powers, and Tyler Greaves for this game though; all 4 of them left the Springs game with knee injuries (Matt, Bryson, and Tyler), and Kason fractured his collarbone.

The Enemy: Benjamin Davis Falcons

School district: Aldine

UIL District: 18-6A

2014 Record: 6-4, 5-1 in District 18-6A (tri-champions with Memorial and Eisenhower)

This is the first meeting between Cy Woods and Davis. They are the 26th team to take on the Wildcats.

Davis Season to Date

L 28-12 @ Spring

W 36-0 @ Pasadena Memorial

L 33-23 vs. Montgomery

L 35-28 vs. College Park 

L 14-12 vs. Memorial

W 33-0 @ Aldine

W 26-22 vs. Nimitz

W 40-14 @ MacArthur

W 24-13 vs. Ike

W 52-0 @ Northbrook

Players to Watch

RB Lexington Thomas, QB/WR Isaac Jackson, ATH Anthony Malone, DL Javier Edwards, DL Keith Sullivan, DL Mark Anderson, LB Jeffrey McCulloch, WR Josh Vinson, DB Dominique Lewis, LB Bruce Bivens

2¢ on Davis

The newest Aldine ISD school, the Benjamin Davis Falcons began varsity play this year, and they now have something in common with the Wildcats; they both made the playoffs in their first season of varsity football. They also have a district championship to their name in year 1, to boot. Because they are a new school, there isn't a lot to go on, but you can be sure that they've got some outstanding athletes on both sides of the ball.

The dynamic in play is interesting. This is a matchup between two young programs. On one hand, one has been a model of consistency in its district, appearing in the playoffs every year except for one since beginning varsity play just 6 years ago. On the other hand, you have the new kids on the block who made a splash by winning their district (even if they have to share it) in their inaugural season of varsity football, and now... they're looking to make an even bigger splash in their playoff debut.

It wasn't long ago that Cy Woods was considered the upstarts. That first playoff game was 6 years ago, but it feels like yesterday. Now, I feel that the Wildcats have established themselves in Class 6A, the biggest stage of high school football in the country. Davis... they'll be amped for this one, for sure. Now, they are the ones in the upstart role that the Cats once occupied. They're looking to make their first playoff trip one that they'll remember forever.

Anthony Malone was their #1 QB entering the season, but an injury knocked him off from that role. However, when healthy (he looks to be back up to speed), he is described as having "game-changing ability." A player like that... he'll be everywhere on the field. Stepping in at QB for Malone is Isaac Jackson, who moved over from wideout. He is sporting a 15-1 TD-INT ratio since moving under center.

Lexington Thomas is a burner in the backfield who can make would-be tacklers look absolutely silly in the open field. Josh Vinson is their leading reciever. He's a big target who has the ability to line up in the slot or out wide, and he is effective at utilizing his size to outleap opposing DBs and outmuscle potential tacklers.

No shortage of speed and athleticism on their defense, either. Up front is the imposing Javier Edwards, who stands 6'4" and is every bit of his listed weight of 338 pounds. Edwards is no oaf, though; he is the anchor of a defense that has surrendered just 15.9 points per contest. Nimitz was the only team in district play to put up more than 20 on them this season. Joining Edwards on the line is Keith Sullivan, a tall (6'7"), rangy junior who covers a lot of ground with his long strides. At the other defensive end spot is Mark Anderson, a stout senior who plays with a good motor. Jeff McCulloch is a hard-hitting LB who's mainly been deployed on the outside, but he looks as if he has the frame to play inside, too. He is noted as being a "freakish athlete" who "simply makes plays all over the field." Bivens has been a key contributor to the Davis defense as a sophomore. Dominique Lewis leads them in interceptions with 3, which put him in a tie for 2nd in their district in that category during the regular season.

Directions to the Berry Center

However, for the Davis fans who have found this site:

Cy Woods 70, Cy Springs 44: Playoffs?????

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

In their first Thursday game of the year, the Wildcats put up an offensive display that would've made the Wildcats of old blush. They held a 63-26 lead at halftime, which set a new record for most points scored in one half. The previous record was 56, which was done twice against Lakes in 2012 and Jersey Village in the first season. This was the 2nd 70-point game in team history; the first came in the 2008 season finale against Falls.

Yeah, they got outscored 18-7 in the 2nd half, but they had the backups in. The outcome was largely decided by then. R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones wreaked havoc on the Panthers; C.J. notched his 2nd 4-touchdown game of the season, while R.J. put up a career-high 180 yards on the ground and 3 scores.

With the 70-44 victory, the Cats did what they needed to do in order to clinch a playoff berth. Those 63 1st-half points put any thoughts of a point-differential situation to rest. Even in a game that was largely devoid of defense, they still managed to scrounge a few stops together in the form of 3 interceptions.

It was the last game of the regular season. You would have hoped that they would have been able to emerge from this game without any injuries to key players. Nope. Four important defensive players left the game with injuries. Mr. Carson informed me after the game that Bryson Powers broke his collarbone. I didn't realize it until I talked with Mr. Carson; I just saw Bryson without his pads and thought he was getting rest for the playoffs. Tyler Greaves and Matt Swalm were both on crutches after suffering knee injuries, and Kason Franklin also left the game with a knee injury, although I don't believe that he was on crutches.

Edit: I've been informed by Kason's mother that it was he who suffered the broken collarbone. Not Bryson.

Also, the offense suffered a big loss as starting left guard Ty Dendy left the game early after a head injury; he was tested for a concussion and when he was helped off the field, he was definitely dazed. The Cats are going in to the playoffs wounded, but I highly doubt that Davis will have much sympathy for their plight. No matter. Just gotta fight through the injuries. Next man up, right?

So, What Happened Was...

In the first 24 minutes, the Wildcat offense made sure the crowd got their money's worth, that's for sure.

The Panthers got the jump on them, though, as Donell Dunn opened the scoring with an 85-yard TD reception on the first play of the game. R.J. Harmon responded by becoming the one-man drive, as he ran the ball 4 times for 65 yards on the Cats' opening possesion of the night, capping that off with a 30-yard scoring run. R.J. struck again from 13 yards out to give the Cats the lead, which they wouldn't relinquish. Springs would answer as Francisco Almanza found O'Shae Clark for a 22-yard TD pass. Nick Hooper then got in on the act as he punched it in from 1 yard and 2 yards out.

End 1st: Woods 28, Springs 12

After Randall Medlin and Justyn Johnson sacked Almanza to pin the Panthers inside their 1-yard line, Zac Duncan took the ensuing punt down to the Panther 15. Enter C.J. Jones. He had a 9-yard run on his first touch of the game, then he gave it all back on the next play. But, he made up for that with a 15-yard TD catch. Dunn struck again for an 88-yard TD catch, and the Panthers got the 2-point conversion. R.J. struck for a 3rd time as he was a one-man drive once again. After Zac returned the ensuing kickoff to the Cy Springs 35, Harmon went back to work with a 15-yard run and a 19-yard TD run. Delano Burkes scored on a 2-yard run for the Panthers, and then Nick found C.J. for another 15-yard TD pass. C.J. scored for the 3rd time in the 1st half with his 11-yard run, and Nick followed suit with a 13-yard scoring run, setting the record for most points in a half in the process.

Halftime: Woods 63, Springs 26

Burkes had a 6-yard TD run, and Dunn had his 3rd receiving touchdown; this one came from freshman Taye Barber and he scored from 52 yards out. The only Woods score in the 2nd half was C.J. Jones' 3rd receiving touchdown of the night, which was thrown by Reece Clark.

End 3rd: Woods 70, Springs 38

Burkes scored from 10 yards out on the Panthers' opening drive of the 4th quarter.

Final: Woods 70, Springs 44

Ground

Clarence and Raynard (their real names) ran wild. R.J. put up a career-high 180 yards, which was also a season's-best by a Wildcat player, topping his 162-yard effort against Creek.

All stats per TSRN.

R.J. Harmon: 16 carries, 180 yards, 3 TD
C.J. Jones: 18 carries, 124 yards, TD
Nick Hooper: 13 carries, 48 yards, 3 TD
Jacobi Boudreaux: 7 carries, 34 yards
Reece Clark: 4 carries, -2 yards
Jared Taylor: 3 carries, 7 yards
Zac Duncan: 1 carry, 11 yards

Air

The passing game took a backseat to the ground assault, but overall, Nick turned in a good night through the air. Reece's only pass went for a touchdown.

Nick Hooper: 9-13, 162 yards, 2 TD
Reece Clark: 1-1, 20 yards, TD

The big gain of the night belonged to Jordan Johnson, who dragged a Panther defender nearly 10 yards into the endzone. He had to settle for a 59-yard gain as he was stopped at the 1.

C.J. Jones: 4 recs, 54 yards, 3 TD
Jordan Johnson: 2 recs, 74 yards
R.J. Harmon: 2 recs, 10 yards
Jared Taylor: 1 rec, 35 yards
Zac Duncan: 1 rec, 9 yards

Defense

The Cats got shredded through the air, mainly because Donell Dunn has been unreal for the Panthers this season. But... they'll take the win whichever way it comes. Dunn will finish with 1,229 receiving yards this season.

Matt Swalm actually created a 6-way tie for the team lead in interceptions with his 2nd-quarter pick. He didn't break a 5-way tie to take an outright lead, like I incorrectly tweeted last night.

Sacks: Randall Medlin 0.5, Justyn Johnson 0.5 (14 yards lost)
Interceptions: Matt Swalm 1 (2nd of season), Zac Duncan 1, Kason Franklin 1

Special Teams

Luis Reyes attempted 10 extra points and made 10 extra points to record his 3rd 10-point game of the season. In the process, he also tied Andrew Klink's record for most extra points attempted and most extra points made in a single game. Klink did that in the first 70-point game.

Jordan Johnson punted twice for 70 yards, giving his a 35-yard average.

Not much to report from the return game, although Zac Duncan had a couple of good ones that both set up Wildcat scores. The Outlaw Shane Lawless also got himself a chance to return a kick!

Zac Duncan: 2 kicks returned, 42 yards; 1 punt returned, 20 yards
Kason Franklin: 2 kicks returned, 12 yards
Bryson Powers: 2 kick returned, 14 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 kick returned, 25 yards
R.J. Harmon: 1 kick returned, 14 yards
Shane Lawless: 1 kick returned, 10 yards

Other Notes

- Like I said, I really wished that the team could've emerged from this game unscathed. For Tyler and Matt, my prayers go out to them for a speedy recovery. Being injured during your senior year of football... it's tough.

- Ad nauseam: 70 points ties a team record, 63 new record for points in a half...

- There was quite a bit of clamoring from the stands for the Cats to score one more time to break Cy-Fair's all-time single-game scoring record of 71, too....

- I've watched this class for 4 years, and it's awesome to know that the hard work that they have put in on the practice field, on the sub-varsity level, and in the weight room for 4 years has paid off with a trip to the playoffs in their senior season.

- Also, I saw Brandon Kula rolling around in pain in the endzone in the 1st quarter. Turns out he got punched in... his privates. Ouch. He recovered, though, and was able to finish the game.

- Do I have to say it again... this isn't the place to call out coaches. Can't you be happy for a win...

Men of the Match

R.J. and C.J. have been great all season. Without question, I will say this... there are few players who can impact a game the way they do. They are true dual-threats. I hope they carry the momentum they've built with their excellent performances in this game into the playoffs, and be the catalysts for a deep run for the Cats.

Honorable Mentions go out to Luis Reyes for tying a long-standing record. Nick Hooper's assault on the Cy Woods record books continues. And finally, Wade Carson turned in yet another solid night on the defense.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats are the #2 seed in the Division II bracket of the 6A Texas High School Football Playoffs. In the bi-district round, they will take on the Benjamin Davis Falcons at the Berry Center on Saturday at 1:00.

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Springs Panthers

Cy Woods Wildcats @ Cy Springs Panthers, Thursday, November 6, 7 PM, Berry Center

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Cats wrapped up a critical 3-game stretch on Halloween against Jersey Village. The 1st quarter started off well enough as they held a 14-3 lead after the first 12 minutes, but the Falcons took flight and left them in the dust with a 35-10 run in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. The Cats were down by as much as 44-24, but 2 Nick Hooper passing touchdowns got them right back in the game. However, the defense just couldn't get that last stop in order to get the ball back in the offense's hands one last time. And so, the Falcons foiled the Wildcats' bid to clinch a playoff spot with the 44-38 decision.

And now.... here we are. The season finale. The mission is simple... a Cats win and they're in. 

The Enemy: Cypress Springs Panthers

2013 Record: 3-7, 2-7 (t-8th) in District 17-5A

In the other Halloween game, the Panthers faced Langham Creek at the Berry Center. They put up a spirited fight against the district leaders, but ultimately lost 44-28.

The Panthers opened the year by shutting down Mayde Creek 21-3. To open district play, they were nipped 21-14 by Jersey Village in the final minutes of the game. The Panthers then got smashed 56-20 by Cy-Fair, but rebounded to top Ridge 21-17. They probably felt that they let games against Falls and Ranch, which they dropped 36-33 and 38-29 respectively, get away, and then Creek crushed them, 70-24. But, they got back in the win column with a 48-24 victory over Lakes.

Players to Watch

QB Francisco Almanza, QB Taye Barber, RB Delano Burkes, WR/RB O'Shae Clark, WR Donell Dunn, WR Kendrick Simpson, OL Anthony Mahoney, DL Jeffery Orise, DB Andrew Perkins, DB Kejuan Reynolds, DB Bobby Wilson, DB Tyreek Lovings, LB Lawrence Ghansah

All-Time Series

Woods leads 6-0.

Previous Meetings

October 4, 2013: Woods 57, Springs 14 (Homecoming VI)

October 5, 2012: Woods 48, Springs 13

November 5, 2011: Woods 47, Springs 0

November 6, 2010: Woods 51, Springs 41

October 16, 2009: Woods 23, Springs 13

October 17, 2008: Woods 48, Springs 14 (Homecoming I)

2¢ on Springs

The Panthers have historically been at the bottom of the district when it comes to football; their last playoff appearance came in 2003. The closest they've come since then was a 3-way tie for 4th in 2008, but Langham Creek won the tiebreaker over them and Falls.

Last year, Springs was the district's feel-good story with their 3-0 start, but they finished the year by dropping their final 7 games. However, that was a significant leap forward from the previous 2 seasons, when they won just 1 game combined. No longer minnows, they have become a tough out in the district. 

Their #1 quarterback, Brian Harden, was injured against Creek, and he will not play in this game. Harden, a shifty dual-threat QB, had been enjoying a solid senior season, so that's definitely a tough loss for the Panthers. Stepping in under center is junior Francisco Almanza, who has really thrown the ball well since assuming the reins. Also, remember this name for Springs: Taye Barber. He's a freshman who will see a bit of time at the QB spot, as well. Barber celebrated his varsity debut with 160 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns against Lakes. 

Donell Dunn, who started as a sophomore at WR last season, has emerged as one of the top receivers in the district. He's coming off a 251-yard, 3 TD performance against Langham which puts him just 24 yards away from a 1,000-yard season. O'Shae Clark has turned in a good sophomore season; he entered last week 5th in the district in receptions. Burkes is a returning starter who gives them a nice option at running back. He was held to just 51 yards on the ground against Langham, which dropped him from 3rd to 5th in the district. Mahoney is a 3-year starter on the offensive line.

The Panther defense is led by Lawrence Ghansah, a 3-year starter who has become one of the better defensive players in the district. They have a skilled secondary; Bobby Wilson leads them with 3 picks. Andrew Perkins, if I remember correctly, was tied for 2nd in interceptions last season. Lovings and Reynolds were all significant contributors last season, and Orise is a returning starter on the defensive line.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

On Homecoming VI, it was all Wildcats. They just blew the Panthers out of the water, going up 37-7 at halftime and cruising to a 57-14 win. They got 3 field goals from Chase McLaughlin, who finished the night with 13 points. Nick Hooper shredded the Panther secondary to the tune of 334 yards and 3 touchdowns. Mason Roberts (102) and Zac Duncan (104) both topped 100 receiving yards and both scored a touchdown. And, on his debut, R.J. Harmon scored on a 20-yard run early in the 4th quarter.

Facts & Figures From This Series

- Woods' 6 wins against Springs are the most wins that they have against one opponent. This series has been as one-sided as it gets.

- The last 3 meetings have been at the Berry Center; the first 4 took place at Pridgeon.

- Woods has scored 40 or more in every meeting except for one; the Panthers, on the other hand, have scored 14 or less in every meeting except for one.

JV & Freshman Game Information

JV at Springs, freshmen at Woods. 5 and 7 on Wednesday. Remember... the varsity is playing on Thursday.

For Freshman Games: Directions to Springs

Jersey Village 44, Cy Woods 38: Gratification Delayed

2014 Record: 5-4, 5-3 in District 17-6A

No, I wasn't at this game either. I would have gone, had my trip to the airport not been a nightmare. On the flip side, I'm extremely grateful that I got to spend one more day with my aunt before she flies back to Australia. I can't wait to read all of your sky-is-falling comments.

Well, we're at the absolute end of the wire now, and the playoff picture is murkier than ever, as two playoff spots in District 17-6A are still up for grabs. The Cats, with a win in this game, would have clinched a playoff spot. But with this 44-38 loss to Jersey Village, they've now fallen into a 3-way tie for 3rd, and depending on Saturday's Creek-Falls matchup, it could be a 4-way tie....

This was definitely a bitter pill for the Cats to swallow; I'm sure they felt that they let this game get away. That's not taking anything away from the Falcons, though; they won this game because they made the plays that they needed to make, and they made a few more plays than Woods. But, the Cats are still very much in the fight. They're 2-1 against their main competition for a playoff spot (Fair, Creek, and JV).

This loss made the win against Cy-Fair so much more critical in the grand scheme of this regular season. The Cats might have gone 1-2 in this torturous 3-game stretch that pitted them against the district's top offense and top 2 defenses, but one win is ∞ times better than none, obviously. Drop all 3, and this team's playoff hopes would have gone down in flames.

So, What Happened Was...

Man... they really did let this game get away in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Nick Hooper put the Cats on the board first with his 7-yard TD run in the 1st. The Falcons responded with a nice drive, but the defense held them to a field goal. Jordan Johnson took the ensuing kickoff and ran 93 yards for a score. And finally, a muffed punt from Bryson Powers was recovered by JV and gave them the ball in the Cy Woods red zone to end the 1st quarter.

End 1st: Woods 14, JV 3

Nothing came of that muffed punt, though. But... the tide of this game would soon turn. Jersey Village took a 17-14 lead as Deshun Qualls connected on TD passes to Christian Taylor and Rokeem Paul. Nick responded with a 22-yard touchdown run as the Cats retook the lead, but Qualls had the final say in the period as he threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Josh Bland shortly before halftime.

Halftime: JV 24, Woods 21

The only points that the Cats could muster up in the 3rd was a 24-yard field goal from Luis Reyes. Qualls dominated the 2nd and 3rd quarters; he found Christian Taylor for the 2nd time in the game, and he'd punch it in himself from 1 yard out.

End 3rd: JV 38, Woods 24

LaVance Moore seemingly ended the game with his 46-yard TD run that put the Falcons up 44-24. But wait a minute.... the Cats hit back with just one play. Taylor Tesch caught one and took it 75 yards to the house. The defense got a 3-and-out on their next series, and then Jordan Johnson scored for the 2nd time in the game with a 53-yard TD reception to make it a 1-score game. Thanks to a brilliant kickoff from Reyes, the Falcons were pinned at their own 4. Unfortunately.... the Wildcat defense couldn't get that last stop. Brandon Major had a 12-yard catch on 3rd & 7 from the 7, and Qualls converted a 3rd & 4 with a 6-yard run for the final nail.

Final: Jersey Village 44, Cy Woods 38

Turning Point

Jersey Village went on a 35-10 run in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, and that attack was spearheaded by their QB, Deshun Qualls, who just shredded the Cats defense.

Get them off the field, please: The Falcons were 13-18 on 3rd down conversions.

Ground

As usual, Nick Hooper was all over the stat sheet; he carried the ball 19 times for 98 yards and scored twice. Or, if we're going by percentages, he accounted for 73% of the carries, 62% of the Cats' rushing yards, and 100% of their rushing touchdowns.

All stats per TSRN.

Nick Hooper: 19 carries, 98 yards, 2 TD
C.J. Jones: 3 carries, 48 yards
Jordan Johnson: 2 carries, 6 yards
R.J. Harmon: 2 carries, 6 yards

Air

Out of all the quarterbacks that tried their luck against the vaunted Falcon secondary, Nick put up the most passing yards against them this season. 128 of those came on his 2 touchdown throws to Taylor Tesch and Jordan Johnson. A pessimist may say that those numbers really puffed up his final line, but those 2 scores through the air could not have come at a more crucial time.

Nick Hooper: 11-22, 225 yards, 2 TD

Taylor Tesch: 3 recs, 93 yards, TD
C.J. Jones: 2 recs, 38 yards
Jared Taylor: 2 recs, 15 yards
Zac Duncan 2 recs, 12 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 rec, 53 yards, TD
Tre' Hart: 1 rec, 14 yards

Defense

The defense just couldn't find an answer for Deshun Qualls, who was responsible for 399 of Jersey Village's 502 yards of offense. They couldn't kick the Falcons off the field on 3rd down, either. That 13-18 figure on 3rd downs for Jersey Village is most likely the key statistic of the game. Plain and simple, the Wildcat defense just didn't get it done. But I know they'll bounce back.

Sacks: Wade Carson 1 (8 yards lost)
Interceptions: Shane Lawless 1 (1st of season)

Special Teams

Luis Reyes converted on a 24-yard field goal in the 3rd and hit all 5 of his extra points. Yet another solid performance for the sophomore, who has firmly established himself as the Cats' kicker of the present and future.

Jordan Johnson punted the ball 3 times for a total of 115 yards. He also returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in the 1st.

Zac Duncan: 4 kicks returned, 31 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 kick returned, 93 yards, TD
Bryson Powers: 1 punt returned, 0 yards

Man of the Match

Jordan Johnson dipped into the well and pulled out 2 big plays. Just goes to show that anyone on this offense is capable of really going off.

I think with his kickoff return TD, the Cats broke the team record for most return touchdowns in a season. Michael Wirt had a pick 6 against Falls, Bryson Powers returned a punt for a score against Lakes, C.J. has his 2 kick return TDs, and now Jordan's on the board with that kickoff.

Honorable Mentions go to Nick Hooper, for stuffing the stat sheet as usual, and to Luis Reyes, whose transformation into a special teams weapon is just about complete.

Looking Ahead

In the 2014 regular-season finale, the Cats will head to the Berry Center where they will play host to Cy Springs on Thursday. Kickoff is at 7:00.