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
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.
Thank you Dustin for your comments. The coaches did NOTHING wrong. The doctor cleared Nick to play last Wednesday. He wanted to play.
ReplyDeleteThere was no medical reason not to let him play. I would have not allowed Nick to play if there was a risk of further damaging his ankle. PERIOD. The doctor said there was no increased risk by him playing.
He played his best. So did all our boys. We lost, and that's football.
Thanks again and congratulations to all the boys for an outstanding season.
-Derek Hooper