Know Your Enemy: Langham Creek Lobos

Week 6: Cy Woods Wildcats vs. Langham Creek Lobos
7:00 PM Thursday, September 29, 2016
Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union Stadium

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

On Saturday, in the 100th game in school history, the Wildcats squandered a 31-17 halftime lead to Jersey Village, who flipped the script by outscoring them 41-15 in the second half to come away with a 58-46 victory. Jacob Kainer finished 22-31 for 333 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 123 yards and three scores. Jack Barrientez caught seven passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Myles Wilson recorded five tackles and recovered two fumbles, returning them (or one of them) for a total of 42 yards.

No doubt, they let that game get away. However, a short week gives them a chance to get back to work and minimize the time spent wallowing over the loss. The Wildcats will kick off Week 6 with a crucial matchup against a Langham Creek squad that is currently in a three-way tie at 2-1. This will be a chance for them to close out the first half of their schedule on a positive note, and also a chance for them to muddle up the early playoff picture in District 17-6A.

The Enemy: Langham Creek Lobos

2015 record: 5-5, 5-4 (6th) in District 17-6A
Did not qualify for playoffs

Langham Creek season-to-date

W 29-28 @ Klein Oak
W 54-20 vs. Cy Creek
W 22-14 @ Cy Falls
L 23-17 vs. Cy Ridge

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 5-3.

Previous Meetings

October 16, 2015: Woods 48, Langham 33
October 17, 2014: Langham 55, Woods 31 (Homecoming VII)
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

(A few) Players to Watch

RB Toneil Carter, QB Jacob Walls, QB Kacey Pryor, WR Chase McCray, WR Praise Okorie, DL Chidi Ogbonnaya, DL Isaac Salazar, LB Corien Azema, LB David Eggleton, DB Jordan Murray, DB Darren Woodson, DB Noah McGee

2¢ on Langham Creek

Langham Creek entered 2015 as the defending district champions, and they had the talent to repeat as champions. Unfortunately... an 0-4 start destroyed those ambitions, and even though they went 5-1 in their final six games, the damage from that awful start was too much for them to overcome.

Since Coach Thompson has taken over, the Lobos' reputation has been built on an explosive offense; guys like the Juergens brothers (okay, they were in the previous era), Conner Feist, Dominique Harris, Quartney Davis, and a host of others have put up gaudy numbers in their frenetic system.

The centerpiece of this offense is Toneil Carter, a four-year letterman, one of the most coveted high school football players in the country, and the face of Langham Creek football. Toneil enters the week a mere 9th in rushing yards, but there's no denying that he is a truly special talent who can carry this team to a victory if need be. The Lobos have a platoon at quarterback with Kacey Pryor and Jacob Walls. Pryor was a defensive back last season and is the runner, while Walls is more of a packet passer. Both have been efficient in throwing the ball; Pryor has yet to throw an interception in 44 attempts this season. The platoon isn't necessarily performance-based, because the two of them have made the most of their opportunities.

Langham has had a solid pipeline of wide receivers, and the torch has been passed to Chase McCray and Praise Okorie. McCray leads the district in receptions and is third in receiving yards, while Okorie is fourth in receiving yards and third in yards per reception among players with more than 20 catches.

The Langham defense enters this matchup allowing the third-fewest yards per game, and Coach Thompson is extremely high on this unit, especially along the defensive line. Ogbonnaya provides an imposing presence, and Salazar has really come on as a playmaker in the trenches. David Eggleton leads a deep linebacker corps, and he'll team up with Brad Pinkerton, Jermaine Wright, and an emerging sophomore in Corien Azema.

The Lobos lead the district with six interceptions. Azema, Eggleton, and Pinkerton all have one, and Jordan Murray, their quarterback in the secondary, is one of six players in the district with two picks. Noah McGee, Darren Woodson, and Paul Darks round out a talented secondary.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

In a game featuring two teams with dwindling playoff hopes, the Wildcats kept theirs alive with a 48-33 victory, breaking a three-game losing streak to the Lobos.

Bryson Powers ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to Jordan Johnson. C.J. Jones ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns and also returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown.

Sub-Varsity Game Information

Since the varsity plays on Thursday, the sub-varsity teams play tonight. The freshmen will play at Cy Woods, while the JV will travel to Langham Creek. Game times are at 5 and 7.

Location of Langham Creek High School

Jersey Village 58, Cy Woods 46: Falcons' Supremacy Continues

2016 Record: 1-3, 1-2 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

Jersey Village continued their mastery of the Wildcats, coming away with a 58-46 victory to extend their winning streak over the Wildcats to four games. The Falcons are the second team to have a four-game winning streak over Cy Woods; Cy Falls won four straight over the Wildcats from 2009-12.

Well... the Cats are not in dire straits yet, but this was surely another game that they felt they let get away, especially considering that they led 31-17 at halftime. The Falcons turned the tables in the second half by outscoring the Wildcats 41-15.

After a dud against Cy Ridge, the Wildcat offense reverted to its usual, explosive self. Jacob Kainer had an excellent night as he was responsible for five touchdowns, and Jack Barrientez continues to be an impact player, but someone has to emerge to take some of the burden off of Jacob and Jack while C.J. Jones continues to be on the mend. Nijah Surtain and Jake Tesch have shown promise in their sophomore campaigns, but it's apparent that they are both trying to adapt to the varsity level. Brennan Niles had a solid night catching the ball; he could become a reliable option in the passing game if he gets the targets, and that would take a huge amount of pressure off of Jack, who has really been the Wildcats' one consistent receiving threat this season.

One loss? Fine. Two losses, however, makes things more dicey. Heading towards the second half of the season, each game begins to take on more significance in terms of the playoff picture, and at the same time, the margin for error has virtually vanished. In Cy-Fair ISD, every game counts, and this next game against Langham Creek is the game that the Wildcats must win if they want to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot.

So, What Happened Was...

Emerson Garcia opened the scoring in Jersey Village's favor with a 27-yard field goal. Woods responded with an eight-yard touchdown run from Jacob Kainer and a 28-yard field goal from Luis Reyes.

End 1st: Woods 10, JV 3

Alec Wechsler connected with Jordan Jones for a 36-yard touchdown pass to tie the game, but the Wildcats responded with 21 unanswered points. Jacob punched it in from a yard out, and Jack Barrientez found Brennan Niles on the patented halfback pass for a 28-yard touchdown. Jacob then found Cullen Sherrill for a 61-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons got a three-yard touchdown run from Jireh Thompson just before the half.

Halftime: Woods 31, JV 17

That score before halftime sparked a 28-0 Jersey Village run, and Thompson scored all four of those touchdowns. In the third, he scored on runs of seven, 71, and 12 yards; the 12-yard run gave JV their first lead of the evening. Jacob scored on a two-yard run, his third rushing touchdown of the game, for the Wildcats' only points of the 3rd.

End 3rd: Woods 38, JV 38

Thompson took over in the third quarter, but in the final stanza, he turned it over to his quarterback, Wechsler, who proceeded to torch the Wildcats for three touchdown passes. His second touchdown pass to Jones put the Falcons back in front. Jack caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Jacob for a score, and then Myles Wilson fought his way into the endzone for the go-ahead two-point conversion, putting Cy Woods up 46-45. Wechsler would have the final say in this one, though, as he hit John Gilbert for a 69-yard touchdown to give Jersey Village the lead for good, and he sealed the deal with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Thompson.

Final: JV 58, Woods 46

Ground

C.J. has been missed, and that really puts the burden of the running game on Jacob, who already has more than enough on his plate. Nijah is still trying to adjust, so the Cats' options at running back are pretty limited. Jack has basically been thrust into a utility role, sort of like the role Jared Taylor played at times last year.

Jacob left the game due to an injury in the fourth quarter, but it doesn't seem to be too serious.

Jacob Kainer: 29 carries, 123 yards, 3 TD
Jack Barrientez: 7 carries, 25 yards
Nijah Surtain: 6 carries, 37 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 carry, 3 yards

Air

Jacob had a new career-high in passing yards, and this was the best that the passing game has looked all season, because more receivers are getting looks in the passing game. On the other hand, a cynic may say that that may be a product of trying to see who will step up.

We already know that Jacob and Jack have already established a solid rapport together, but as the other receivers are getting more acclimated, we're seeing more of them getting involved.

Judging by their numbers, Jake and Brennan were both targeted quite a bit in this game, and I think that's a good sign for this offense moving forward; as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, Jack is clearly the primary option, so one of these guys must emerge as a #2 receiver in the passing game. It could be Jake, whose exciting skill set is reminiscent of Mason Roberts. It could be Brennan, who has steadily improved each year and is getting his shot to shine. It could be one, or even both, of the Sherrills. With their size, they are instant mismatches on the outside.

Jacob Kainer: 22-31, 333 yards, 2 TD
Jack Barrientez: 1-1, 28 yards, TD
Brighton Gullickson: 1-3, 8 yards, INT

Jack Barrientez: 7 catches, 116 yards, TD
Jake Tesch: 6 catches, 68 yards
Brennan Niles: 4 catches, 82 yards, TD
Tanner Sherrill: 2 catches, 38 yards
Sam Landingham: 2 catches, 0 yards
Cullen Sherrill: 1 catch, 61 yards, TD
Connor Faulk: 1 catch, 12 yards
Nijah Surtain: 1 catch, 2 yards

Defense

Unfortunately, the defense was gashed by the opposing team's running back for the second straight week, and the Wildcats could not find an answer for the Falcons' offensive assault in the second half. JV running back Jireh Thompson ran for 242 yards on 23 carries and scored four touchdowns. In addition, Alec Wechsler threw for 368 yards and four more scores, and John Gilbert and Jordan Jones both exceeded 100 receiving yards.

Tackles

Trent Bird: 7 (1 for loss)
Christian Jones, Myles Wilson and Kason Franklin: 5 (all solo)
Cody Eggleston: 5 (1 assisted, 1 for loss [sack])
Elijah Strang and Micheal Young: 4
Tory Spears, Semaj Trahan, and Collin Fewox: 2 (all solo; Fewox had 1 tackle for a loss)
Deon Jones, Eron Vanduren, Chris Statom: 1 (all solo)
Evan Alexander, Matt Ficalora, Collin Joyce: 1 (assisted)

Takeaways

Fumbles forced: Trent Bird, Tory Spears, Christian Jones: 1
Fumbles recovered: Myles Wilson 2

Special Teams

Luis Reyes converted on his first field goal attempt of the season and also hit on all five of his extra point attempts.

1-1 FG (made 28); 5-5 XP; 4 punts, 133 yards (33.3 yards per punt)

Return opportunities have been scarce in recent weeks, but Nijah Surtain got plenty of work with five kickoff returns.

Nijah Surtain: 5 kicks returned, 102 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 kick returned, 10 yards
Jake Tesch: 1 punt returned, 5 yards

Man of the Match

Before the season, I felt that Jack Barrientez was primed for a breakout season, and his versatility would be a huge asset for the offense. C.J. Jones' absence has thrust Jack into a starring role, and he has responded by putting up All-District caliber numbers in the early going.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will alternate between Thursday and Friday games from here on out. They'll kick off Week 6 in District 17-6A with a tilt against the Langham Creek Lobos at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium this Thursday at 7:00. Cy Woods will be the home team in this contest.

Know Your Enemy: Jersey Village Falcons

Week 5: Cy Woods Wildcats @ Jersey Village Falcons
6:00 PM Saturday, September 24, 2016
Pridgeon Stadium

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

Despite leading Cy Ridge 13-8 at halftime with just 26 yards of total offense, it was only a matter of time before Cy Woods' lackluster offensive performance came back to haunt them. The Rams outscored the Wildcats 28-8 in the second half, which included a 21-0 fourth quarter, to come away with a 36-21 victory on Saturday at Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union Stadium. 

Cy Woods was outgained 552-202 on offense, and the offensive woes eventually became too much for the defense to overcome. Semaj Trahan returned an interception 86 yards for a touchdown, while Jacob Kainer ran for 68 yards and a touchdown. Jacob also threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jack Barrientez in the third quarter.

Now, the Wildcats will move on to their final Saturday game of the regular season. This will be the 100th game in Cy Woods football history. 

The Enemy: Jersey Village Falcons

2015 Record: 2-8, 2-7 (t-8th) in District 17-6A

Did not qualify for playoffs

Jersey Village season-to-date

L 42-30 vs. Cinco Ranch

L 60-28 @ Cy Ridge

L 35-7 vs. Cy Ranch

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 5-3.

Previous Meetings

October 30, 2015: JV 74, Woods 73
October 31, 2014: JV 44, Woods 38
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

Players to Watch

QB Alec Wechsler, RB Kendon Flowers, WR Jordan Jones, WR Blake Johnson, LB Emerald Blueitt, LB Jacob Clarkson, DL Greyson Newton

2¢ on Jersey Village

After coming up one game away from a playoff berth for two consecutive seasons, the Falcons crashed to the bottom of the standings in 2015. They have had a rough beginning to their 2016 campaign, but this is a team that has had the Wildcats' number in recent seasons. Jersey Village has beaten Cy Woods three years in a row, mainly due to the efforts of Deshun Qualls, who is now at Abilene Christian.

The Falcons, much like the Wildcats, are breaking in a brand-new cast of characters on the offensive side of the ball. Rokeem Paul and Austin Lynch, the district's most productive wide receiver tandem in 2015, have also moved on. Qualls also led the team in rushing, and their top running back, Anthony Ajao, transferred to Alief Hastings.

Alec Wechsler is now at the controls of the Falcon offense, and while he's not the dynamic threat that Qualls was, he's probably a better passer than Qualls. Wechsler enters the week in with 778 passing yards and nine touchdowns; only Cy Creek's Mateo Renteria leads him in those categories. Jordan Jones, a sophomore, has emerged as the Falcons' #1 receiver. Blake Johnson and John Gilbert have also become reliable targets for Wechsler. Kendon Flowers, a transfer from Clear Falls, has made an impact in his first season with the Falcons; he is their leading rusher and is also a threat in the return game.

Defense had been one of the Falcons' strengths, but one of the biggest reasons as to why they finished 2-8 in 2015 was the severe regression that they suffered on defense; they allowed 414 points last season after giving up just 399 in the previous two seasons combined. Jersey Village brings back an experienced group of linebackers led by Jacob Clarkson, Emerald Blueitt, and Victor Abrego, while Greyson Newton anchors the defensive line.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

In a game that we may not see for another decade, maybe even longer, Deshun Qualls did things that I'm pretty sure not even Kyler Murray did in a single night, and both teams re-wrote Cy-Fair ISD's record book. Even now, when I think about that game, I am still in utter disbelief. Not even outstanding individual performances from C.J. Jones, who set a Cy Woods single-game record with 346 rushing yards, and Jordan Johnson, who had 200 receiving yards, and Josh Marvin, a seldom-used linebacker who recorded two sacks and an interception after getting pressed into duty, were enough to keep the Wildcats' playoff hopes alive, because Qualls was simply in another realm that night.

In a game where both teams combined for 1,643 yards of offense, Jersey Village prevailed 74-73, effectively eliminating Cy Woods from playoff contention.

Sub-Varsity Game Information

The junior varsity games will take place at Cy Woods, while the freshmen will play at Pridgeon, because the track and the playing field at Jersey Village is undergoing renovations. Game times, as always, are at 5 and 7.

Cy Ridge 36, Cy Woods 21: Coming Undone

2016 Record: 1-2, 1-1 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

The Wildcats held a potent Cy Ridge offense to just six points (the other two came on a safety) and actually led 13-8 after the first 24 minutes of action despite accumulating just 27 yards of offense. Unfortunately, the offense did not fare much better in the second half, and a defense that held out valiantly against the Rams in the first half eventually cracked, and Ridge outscored the Wildcats 21-0 in the fourth quarter to emerge with a 36-21 victory. The Cats did win the turnover battle in this contest, but again, a lackluster offense meant that most of those opportunities went by the wayside.

One loss is not a backbreaker, and district play is just getting underway. Cy Woods is definitely still in the mix, but their margin for error has shrunk quite a bit.

So, What Happened Was...

The Rams opened the scoring..... with a safety. On their ensuing offensive possession, however, Semaj Trahan scored his first touchdown at the varsity level.... with an 86-yard pick six. Woods had the ball for less than two minutes in the first quarter and managed to come out with the lead.

End 1st: Woods 6, Ridge 2

TyRae Thornton muffed a punt inside the five, and the Wildcats pounced on the ball at the Rams' two-yard line. Jacob Kainer parlayed the miscue into the game's first offensive touchdown with a one-yard run. Kevin LeDee caught an 11-yard touchdown pass right before halftime.

Halfitme: Woods 13, Ridge 8

Jack Barrientez caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jacob, and Connor Faulk ran the ball in for two points to put Cy Woods up 21-8, but Cy Ridge finished this game on a 28-0 run. Trelon Smith scored his first touchdown of the evening from nine yards out with just under three minutes to go in the third.

End 3rd: Woods 21, Ridge 15

Smith opened up the fourth quarter with a bang, scoring from 88 yards to give Ridge the lead. Alex Jacobs finished off the Cats with two touchdown runs from one yard and 23 yards.

The Wildcats have been outscored 41-7 in the fourth quarter this season. This is the first game in which the fourth quarter was not garbage time.

Final: Ridge 36, Woods 21

Ground

A lot of carries, not a lot of yards. Nijah Surtain is a sophomore who was recently made eligible for varsity competition; he is one of three sophomores who were promoted to the varsity this past week, bringing the total number of tenth-graders on the roster to nine.

Jacob Kainer: 24 carries, 68 yards, TD

Nijah Surtain, 10 carries, 45 yards

Jack Barrientez: 7 carries, 15 yards

Bobby Dodson: 1 carry: 0 yards

Brighton Gullickson: 2 carries, -9 yards

Air

Sounds like drops haunted the Cats in this game. Jack Barrientez has caught ten passes this season. Ten other Wildcats have combined for 18 receptions; none have caught more than three. Someone is going to have to step up and become a threat in the passing game, or else the Cats will be running a bunch for very few yards.

Jacob Kainer: 6-17, 106 yards, TD, INT
Bobby Dodson: 0-1
Brighton Gullickson: 0-1

Jack Barrientez: 3 catches, 22 yards, TD
Angel Laca: 1 catch, 43 yards
Bobby Dodson: 1 catch, 27 yards
Tanner Sherrill: 1 catch, 14 yards

Defense

The offense's woes ensured that it would be a long night for the defense. They did well to hold the Rams offense to just six points in the first half, but you get the feeling that it would only be a matter of time before they cracked. On the other hand, they must have realized that taking the ball away from the other team is a beneficial tactic. Too bad the offense couldn't get more points off of those turnovers.

Kason Franklin and Myles Wilson had 13 tackles apiece for the Cats. Semaj Trahan scored Cy Woods' first touchdown with his pick six.

Interceptions: Semaj Trahan 1, returned 86 yards for a touchdown
Fumbles forced: Elijah Strang and Micheal Young, 1 apiece
Fumbles recovered: Tory Spears, Myles Wilson, Micheal Young; Spears returned his fumble 12 yards.

Tackles

Kason Franklin 13
Myles Wilson 13
Elijah Strang, Tory Spears, Neil Chambers 7
Micheal Young and Collin Fewox 4
Cody Eggleston 3
Ryan Kenny, Connor Faulk, Tyler Redgrave 2
Nine players recorded one tackle.

Special Teams

It was a pretty adventurous Saturday night for Luis Reyes. He hit one of his two extra point attempts; the first one was blocked following a bad snap. Luis also had a snap sail over his head when he was lining up to punt, and that resulted in a safety.

Luis Reyes: 1-2 XP; 6 punts, 235 yards (39.2 yards per punt)

Jack Barrientez now has the longest kickoff return this season for Cy Woods.

Jake Tesch: 1 kick returned, 21 yards; 2 punts returned, 10 yards
Jack Barrientez: 1 kick returned, 43 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 kick returned, 18 yards
Jake Fennis: 1 kick returned, 8 yards

Man of the Match

I'll have to go with Semaj Trahan. I know he would probably rather stay on offense, but this team is in dire need of difference makers on defense, and especially in the secondary. Five years ago, Cy Woods had the best secondary in the district, hands down. Semaj is an incredibly talented player who can make a difference at any skill position. On Saturday, in his first game at a position he just started learning, he held his own against Kevin LeDee, one of the district's top receivers.

Semaj seems to have handled the transition well... I'm sure he had some reservations at first, but now that he knows that he can make an impact on defense, I hope he's there to stay. 

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will take on the Jersey Village Falcons on Saturday, September 24 at Pridgeon Stadium in the 100th game in Cy Woods football history. The Cats will be the away team in this contest. Kickoff is at 6:00.

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Ridge Rams

Week 4: Cy Woods Wildcats vs. Cy Ridge Rams
6:00 PM, Saturday, September 17, 2016
Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats started off District 17-6A play on the right foot by blowing away Cy Springs 69-34 in the new-look Pridgeon Stadium on Friday. Jacob Kainer accounted for seven touchdowns in the win, throwing for 241 yards and four touchdowns while adding 133 yards and three scores on the ground. Jack Barrientez caught four passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

Next up for Cy Woods... a very intriguing early-season matchup against a resurgent Cy Ridge squad.

The Enemy: Cypress Ridge Rams

2015 record: 4-6, 3-6 (7th) in District 17-6A

Did not qualify for playoffs

After edging Morton Ranch 35-30 in their season opener, the Rams dominated Jersey Village in all facets of the game on Saturday, cruising to a 60-28 victory.

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 5-3.

Previous Meetings

September 11, 2015: Woods 59, Ridge 31

September 13, 2014: Woods 59, Ridge 28
September 19, 2013: Woods 28, Ridge 26
September 20, 2012: Ridge 54, Woods 21
October 29, 2011: Woods 45, Ridge 13
October 30, 2010: Woods 49, Ridge 40
September 25, 2009: Ridge 46, Woods 20 (Homecoming II)
September 26, 2008: Ridge 43, Woods 41

Players to Watch

RB Trelon Smith, RB Alex Jacobs, WR Kevin LeDee, QB Tyson Williams, DB TyRae Thornton, DL D'Juan Matthews, DB Kobe House, LB Yusuf Sham, LB Josh McDade, DB James Froehlich

2¢ on Ridge

After the Rams took the first two meetings between these two schools, Cy Woods has won five of the last six meetings to seize control of the series.

In 2014, the Rams posted their worst record ever. That year, they underwent a massive youth movement, in which players like Trelon Smith, Kevin LeDee, TyRae Thornton, Kobe House, and James Froehlich, who were all sophomores that season, were pressed into feature roles.

Although Ridge also missed the playoffs in 2015, they proved to be a tough out for the district's playoff representatives, and they also came away with three of the district's four individual accolades; Smith was named the district's Offensive MVP, while Lucky Jeffery, who has since moved on to Lamar, was chosen as Defensive MVP. In addition, D'Juan Matthews shared Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors with Cy-Fair's Jace Bobo. 

Now, it's 2016. The sophomores who took their lumps in 2014 are now seniors, and they are looking to return the favor to the rest of the district. 

Smith, an Arizona State commit (Go Devils) is probably one of the five best players in the entire district. He has picked up right where he left off in 2015, leading the district in rushing and scoring in the early going. Smith has enjoyed playing against the Wildcats in the past; he returned a kickoff for a touchdown as a sophomore and scored three touchdowns in the first quarter last year. Alex Jacobs has also been an effective second option in the running game. Kevin LeDee has firmly entrenched himself as the Rams' #1 receiver, and his blend of size and speed gives him the advantage in any matchup. Tyson Williams has waited for his turn to operate the Rams offense, and he has been excellent; he was 14-15 against the Falcons last week.

Cy Ridge's defense, year after year, has featured some truly talented players, and this year is no different. The Rams boast a veteran secondary that features TyRae Thornton, Kobe House, James Froehlich, Zac Lancaster, and Chavous Gwynn. Thornton, a Rice commit, was a third-team selection on Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Super Team in the preseason and has turned himself into a shutdown corner, while Froehlich led them in interceptions a year ago. D'Juan Matthews, like his former teammates Kamari Staton and Lucky Jeffery, is a disruptive, high-motor player in the trenches. McDade and Sham, who has also played tight end in his career, lead the linebackers. 

Last Time These Two Teams Met

Trelon Smith tore the Wildcats apart in the first quarter, single-handedly giving the Rams a 21-7 lead after the opening 12 minutes. Woods wound up turning the tables by outscoring Ridge 52-10 over the final three quarters on their way to a 59-31 victory. Bryson Powers threw for five touchdowns, three of which went to C.J. Jones, who recorded 110 receiving yards. Kason Franklin returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Sub-Varsity Game Information

The freshmen will play at Cy Woods, while the JV will play at Cy Ridge. I believe that Ridge is only fielding one JV team. Game times are 5 and 7.

Location of Cypress Ridge High School

Cy Woods 69, Cy Springs 34: Friday Fireworks

2016 Record: 1-1, 1-0 in District 17-6A

Photo Credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

For a third consecutive season, the Cypress Woods Wildcats shook off a season-opening beatdown at the hands of the Klein Collins Tigers by starting off District 17-6A play with a victory. 

The Cats lit up the new-look Pridgeon Stadium and blew away the Cy Springs Panthers on Friday by a score of 69-34, further compounding their dominance in a series that has been utterly lopsided since its inception. C.J. Jones played a little bit after getting banged up against Klein Collins, but he was not required to carry a significant load on offense because the underclassmen shined in this game. 

This game featured a couple of explosive offenses, but Cy Woods had more unknown quantities on that side of the ball, so there was some concern as to whether they had enough to keep up with the Panthers. Well... not only did they keep up, they completely drubbed Cy Springs.

This was definitely a much-needed victory in the sense of trying to bring back some positivity after virtually nothing went right for them against Klein Collins, and it provides them with momentum heading into a crucial matchup with Cy Ridge. 

Some of the kids on this roster, especially on offense, have been pressed into duty on the varsity squad, and most of them are making the jump much earlier than anticipated. It will be very intriguing to gauge their response to being thrown into the fire, and their development as the season progresses is going to be a crucial factor for the team's success in 2016.

Turning Point

It did not take long for the Wildcats to seize control of this game, as they set the tone by winning both of their opening series on each side of the ball. They surprised the Panthers with an onside kick to begin the game and ended up getting a touchdown on their first offensive possession. On their first defensive series of the night, Tory Spears managed to pick off Taye Barber on the second play.

So, What Happened Was...

After Woods recovered the opening onside kick, Jacob Kainer opened the scoring with a 12-yard run. About two minutes later, he connected with Sam Landingham for a 43-yard touchdown pass. Springs got on the board courtesy of a one-yard run from Taye Barber, but Jacob answered with a 35-yard scoring run.

End 1st: Woods 21, Springs 7

O'Shae Clark scored on a 49-yard pass from Barber to cut the Wildcats' lead to 21-14, but that was as close as Springs got for the remainder of the evening. After that, Cy Woods scored the next 41 points. Cullen Sherrill caught a four-yard pass for a touchdown, and following a turnover on downs, Jake Tesch scored on a 27-yard pass.

Halftime: Woods 35, Springs 14

If there were any doubts regarding the outcome of this contest, the Cats erased all of them in the third quarter, outscoring the Panthers 27-7. Jacob fired his fourth touchdown pass of the evening, connecting with Jack Barrientez from 22 yards out. He concluded his night with a four-yard touchdown run. C.J. Jones found the endzone for the first time this season by scoring on a 68-yard pass from Brighton Gullickson. Following C.J.'s touchdown, Jah'marea Sheread returned the ensuing kickoff 103 yards for the Panthers' only score of the quarter. Jack provided the response by scoring on a 19-yard pass from Brighton.

End 3rd: Woods 62, Springs 21

Springs got a pair of touchdown passes from 30 (Clark) and 13 yards (Sheread) out of backup quarterback Xayvion West, and Bobby Dodson capped off the night with a three-yard touchdown run.

Final: Woods 69, Springs 34

Ground

If he wasn't slicing the Panther defense to shreds through the air, Jacob Kainer gashed them in the running game. 

Congratulations to Bobby Dodson for scoring his first touchdown at the varsity level.

Jacob Kainer: 19 carries, 133 yards, 3 TD

Jack Barrientez: 8 carries, 62 yards

C.J. Jones: 6 carries, 35 yards

Bobby Dodson: 5 carries, 63 yards, TD

Semaj Trahan: 1 carry, 4 yards

Jake Tesch: 1 carry, 1 yard

Air

If he wasn't gashing the Panther defense on the ground, Jacob Kainer sliced them to shreds in the passing game. 

Kevin Cook, the new man behind the Cy Fair Sports Twitter account, mentioned that Brighton Gullickson had "impeccable" command of the offense after coming on. 

Jacob Kainer: 9-13, 241 yards, 4 TD

Brighton Gullickson: 3-3, 93 yards, 2 TD

Semaj Trahan: 1-2, 6 yards

When a majority of the pass plays go for 20 yards or more, either the receivers are making defenders miss after the catch, or the quarterbacks are hitting them in stride. Or both. Everyone involved was definitely on the same page on Friday. 

C.J. is now just four touchdowns away from becoming Cy Woods' all-time leader in touchdowns scored.

Jack Barrientez: 4 rec, 109 yards, 2 TD

C.J. Jones: 2 rec, 75 yards, TD

Jake Tesch: 2 rec, 33 yards, TD

Sam Landingham: 1 rec, 43 yards, TD
Connor Faulk: 1 rec, 41 yards

Matt Ficalora: 1 rec, 29 yards

Defense

Tory Spears picked off Taye Barber on Cy Springs' first drive of the evening. Cody Eggleston chipped in with a couple of sacks. 

I wasn't there, so I can only assume that a good chunk of the Panthers' yards came with the game well in hand. Nevertheless, if this unit figures out a way to get themselves off the field as quickly as possible, the offense is going to be downright scary.

Special Teams

Luis Reyes hit nine of his extra points; a tenth was not attempted, presumably due to a bad snap. He punted the ball three times for 87 yards. It was a quiet night in the return game thanks to the Wildcats' huge lead.

Luis Reyes: 9-9 XP; 3 punts, 87 yards (29 yards per punt)

C.J. Jones; 1 kick returned, 17 yards

Matt Ficalora: 1 kick returned, 15 yards

Myles Wilson: 1 kick returned, 5 yards

Jake Tesch: 1 punt returned, 0 yards

Men of the Match

Last year as a sophomore, Jacob Kainer showed us a glimpse of what he can do in spot duty before a horrific leg injury cut his season short. He's worked incredibly hard to return to form, and this game served as his coming-out party. He is just beginning to scratch the surface of his immense potential.

Jack Barrientez led the Wildcats in all-purpose yards in each of the first two games; he put up 171 (109 receiving, 62 rushing) and caught two touchdown passes.

Cody Eggleston also deserves a shoutout with his two sacks. He certainly made Taye Barber's life tough on Friday night.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will take on the Cy Ridge Rams on Saturday, September 17 at the Berry Center Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union Stadium. Kickoff is at 6:00 PM, and they will be the home team in this contest.

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Springs Panthers

Week 3: Cy Woods Wildcats @ Cy Springs Panthers
7:00 PM, Friday, September 9, 2016
Pridgeon Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats were soundly trounced 42-14 on Opening Night by Klein Collins. The 120 yards of offense that they recorded was the second-lowest amount in a single game in team history. Jack Barrientez was one of the few bright spots on what was otherwise a rough Saturday for the Cats, rushing for 55 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

And now, the real season begins. The Wildcats will open up district play against the team they beat in the 2015 season finale. Cy Woods and Cy Springs have typically met in the middle of the season, or at the end, but this will be the first time that they will play each other in September.

The Enemy: Cypress Springs Panthers

2015 record: 3-7, 2-7 (t-8th) in District 17-6A

Did not qualify for playoffs

The Panthers began their 2016 campaign with a 55-42 victory over Conroe. James Brooks and Taye Barber both ran for three touchdowns; Barber, who ran for 190 yards, also completed seven of his 17 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns.

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 8-0.

Previous Meetings

November 7, 2015: Woods 49, Springs 39

November 6, 2014: Woods 70, Springs 44

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)

Players to Watch

QB Taye Barber, RB James Brooks, WR/DB Jah'marea Sheread, WR O'Shae Clark, OL/DL Marcus Royal, DL Kolbi Lewis, DB Leon O'Neal, LB Jared Simon

2¢ on Springs

The Panthers have been regarded as a sleeping giant, but two straight 3-7 seasons following two years of improving win totals may have stagnated their momentum somewhat. Springs is still loaded with tremendous upside, but moral victories don't guarantee a playoff berth. In order to end the district's longest active playoff drought, they will have to, well... actually win the games. One thing is for sure, though... these are not the Cy Springs Panthers who routinely brought up the rear in Cy-Fair ISD football.

The Panthers' offensive attack all starts with Taye Barber. Apparently, he was not at full strength last year, and yet, he still put up outstanding numbers as a sophomore. (How was he not the Offensive Newcomer of the Year, again?) Barber's skill set is highly reminiscent of D'Eriq King, the former Manvel standout who is now at Houston. Donell Dunn and Drake Carter may have moved on, but he still has proven weapons out wide with O'Shae Clark and Jah'marea Sheread, who may also see some time in the secondary. Marcus Royal is a three-year starter who will play on both sides of the line.

Springs' struggles last season could be partially attributed to Barber having to carry them on offense nearly every week. James Brooks scored three touchdowns on the ground against Conroe, so his emergence will really take some of the burden off of Barber.

Although Springs won two weeks ago, they still gave up 42 points, and a significant portion of the damage that Conroe inflicted against them came on the ground. Last season, the Panthers were the worst team in 17-6A against the run, and no team in 17-6A allowed more points than they did. For the first game, at least, their run defense was once again a weak point. That's not to say that the Panther defense is devoid of talent; Royal will be joined by Kolbi Lewis, who possesses an imposing presence in the trenches. Leon O'Neal racked up 14 tackles from his safety spot against the Tigers, and Simon will lead the Panthers' linebacker corps. No doubt, they will be looking to tighten up on that side of the ball in order to give Barber more chances to operate.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

In the 2015 season finale for both squads, the Wildcats outscored the Panthers 22-6 in the final quarter and came away with a 49-39 victory on a rainy November afternoon. C.J. Jones spent the majority of this game at quarterback and only completed four of his ten pass attempts, but he recorded 155 yards on those four completions, and three of them resulted in touchdowns. In addition, he also ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Sub-Varsity Game Information

Freshmen are at Springs, while the JV will play at Woods. Game times, as always, are 5:00 for the Gold and 7:00 for the Cardinal.

For Freshmen Games: Location of Cypress Springs High School

Welcoming the Cy Park Tigers

While the elder Wildcats had a bye week, the freshmen took part in history; they were the first opponents of the Cypress Park Tigers, the newest high school in Cy-Fair ISD.

With the spotlight all to themselves, the Class of 2020 did not disappoint as they swept the Tigers on Thursday. The B-team came out on top by a score of 28-8, and the A-team romped to a 61-8 win. Despite the lopsided scores, there was definitely excitement in the air and the newly-minted Tiger faithful cheered on their team until the end.

For me, it felt like stepping back in time to when Cy Woods began its journey ten years ago. (Now that I think about it, I can't believe that it has been ten years since Cy Woods opened its doors. I'm old, guys.) Getting an opportunity to build a tradition from the ground up is not something that comes often for kids entering high school, and I hope that the first class at Cypress Park High School embraces this opportunity to build a tradition and set the standards that future Tigers will be expected to uphold. Although the results were not what they expected, I hope that being a part of the first game in their high school's history is a moment that they will fondly remember. I also hope that Thursday's results do not dampen the Cy Park fans' enthusiasm for their new team. As the old adage goes... Rome was not built in a day.

Good luck to Cy Park in their inaugural season. We'll look forward to formally welcoming them to the big stage in 2018. 

Now, back to Cy Woods. I do not know all the kids in the freshman class, but one kid who definitely bears watching is Christian Scott. He is the A-team running back and wears #2. I had a chance to get a glimpse of what he brings to the table during the two-day freshman mini-camp earlier in the summer, and he made all of the drills look effortless, and the coaches, particularly Coach Whitmore, raved about his ability. He reminds me of Samuel Stewart when he started at Woods.

Christian looks like he is well on his way towards becoming the next in a lineage of outstanding Cy Woods running backs, and believe me, there have been plenty of fine running backs who have worn the crimson and gold. On Thursday, he made short work of the Cy Park defense, and when he opened the scoring in the A-team game, I have to say that I was momentarily shocked, because it felt like all eleven defenders bounced off of him as he slashed and dashed to the end zone. He would go on to score two more times and added a two-point conversion for the Cats. I will refrain from making any sweeping declarations, but it is probably safe for me to say that Christian Scott is Cy Woods' #1 football prospect for the Class of 2020.