Cy Woods 42, Jersey Village 35: Happy Homecoming.

2017 Record: 2-1

Photo by Tom Dendy

Arkievrick Vitatoe beats the last Jersey Village defender for a 48-yard touchdown run.

Here is the photo gallery from this week, including the freshman games against Jersey Village and the Homecoming Parade, courtesy of Tom Dendy.

Also, please take a little time to donate to hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. Carmelo Anthony and Carlos Beltran have set up separate relief funds to help spur the rebuilding efforts.

Happy Homecoming, Wildcats.

Cy Woods held off the Jersey Village Falcons and came away with a 42-35 victory on Homecoming Friday at the Berry Center. The Cats also earned their first victory over the Falcons since the 2012 season finale, snapping a four-game losing streak to JV in the process.

Strong response from this team after they dropped their season opener in disappointing fashion. Also safe to say that Cy Woods is in the thick of the District 17-6A playoff race as the first third of the season comes to a close. Now, the push really begins with a tough test against Langham Creek looming.

As the offense begins to get comfortable with its new system, we are starting to see them rattle off more and more explosive plays, which was lacking in the first game.

Scoring Summary

The Falcons wasted little time in opening the scoring; they marched right down the field and Tre Richardson finished it with a 6-yard touchdown run. Cy Woods responded with a 12-play drive capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run from Bobby Dodson. After the defense forced a punt, Dallas Caldwell broke off a 28-yard run to start the Cats' next drive and one play later, Arkievrick Vitatoe slashed his way through the Jersey Village defense for a 48-yard touchdown run.

End of 1st Quarter: Woods 14, JV 7

Jack Barrientez and Kendon Flowers scored on two runs for their respective teams in the second quarter: Jack scored from 14 and 7 yards out, while Flowers scored from 7 and found the end zone again from a yard out right before halftime.

Halftime: Woods 28, JV 21

Jersey Village took control in the third quarter with two touchdowns in a 19-second span. Richardson scored from 4 yards out to tie the game at 28. After the Wildcats lost the ball on the ensuing kickoff, Richardson connected with a wide-open John Gilbert for a 16-yard touchdown pass. The Cats had the ball to end the quarter, but they faced a fourth down after Jackson got sacked.

End of 3rd Quarter: JV 35, Woods 28

On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Cats busted out the old halfback pass, and it worked like a charm as Jack Barrientez found Cullen Sherrill, who used every inch of his 6'5" frame to snag Jack's pass for a 33-yard touchdown. The defense forced a three-and-out on the next Falcon series and the offense went on a drive that culminated in a 26-yard touchdown run for Jackson Jones. The Cat defense held their ground once again and the offense ran out thelast 3:57 to secure the win.

Final: Woods 42, JV 35

Ground

That was the triple-option at its finest. Bobby Dodson consistently chewed up yards, while Arkievrick Vitatoe busted loose for a few good runs to the outside. Darion Morgan was effective when called upon, and Jackson Jones showed great vision in the open field, even as he was flailing around as he made his way upfield. He had a 55-yard touchdown run erased on a holding penalty but ended up getting the decisive score halfway through the final quarter.

Bobby did not lose yardage on any of his 24 carries. The only Cy Woods rushing attempt that lost yards occurred when Jackson got sacked to end the third quarter.

As always, all statistics are from Varsity Wires and are unofficial.

Bobby Dodson: 24 carries, 146 yards, TD
Jackson Jones: 11 carries, 88 yards, TD
Arkievrick Vitatoe: 4 carries, 83 yards, TD
Darion Morgan: 12 carries, 56 yards
Dallas Caldwell: 1 carry, 28 yards
Jack Barrientez: 2 carries, 21 yards, 2 TD
Christian Scott: 1 carry, 5 yards
Team: 3 carries, -5 yards; Jackson took a knee to end the first half and kneeled twice to end the game.

Air

The Cats threw five passes and completed them all. We'll see a little more passing to keep opposing defenses honest as the year progresses.

Jackson Jones: 4-4, 110 yards
Jack Barrientez: 1-1, 33 yards, TD

Bobby also made an impact on the passing game, providing a solid safety valve for Jackson.

Bobby Dodson: 3 catches, 61 yards
Cullen Sherrill: 2 catches, 83 yards, TD

Sherrill Twins Receiving Touchdown Tracker

Cullen 6
Tanner 0

Defense

After the Cy Ridge offense found ways to stay on the field on third down and scored three times on fourth down, no doubt that the late downs were a point of emphasis all week. The Falcons went 3-8 on third down and scored on their only fourth down situation. That's not great, but it's certainly a step forward after they allowed Ridge to convert 10 times on third and fourth down.

Jordan Jones had 5 catches for 55 yards, but he made a minimal impact at best on the proceedings for Jersey Village.

Three games, three games with double-digit tackles for Mac Bird.

Tackles

Clancey Hall - 10 (1.5 for loss)
Mac Bird - 10 (0.5 for loss)
Derrick Brooks - 6 (1 for loss)
Jackson Turnbow - 6 (1 for loss)
Jack Barrientez, Ryan Gilcrease, and Jozef Taylor - 5 each
Collin Fewox, Max Sweet, and Austin Kennedy - 3 each
JoJo Guillory and Trevor Reed - 2 each
Tyler Redgrave - 1

The Wildcats did not force any turnovers in this game.

Special Teams

Jared Swonke hit on all six of his extra point attempts. The Wildcats did not punt in this game.

Vitatoe had a nice kickoff return. Tevis Adams can fly, and he nearly broke free twice.

Tevis Adams: 2 kicks returned, 60 yards
Arkievrick Vitatoe: 1 kick returned, 28 yards
Cam Sowell: 1 kick returned, -6 yards

Men of the Match

Bobby Dodson is probably my offensive MVP for the first third of the season. Every time he touches the ball, he's almost guaranteed to gain 4-6 yards. The Cats have leaned heavily on him to deliver those 4-6 yards and he has more than fulfilled his end of the bargain. Bobby's pass-catching out of the backfield will be a real asset for Jackson Jones as he continues to grow into his position as QB1.

The Wildcats have gotten solid contributions from Mac Bird all season and he turned in another solid performance. But in this game, Clancey Hall and Jackson Turnbow really stepped up and left their mark. This group has definitely been a strength for the Cat defense in the early going.

Looking Ahead

Cy Woods will take on Langham Creek at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium on Thursday, October 5 at 6:30 PM. The Wildcats will be the visitors in this contest.

Know Your Enemy: Jersey Village Falcons

Week 3: Cypress Woods Wildcats (1-1) vs. Jersey Village Falcons (1-1)
7:00 PM Friday, September 29, 2017
Homecoming X at Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union Stadium

Photo by Billy Schuerman

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats escaped Pridgeon Stadium with a 35-34 win over Cy Ridge, their first win of 2017. Jack Barrientez scored on a 51-yard run, caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Jones, and also recorded 6 tackles on defense. The defense was once again paced by Mac Bird, who had 13 tackles, 5.5 of which resulted in a loss of yards. Although the Rams scored with 1:28 remaining in the contest, the Cats defense stopped them on a two-point conversion attempt which ultimately secured the victory.

On Homecoming Friday, the Wildcats will tussle with a team that has had their number in recent years. This will be the first time that Cy Woods will play Jersey Village at the Berry Center/Cy-Fair FCU Stadium.

The Enemy: Jersey Village Falcons

2016 record: 3-7, 3-6 (6th) in District 17-6A
Did not qualify for playoffs

The Falcons won their season opener 26-16 over Cy Ridge after jumping out to a 19-0 lead after the first quarter. Last Saturday, they hung tough with Cy Ranch for three quarters but couldn't find the breakthrough score and ultimately fell 26-14.

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 5-4.

Previous Meetings

September 24, 2016: JV 58, Woods 46
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

WR Jordan Jones, WR John Gilbert, QB Blake Johnson, RB Kendon Flowers, ATH Tre Richardson, DL Carson Wendt, DB Jireh Thompson, WR/DB Jacobi Whooper

2¢ on JV

The Wildcats absolutely dominated this series at the outset, but in recent years, the Falcons have seized control as players such as Deshun Qualls, Christian Taylor, Jordan Williams, Lavance Moore, and Rokeem Paul have all proven to be massive thorns in Cy Woods' collective side. The four-game losing streak to Jersey Village, which dates back to the 2013 regular-season finale, is the Wildcats' longest current skid against a single opponent.

Jordan Jones had a fine sophomore campaign in 2016 and will be the #1 target for Tre Richardson and Blake Johnson. Richardson and Johnson have both started the season in a platoon at quarterback, but Richardson took a majority of the snaps against Ranch. He'll also play in the secondary when Johnson is at quarterback.

John Gilbert and Jacobi Whooper are both reliable options in the passing game; Whooper will also see time in the secondary. Kendon Flowers had a solid junior season after coming in from Clear Falls and will take over as the feature back, as Jireh Thompson has now moved to defensive back. Jones and Richardson are also their starting cornerbacks, as it looks like a few teams in this district are starting to play their best athletes both ways. Simeon Roberts, Darius Johnson and Tristan Pickney round out a deep secondary corps for the Falcons.

The front seven is young but promising. Carson Wendt has emerged as a player on the defensive line; he had a sack against Ridge and led JV with 7 tackles against Ranch. The linebackers are a little undersized, but they'll fly around and make plays. Kelvin Cruse, a sophomore, has played well in the first two games of his high school football career.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

In the 100th game in Cy Woods football history, the Wildcats led 31-17 at halftime, but the Falcons turned the tables in the second half and emerged with a 58-46 victory. Jacob Kainer went 22-31 for 333 yards and threw touchdown passes to Jack Barrientez and Cullen Sherrill. Jacob also ran for 125 yards and three touchdowns. Jack threw a touchdown pass to Brennan Niles and had 116 receiving yards.

The Cats had no answer for Thompson, who finished with 242 yards and four scores on 23 carries. They didn't have any answers for the Falcon passing game either as Jones and Gilbert both had 100+ receiving yards, while Alec Wechsler threw for 368 yards and four touchdowns.

Sub-Varsity Game Information

Freshmen are at home, while the junior varsity heads to Jersey Village. Game times, as always, are at 5:00 and 7:00.

Location of Jersey Village High School

Cy Woods 35, Cy Ridge 34: Thrilling End

2017 Record: 1-1

Photo by Tom Dendy

Jack Barrientez darts upfield on his way to the end zone.

Hello, win column.

The Cypress Woods Wildcats escaped Pridgeon Stadium with a 35-34 victory over the Cypress Ridge Rams to record their first victory of the 2017 campaign.

With this win, the Cats snapped a four-game losing streak dating back to the end of last season which was extended to four when they lost to Springs to begin this season. They also erased a double-digit deficit to win a game for the first time since 2015 against... Cy Ridge.

Big victory over a solid Ridge team that still has plenty of returning talent from a 4th-round playoff team last season. I expect them to still remain in the playoff hunt down the road. This gives the Cats positive momentum heading into Homecoming and is also a massive confidence boost for a sophomore quarterback who was starting his first varsity football game. Jackson Jones showed great poise and certainly was not intimidated by a solid Rams defense. After a dearth of explosive plays against Springs, the offense rebounded with three scoring plays of over 50 yards. Woods ran the triple option as well as any team could, especially in the second half, where they dominated the time of possession.

This was a "character win" for the Cats: their character was on full display as they came back from a 21-6 halftime deficit and kept the Rams off the scoreboard for much of the second half. Last year, that deficit would have widened significantly in the second half. The Cats turned the tables in the final 24 minutes by outscoring the Rams 29-13. The Cats had two scoring drives of 15 (this one began in the third quarter) and 16 plays in the fourth quarter... which set the stage for a frantic and thrilling conclusion in which both teams scored two touchdowns apiece in two minutes. The difference in this game was a failed two-point conversion that would have given Ridge the lead after they had scored with 1:28 left in the game to cut the Woods lead to one point.

In this district, every game matters, especially in this abbreviated season. Had the Cats been in Ridge's situation at the end of last night's game, I'm sure they would have gone for two. I respect Coach Thiebaud's decision to go for the win. I'm also glad that the Cats foiled his team's bid to win the game.

Cy Woods did not commit a single penalty in this game. I believe that is the first time that this has occurred.

Scoring Summary

Jack Barrientez opened the scoring by slicing and dicing his way into the end zone from 51 yards out. Unfortunately, Jared Swonke banged the ensuing extra point off the left upright. Noah Smith busted loose for a 35-yard touchdown run and the Rams converted their extra point.

End of 1st Quarter: Ridge 7, Woods 6

The second stanza belonged to Cy Ridge. On 4th and 20, Justice Porter rolled out to his right and connected with Jakobe Jackson for a 30-yard touchdown pass to start the quarter. Porter snuck in from less than a yard out on another fourth down. Matt Roberts stole a little momentum for Woods with an interception in the endzone after Ryan Gilcrease tipped the ball.

Halftime: Ridge 21, Woods 6

The Cats ended the first half by forcing a turnover, and they started the second by forcing a turnover. Mac Bird jarred the ball loose from Ridge running back Leslie Wellington and Tyler Redgrave pounced to give Cy Woods the ball. On their first possession of the second half, Jackson Jones floated a ball to Cullen Sherrill, who took it 50 yards for a touchdown.

End of 3rd Quarter: Ridge 21, Woods 13

Jackson capped off a 15-play drive that started with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run. He was stopped just before crossing the goal line on the two-point conversion attempt, so the Cats still trailed 21-19. The defense forced a three-and-out, and the offense proceeded to go on a 16-play drive that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown run for Arkievrick Vitatoe and a two-point run from Jackson that gave Cy Woods a 27-21 lead with 3:23 to play. So, all the Cats needed to do was play sound, smart football for the final 3:23. Ehh... what happened next wasn't the best example of sound, smart football.

The ensuing kickoff from Swonke went out of bounds. Porter then completed all five of his passes, the last of which was a 17-yard strike to Noah Smith, who still found the end zone despite having four Wildcats trying to bring him down.

The next Cy Woods offensive drive did not start out well as Jack was forced out for a 4-yard loss on first down. No matter... one play later, he caught a pass from Jackson and scored from 68 yards out with exactly two minutes to go. Once again, Jackson got the two points.

The Rams had one last answer, though... on another fourth down, Porter found Jakobe Jackson again, and Jackson outran everyone on his way to a 67-yard touchdown reception. On the ensuing two-point conversion, the Cats made the one stop they had to make as they repelled Smith from the goal line to preserve a 35-34 lead.

Final: Woods 35, Ridge 34

Ground

Bobby Dodson wasn't as effective in getting chunks of yardage as he was against Cy Springs, but he did not fumble. Christian Scott had a couple of nice runs on pitchouts.

All statistics are from Varsity Wires and are unofficial.

Jack Barrientez: 7 carries, 69 yards, TD
Bobby Dodson: 15 carries, 51 yards
Jackson Jones: 13 carries, 35 yards, TD; 1 fumble lost
Christian Scott: 5 carries, 34 yards
Darion Morgan: 5 carries, 15 yards
Arkievrick Vitatoe: 4 carries, 12 yards, TD
Connor Faulk: 2 carries, 3 yards
Team: 3 carries, -3 yards; Jackson kneeled three times at the end of the game

Air

I'm still trying to get used to seeing a Cy Woods football team throw the ball four times in a football game. No, that is not a typo; the Cats only had four passing attempts all evening.

Fortunately, two of those attempts were complete and they both resulted in touchdowns.

Jackson Jones: 2-4, 118 yards, 2 TD

Sherrill Twins Touchdown Reception Tracker

Cullen 5
Tanner 0

Jack Barrientez: 1 catch, 68 yards, TD
Cullen Sherrill: 1 catch, 50 yards, TD

Defense

The defense was not exactly placed in ideal positions, especially in the first half. They stepped up in a huge way in the second half before cracking a little towards the end. Fortunately, they made the most important stop of the night to keep the Cats in the lead.

Getting opponents off the field in the later downs has been an Achilles' heel for years for the Cy Woods defense. They allowed the Rams to convert 6 of 12 third down opportunities and all four of their fourth-down situations on Friday. In fact, three Ridge touchdowns came on fourth down. That simply cannot continue if the Cats want to have success this season.

Tackles

Mac Bird - 13 (5 assisted, 5.5 for loss)
Jack Barrientez and Matt Roberts - 6 each (Jack's all solo; Matt 3 assists)
Colin Paterson - 4 (2 assisted)
Six Wildcats with 3 - Collin Fewox, Clancey Hall, Ryan Gilcrease (all solo; Collin and Ryan had 1 tackle for loss), Jozef Taylor (1 assisted, 1 for loss), Jackson Hosemann (2 assisted), Austin Kennedy (all assisted)
Three Wildcats with 2 - Derrick Brooks, Trevor Reed, Tyler Redgrave (1 assisted)
Four Wildcats with 1- Omar Acosta, Max Sweet, Jackson Turnbow (all solo), Cam Sowell (assisted)

Fumbles: Collin Fewox and Mac Bird both forced a fumble. Tyler Redgrave recovered the one Mac forced.

Interceptions: Matt Roberts 1, returned for 1 yard

Special Teams

Not the greatest night on this front. Jared Swonke's first extra point hit the post. One of his kickoffs went out of bounds and Ridge took advantage with a touchdown. Arkievrick Vitatoe dropped the ball on a kickoff, and Cam Sowell had a couple of sophomore moments; he fielded a kick and stood there for the Rams to nail him and he was also supposed to be on the field for a punt late in the fourth quarter, which forced the Cats to burn a timeout and resulted in him receiving a severe chewing-out session from Coach Zachos during the stoppage.

Jared Swonke: 1-2 XP
Greg Blaser: 2 punts, 60 yards, long of 43

Arkievrick Vitatoe: 2 kicks returned, 27 yards
Jack Barrientez: 1 kick returned, 23 yards
Cam Sowell: 1 kick returned, 0 yards

Men of the Match

Three Cats share the honors: Jack Barrientez, Jackson Jones, and Mac Bird.

Jack is one of the gutsiest kids I've seen in a Wildcat uniform. No question, he left it all out on the field. 140 total yards (he had a 23-yard kick return), two touchdowns, and six tackles out of the secondary... the Cats needed all of his contributions on Friday.

Mac Bird turned in another outstanding performance on defense as he basically lived in the Ridge backfield all night. Mac has 25 tackles in the first two games and eight have resulted in a loss of yards. He has proven to be a legitimate disruptive force for the Wildcat defense in the early going.

Welcome to the big leagues, Jackson Jones. As long as Jacob Kainer is out, you're the man. Every second you spend on the field will be valuable as you continue to develop as a football player. Jackson wasn't counted on to do everything, but he performed capably and showed why he is considered a top prospect for the Wildcats.

Looking Ahead

It's Homecoming at the Woods!

In the tenth Cypress Woods Homecoming football game, the Wildcats will take on the Jersey Village Falcons at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium on Friday, September 29 at 7:00 PM.

Looking for Pictures?

If you are a parent or a player and are looking for pictures, Mr. Dendy will be shooting at all varsity games this season. He will also take photos at home sub-varsity games.

The link to all of his photos for the 2017 season is on the sidebar of the blog.

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Ridge Rams

Week 2: Cypress Woods Wildcats (0-1) @ Cypress Ridge Rams (0-1)
7:00 PM Friday, September 22, 2017
Pridgeon Stadium

Photo by Billy Schuerman

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats came undone thanks to four lost fumbles and stumbled out of the gate with a 27-9 loss to Cy Springs, their first loss in 10 all-time meetings with the Panthers. Bobby Dodson ran for 77 yards on 14 carries. Jared Swonke hit a 30-yard field goal and Jack Barrientez scored on a 3-yard run. On defense, Mac Bird posted a dozen tackles and sacked Cy Springs quarterback Xayvion West for an 11-yard loss.

Next up for Cy Woods is a matchup against the last CFISD team standing in 2016.

The Enemy: Cypress Ridge Rams

2016 record: 11-3, 7-2 (3rd) in District 17-6A

Lost 34-17 to Cinco Ranch in 6A Division II, Region III Final

In their season opener, the Rams fell behind 19-0 to Jersey Village after the first quarter and those opening 12 minutes proved to be the difference as the Falcons came out on top by a final score of 26-16. Noah Smith ran for 96 yards, caught 6 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, and completed 9 of his 10 passes for 106 yards.

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 5-4.

Previous Meetings

September 17, 2016: Ridge 36, Woods 21

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

ATH Noah Smith, RB Alex Jacobs, ATH Justice Porter, OL Tyrese Williams, DL Melik Owens, LB Tyler Cockle, LB Branden Nguyen, DB Pierre Cole, DB Davion Bradley

2¢ on Ridge

In 2014, Cy Ridge underwent a youth movement and crashed to the bottom of the table with a 2-8 record. Two years later, they posted the best season in school history behind an outstanding senior class led by Trelon Smith, Kevin LeDee, Tyson Williams, D'Juan Matthews, TyRae Thornton, and James Froehlich.

With the Class of 2017 moving on, the Rams have a little rebuilding to do. That being said, they've established a solid foundation and their returning players are no slouches. Tyrese Williams returns to anchor the offensive line. Noah Smith and Justice Porter are dynamic athletes who can play any offensive skill position. Smith is their top returning receiver and they both split time at quarterback against Jersey Village. 

Alex Jacobs saw significant action as Trelon Smith's understudy last season and now it's his turn to shine. However, the Rams went without his services against JV.

Ridge continues to boast a solid front seven year in and year out. Melik Owens garnered Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors last season, and in doing so, he continued a streak of Cy Ridge defensive linemen winning that award: Kamari Staton and D'Juan Matthews earned this honor in 2014 and 2015, respectively. I believe that his 9 sacks last season led the district. Owens will be counted on to serve as a leader in the trenches, where he'll be joined by Zed Asowata, Wes Freeman, Rashad Smith, and Centarus Smith. Tyler Cockle gained some valuable experience as a sophomore and finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks. Brendan Nguyen posted 8 tackles in his first varsity game last week. 

The Rams have some rebuilding to do in the secondary as James Froehlich, Zac Lancaster, Kobe House, and TyRae Thornton have all moved on. Pierre Cole transferred in from Morton Ranch and delivered a solid first impression by posting 6 tackles. Davion Bradley was a reserve last year, but he's now getting his chance in the spotlight.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

The Wildcats somehow held a 13-8 lead at halftime despite only gaining 25 yards of offense. Unfortunately, the total lack of production on that side of the ball eventually came back to haunt the Cats and the Rams seized control by outscoring them 28-8 in the second half to come out with a 36-21 victory. They got two touchdown runs apiece from Trelon Smith and Alex Jacobs in the final 24 minutes.

Semaj Trahan returned an interception 86 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Jacob Kainer scored on a 1-yard run in the second and threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jack Barrientez in the third quarter. Kason Franklin and Myles Wilson both finished with 13 tackles in this game.

Sub-Varsity Game Information

JV teams will play at Woods while the freshmen head to Cy Ridge. Game times are at 5:00 and 7:00 on Thursday.

The JV Gold team will take on Kingwood Park at 5:00 as the Rams only have one JV team.

Location of Cypress Ridge High School

Help Wanted

Once again, I am trying to find a few Cy Woods football players to serve as guest writers for the blog. Preferably, I would like to have one player from each grade as a contributor. I know that expressing one's thoughts isn't the most comfortable thing, but doing it on a media form other than Twitter can help immensely, especially when you attempt to do it using a pen and paper. It's also a great opportunity for the community to get to know you.

If you're interested, message me through Twitter or send me an email; my email is on the right-hand column of this blog. If you're too lazy to search for it, it's dustin2810 at gmail.

Cy Springs 27, Cy Woods 9: Sputter

2017 Record: 0-1 in District 17-6A

Photo by Kyle Ransleben, The Crimson Connection

Turnovers, man.

Four lost fumbles doomed the Cy Woods Wildcats on Thursday night as they fell 27-9 to the Cy Springs Panthers to open their 2017 campaign.

And so for the first time ever, Cy Woods lost to Cy Springs in a varsity football game. This is also the first time that Cy Woods has been held to single digits in a game since they were trounced 51-7 by Katy in the area round of the 2013 playoffs.

The Cats have handled the Panthers rather effortlessly in the past, but this affair would be a little daunting, considering the firepower that Springs brought back for 2017. Their Fantastic Four of Taye Barber, Leon O'Neal, Jah'marae Sheread, and Xayvion West showed why they are highly regarded players and they all impacted the game in a significant way.

This game was also a bit irritating because the Cats really did have a chance to steal it thanks to the Panthers' poor discipline; they just kept squandering those opportunities. Springs also came out on top because they managed to get a big play when they needed it. Kameron Chappell only had two catches, but they went for 40 and 34 yards. Jah'marae Sheread tallied 127 total yards on offense and scored on a 24-yard run and caught a 25-yard touchdown from Xayvion West. Springs had more than their fair share of penalties, but that was countered by the fact that they played a clean game on offense.

On the other hand, Woods couldn't capitalize on their big plays. Tory Spears had a 60-yard kickoff return and the offense proceeded to go three-and-out on the next series. They got into the red zone thanks to a late hit in the 3rd quarter but ended up turning the ball over by losing yet another fumble.

In switching to the triple-option offense, Woods hoped to control their tempo. It's a radical departure from the Wildcat teams of years past, which went 100 miles per hour all the time. To me though, there were times during this game where it felt that their pace was rather deliberate. I imagine that the deliberate tempo might have stemmed from running a new offensive system in a real game for the first time. Finding that happy medium in terms of tempo will be crucial.

On the bright side, Jackson Jones acquitted himself well in his first varsity football game. Colin Paterson and Mac Bird really shined on defense. That side of the ball should benefit greatly from the slightly toned-down pace.

All six sophomores listed on the roster saw playing time in this game, most notably Jackson, who took most of the reps at quarterback in the 2nd half. This still essentially a squad that is mainly relying on juniors and a few sophomores to play prominent roles. These kids will provide some electrifying moments. They'll also mess up quite a bit as well. The road back to contention will be arduous, but a few good breaks and an upset or two could get Cy Woods back into the top four.

Despite the result of this game, it's good to have football back. It's another step towards normalcy after the havoc wreaked by Harvey.

Scoring Summary

After Woods turned it over on their first offensive possession of the 2017 season, Jah'marae Sheread made them pay as he opened the scoring with a 24-yard run. The first Cy Woods points of the season came on a 30-yard field goal from Jared Swonke.

End of 1st quarter: Springs 7, Woods 3

The Panthers had the only scoring play of the 2nd quarter as Xayvion West connected with Sheread for a 25-yard touchdown pass.

Halftime: Springs 14, Woods 3

Just like they did in the first half, the Cats lost a fumble on their opening drive of the second half. Taye Barber made them pay one play later with a 4-yard touchdown run.

It took 35:47, but Jack Barrientez scored the first Cy Woods touchdown of 2017 with a 3-yard run.

End of 3rd quarter: Springs 21, Woods 9

On the Panthers' last drive of the night, Kevonne Hyde ran for 51 yards on a 3rd down and one play later, Xayvion West punched it in from a yard out for the final points of the game.

Final: Springs 27, Woods 9

Ground

In contrast to the Panthers, the Wildcats' longest offensive play was a 21-yard run from Dallas Caldwell. Bobby Dodson was quite effective in gaining yards in chunks.

But again.... turnovers kill.

All statistics are from Varsity Wires and are unofficial.

Bobby Dodson: 14 carries, 77 yards; 2 fumbles lost
Connor Faulk: 6 carries, 27 yards
Jack Barrientez: 12 carries, 20 yards, TD
Dallas Caldwell: 2 carries, 10 yards; 1 fumble lost
Jackson Jones: 3 carries, 6 yards

The Cats also lost another fumble that was not charged to anyone in particular (it falls under "TEAM" in the box score).

Air

Jack Barrientez started his first game at quarterback since... CFSA? Goodson? Ever?

Jackson Jones took over for most of the second half. The Cats will still pass, but it's going to be less prominent than ever before. Unfortunately, Jacob Kainer will be out of commission due to an injury he suffered in practice.

Jackson Jones: 6-12, 60 yards
Jack Barrientez: 2-2, 26 yards

Cullen Sherrill absorbed some big hits but he also made a couple of tough catches.

Cullen Sherrill: 3 catches, 52 yards
Connor Faulk: 3 catches, 20 yards
Dallas Caldwell: 1 catch, 14 yards
Jack Barrientez: 1 catch, 0 yards

Defense

It's early, but I think this team may not be bad at defense. Unfortunately, the Panthers got some big plays when they needed it, especially on third down.

Tackles

Mac Bird - 12 (7 assisted, 2.5 for loss)
Colin Paterson - 7 (3 assisted, 4.5 for loss)
4 Wildcats with 4 - Tory Spears and Derrick Brooks (all solo), Tyler Redgrave (3 assisted), Ryan Gilcrease 4 (all assisted)
Collin Fewox (all solo) and Jack Barrientez (all assisted) - 3
3 Wildcats with 2 - Matt Roberts (both solo), Austin Kennedy and Max Sweet (1 solo, 1 assisted)
Clancey Hall and Omar Acosta: 1 (both assisted)

Mac sacked Xayvion West for an 11-yard loss early in the third quarter.

Special Teams

Tory Spears fielded a kickoff 6 yards deep in the end zone and provided a bit of a spark with a 60-yard return in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the Cats went backwards on their ensuing drive. That might have been the longest kick return for Woods in at least a couple of years.

Tory Spears: 1 kick return, 60 yards; 1 punt return, 10 yards
Dallas Caldwell: 3 kick returns, 39 yards
Collin Fewox: 1 punt return, 19 yards
Arkievrick Vitatoe: 1 kick return, 19 yards

Jared Swonke's 30-yard kick in the opening quarter was the Wildcats' first points of the season. Greg Blaser's only official punt went for 36 yards and was downed inside the 20. He also had a 49-yard punt that was erased because he got run into.

Collin Fewox blocked a punt and the Cats were able to parlay that into a touchdown on their next possession.

Men of the Match

Mac Bird and Colin Paterson share the honors.

Good linebacker play has been missing for a few years at the Woods, but the two of them were active all evening and provided a huge spark for the Wildcat defense.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will face Cy Ridge on Friday, September 22 at 7:00 at Pridgeon. Cy Woods will be the visiting team in this contest.

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Springs Panthers

Week 3: Cypress Woods Wildcats vs. Cypress Springs Panthers
6:30 PM, Thursday, September 14, 2017
Pridgeon Stadium

Photo by Billy Schuerman

This is also the 212th post on the blog. 

The Cypress Woods Wildcats were originally supposed to start the 2017 season against Klein Collins on September 1, but Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas coast and threw everyone into flux; the first two weeks of the season were canceled, which means that all ten teams in District 17-6A will now have a nine-game season consisting solely of district contests. 

Hopefully, the start of the high school football season is another sign of normalcy returning. However, there are still many in our community who are still picking up the pieces and still in need of our help. In addition, towns such as Rockport, Refugio, Corpus Christi, Victoria, and Beaumont/Port Arthur all bore the brunt of Harvey's fury. As Texans, we look out for our own. Please, don't forget the communities of the Texas coast. 

I'm sure that area charities are still accepting donations. Houstonia Magazine has a list of local charities that you can donate to. Also, there are many, many opportunities to contribute financially toward the Harvey recovery. For starters, there is J.J. Watt's Houston Flood Relief Fund and Mayor Sylvester Turner's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. And if you wish to volunteer, here are several Texas organizations that you can contact. This recovery will take a long time so do what you can, give what you can.

Now... on to football. Cy Woods and Cy Springs will open up the 2017 football season in District 17-6A on Thursday.

The Enemy: Cypress Springs Panthers

2016 record: 3-7, 2-7 (t-7th) in District 17-6A
Did not qualify for playoffs

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 9-0.

Previous Meetings

September 9, 2016: Woods 69, Springs 34

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

DB Leon O'Neal, QB Xayvion West, ATH Taye Barber, WR Jah'marae Sheread, DL Josh Jolivette, LB Chandler Ojiaku, DL Jose Cirlos, DL Kolbi Lewis

2¢ on Springs

The Panthers have been regarded as a sleeping giant, but three 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, and they feel that they are well past the "moral victory" stage. With dynamic athletes like Leon O'Neal, Taye Barber, and Jah'marae Sheread, 2017 may be the best chance for the Panthers to end the district's longest active playoff drought. One thing is for sure: these are not the Cy Springs Panthers who routinely brought up the rear in Cy-Fair ISD football.

Springs boasts one of the most explosive trios in the city in West, Sheread, and Barber. Xayvion West is the district's leading returning passer, and he didn't even enter last season as their starting quarterback. Barber, a TCU commit, has taken extremely well to a super-utility role that has maximized his impact on games. Sheread, who is also a serious threat in the return game, is coming off a 1,000-yard season. The three of them should put up obscene numbers in 2017.

Where the Panthers finish this season will most likely hinge on how well their defense, which turned in one of the worst performances in CFISD football history in 2016, improves in 2017. They were the only team in District 17-6A to allow more than 500 points last season. They'll turn to Leon O'Neal to lead the defense. O'Neal led the district with 147 total tackles last year. He is also one of the country's most highly-sought after recruits and pledged to Texas A&M in the offseason. With 8 returning starters on the defensive side of the ball, Springs leads the way in that category, so that should certainly help facilitate a turnaround.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

Cy Woods lit up the new-look Pridgeon Stadium, racing out to a 62-21 lead after three quarters and cruising to a 69-34 victory. Jacob Kainer threw for 303 yards and five touchdowns and added 128 yards and three more touchdowns on the ground. 

Sub-Varsity Game Information

JV teams play at Cy Springs, while the freshmen are at home. Game times are 5:00 and 7:00 on Wednesday.

Location of Cypress Springs High School