7:00 PM Saturday, October 3, 2020
Cy-Fair FCU Stadium
Photo by Don Carson
Previously on Cy Woods Football...
Chapter 13 of Cy Woods football began on a winning note as the Wildcats went on the road to beat Kingwood 21-7. Trayse Holmes ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries.
Well, I wish I could say that things would get easier, but I can't. One of the most storied programs in the state of Texas ramps up the schedule's degree of difficulty. Can't prove anything by beating up on cupcakes, though.
District 16-6A
Current Standings
1. Cypress Park (1-0)
2. Cypress Woods (1-0)
3. Bridgeland (1-0)
4. Cypress Ranch (0-1)
5. Cypress Lakes (0-1)
6. Cypress Springs (0-1)
7. Langham Creek (0-1)
8. Cypress Falls (0-1)
Week 1 Results
Katy Taylor 37, Cypress Springs 0
Bridgeland 49, Klein Cain 42
Tomball Memorial 55, Langham Creek 7
Cypress Park 55, Cypress Ridge 40
C.E. King 51, Cypress Falls 3
Cy-Fair 13, Cypress Ranch 10
Morton Ranch 24, Cypress Lakes 14
Week 2
Thursday, October 1
Cypress Springs vs. Humble, 6:30 at CF-FCU
Cypress Falls vs. Pearland Dawson, 6:30 at Pridgeon
Friday, October 2
Cypress Park vs. Cy-Fair, 7:00 at CF-FCU
Langham Creek @ Jersey Village, 7:00 at Pridgeon
Bridgeland @ Shadow Creek, 7:00 at Freedom Field
Saturday, October 3
Cypress Ranch vs. Cypress Ridge, 6:00 at Pridgeon
Cypress Lakes @ Mayde Creek, 6:00 at Legacy Stadium
Cypress Woods vs. Katy, 6:00 at CF-FCU
The Enemy: Katy Tigers
2019 Record: 12-1, 6-0 (1st) in District 19-6A
Lost to North Shore 56-35 in 6A Division I, Region III semi-final
Katy's 2019 results
W 24-21 @ North Shore
W 56-14 @ Atascocita
W 65-0 vs. Aguilas Blancas IPN (Mexico)
W 49-7 vs. Clear Springs
W 35-30 @ Tompkins
W 45-3 vs. Morton Ranch
W 47-0 @ Seven Lakes
W 42-0 vs. Cinco Ranch
W 47-0 vs. Mayde Creek
W 57-0 @ Katy Taylor
6A Division I Region III Bi-district: W 35-28 vs. Ridge Point
6A Division I Region III Area: W 27-14 vs. Cy-Fair
6A Division I Region III Semi: L 56-35 vs. North Shore
Katy began its 2020 season with a 28-13 road victory over Clear Springs. Well, playing without their starting quarterback certainly handicapped the Tigers, but their defense stifled a high-flying Charger offense. Even a program of Katy's stature can't win every game 55-0, but the job was done. Jalen Davis ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers.
All-Time Series
Katy leads 2-0. This will be the first regular-season game between Cypress Woods and Katy; the first two occurred in the playoffs.
Players to Watch
Bryce Nirider - JR QB #9
Jalen Davis - SR RB #28
Seth Davis - SOPH RB #23
Fernando Garza - SR TE #89
Omarion Aigbedion - SR OL #66
C.J. Marsh - SR OL #76
Malick Sylla - JR DL #2
Cohen Dearman - SR DL #94
Cal Varner - SR DL #91
Shepherd Bowling - SR LB #25Carson Marshall - JR LB #21
Ty Kana - JR LB #42
Arian Parish - SOPH DB #6
Hunter Washington - SR DB #7
Dalton Johnson - SR DB #43
Bobby Taylor III - JR DB #3
2¢ on Katy
Without a doubt, the Katy Tigers are the gold standard for Texas high school football. Now, their throne has been taken over by Dematrius Davis and North Shore, but there is absolutely no doubt that they are a premier program in this state. Katy is the program that every high school aspires to become and they are hell-bent on reclaiming their status as not just the best program in Houston, but the best in Texas.
Katy's offense might seem basic, but it is also an offense that has won them six state championships in this century. There's not much to the imagination; the Tigers look to run the ball and beat down their opponents. Jalen Davis will be the feature back this year and he gained plenty of experience during the playoffs when last year's starter, Ron Hoff, went down with an injury. Jalen's brother, Seth, is his backup and likely heir apparent at running back for the next two seasons. Bronson McClelland is a three-year starter and a four-year letterman at quarterback, but he did not play against Clear Springs and he is now no longer affiliated with the Katy Tigers football program.
Taking the reins in McClelland's stead is Bryce Nirider, a junior who also saw action last season when McClelland went through other off-field issues. Expect to see Caleb Koger, a sophomore, take snaps under center as well. With Jordan Patrick and Steven Stiles graduating, Taylor Saulsberry, Nick Anderson, and Fernando Garza will be the main pass-catching threats for the Tigers; Garza, an imposing figure at 6-6, 250, is committed to Texas A&M for football and baseball.
Defense wins championships, and no program understands this better than Katy. In the past, they didn't have nearly as many athletes so they relied on players who simply knew their roles and executed those roles to perfection. Owing to that, the Tigers defense has perenially been one of the premier units in Texas. Now, add a little athleticism to those kids and this defense is simply on another level. If there's one thing the Katy defense does well, it's the fact that they will not allow the opposing team's best players to beat them. We saw that in last year's playoffs against Cy-Fair when L.J. Johnson was completely taken out of the game.
The Tigers' star-studded secondary is probably one of the best in the state. Bobby Taylor III, the son of longtime NFL cornerback Bobby Taylor, is also a top 2022 recruit, while Hunter Washington (Florida State) and Dalton Johnson (Arizona) are two Power-5 commits. They'll be joined by Arian Parish, a rising sophomore, and Hamilton McMartin, who started in Washington's place against Clear Springs and held his own.
However, Katy is best known for producing outstanding linemen and linebackers and the tradition will surely continue for years to come. Cohen Dearman anchors the middle, while Cal Varner and Malick Sylla cause havoc on the edges. Sylla is one of the top defensive ends in the country for the Class of 2022. There are much bigger names on this Katy defense, but Shepherd Bowling is probably its heart and soul. Bowling fought his way to recover from a career-threatening neck injury and has become a crucial piece of an outstanding defense. Ty Kana, their leading tackler from last year, is yet another rising junior, and Jaden Maronen is another key member of a deep Tiger linebacker corps that will also feature Dontay Sowells.
Fuller Shurtz is a dependable punter and he played a significant role in Katy's win last week as he gave the Tigers a huge advantage in terms of field position when called upon to punt.
Cy Woods is the clear underdog in this game, but they've never been one to shy away from a challenge. No doubt, Katy is an imposing opponent and the name is sometimes enough to instill fear in teams. Cy Woods isn't an ordinary team, however. If there's a level beyond perfect, that's what it is going to take to win this game. It is a non-district game, so ultimately, this game has no bearing on whether the Wildcats will make the playoffs or not. But, if you can't get yourself emotionally and mentally ready to take on the best teams that Texas has to offer... if playing the Katy Tigers doesn't get you amped up, why are you even playing football in the first place?
Last Time These Two Teams Met
The seniors who will be participating in this game were in fifth grade. Katy won 51-7 in a Class 5A Division II area round matchup at Rhodes Stadium in 2013.
(and then there's me, proceeding to use a picture from that game)
Sub-Varsity Game Information
Freshmen at Cy Woods, JV at Katy on Thursday. 4:30 for the Gold, 6:15 for the Cardinal.
Location of Katy High School
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