Ten Years, Ten Best Players - #5: Isaiah Battle

Halfway home. The next player to be featured in the countdown of the ten best players from the first decade of Cy Woods football is a game-breaking wideout and probably one of the most clutch players in program history.

#5: Isaiah Battle, WR, 2008-09

Colleges: Blinn, Texas State

Cy Woods accomplishments

- Unanimous 1st-Team All-District 15-5A, 2009
- District 15-5A Offensive Player of the Year, 2009

- Texas Sports Writers Association Third-Team All-State, 2009
- Houston Chronicle Second-Team All-Greater Houston, 2009
- School's all-time leader in receiving yards (1,224)
- Most receiving yards in a season (1,109, 2009)
- Most receptions in a season (66, 2009)
- 2nd all-time in receptions (73)
- Most receptions in a game (10, 2009)

Notable Games

2009 vs. Klein Oak - 6 catches, 147 yards, 2 TD
2009 vs. Cy Creek - 8 catches, 153 yards, TD
2009 vs. Langham Creek - 6 catches, 168 yards, 2 TD
2009 vs. Cy Falls - 10 catches, 163 yards, TD
2009 vs. Dallas Skyline - Game-winning 44-yard TD reception with 0:31 left in game

When the Cypress Woods Wildcats needed a big play through the air, they turned to Isaiah Battle. We called him Predator, and for good reason. Isaiah was cold-blooded and he had evil intentions every time he caught a pass. Without a doubt, he was the most dominant wide receiver in Cy Woods football history.

Not only was Isaiah dominant, we knew that he would show up during the biggest games. He helped lead the Wildcats down the field during the game-winning drive against Cy Creek. He tore Klein Oak apart and that was a game in which Oak was favored by 40 points. But his shining moment in a Cy Woods uniform came in the third round of the playoffs against Skyline. With the game tied with less than a minute remaining in regulation, he cemented his status as a great when he caught a Colton Huntsman pass and dashed into the end zone with what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown, giving the Wildcats their payback over the Raiders.

Isaiah was a unanimous first-team All-District 15-5A selection in 2009 and was named Offensive Player of the Year. He also earned third-team All-State honors and also received an invitation to play in the Bayou Bowl, a post-season All-Star game featuring high school players from Texas and Louisiana.

Isaiah Battle is the only Cy Woods player to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. He might be the only person to accomplish this feat for a while. That's alright, though. Among Cy Woods wide receivers, Isaiah Battle has no peers. He is the greatest wide receiver in Cy Woods football history.

Ten Years, Ten Best Games - #2: Georgetown, 2008

Two more games remain in the countdown of the ten best games of the first decade of Cy Woods football. 

Let's take a trip back to the very first playoff game in program history.

November 15, 2008: Cy Woods 21, Georgetown 20

The Cypress Woods Wildcats would be traveling to Kyle Field to take on the Georgetown Eagles in their first-ever playoff football game. Both teams handled themselves well in district play and finished third in their respective districts. On paper, this seemed to be an even matchup with a few questions: How would the high-flying Wildcats fare against a Georgetown team that put up a decent amount of points, but obviously not at the obscene rate that Woods did; they only exceeded 40 points once. On the other hand, the Eagles allowed just 202 points in the regular season. But then again, Woods only gave up 194, albeit in eight games.

But, the question that burned most was: How would the first-year program fare in its first playoff voyage at the highest classification of Texas high school football?

Lucas DeVilliers was clearly far from his best as he only finished 13-33 through the air and got held to just 11 yards on ten carries on the ground. He did find Brad Korndorffer on a bubble screen and Brad did the rest for a 41-yard touchdown. Lucas also scored on a six-yard run just before halftime and that gave Woods a two-touchdown lead in College Station. The Eagles would turn the tables however as they scored the first two touchdowns of the second half, including the game-tying score at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Fortunately, Jeremy Conley stopped the bleeding momentarily with a touchdown about two minutes after Georgetown tied the game, giving Woods a lead that somehow held up for seven minutes.. when the Eagles scored again and were on the verge of tying the game with two minutes left in regulation. The Cats had other ideas, however.

Josh Theut used all of his 6-foot-8 frame to block what would have been the game-tying extra point and preserved the Wildcats' lead. Extra points make all the difference in such a tight game. Fortunately, the always-reliable Andrew Klink converted all of his opportunities. Georgetown's kicker... got shut down at the most crucial moment of the game.

Ten Years, Ten Best Games - #7: A&M Consolidated, 2008

The next entry in "Ten Years, Ten Best Games" takes us back to the very first varsity football game.

September 6, 2008: Cy Woods 28, A&M Consolidated 17

After tearing through a junior varsity schedule in 2007, the Cypress Woods Wildcats would finally get their chance to enter the big leagues in 2008. The Cats might have been the fresh faces, but they were already being perceived as a threat in District 15-5A. 

September 6, 2008. It was the first Saturday of September. This was the night that Cy Woods football formally began. The A&M Consolidated Tigers served as the first opponent in Wildcat football history and they made the journey from College Station to the Berry Center for this momentous occasion.

Well... it wasn't the greatest start. They gave up a touchdown on their very first defensive series. They moved the ball but couldn't seem to find the end zone or sustain any drives. The Tigers got another touchdown and a field goal and the Cats found themselves down 17-0 after their very first half as a varsity football program. It looked as though the Cypress Woods Wildcats would debut with a feeble meow rather than a fierce, earth-shattering roar.

Whatever words were uttered inside that locker room at halftime appeared to have a profound effect on the Wildcats as they snapped out of their slumber on offense and kept Consol off the scoreboard on defense in the second half. A couple of touchdown passes from Lucas DeVilliers early in the third quarter got the Cats back in the game and he put them in front for good with his legs, scoring on a couple of runs. This was a team that cut their teeth against some solid varsity programs in Texas in the last two seasons as they waited for their chance to finally show off their skills; the Cats proved that they belonged on the same field as those teams, the light finally switched on for them and they came to that realization in the final 24 minutes of this game.

For the first time, Texas high school football got a glimpse of what Wildcat football was all about. They got a chance to see a team that fully embraced the opportunity to build something special. They saw the massive 212° flag waving in the breeze and saw a group of guys and a community that bought in to the mantra that it symbolizes. It was truly a memorable night in this little corner of Harris County.

Wildcats Through the Years: 2008

The first installment of Wildcats Through the Years takes a look back at Year One: the first Wildcat football team.

Summary (too long, didn't read version)

First year of varsity play.

Record: 8-3 (5-2 in District 15-5A, finished 3rd); two games cancelled due to Hurricane Ike

Playoffs: 3rd Round (Division I, Region II Semifinals), lost 35-21 to Dallas Skyline

Points scored: 432 (39.3 per game)

Points allowed: 264 (24 per game)
Largest margin of victory: 50 twice (56-6 vs. Jersey Village, 70-20 vs. Cy Falls)
Largest margin of defeat: 29, against Cy Creek (25-54), Week 6
Most points scored: 70, against Cy Falls, Week 10
Fewest points scored: 21 twice, bi-district vs. Georgetown, regional semis vs. Dallas Skyline

Team Records Set

All of them. It was the first year, they started everything...

Schedule and Results

Week 1: W 28-17 vs. A&M Consolidated (Berry)

Week 2: Klein Oak cancelled due to Hurricane Ike

Week 3: Stratford cancelled due to Hurricane Ike

Week 4: L 43-41 @ Cy Ridge (Pridgeon)

Week 5: W 56-6 vs. Jersey Village (Pridgeon)

Week 6: L 54-25 @ Cy Creek (Berry)

Week 7: W 48-14 vs. Cy Springs (Homecoming @ Pridgeon)

Week 8: W 42-20 @ Cy-Fair (Berry)

Week 9: W 58-20 vs. Langham Creek (Berry)

Week 10: W 70-20 @ Cy Falls (Berry)

Bi-district: W 21-20 vs. Georgetown (Kyle Field)

Area: W 22-15 @ Klein Forest (Klein Memorial)

Regional Semis: L 35-21 vs. Dallas Skyline (Waco ISD Stadium)

Statistical Leaders (stats according to Houston Chronicle)

Passing: Lucas DeVilliers, 177-279, 2693 yards, 23 TD, 6 INT (also had 11 rush TD)

Rushing: Chris Walker, 62 carries, 363 yards (5.9 YPC), 6 TD

Receiving: Brad Korndorffer, 40 rec, 579 yards, 6 TD

Interceptions: Bryce Callahan, 6

The Rundown

There was a significant amount of buzz surrounding the Cy Woods Wildcats as they entered their inaugural varsity season in 2008. They had two wildly successful seasons in the JV ranks, but they would be stepping up to the big leagues for the very first time that year. The Cats, on paper, were well-equipped to take on the rigors of a varsity schedule, as they had cut their teeth against 4A and 3A varsity squads. Leading the way on offense was the dynamic backfield of QB Lucas DeVilliers and RB Chris Walker. DeVilliers had weapons outside in Brad Korndorffer, Brant DeArmond, and Jonathan Cross. Anchoring the offensive line was Matt Ferguson, who began the Wildcat tradition of undersized centers. Joining him was Cameron Lyons, Andrew Hall, Chase Ross, and Logan Geveshausen.

Defensively, the 11 players they put on the field that year was probably the most imposing Wildcat defense. I would venture to say that they still are the most imposing to this day. Up front was 6'8" Josh Theut. He was joined on the line by Justin Washington, Anthony Villamagna, and Glenn Etienne. Behind them was the trio of Patrick West, Hayden Dobbs, and Clint Taylor. The secondary was a solid group headlined by Bryce Callahan and Tyler Williamson at the corner positions, while Chad Epps and Cory Barcus occupied the safety spots. The DBs also received contributions from Jarel Richard, Alex Riley, and Braylon Ransom. 

Regular Season

September 6, 2008. The day that Wildcat football as we know it began. The Tigers of A&M Consolidated were the first-ever opponents for the Cats and they made the journey from College Station to the Berry Center for this game. That night, the Wildcats erased a 17-0 halftime deficit on their way to a 28-17 victory. DeVilliers put the Cats on his back in the 2nd half as he fired two touchdown passes in the 3rd and ran for two more in the 4th. 

One game, one win. However, that would be the last game they would play for three weeks as Hurricane Ike ravaged Southeast Texas. The remaining non-district slate with Klein Oak and Stratford was wiped out. 

20 days later, on September 26, the Wildcats delved straight into district play. Their first district game pitted them against Russell Shepard and the Cypress Ridge Rams. Go look up his high school highlight video; this game was prominently featured. There was plenty of firepower in this one, as the Rams held a 30-29 lead at the half. One of the most ridiculous sequences that I have ever seen in any sport occurred in the 4th quarter. The Rams began a drive at their own 1. The Cats surely had Shepard sacked for a safety, but he got the ball out of his hands just before Patrick West hit him, and one broken tackle later, Russell Shepard had thrown a 99-yard touchdown pass. Man. That's one of those plays where all you can do is just tip your hat to the guy. Cy Woods traded blows with Cy Ridge all night, but the Rams ultimately came out on top, 43-41. Jonathan Cross had seven catches for 212 yards and two scores. 

The next game was against Jersey Village and they jumped out to a 56-0 halftime lead and basically ambled their way to a 56-6 victory, as they notched their first-ever win in district play. Here are some highlights from this game:

It was tough sledding against Cy Creek, who went from worst to first in 2008, on their way to an undefeated season in district play. DeVilliers went down with an injury and the wheels fell off in the second half. The Wildcats were outscored 33-6 after halftime as they fell 54-25. 

The first homecoming game took place on October 17, 2008, and the Cats got a glimpse of the future, as Colton Huntsman was promoted from the JV to make his first start and he stole the show. He did throw a pick, but he won the game with his legs, running for 127 yards and three touchdowns as Woods took a 34-0 lead into halftime and cruised to a 48-14 win on Homecoming I. 

Next up was the highly-anticipated first meeting with Cy-Fair. Lucas absolutely sliced the Bobcat secondary in this game, throwing 4 TDs. The Wildcats led 42-6 after the 3rd and came out on top 42-20. This would be the first of five straight games in which Woods held their opponents to 20 points or fewer. 

Against Langham, the Wildcats led 41-0 after the 1st. The 41 points represent the most they've ever scored in a single quarter. I believe this record is still standing. Again, they cruised to another victory, 58-20. If I remember correctly, they also clinched a playoff berth with this win.

The season finale was a memorable one, indeed. Cy Falls needed a win to clinch a playoff spot, but the Cats turned it into a complete and utter massacre as they led 49-7 at halftime and they ended up hanging 70 on the Eagles that day. The 70 points stood as a Cy Woods record until that ridiculous 74-73 affair with Jersey Village in 2015. Also, this would be the only win that the Cats would have on Falls until 2013. 

Playoffs

The Wildcats finished the regular season 8-3, 5-2 in District 15-5A. They finished in third, behind Ridge and Creek. They qualified for the playoffs and was 15-5A's #1 seed in the Division I bracket.

November 15, 2008. It was a chilly Saturday, and it would remain that way all day. This was the bi-district round. In their first-ever playoff game, the Cy Woods Wildcats took on the Georgetown Eagles at Kyle Field. The Cats took a 14-0 lead at halftime, but Georgetown scored two unanswered touchdowns to tie the game. Jeremy Conley broke the tie with a 12-yard TD run early in the fourth, but with two minutes left in the game, Georgetown scored another touchdown and lined up for the game-tying extra point. Instead of a 21-21 tie, this happened (3:30):



Josh Theut put his frame to good use as he swatted the extra-point attempt away, preserving the Cats' lead and giving them a 21-20 win in their inaugural playoff game.

In the area round, Cy Woods was a little closer to home as they took on Klein Forest at Klein Memorial Stadium. Again, this was a departure from the regular season, where at times they put up points in effortless fashion. They trailed after the first quarter for the first time in a month. But, a pair of touchdown runs from DeVilliers and Huntsman in the second gave them a 12-7 lead at the half. Andrew Klink added a field goal in the third to extend the lead to 15-7. The Golden Eagles tied the game at 15 in the 4th as they converted the 2-point conversion with just under eight minutes to play, but a minute later, Woods retook the lead as DeVilliers punched it in from four yards, and the defense was ironclad as they kept the Golden Eagles at bay to advance by a final of 22-15.

The Wildcats' maiden playoff voyage was ended at the hands of the Skyline Raiders in Waco. They lost DeVilliers to an injury early on, and Colton Huntsman was given the reins for the rest of the first half. The Cats trailed 28-0 in the second, but Huntsman got some positive feelings back with a touchdown run just before halftime. DeVilliers came back in the second half and almost engineered a comeback as he scored from a yard out to make it a 28-21 game at the beginning of the fourth, but the Raiders got a score later in the quarter to extend their lead to two scores to squash the comeback bid, and as a result, Skyline moved on with the 35-21 win.

The first team set the standard for all future Wildcat football teams. It's a standard that is expected to be raised each and every season.