Wildcats Through the Years: 2014

Chapter 7 in the book of Cy Woods football history covers the 2014 Cy Woods Wildcats.

Summary

Record: 8-5, 6-3 (t-3rd) in District 17-6A
Playoffs: 6A Division II, Region III semifinals, lost 63-47 to Manvel
Points scored: 596 (45.8 per game)
Points allowed: 455 (35 per game)
Largest margin of victory: 51, against Aldine Davis (66-15), bi-district round
Largest margin of defeat: 28, against Klein Collins (14-42), Week 1
Most points scored: 70, vs. Cy Springs (t-most scored in a game)
Most points allowed: 63, vs. Manvel (most allowed in a game)
Fewest points scored: 14, vs. Klein Collins (only time they were held to under 30 points this season)
Fewest poins allowed: 10, vs. Cy Lakes

Team Records Set or Tied

Most points scored per game: 45.8
Most 50+ point games: 5 (tied with 2010)
Most total offensive yards: 6690
Most offensive yards per game: 514.6
Most points scored in one half: 63, 1st half vs. Cy Springs
Most points scored in a game: 70, vs. Cy Springs (tied)
Most points allowed in a season: 455
Most points allowed in a game: 63, vs. Manvel

Individual Records Set or Tied

Most rushing touchdowns in a season: Nick Hooper, 22
Most rushing yards in a season: R.J. Harmon, 1,118
Most carries in a season: Nick Hooper, 224
Most yards per carry (min. 50 carries): C.J. Jones, 9.2
Most rushing touchdowns in a game: Nick Hooper and C.J. Jones, 4 apiece vs. Aldine Davis (tied record)
Most passing yards in a game: Nick Hooper, 448 vs. Langham Creek
Most total yards in a game: Nick Hooper, 603 vs. Langham Creek
Most touchdowns responsible for in a season: Nick Hooper, 43 (tied record)
Most touchdowns responsible for in a career: Nick Hooper, 77 (4 receiving, 36 rushing, 37 passing)
Most points scored by a kicker in a season: Luis Reyes, 95

Statistical Leaders

Passing: Nick Hooper, 166-273 (60.8% completion), 2,749 yards, 21 TD, 9 INT
Rushing yards: R.J. Harmon, 1,118
Rushing touchdowns: Hooper, 22 (new Woods single-season record)
Receptions: Zac Duncan, 36
Receiving yards: Tre' Hart, 541
Receiving touchdowns: C.J. Jones, 7
Interceptions: Michael Wirt, Jake Jones, and Bryson Powers, 3 apiece

Schedule

Week 1: L 42-14 vs. Klein Collins (Pridgeon)
Week 2: W 59-28 @ Cy Ridge (Berry)
Week 3: W 48-47 vs. Cy Falls (Pridgeon)
Week 4: L 38-35 @ Cy Ranch (Berry)
Week 5: W 35-21 vs. Cy Creek (Pridgeon)
Week 6: W 52-10 @ Cy Lakes (Pridgeon)
Week 7: L 55-31 vs. Langham Creek (Homecoming @ Berry)
Week 8: W 38-31 (OT) @ Cy-Fair (Pridgeon)
Week 9: L 44-38 @ Jersey Village (Pridgeon)
Week 10: W 70-44 vs. Cy Springs (Berry)
Bi-district: W 66-15 vs. Aldine Davis (Berry)
Area: W 63-17 vs. Katy Taylor (Berry)
Regional semifinals: L 63-47 vs. Manvel (Rice)

The Rundown

The 2014 Cy Woods Wildcats looked to build upon the gains they made during Coach Faith's second season at the helm, which saw them return to the playoffs after a one-year absence. The Cats did so with an explosive offense that was just 5 points shy of setting a school record for points scored in a season.

Nick Hooper returned for his senior season as the face of the Wildcats, and he would have plenty of tools at his disposal. After getting a taste of the big leagues as a sophomore in 2013, R.J. Harmon assumed the feature back role. Harmon became part of a formidable tandem with rising sophomore C.J. Jones, and together, they ran roughshod over opposing defenses and made themselves significant factors in the passing game. On the outside, Zac Duncan returned for his 3rd year, and he was accompanied by Jared Taylor, Tre' Hart, Taylor Tesch, and Jordan Johnson, who also handled punting duties. Ty Dendy and Wyatt Wozniak anchored the offensive line, and they were accompanied by T.J. Frank, Brandon Kula, Shiva Reddy, Skylar Schulz, Andrew Gallagher, Jake Gates, and Hunter Rohles, who at 6'9", became the tallest player in team history.

Defensively.... it was a dramatically different story than in seasons past. The Cats allowed 455 points, which is the most that they have allowed in any season by a substantial margin. The defense had some stretches where they played well, but those were few and far between.

Justyn Johnson, Randall Medlin, and Morgan Tosten were the 3 primary linemen, and they answered the bell for 13 weeks, playing nearly every defensive snap. They were backed up by Darion Shields, Isiah Clay, and Caleb Smith. Wade Carson and The Outlaw Shane Lawless returned to lead the linebacking corps. They were joined by Tyler Greaves, Elijah Pierson, Elijah Kinnison, Keith Watson, and Danny Malone, who also served as the Special Teams Ace. The secondary was young; the Cats broke in 3 sophomores in Kason Franklin, Myles Wilson, and Bryson Powers, and all three of them performed well. They also got some stability at the corner spots with Jake Jones, Michael Wirt, and Nick Bailey, who played a more prominent role towards the end of the season as he worked his way back from an early-season injury.

The 2014 season was a rollercoaster, for sure. The Wildcats missed a chance to take the lead in district play when they stumbled on Homecoming against Langham, and all of a sudden, they found their grip on a playoff spot becoming rather tenuous. Then, those playoff hopes suddenly received a massive boost with an overtime win against Cy-Fair.... and then they had to wait until the last week of the season to formally clinch a playoff spot, because they dropped a game to Jersey Village on Halloween.

There were records set all over the place, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Nick Hooper and R.J. Harmon became the first pair of Wildcats to rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season; R.J. set a new school record for most rushing yards in a season, while Nick found the endzone 22 times on the ground, which was also a new record.

Regular Season

Chapter 7. August 29, 2014.

The Wildcats entered the 2014 season the same way they entered the previous 6: with high expectations. If you know the song, it's that anything less than a playoff berth and competing for a district championship would be seen as a colossal disappointment. Cosmetically, the Wildcats underwent significant changes. First up were the new uniforms. From this point forward, the varsity Cats would be outfitted by Nike. Next was the run-through tunnel, complete with inflatable helmet! I admit, that was pretty nice to see, but I had those thoughts where Coach Jones would never have any part of that stuff. But... it sure beats running through that little sign for the past 6 years. This new era of Wildcat football is in full swing.

Just like the last two seasons, the Klein Collins Tigers were the Wildcats' Opening Night opponents. The Tigers are a solid program from the Klein area, and they've always fielded some great teams throughout the years. There are no cupcakes; Klein Collins has been a good litmus test for the Cats' progress before they jump in the pool known as District 17-6A.

Unfortunately, the Cats stumbled out of the gate as the Tigers basically had their way with them, and they faced a 35-0 deficit in the 3rd quarter until Zac Duncan scored the Cats' first points of a season when he took a reverse and ran 26 yards for a score. They then recovered two onside kicks in a row and converted one of those recoveries into a touchdown, but they were simply overwhelmed by the Tigers' rushing attack and dropped their first game of the season, 42-14.

Zac Duncan scores the first points of the new season.

Obviously, that wasn't a very good first impression. That game showed that the Cats had some work to do before district play kicked off, so... they got to it. After a bye, the real season began with a tilt against Cy Ridge. That was the night where C.J. Jones announced his arrival on to the big stage, and the message he sent was emphatic. He touched the ball 6 times in the first half and scored 4 times. He'd finish with 119 yards on just 8 carries and added 97 yards on 2 receptions. And... he scored on both of his catches. It was tightly contested early on; the Rams hung with the Cats for much of the first half, until.... the offense found another gear, that gear that Wildcat fans are all too familiar with, and just blew Ridge away. They put up 31 unanswered points and ended up cruising to a 59-28 victory. The Cats got contributions from virtually everyone. R.J. Harmon ran for 125 yards and made himself a threat in the passing game with 131 receiving yards and a touchdown. Nick Hooper ripped the Rams to the tune of 356 yards and 5 touchdowns. Bryson Powers caught 2 passes, and both of them went for touchdowns as well. Tyler Greaves recorded 15 tackles from his linebacker spot, and Brandon DePrato got an interception late in the 4th quarter. This win also marked the first time that the Wildcats won a district opener.

C.J. Jones strolls in for one of his 4 1st-half TDs against Ridge.

Next up on the slate was Cy Falls. The Cats ended a miserable streak the last time they faced Falls as they got back in the win column against the Golden Eagles for the first time since Year One. This was on the verge of becoming a blowout; after the Eagles scored first, the Cats hit back with a vengeance, scoring 27 unanswered, and it looked like all the momentum was in the Cats' corner. But.... two scores from Falls before the half changed the complexion of the game and the Cats were on their heels in the final 24 minutes. The 4th quarter turned out to be nearly catastrophic as they lost a fumble and had 3 three-and-outs on offense. Somehow, they managed to escape with the win thanks to some clutch defense in the late stages of the game. Bryson Powers recovered a fumble with about 4 minutes left, but after the Cats were unable to burn much of the clock, the defense was summoned once again. And again, they came through as Wade Carson and Randall Medlin snuffed out a screen pass on 4th down with 2:12 remaining to seal the 48-47 win. The difference was Falls missing 2 extra points. Nick carried the ball 37 times for 148 yards and scored 3 times. He also threw TD passes to Tre' Hart and Jared Taylor; the two finished with over 100 yards receiving apiece.

Michael Wirt takes this interception to the house.

The Cats were 2-0 in district play for the first time in school history, and they looked to continue that momentum against the hated, vile, insert nasty (keep it PG-13, please) adjective here, Cy Ranch Mustangs. The Cats found themselves behind in another back-and-forth affair in the first half, but a 21-3 3rd quarter seemingly tipped the scales in their favor, giving them a 35-24 lead heading into the final 12 minutes. But... those 4th-quarter woes wound up costing them dearly. Logan Fortune missed a field goal with less than 6 minutes remaining in the game, which would have tied the game at 38. And so, the Wildcats could only watch as the Mustangs prevailed, 38-35. Nick ran for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he had a dreadful night throwing the ball; he was just 3-16 for 67 yards and an interception on a heave to end the first half. R.J. Harmon only had 9 carries, but he sliced the Ranch defense for 130 and 2 scores. C.J. opened up the 2nd half with a bang as he took the opening kickoff 95 yards for a score. He also ran another kickoff back for a touchdown, but that one got wiped out by a penalty. If you remember that series, this game was like watching the Dallas Mavericks beating the Houston Rockets in the 2005 NBA playoffs. 

R.J. Harmon opens the scoring against Ranch.

The Cats were left searching for some answers after their most bitter rival took that game right from their grasp. Cy Creek was next on the docket, and for the first 24 minutes, it looked as if the Cats were still in some kind of stupor over the Ranch loss. An ineffective Nick Hooper was given the hook in the 1st half; Reece Clark came in and threw an 11-yard TD pass to C.J. Jones, which was the only scoring the Cats did in the first half. This gave them a 7-6 lead midway through the 2nd quarter, but the Cougars would emerge with the halftime lead after a touchdown run of their own. 

Woods would turn the tables on Creek when they busted out for 28 unanswered in the 2nd half, and this time, there would be no 4th-quarter misery as they stifled the Cougars, who could only muster up a cosmetic touchdown as time expired to make the final score 35-21 instead of 35-14. R.J. Harmon didn't find the endzone, but he turned in a productive evening with 162 yards on 20 carries. C.J. opened up the scoring in the 2nd half as he slashed his way into the endzone from 74 yards out. Nick recovered and was able to leave his mark on the proceedings with a 2-yard touchdown run in the 3rd and a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Johnson in the 4th.

C.J. Jones busts loose for a big touchdown run.

The following Friday, the Wildcats crashed Cy Lakes' Homecoming, dominating the Spartans 52-10. This win gave them some momentum heading into a massive 3-game stretch pitting the Cats against the district's top offense and its top 2 defenses. Bryson Powers returned a punt for a touchdown. C.J. Jones took another kickoff back for a touchdown. Nick had a nice night as he connected with Tre' Hart for a 12-yard TD pass in the 1st and found Jordan Johnson for another touchdown pass; this one went 60 yards. Wade Carson had a monster game on defense with a dozen tackles and 2.5 sacks, and Luis Reyes kicked a school-record 48-yard field goal. 

Wade Carson gets one of his 2.5 sacks against Lakes.

Homecoming VII pitted the Wildcats against Langham Creek, who was also holding their Homecoming festivities that week. Adding to the logistical quagmire was the fact that a concert was also scheduled for that night. Well, anyway, Nick's career night was not enough for the Cats as they came undone in the 2nd half by getting outscored 31-7 in the final 24 minutes and turned the ball over 3 times as they fell 55-31. Hooper threw for 448 yards and ran for 155 more, and he accounted for 4 touchdowns (2 passing, 2 rushing). The previous Woods record for most passing yards in a game belonged to Colton Huntsman, who threw for 442 against Klein Oak in 2009. The 603 total yards he put up that night was also a new school record. Jared Taylor caught 6 passes for 116 yards, while Tre' Hart caught 3 for 112 yards; 65 of those yards came on a touchdown reception in the 2nd quarter.

Tre' Hart scores in the 2nd quarter against Langham Creek.

In their first day game of the season, it was a battle of the Cats as they took on Cy-Fair at Pridgeon Stadium. It wasn't a pretty start for Woods, as they found themselves trailing 10-0 almost right off the bat. Their only points in the 1st half came on a 10-yard touchdown run from Hooper, and they were down 17-7 at halftime, which might have given the Wildcat fans that feeling that it would be the same old song and dance; the last Wildcat win over Cy-Fair occurred in 2010. Nick had a rough first half throwing the ball, particularly in the 2nd quarter, when he threw 3 picks. He was also strip-sacked in the 1st, which led to a Bobcat field goal. 

The Wildcats opened up the 2nd half with a bang as they scored 2 touchdowns to take the lead. Nick punched in his 2nd rushing touchdown of the day from 17 yards, and he found a wide-open R.J. Harmon for a 31-yard TD pass. He would catch a touchdown pass himself as Zac Duncan found him on a reverse pass in the 4th quarter; that gave Woods a 28-24 lead at that point. 

Disaster struck as Fair took a 31-28 lead with 2:25 left in the game as they recovered a fumble and took it to the house. So, the Cats got it back for one final drive to tie or win. They got 3 first downs, but then they ran into trouble when Nick was dragged down for a loss, putting them in a 3rd-and-long situation. However... on that same play, the Bobcats were flagged for a facemask penalty, breathing new life into the final drive. This wound up putting the Wildcats at the Cy-Fair 20. The next three plays yielded nothing, so Luis Reyes was summoned to take the biggest kick of his young career, and he came through in the most crucial situation of the season by drilling a 37-yard field goal through the uprights with 5 seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 31. 

Woods got the ball first in overtime, and they capitalized on that opportunity as Nick scored what was probably the most emphatic touchdown during his tenure as a Wildcat, bulldozing a Cy-Fair defender to get into the endzone. That was his 3rd rushing touchdown of the day, and it put the Wildcats in the lead. Now, it was the defense's turn. Cy-Fair faced a 3rd down situation, and with the game on the line, Bryson Powers sealed the 38-31 victory with an interception, the first Wildcat victory over the Bobcats in four years.

The Pick

   

The win over the Bobcats significantly raised the Wildcats' playoff hopes, and all they needed to do to officially punch their ticket to the playoffs was defeat Jersey Village on Halloween. However... those plans were delayed one more week due to a 44-38 loss. The game started off well enough for the Wildcats as they led 14-3 after the 1st quarter. But, after that, Jersey Village QB Deshun Qualls took over the game, as he was responsible for 4 touchdowns in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. A touchdown run from LaVance Moore put the Cats in a 44-24 hole late, but they suddenly sprang to life in the closing stages. One play after Moore's touchdown run, Nick Hooper connected with Taylor Tesch for a 75-yard touchdown. One three-and-out later, the Cats made it a one-score game as Jordan Johnson was on the receiving end of another touchdown pass from Hooper; that one went 52 yards. The Falcons botched the ensuing kickoff, which pinned them at their own 4. Unfortunately, the Cats defense couldn't get that last stop they needed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The Falcons managed to gain 12 yards on a 3rd & 7 pass play from their own 7, and on the next set of downs, Qualls iced the game with a 6-yard run on 3rd & 4. 

Jordan Johnson catches one in stride and leaves the Falcons in the dust.

In the season finale, the Wildcats exploded on offense as they finally clinched a playoff spot with a 70-44 victory over Cy Springs. Offense was abundant in this game, as the Cats had a 63-26 lead at halftime. The 63 points they put up in the first 24 minutes set a new record for points in a half. Long story short: Everyone who touched the ball in this game scored. 

Nick Hooper punches one in against Springs.

Playoffs

The Wildcats kicked off their playoff campaign on November 15, 2014 as they welcomed the Benjamin Davis Falcons to the Berry Center. Davis, the newest high school in Aldine ISD, was making their playoff debut. The Wildcats immediately went for the jugular and got a direct hit... and then some, as they built up a 45-7 halftime lead on their way to a 66-15 victory. Nick Hooper and C.J. Jones scored 4 touchdowns apiece on the ground, and Jacobi Boudreaux wrapped things up with an 80-yard touchdown run. 

And... Nick Hooper's off to the races.

On a Saturday morning, the Cats returned to the Berry Center, and the Katy Taylor Mustangs awaited them. This game was played in the morning thanks to a threat of heavy rain... that came after the game. Well, the Cats withstood an early assault from the Mustangs that saw both teams deadlocked at 14 after the first 12 minutes. After that, the Wildcats conjured up a storm of their own on the scoreboard and outscored Taylor 49-3 the rest of the way, rolling to a 63-17 win. Just about every play they ran on offense resulted in a touchdown. 3 of R.J. Harmon's 4 touchdowns were from more than 50 yards out. He opened up the scoring with a 54-yard touchdown catch, and then in the 2nd, he added a 4-yard touchdown catch. Harmon did his damage in the 2nd half on the ground as he scored on runs from 71 yards and 51 yards. He was largely untouched on both of those scoring runs. Nick Hooper went 5-6 for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns before getting knocked out with an ankle injury in the 2nd quarter. Reece Clark finished the game under center, and he too shredded the Taylor secondary as he finished 9-14 for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns. Also, deep in the 4th quarter, this happened. See photo below. Randall Medlin alertly scooped up a blocked punt and rumbled 27 yards to pick up a first down.

Wait, what?

The Wildcats' next test took them to Rice Stadium, where the Manvel Mavericks awaited. They entered this game as significant underdogs against the undefeated Mavericks, who were loaded with talent on both sides of the ball and, with the exception of Pearland, had basically walked over their competition. Well, the Cats love challenges. For me, this evoked memories of Year Two, when the Wildcats took on Dallas Skyline for the 2nd consecutive year. The Wildcats were also facing a squad littered with outstanding players, and not many prognosticators gave them much of a chance to hang with the Raiders. They ended up winning 28-21. Could lightning strike twice?

The Cats got the jump on Manvel as Wade Carson pounced on a pass that hit the turf, was deemed to be a lateral, and scampered into the endzone while everyone else stopped playing. In a game that had no shortage of firepower from two of the top offenses in Texas, the Mavs held a 28-21 lead at halftime. The Wildcats got a big kickoff return to open the 2nd half from C.J. Jones, but the story of the 2nd half was filled with misfortune. On a 3rd-and-goal situation, Nick Hooper rolled out to his left and it looked as though he was about to walk in to the endzone to tie the game... but then, the turf monster struck. The Cats had to settle for a field goal, and instead of a tie game, they still trailed. The Mavericks answered with a touchdown to push their lead to 35-24, but the Cats stood their ground thanks to Nick's 1-yard touchdown run. They pulled to within a field goal after successfully converting a 2-point conversion. The Wildcats trailed 35-32 with 4:50 left in the 3rd quarter. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off, beginning with the ensuing kickoff. It was an onside kick attempt.... that went backwards. The Mavericks proceeded to score 28 unanswered, and their lead ballooned to 63-32 with less than 9 minutes to go in the game. Woods had one last rally in them, though as Nick Hooper connected with Jared Taylor and Jordan Johnson for touchdown passes, and just like that, the Wildcats found themselves down by 2 scores. After recovering a second straight onside kick, Reece Clark had the Cats in prime position to cut into that deficit once again, but their bid was foiled in the red zone by an interception. And so, the Wildcats' season ended on Black Friday, 63-47. 

Jared Taylor outruns the Mavericks on his way to the endzone.

All in all, it was yet another fine season for the Cy Woods Wildcats. Of course, there is that matter of their rival playing for a state championship, but it's all good. None of that matters once the new season begins.

The next installment of Wildcats Through the Years takes us to 2015.

Cy Woods 66, Aldine Davis 15: Opening-Round Romp

2014 Record: 7-4, 1-0 in 2014 playoffs

On a dreary afternoon at the Berry Center, the Cy Woods Wildcats kicked off their playoff campaign with a 66-15 shellacking of the Benjamin Davis Falcons, who were playing their first playoff game. One more point, and they would have tied their highest output in a playoff game.

This was a pretty good Aldine Davis squad and the Cats just absolutely drubbed them, flying out to a 45-7 halftime lead. They got the jump on the Falcons and went for the jugular right away. Nick Hooper and C.J. Jones ran roughshod over an imposing Falcon defense to the tune of 4 touchdowns apiece and the Wildcat defense grounded an offense littered with explosive athletes.

Good win. Now, on to the 2nd round.

So, What Happened Was...

Davis opened up the game with a first down on the first drive of the game, but the Cats quickly snuffed out the threat and forced a punt... that never got off because the Davis punter dropped the ball right as he was about to kick it. This gave the Cats the ball at the Davis 26-yard line for their first drive, and just two plays later, Nick Hooper opened up the scoring with a 23-yard run. He added a 57-yard TD run later on in the quarter, and after the Falcons got on the board thanks to Josh Vinson's 41-yard touchdown catch, C.J. Jones answered with a 54-yard scoring run.

End 1st: Woods 21, Davis 7

The Outlaw Shane Lawless blocked a punt early in the 2nd quarter and the Cats recovered the ball at the Davis 2. One play later, C.J. Jones punched in his 2nd rushing touchdown of the game. Nick shimmied and made the Davis defense look foolish with his 3rd score, which came from 14 yards out. C.J. then struck again with a 6-yard scoring run, and Luis Reyes put 3 more points on the board just before the half.

Halftime: Woods 45, Davis 7

Isaac Jackson found Darrell Hubbard for a 31-yard TD pass in the 3rd, but Nick Hooper capped off his day with a 7-yard TD run on the ensuing Woods possession.

End 3rd: Woods 52, Davis 15

C.J.'s day was done after scoring his 4th rushing touchdown of the afternoon. That was his 2nd score from 2 yards out. And finally, Jacobi Boudreaux provided the cherry by finding pay dirt with an 80-yard run.

Final: Woods 66, Davis 15

Turning Point

The Cats forced a three-and-out on Davis' first drive of the 2nd quarter. On the ensuing punt, they broke through the Falcons protection, and The Outlaw Shane Lawless got the block. The Wildcats recovered the loose ball at the Davis 2, and one play later, C.J. Jones scored his 2nd rushing touchdown of the game.

They then proceeded to open the floodgates by scoring 17 more points, giving them a 45-7 lead at halftime.

Ground

All 9 Wildcat touchdowns were scored in the running game, which, yes, is a record. The 458 yards they amassed on the ground were the 2nd-most in a game in team history; they put up 464 against Springs in 2011.

Nick did what he has done all season on the ground. His 4 touchdowns give him 20 on the year, which ties him with Fredrick Anderson for the most rushing touchdowns in a single season in Cy Woods history. C.J. Jones chipped in 4 scores of his own. The Cats had 3 100-yard rushers in a game for the first time since the 2011 season finale against Springs. Nick and C.J. joined Jeff Bogan and Fred as the only players to score 4 rushing touchdowns in a game. Jeff did it against Langham in 2011, and Fred scored 4 against Clear Creek in the 2010 playoffs.

Shifting to Nick... he has now amassed more carries in a season than anyone in Cy Woods' brief history, with 204. The previous record was set in 2009, when Colton Huntsman ran the ball 200 times.

C.J. led the way with 157, and R.J. Harmon added 118. The third may surprise you. It was 3rd-stringer Jacobi Boudreaux, who finished with 104. 80 of those came on the final Woods touchdown of the day in the 4th quarter. Nick had 88 yards.

Nick Hooper: 14 carries, 88 yards, 4 TD
C.J. Jones: 12 carries, 157 yards, 4 TD
R.J. Harmon: 8 carries, 118 yards
Jacobi Boudreaux: 6 carries, 104 yards, TD
Jordan Johnson: 3 carries, 9 yards
Reece Clark: 1 carry, -7 yards
One carry was a bad pitch that was recovered by Woods for -11 yards. It was not credited to anyone. Like anyone would want an -11 yard carry on their final line...

Air

Was not utilized much because of the immense success the ground game was having.

Nick Hooper: 6-16, 78 yards
Reece Clark: 3-7, 32 yards

Jordan Johnson also appeared at QB, but did not attempt a pass.

Zac Duncan: 4 recs, 35 yards
Jared Taylor: 3 recs, 25 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 recs, 50 yards

Defense

The Wildcat defense came up big in this game as they completely grounded a fine Davis offense, holding them to just 47 rushing yards. Their big-play threats, Lexington Thomas and Anthony Malone, were held to 81 yards combined. The Falcons' big target outside, Josh Vinson, did give the secondary some issues as he managed to gain 142 receiving yards, but he was the only receiver, and really, only offensive player for that matter, to get anything going against the Cats.

Myles Wilson, a sophomore safety, had an excellent afternoon as he led the team with 11 total tackles. He also had a chance for an interception... if he would've turned around to find the ball. It hit him right in the hand and he wasn't even looking. Shane Lawless, Wade Carson, Keith Watson, and Elijah Pierson were all disruptive forces from their linebacker spots. Morgan Tosten, a starting defensive end, recorded 4 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, as did Elijah Pierson.

Tackles: Myles Wilson 11 (5 assisted), Wade Carson 9 (5 assisted, 1 tackle for loss), Shane Lawless 9 (2 assisted, 2 TFL), Morgan Tosten 6 (3 assisted, 4 TFL), Elijah Pierson 6 (5 assisted, 4 TFL), Keith Watson 6 (3 assisted, 1 TFL), Danny Malone 4 (3 assisted), Nick Bailey 3 (1 assisted, 1 TFL), Austin Greaves 3 (1 assisted, 1 TFL), Zac Duncan 3 (1 assisted), Jake Jones 2 (both assisted), Tre' Hart 2 (1 assisted), Justyn Johnson 1 (for loss), Hayden Stoeber 1 (for loss), Chad O'Donnell 1 (assisted), Jacobi Boudreaux 1, Josh Robbins 1 (assisted), Randall Medlin 1 (assisted), Michael Wirt 1 (assisted), Isiah Clay 1 (assisted), #52 1 (assisted)

#52, a defensive end, is a JV call-up, so he didn't have a nameplate on the back of his jersey. I think his name is Jose Garcia.

Keith Watson and Wade Carson both forced a fumble, and both of them were recovered by the Cats, as Elijah Pierson and Zac Duncan were in the right place at the right time on both occasions.

Sacks: Morgan Tosten 1 (6 yards lost)

Interceptions: Nick Bailey 1 (returned for 43 yards)

Special Teams

Luis Reyes put up 12 points as he went 9-9 on extra points and nailed a 40-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the 1st half. That's 4 10-point games for the sophomore kicker.

Jordan Johnson had 5 punts for 161 yards, for just over 32 yards per punt.

The Outlaw Shane Lawless blocked the first Davis punt of the 2nd quarter and the Cats recovered it at the Davis 2. One play later, C.J. Jones punched it in for a score.

Punts blocked: Shane Lawless 1

C.J. Jones: 2 kicks returned, 47 yards
Zac Duncan: 3 punts returned, 15 yards
Taylor Tesch: 1 kick returned, 16 yards

Other Notes

- Every year, the first playoff game gets colder and colder. Not sure what's up with that.

- The offensive line took another hit, as guard Shiva Reddy left the game with a knee or ankle injury.

- Speaking of the offensive line, they did an excellent job against the massive Davis defensive line in the running game.

- It was good to see Tyler Greaves back in uniform, although he was held out after tweaking his knee last week against Springs.

- Tobi Orundami, a freshman nose tackle, made his varsity debut on the final play of the game. He's wearing #93 for this playoff run. The coaching staff is very high on this kid... he'll be one to watch over the next 3 seasons.

- And how could I not mention Andrew Gallagher's 8-yard reception? The big fella was able to rumble downfield.... too bad he's not eligible to touch the ball.

Man of the Match

You can go a lot of ways here.

C.J. delivered with his best performance on the ground to date, while Nick is on the verge of re-writing the Cy Woods record books. Or maybe even Jacobi Boudreaux, who got his chance to showcase his skills late in the game. On the defensive side, Myles Wilson had a fine game in the secondary, while Shane Lawless blocked a punt to go along with his solid afternoon from his inside linebacker spot. Wade Carson was relentless as usual, and finally, Morgan Tosten and Elijah Pierson busted up the most plays as their 4 tackles for loss indicated.

Looking Ahead

In the area round of the 2014 Texas High School Football playoffs, the Wildcats will take on the Katy T....... aylor Mustangs. Kickoff is set for 1:00 at the Berry Center on Saturday. Let's just hope it'll be a little warmer.

Cy Woods 35, Cy Creek 21: Bouncing Back

2014 Record: 3-2, 3-1 in District 17-6A

After letting the game against Cy Ranch get away from them last week, the Wildcats were back at it on a beautiful Friday night, looking to regain that lost momentum. There would be no losing streak as the Cats topped Cy Creek 35-21, despite a lethargic, mistake-filled 1st half on their part. The Cougars finished off the scoring as time expired... no, no, I'll leave that alone. All in all, it was a solid rebound job from the Cats after a tough loss.

Now, after you saw Reece Clark in the game at QB to finish out the 1st half, I know what you're thinking... I'll go ahead and answer.

No, there is no quarterback controversy at Cy Woods. Reece is a solid QB and when he's been called upon, he has shown that he's more than capable of commandeering the offense. However... Nick, sink or swim, is this team's starting quarterback. They both bring a lot of good things to the table, and they both possess the ability to drive opposing defenses nuts.

So, What Happened Was...

Aside from allowing Creek to score first, the Wildcat defense was excellent to lead off the game, but the offense was unable to get themselves off the ground in the process, which prompted Reece Clark's entry into the game in the 2nd quarter. On his 2nd series, he completed a 27-yard pass to Taylor Tesch and a 28-yard pass to Zac Duncan, which set up a 1-yard TD run from C.J. Jones that was wiped out by a holding call. No matter... C.J. got his score with an 11-yard catch-and-run, which put the Cats up 7-6 with 5:15 left in the 1st half. That would be the only points that the Cats would put up on the scoreboard in the first 24 minutes.

The Cougars regained the lead inside of 2 minutes as they cashed in after picking off Reece. He threw another pick on Woods' next drive, but the Cats offense gained new life as that interception was wiped out by defensive holding. They got as far as Creek's 21 yard line, but unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize on that penalty and turned the ball over on downs with 35 seconds to go. They went into the locker room down 14-7.

The Cats seized all the momentum in this game when they scored 28 unanswered points in the 2nd half to take a 35-14 lead, which was capped off by Jordan Johnson's 37-yard TD reception.

C.J. Jones is a really, really good player, if you haven't heard. He opened up the 2nd half with an 8-yard TD run and scored again from 74 late in the 3rd. On 4th and goal from the Creek 2, Zac Duncan took a reverse, but instead of running it, he found a wide-open Nick Hooper in the endzone. That was Nick's first TD catch since November 2, 2012, when he scored from 12 yards out against.... Creek. The Cougars pulled one back as time expired, and that's the score you saw on the board on Friday, and the one you see at the top of this page.

Turning Point

For the 2nd straight week, C.J. opened up the 2nd half with a touchdown. His 8-yard run sparked a 28-0 scoring run in the 2nd half for the Cats.

Ground

R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones both topped the 100-yard mark. C.J. ran for 103 on just 10 carries and scored twice. R.J. put up 162 on 20 carries. The only blemish on his line was losing a fumble in the 2nd quarter. Despite not finding the endzone after scoring twice in the previous week, R.J. put up another big game on the ground.

These are the numbers that I got. I gotta tell you, doing play-by-play by hand is pretty hard.

R.J. Harmon: 20 carries, 162 yards
Nick Hooper: 17 carries, 85 yards
C.J. Jones: 10 carries, 103 yards, 2 TD
Jared Taylor: 2 rushes, 3 yards
Jacobi Boudreaux: 2 carries: -2 yards

Air

The Cats had some good things going for them in the passing game after that nightmare last week. Still needs some refinement: some timing issues, some balls thrown behind receivers, receivers dropping passes.

Nick Hooper: 10-20, 155 yards, TD, INT
Reece Clark: 5-12, 98 yards, TD, INT
Zac Duncan: 1-1, 2 yards, TD

Zac Duncan became the 4th player to top 100 receiving yards this season.

Zac Duncan: 4 rec, 104 yards
Jared Taylor: 4 rec, 40 yards
C.J. Jones: 3 rec, 29 yards, TD
R.J. Harmon: 2 rec, 23 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 rec, 37 yards, TD
Nick Hooper: 1 rec, 2 yards, TD
Taylor Tesch: 1 rec, 27 yards

Defense

The defense, aside from a couple of 1st-half scoring drives, was solid all night as the 21 points were the fewest they've allowed all season. They were even better in the 2nd half as they tightened the clamps on the Cougar offense, only allowing a touchdown as time expired. I'm a bit surprised that Creek didn't have more plays that lost yardage, but they did have plenty that went for less than 5.

The defensive line play was rather good in this game: Randall Medlin had a nice night, as he had a sack and recovered a fumble after Jake Jones jarred the ball loose in the 2nd quarter. Justyn Johnson and Isiah Clay combined on a sack in the 3rd. They did take a bit of a hit as Morgan Tosten left the game with an injury.

Brandon DePrato put his skills as a former receiver to good use as he picked off his 2nd pass of the season. The Outlaw Shane Lawless was in on 15 tackles, tying Tyler Greaves for the season-high in that category.

Tackles: Shane Lawless 15 (12 assisted, 1 tackle for loss), Tyler Greaves 11 (9 assisted), Wade Carson 10 (9 assisted), Justyn Johnson 8 (1 TFL), Randall Medlin 8 (2 TFL), Brandon DePrato 7 (1 TFL), Michael Wirt 6 (1 assisted, 1 TFL), Isiah Clay 5 (all assisted, 1 TFL), Morgan Tosten 5 (1 assisted), Bryson Powers 4 (3 assisted), Myles Wilson 3, Nick Bailey 3 (1 assisted), Matt Swalm 3 (all assisted), Kason Franklin 3 (1 assisted), Jake Jones 3 (2 assisted), Jared Taylor 2, R.J. Harmon 1, Elijah Kinnison 1, Brandon Love 1 (assisted)

Sacks: Randall Medlin 1 (4 yards lost), Justyn Johnson 0.5, Isiah Clay 0.5 (3 yards lost)

Fumbles forced: Jake Jones 1
Fumbles recovered: Randall Medlin 1

Interceptions: Brandon DePrato 1 (2 season)

Special Teams

A rather quiet night on this front. Jordan Johnson only punted twice, averaging 37 a kick. Luis Reyes missed a 27-yard field goal with a minute left in the game, but he made all 5 of his extra points.

Luis Reyes: 0-1 FG (missed 27), 5-5 XP
Jordan Johnson: 2 punts, 74 yards (37 average)

The Cats only had 3 kick returns in this one. Bryson Powers did not return any punts.

Jordan Johnson: 2 kicks returned, 25 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 kick returned, 10 yards

Observations

Nick had a tough start, but he showed tremendous character and poise in rebounding and his efforts in the 2nd half played a significant role in getting the Cats the victory.

When Reece is in, just know that the offense is in good hands. He's come a long, long way since his freshman year, when he was the starting QB on the B-team.

Myles Wilson can roll... he showed that speed off when he chased down a Creek receiver in the open field in the dying moments of the game.

Danny Malone, special teams ace, did not have a tackle on special teams, but he did have a rather impressive-sounding hit on the final drive of the game. He also unveiled a new hammer! Well, after 6 years, even the hammer, which is awarded to the player with the biggest hit in the previous week's game, is undergoing changes. What can I say... new era in full swing, all the way down to the hammer.

SLEDGEHAMMER 2.0. "Forged Oct. 3, 2014" #GATA #CDUB #THECLOSER #ACE pic.twitter.com/IMIn1N7f1u
— Danny Malone ♠️ (@dannymalone56) October 4, 2014

Jordan Johnson's TD catch gave the Cats their first 4th quarter points of the season.

Man of the Match

C.J. Jones. His 2 scores in the 3rd quarter helped the Cats create separation between themselves and the Cougars. We know that R.J. Harmon is a special talent as well, but I feel that C.J. has been the breakout player for the Cats this season.

Looking Ahead

The Cats will return to Pridgeon on Friday as they take on Cy Lakes at 7:00. It's homecoming.... for the Spartans. So naturally, Woods will be the away team for this game.

Klein Collins 42, Cy Woods 14: Stumbling Out of the Gate

2014 Record: 0-1

New tunnel. New uniforms. New everything. This new era of Cy Woods football is in full swing.

Well... Chapter 7 of Cy Woods Football didn't exactly start off the way everyone expected. The Cats fell behind 21-0 at halftime and trailed by as much as 35-0 before they sprang to life. It was all Tigers in this game as they literally pounded the Cats into the ground to the tune of 429 rushing yards. And, as a result, Cy Woods was condemned to a 42-14 defeat on Opening Night.

Yes, the Cats got smacked in their first game of the season. But, there's at least 9 games remaining in this season. People who are panicking over this game are completely missing the big picture. That's really all I can say to the sky-is-falling crowd.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this game from the team and the community, and they got hit in the mouth. I think this game opened their eyes a bit. This game showed that they still have a ways to go before they reach the level that they expect to play at this season. They'll be fine, though. The Wildcats have bounced back from worse losses before, trust me.

Yes, the Cats got smacked, but that doesn't mean that this game was devoid of any encouraging signs. Bryson Powers (#88), a sophomore, finished with 2 catches for 45 yards and returned 4 kickoffs for 58 yards. He's new to the program. His father is one of the new assistant coaches this season; Coach Powers is handling the inside linebackers. Bryson showed a nice burst after his first catch and eventually gained 38 yards on the play. He also got the majority of the kick returning duties as Klein Collins decided to kick away from Zac Duncan and C.J. Jones. He'll be one to watch not just for this season, but in the coming years, as well.

Turning Point

Woods was driving in the 1st quarter, but that was derailed after a botched snap on the Klein Collins 22-yard-line, and then Nick Hooper coughed it up as he attempted to salvage something from that play. The Tigers eventually scored on their ensuing drive.

You could also say that the first 30 minutes of this game was one giant turning point, as the Tigers built up a 35-0 lead before the Cats could answer.

Ground

Both Cats TDs were scored via the running game. Zac Duncan scored the first points of the season when he took a reverse and ran 26 yards for a touchdown in the 3rd. Later in that 3rd quarter, R.J. Harmon scored from 7 yards out.

Zac Duncan: 1 carry, 26 yards, TD
R.J. Harmon: 5 carries, 18 yards, TD
Nick Hooper: 15 carries, 51 yards
C.J. Jones: 3 carries, 10 yards

Air

There wasn't much to report from the passing game. The longest pass play of the evening belonged to Bryson Powers, who caught a 38-yard pass on Woods' 3rd possession, in the 2nd quarter. Other than that, though, the next-longest completion was a 17-yard catch from Jared Taylor in the 3rd. R.J. Harmon led the Cats with 6 receptions. Nick was relieved for a series by Reece Clark, who was at the helm for Woods' first scoring drive.

Nick Hooper: 16-23, 121 yards
Reece Clark: 4-6, 31 yards

R.J. Harmon: 6 recs, 54 yards
Zac Duncan: 5 recs, 36 yards
Bryson Powers: 2 recs, 45 yards
Jared Taylor: 2 recs, 21 yards
Jordan Johnson: 2 recs, 9 yards
Taylor Tesch: 2 recs, 8 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 rec, 4 yards
Tre Hart: 1 rec, 2 yards
Mikey Roberts: 1 rec, 0 yards

*Wait, why do the Wildcats have 179 receiving yards, but only 152 passing yards? Well, part of this is because I am the rare Asian who isn't very good at math. Also, there is no exact science to keeping track of statistics at the high school level. Some media outlets, like the Chronicle, say that Cy Woods had 162 passing yards. The numbers will vary, depending on which media outlet you are consulting for your stats, like TSRN, Varsity Wires, or Adam Coleman. These are the numbers that I have compiled. Some of these catches may have actually been backwards passes that should've counted towards the team's rushing statistics, but were counted as receptions, and thus, were counted towards the team's passing statistics.

Defense

Allowing the opposing team to score touchdowns on their first 5 possessions is definitely not ideal. That's all I'll say here. They recovered a fumble in the 2nd, but that was wiped out by a dubious, at best, offsides call. And then Klein Collins eventually scored.

In some kind of sick irony, the Cats allowed 212 yards in the 1st half.

Kason Franklin (#34), a sophomore making his debut in the show, had 7 tackles (4 assisted) and recovered an onside kick. Elijah Pierson (#42) led the way with 8 total tackles, 5 of which were solo efforts. The Outlaw Shane Lawless, also had 8 tackles, only 1 of which was assisted.

Tackles: Elijah Pierson 8 (3 assisted), Shane Lawless 8 (1 assisted), Kason Franklin 7 (4 assisted), Wade Carson 6 (1 assisted), Michael Wirt 5, Tyler Greaves 5 (2 assisted), Jake Jones 4, Matt Swalm 4 (3 assisted), Morgan Tosten 4 (all assisted), Keith Watson 3 (2 assisted), Justyn Johnson 2 (both assisted), Danny Malone 2 (1 assisted), Elijah Kinnison 1, Brandon DePrato 1 (assisted), Randall Medlin 1 (assisted), Justin Lawson 1 (assisted)

Interceptions: None.

Fumbles forced/recovered: None.

*Interceptions and fumbles won't be overly tough to track, but tackles is definitely going to be a different story. If there's a pile at the line of scrimmage and there's about 7 players around the ball carrier, then that's a lot of assisted tackles to dish out. So, therefore, I'll award assists to the first 3 players that get to the ball carrier. My bad if that hurts your numbers, but your numbers better contribute to a Wildcat win. Also,it's a little tough to compile stats with a notebook. 

Special Teams

Jordan Johnson punted 3 times for 124 yards, giving him a 41.3-yard average. So, a good night for him in that aspect of the game, but I think he'd much rather have a better night on offense.

I've never seen a team execute 2 onside kicks for 2 straight kickoffs.... until last night. #85 (no nameplate on back) did a great job, because the Cats ended up recovering both of them. The Outlaw Shane Lawless recovered the kick that followed Zac Duncan's TD run, and on the ensuing Wildcat possession, R.J. Harmon scored. The next onside looked like it was going to be recovered by the Tigers, but one mishandle and a scrum later resulted in Kason Franklin emerging with the ball for the Cats.

Zac Duncan returned 2 kicks for 47 yards, while Bryson Powers returned 4 for 58 yards. These numbers are guesstimates, but I'm fairly confident those numbers are correct. Zac also muffed a fair catch after Collins' first punt of the game, which occured with less than a minute to go in the game.

Looking Ahead

After a week off, the Wildcats will kick off district play as they take on Cy Ridge on Saturday, September 13 at 6:00 at the Berry Center. They'll look to win a district opener for the first time ever. This will be the first of 3 consecutive Saturday games for the Wildcats.

Wildcats Through the Years: 2013

This next installment of Wildcats Through the Years takes a look back on the 2013 Cypress Woods Wildcats.

Summary

Record: 8-4 (6-3, t-3rd in District 17-5A)

Playoffs: Division II, Region III Area round, lost 51-7 to Katy

Points scored: 358 (29.8 per game)

Points allowed: 264 (22 per game)

Largest margin of victory: 54, vs. Cy Ranch (54-0)

Largest margin of defeat: 44, vs. Katy (51-7)

Most points scored: 57, vs. Cy Springs

Most points allowed: 51, vs. Katy

Fewest points scored: 7, vs. Katy

Fewest points allowed: 0 twice, vs. Klein Collins and Cy Ranch

Team Records Set

Most shutouts in a season, 2
Longest play from scrimmage, 93 yards (tied, Zac Duncan TD reception vs. Cy Ridge)

Individual Records Set

Rushing yards in a game: Samuel Stewart, 247 vs. Cy Lakes

Statistical Leaders

Passing: Nick Hooper, 115-206 (56.1%), 1691 yards, 15 TD, 9 INT
Rushing: Samuel Stewart, 132 carries, 734 yards (5.6 per carry), 13 TD
Receiving: Mason Roberts, 32 recs, 514 yards, 5 TD
Interceptions: Nick Csatlos and Colton Fontana, 4 each

Schedule and Results

Week 1: W 21-0 vs. Klein Collins (Pridgeon)
Week 2: L 48-20 @ Langham Creek (Berry)
Week 3: W 28-26 vs. Cy Ridge (Pridgeon)
Week 4: W 34-14 @ Cy Lakes (Berry)
Week 5: W 57-14 vs. Cy Springs (Homecoming @ Berry)
Week 6: L 30-23 vs. Cy-Fair (Berry)
Week 7: W 54-0 @ Cy Ranch (Berry)
Week 8: W 37-15 vs. Cy Falls (Pridgeon)
Week 9: W 21-14 @ Cy Creek (Berry)
Week 10: L 42-0 vs. Jersey Village (Pridgeon)
Bi-district: W 56-10 vs. Nimitz (Pridgeon)
Area: L 51-7 vs. Katy (Rhodes)

The Rundown

The Coach Faith era began with a rocky start as the Wildcats missed the playoffs for the first time school history in 2012. However, the returning Cats made it clear that there wouldn't be a drought.

After getting his feet wet as a receiver, Nick Hooper was the next man up at the quarterback spot, while the dynamic Mason Roberts returned to wideout. Samuel Stewart became the feature back; Peter "Chuck" Garza saw some time at tailback, as well. He also saw how the other half lives at the beginning of the season, logging in time at safety. The Cats also got a glimpse of the future at running back with Raynard "R.J." Harmon. Zac Duncan was the top returning receiver from 2012. He also saw some time in the secondary during this season. He and Mason were joined out wide by Devin Hokanson, Chris England, Jared Taylor, and Taylor Tesch. An experienced offensive line returned with Trevor Rogas, Jamal Kinard, Logan Wright, and Mohammad El-Zibdeh as the leaders. They were joined by Brian Biddy, Andrew Gallagher, and Robbie Beardmore.

Defensively, the Cats were just 3 points from matching a record low for points allowed in a season. Owing to Coach Faith's defensive background, this was a real stingy group. Up front was the solid junior duo of Randall Medlin and Justyn Johnson. Tre'von Taylor, Jeremy Orange, Wyatt Wozniak, and Jarel Jones were also significant contributors to the defensive line. Nick Csatlos and Taylor Holmes anchored the linebackers and they were accompanied by Wade Carson, The Outlaw Shane Lawless, Hector Larios, Elijah Pierson, Tyler Greaves, and Elijah Kinnison, who also played some safety. Colton Fontana emerged as the top performer in the secondary. Joining him were Sam Dobbs, Stevie Polly, Matt Swalm, and Dylan Butsch.

Regular Season

Chapter 6. August 29, 2013.

Just like the previous year, the Klein Collins Tigers were the Cats' first opponents. Woods opened the year with a fine defensive performance as they kept the Tigers off the board and while the offense wasn't sharp, they did their job. Sam Stewart scored the first points of the year when he caught a 6-yard pass from Mason Roberts in the 1st. Nick Hooper had a 1-yard TD run early in the 2nd, and Sam threw a 63-yard TD pass to Devin Hokanson in the 3rd. And so, the Wildcats began 2013 on a winning note with a 21-0 shutout win.

The Wildcat defense was excellent to open the season as they kept Klein Collins off the scoreboard.

What if I told you that the Wildcats had lost every district opener that they've played? This is a fact. The Wildcats were 0-5 in the first game of district play entering this season. This one, against Langham, turned out like the first 5. The Cats were undone by 4 turnovers and never really threatened the Lobos, falling 48-20. Sam ran for 71 yards on 12 carries, one of which was  a 33-yard TD in the 1st. He also caught a 25-yard scoring pass in the 2nd.

Cy Ridge was next up, and the theme between these two teams was that every matchup has alternated between a tightly contested affair or a blowout. In this game, it would be the former, as the Cats held a 20-17 lead at halftime. A pair of Chase McLaughlin field goals and a safety pushed the Woods lead to 28-17, but the Rams fought back and were on the cusp of tying the game. A 21-yard touchdown pass cut the Cats' lead to 28-26, and Ridge lined up for the game-tying 2-point conversion with 20 seconds to go in regulation.

Taylor Holmes keeps the Cats in the lead by breaking up this potential game-tying 2-point conversion from Ridge.

The Rams almost tied the game. Almost. Taylor Holmes broke up the pass in the endzone and the Cats hung on by the skin of their teeth, 28-26. Zac Duncan tied Clesmie Burden's record for the longest play from scrimmage with his 93-yard touchdown reception in the 1st. Nick Hooper threw for 214 yards and ran for 105 more. 

Next on the slate was Cy Lakes, a team coming off a winless season. Well, the defense held steady for the most part, but the offense was stuck in mud for the first 24 minutes. Then, the rain came. Then, a busted coverage gifted the Spartans a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter. Then came the turnovers. To get to the point here... the first half of this game was not the easiest to watch for the Wildcat faithful. So, the Cats entered the locker room down 7-0 to the Cy Lakes Spartans. This was the first time that they were shut out at the half since the Cy Fair game in 2011. And then, as the rain steadily fell, the Berry Center was eventually placed under a lightning delay. So, the Cats got a little extra time to fine-tune the adjustments they intended to make for the 2nd half to try and get something going on the offensive side of the ball.

About a couple of hours later, play resumed, and the Cats wasted little time in getting themselves going as Mason Roberts returned the opening kickoff of the 2nd half deep into Spartan territory. Not long after, Nick Hooper put the Cats on the board with a 12-yard touchdown run. They tried to take the lead, but the 2-point conversion failed. The Cats found themselves behind the 8-ball once again as Lakes got another touchdown before the end of the 3rd quarter. So, with 12 minutes to go, Woods found themselves trailing the overwhelming underdogs, 14-6. But in that final stanza, the Cats offense finally woke up from the trance they were in all night and seized control by outscoring Lakes 28-0. The battery of Nick Hooper and Sam Stewart carried the Cats to the finish as they both ran for 2 scores in the 4th. Stewart finished with a team-record 247 yards on the ground and scored the final 2 touchdowns of the evening.

Sam puts the finishing touches on another Wildcat victory.

Homecoming VI. October 4, 2013. The Berry Center was the venue, and Cy Springs was the opponent. The Panthers, who entered this game with a 3-1 record, suddenly weren't the doormat that they were for much of their history. But, on this night, the Cats turned back the clock and channeled the Cats of years past as they just poured it on and turned the game into a total rout. The Cats led 37-7 at halftime and strolled to a 57-14 win. A happy homecoming, indeed.

Nick sliced the Panther secondary to the tune of 334 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also scored on a 14-yard run in the 3rd. Raynard Harmon ran for 68 yards on 11 carries and scored his first touchdown in the big leagues on a 20-yard run early in the 4th.

R.J. Harmon lunges for the end zone... and gets there.

The Cats took on Cy-Fair next. It took them a while to get themselves going, as the Bobcats completely stifled them in the 1st half, taking a 16-0 lead into the locker room. But, Woods suddenly sprang to life, as Mason caught a pass from Nick Hooper and took it 48 yards to the house. One successful 2-point conversion later, and it was all of a sudden a one-possession game. Sam caught a 13-yard touchdown pass and they converted another 2-point try to make it a 23-16 game. However, Fair just had an answer for every Wildcat outburst. They just made a few more plays. Mason scored on a 10-yard run to make it a 1-touchdown game again. The Cats had the ball last, but time ran out on their bid to tie the game, and Cy-Fair tied the all-time series at 3 apiece with the 30-23 decision.

Mason Roberts puts the Wildcats on the board against Cy-Fair with this 48-yard TD grab.

The next opponent was that school on Fry, Cy Ranch. For these two mortal enemies, it was a tale of two teams during the 2012 season; the Wildcats missed the playoffs for the first time ever, while the Mustangs made it to the 4th round in their first playoff voyage. But, the Cats emerged victorious in their meeting that year, and that apparently didn't sit too well with some of the Ranch faithful. They made it 4 rounds deep, but they couldn't top the Wildcats.

lol

For an entire offseason, the returning Cats had to hear it all from the Cy Ranch community about how their team made it to the 4th round while Woods was sitting at home. The Cats made sure those words would come back to haunt the Mustangs.

As for the game.... oh boy. Remember when Ranch was all pumped after they surprised Woods in their first matchup ever? And then 68-21 happened the next year? Well, déjà vu here. The Cats absolutely dominated in all facets of the game as they handed Ranch their worst defeat ever, 54-0. Bloody Saturday III.

Nick Hooper darts upfield as Mason Roberts clears a path for him.

The Outlaw Shane Lawless had this pick 6 in Woods' massacre of Ranch. One-handed grab too!

Cy Falls was next, and despite the Eagles falling off the cliff in this season, the specter of a 4-game losing streak to them loomed large over the Cats. They emphatically extinguished those demons as they led 34-2 at halftime and finished with a 37-15 win, getting their first win in the series since the first season. Nick threw for 2 scores and ran for 2 more in a game that had no semblance of official order whatsoever. This marked the Wildcats' first win over Falls since the very first season.

Devin Hokanson hauls in a touchdown against Falls.

The Cy Creek game was a defensive slugfest. The Cats found themselves behind after the Cougars got a pick deep inside Woods territory and scored on their subsequent offensive possession. But, Samuel Stewart took over and scored all 3 Woods touchdowns. He scored on 2 runs from 15 and 11 yards in the 2nd quarter, and this Cougars player quickly realized that facing Sam head-on.... was most unwise. I can't make fun of him, though. The guy tried to make a play, and although he didn't, he wasn't afraid to take on Sam. It's football... plays like those occur.

Sam just would not be denied here.

Sam added a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown to put Woods up 21-7 in the 3rd. The Cougars stayed within striking distance as they added a touchdown early in the 4th to make it a 1-score game again. So... the spotlight shone on the defense, which had been so good that year. They needed to come up huge in the 4th quarter to secure this game. And.....

But here... the Cats denied the Cougars in their last-gasp effort at the goal line.

...the Cat defense withstood the final Cy Creek advance and repelled them from the end zone not one, not two, not three, but four times, to secure the 21-14 victory. With the win, there would be no playoff drought for the Cy Woods Wildcats.... they'd be back in a familiar place.

Well, unfortunately, the tune-up didn't go as planned, as Jersey Village wiped them out with a 42-0 scoreline in the season finale, which was the Falcons' first win in the series.

Playoffs

November 16, 2013. In their return to the playoffs, the Wildcats took on the Nimitz Cougars in the bi-district round.

I suppose they were excited to be in the playoffs again because they just hammered Nimitz early and often. The Cats led 42-3 at halftime and cruised to the area round with a 56-10 victory. Nick Hooper completed all 10 of his passes for 174 yards and 4 TDs. Everyone that caught a pass scored. Sam Stewart only carried the ball 6 times for 30 yards, but 3 of those carries went for touchdowns in the 2nd. He scored from 2, 10, and 5 yards out.

Sam wouldn't be denied here, either.

The area round saw the Wildcats take on the juggernaut known as the Katy Tigers. They gave Katy a shock before ultimately falling 44-30 in 2011, and not for a second in that game did they look intimidated. 

This game started off rather well for the Cats as they struck first. Mason Roberts turned what would've been an interception into a 24-yard touchdown reception. Unfortunately...... that was as good as it got for the Cats as it was all Katy afterwards. And so, the Cats' season ended in the area round on that cold, cold November night at Rhodes Stadium, 51-7.

Despite the bitter end to their season, the Class of 2014 can hold their heads high. They made sure that the Wildcats' absence from the playoffs was short-lived. They put their most hated rival in their place a year after they were forced to witness them go 4 rounds deep in the playoffs. They revived 212. 

Cy Woods is still a relatively new school, but ever since they arrived on the scene 7 years ago, they've consistently been in the upper echelon of Cy-Fair ISD football. What occurred in 2012 was something definitely out of the ordinary at Cy Woods, where playoff runs are expected every year. But sometimes, it may take a non-playoff season for a team to realize that nothing comes easy, especially in Cy-Fair ISD football. The Class of 2014 took the lessons they learned from a rough year and in the end, they delivered a special season to Cy Woods.