Spring Game Notes

Before I begin, here's a Help Wanted ad.

I'm still looking for three players to serve as guest writers for the upcoming season: one sophomore, one junior, and one senior. I'll find a freshman once they come in. No really, I am serious. Chances are, you are probably a much better writer than I am. If you are interested, send me a tweet (I'm always on Twitter), an email (dustin2810 at gmail dot com), or leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Please leave your name and grade as well.

Yesterday, the Cy Woods Wildcats capped off spring training with the Spring Football Game. Thankfully, the rain cleared out just in time. However, the sideline closest to the stands became a complete cesspool. Just as I remember...

In the 3rd annual Cy Woods spring game, the Cardinal team topped the White team 35-20 in a hard-fought contest. They stormed out to a 21-0 lead, but the White team got themselves going in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to keep them on their heels. There was some good-natured ribbing from both sides in the lead-up to the game.

Now that this game is done with, there is no more division. No Cardinal team or White team... once again, the kids that make up this team are one, fighting together to achieve one goal. That goal, as always, is a state championship. For those from other schools who have stumbled across this blog, just know that these are guys who will fight to the very end in order to achieve that goal.

The best news was that there were no injuries to anyone, although they were all just inundated in mud at the end. I found this edition of the spring game to be a showcase of the future (well, they always are). With prospects such as Sean Despres, Jacob Kainer, and Jack Barrientez waiting in the wings, the Wildcats' future is as bright as ever.

I also feel rather dumb, because most of what I'm about to write is more Cardinal-oriented.

Cardinal

R.J. Harmon was fully dressed, but he was limited to handling kickoffs and punts.

Michael Young got most of the first-team reps at running back; he caught a touchdown pass from Sean Despres to open up the scoring. As the Cardinal team was knocking on the door again, he took a pitch and punched it in from 2 yards out.

Bobby Dodson, a sophomore running back, played well during the early freshmen-only game and backed up Michael Young in the main event. He looks like a rugged runner who can be tough to bring down in the open field, as Levi Arzac, a White team safety, found that out firsthand after taking him head-on after a 20-yard gain. Bobby reminds me of Jeremy Conley (class of 2010) in that regard, and they're of pretty similar build, although he doesn't have Jeremy's explosiveness yet.

Jacob Kainer threw an interception, but he showed some great moves on a rushing touchdown. Otherwise, it was a surprisingly quiet night from him.

Brandon Sustala, a senior receiver, was targeted 3 times and caught them all; 2 of them went for first downs, and he had a good gain on the third catch, which occurred on first down. Solid hands.

Myles Wilson had an interception that set up a score. Brandon DePrato and Tyler Redgrave, a sophomore linebacker, recorded sacks, and Neil Chambers, a junior linebacker, recovered a fumble to stop the White team in the red zone.

With the White team driving to possibly tie the game in the 4th quarter, Andrew Peña, a junior linebacker, came down with a huge interception, and on the ensuing series, Sean Despres took the snap, ran right up the middle, and finally, shook off 3 defenders in the open field on his way to the endzone.

Speaking of Sean Despres, the junior quarterback probably turned a few heads this spring, but he saved his best performance for Thursday night as he took center stage.

Sean was absolutely electric, throwing for one score (video above) and running for two more. His last touchdown run sealed the win for the Cardinal team in spectacular fashion. His first (video below) put them up 2 scores in the 1st quarter. Sean performed well as a JV gold (B-team) quarterback last season, but he's taken a huge leap forward this spring. He could possibly help the varsity in some capacity in 2015.

White

The White team had their chances. Unfortunately, they just couldn't get out of their own way. Chase Martin connected with Yussef Nuñez for a 60-yard gain that put them in the red zone as they looked to tie the game, but that threat ended abruptly when they lost the ball on a botched handoff.

C.J. Jones was limited to fielding kicks and punts.

Chase Martin found a streaking Devon Bowling, and the sophomore receiver took it 50 yards for a score. Devon's man slipped, which left him wide open, and once he caught the pass, he scampered into the endzone untouched.

Jack Barrientez got the first-team reps at running back. He had a nice 40-yard run.... negated by a penalty. But... he got on the board with a 20-yard touchdown run in the 3rd to bring the White team to within 1 score.

Ryan Olvera, a senior cornerback, picked off Jacob Kainer with a nice diving effort in the endzone. Chase Taulton, a senior safety, recovered a fumble to stop a Cardinal drive that was well inside White territory.

Deon Jones, a sophomore defensive end, played with great energy and had a couple of nice tackles for loss. On one, he lunged for Sean Despres (over a cut block, too) and just got enough of him to bring him down. The other, he busted clean through and had the ballcarrier, who I believe was Jake Wolf, a senior receiver, dead to rights.

Both

Luis Reyes pulled double duty as he handled the kickoffs and extra points after every score. He made 7 of his 8 extra points; the one miss came on a botched snap.

So, that does it for the spring... see you in the summer. In the meantime, I'm doing a Countdown to Kickoff series. Today, it's on 97. At the end of this series, you'll have a look at everyone who has ever played football for the Cy Woods Wildcats.

Cy Woods All-Time Roster: Number 98

The countdown continues with number 98.

The first Wildcat to wear #98 was Tavian Glenn in 2009. Tavian came to Cy Woods from Kansas before freshman year and eventually became a starting defensive tackle for a squad that reached the 4th round and for his contributions, he received 2nd-team All-District honors. Tavian is now an e-sports commentator. Check out his Twitch channel here.

Tavian Glenn, 2009

The next player to wear #98 was Ethan Nguyen in 2011. He was mainly a backup that season, but he saw some playing time early in the year as the defensive line was battling injuries.

Ethan Nguyen, 2011

Justyn Johnson was thrown into the fire as a sophomore in 2012 and held his own on the defensive line. He switched to #99 in 2013 and became the anchor of the defensive line.

Justyn Johnson, 2012-14; wore #99 in 2013-14

Marcus Harwell, a backup defensive end, wore 98 in 2014.

Austyn "Buster" Cohrs made the varsity in 2018, his junior year, but missed the first half of the season due to an injury. After getting cleared to play with a cast, Buster quickly became a key backup on the Cy Woods defensive line. He reprised that role as a senior in 2019.

Austyn Cohrs, 2018-19

Cy Woods All-Time Roster: Number 99

This is the first of 99 posts for the all-time roster of the Cypress Woods Wildcats football team.

Some Cy Woods fans will instantly remember the exploits of Bryce Callahan (#4, 2008-09) and Nick Hooper (#9, 2012-14), but throughout the years, the Cats have had plenty of unheralded players contribute significantly to the success of the team, such as Jeff Marshall (#45, 2009) and Christian Limbrick (#42, 2011). Still, there are others who were part of the Wildcat football family, but you would not have guessed that they played football (what I like to call the "who's that guy" effect), and often, the only proof of their membership in this brotherhood is their name, printed on the back of playoff shirts. Those are guys like Gideon Ibemere (#47, 2010), Zac Creach (#13, 2009), and..... me (#22, 2009). I was on the field for five plays against Stratford my senior year, and those five plays constituted my high school football career.

I used this countdown from SB Nation's Arizona State blog, House of Sparky, as the inspiration for this series. This will be updated annually. Players who were called up during the playoffs will not be counted; if they were called up during the season and suited up with the varsity squad for at least three games (including the playoffs), they will be included. Players who switched numbers will be mentioned twice. Or, three times, even.

No, I do not know the whereabouts of most of these guys. However, if I have one, I can provide a little anecdote about each player. 

And now, without further ado... here are all the players who have worn #99 for Cy Woods. Well, I'll have to spoil this a little... everyone who has worn 90-99 has all been defensive linemen.

The first Wildcat to wear 99 was Jared Baker. He was a member of the inaugural team in 2008, his junior year, and was selected as a team captain in the 2009 season. As a senior, Jared was a key cog in the Wildcats' defensive line and played a vital role for a team that advanced to the Region II (Division I) final. His older brother, Ryan, played basketball at Cy-Fair and moved on to play collegiately at Hartford.

Jared coached at Cy Lakes for a year.

Jared Baker (with his father), 2008-09

The next player to wear #99 was Estevan Villarreal. While he did not make an All-District team, he was a solid member of the defensive line rotation during his two seasons, although he was slowed a little by injuries during his senior season.

Estevan Villarreal, 2010-11

Tranard Domengeaux (pronounced duh-MON-zhay), a backup nose tackle in 2012, was the next player to wear #99. Tranard is now running his own clothing company, Climax Clothing.

Justyn Johnson was a three-year starter on the defensive line for the Wildcats. He made the varsity in 2012, his sophomore year, and wore #98 that season.

He and his brother Jordan (a linebacker who graduated in 2013, not the wide receiver/punter who's graduating in 2016) were the first pair of brothers to appear in the same game for the Wildcats. Justyn started at nose tackle for the Wildcats against Klein Collins in 2012 and he eventually evolved into the anchor of the Wildcat defensive line during his 3 seasons. He was also selected as a team captain for his senior year.

Justyn was a 2-time 1st-team All-District 17-5A selection, earning those honors in 2013 and 2014. He is currently playing at Kilgore College.

Justyn Johnson, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2012-14; wore #98 in 2012
Kilgore Rangers, 2015

Oluwatobi "Tobi" Orundami was called up for the playoffs as a freshman in 2014 and became a full-time varsity player in 2015, his sophomore year. His older sister, Gbemi, ran for the Wildcats and was a state qualifer in the 400m dash. "Oluwatobi" is a Nigerian name; it comes from the Yoruba people and translates to "God is great."

Tobi left the team after the first game of 2016, then decided to return in the offseason. After serving a period of probation, he was given permission to return to the team and he became a key piece of the Wildcats' defensive line in 2017.

Photo by Tom Dendy

Tobi Orundami, 2015-17

After starting on the offensive line as a junior in 2017, Chris Sturghill returned to the defensive line, his original position at Cy Woods, for his senior season in 2018. He served as a captain during his senior year.

Photo by Tom Dendy

Chris Sturghill, 2017-18

Saturday Morning Scrimmage Notes

This morning, the Wildcats held their final scrimmage of the spring. Consider it a preview of the spring game, which will take place on Thursday. Unfortunately, I didn't watch the freshmen and JV, and I have no videos to share. However, there were some good-looking underclassmen scrimmaging with the varsity. In all likelihood, they'll be on one of the JV squads next season, but they performed well. There's still plenty of talent in the pipeline to make the Cats a factor in the district for the coming years.

Quarterbacks

Bryson Powers and Austin Goffney did not participate. So, the Cats went a rotation of Jordan Johnson, Sean Despres, and Brighton Gullickson. The last two are both going to be juniors in 2015 and they were the primary quarterbacks on the JV Gold (B) team last season.

Sean was probably the top offensive performer in this one. He was at the helm for two scoring drives: one was capped off by a pitch to Jack Barrientez, who bounced outside and got the corner of the endzone. On the other one, Sean capped it off himself, evading a couple of tackles in the open field on his way to the endzone.

At the sub-varsity levels, Jordan Johnson was a quarterback. He reprised that role this morning and was behind center for a third scoring drive, which culminated with him finding Sam Landingham on a slant for a touchdown. He also put his legs to good use with a few good scrambles.

Jacob Kainer spent much of the morning as a linebacker, but I think he got a series at quarterback. He took a 20-yard-loss on a botched screen play, but on the very next play, he gained all of those yards back on a scramble, which brought up a much more manageable 3rd & 4 situation.

Running backs

Still no R.J. Harmon. C.J. Jones got the majority of the first-team reps, and three sophomores, Khari Keaton, Bobby Dodson, and Jack Barrientez rotated with him. Jack also shuffled between slot receiver and running back.

This was my first look at C.J. Jones in a scrimmage. A bit rusty, but he broke off two or three runs that resulted in first downs, and he caught a pass for a first down, too.

Bobby Dodson had a nice 20-yard (or so) run up the middle about 3/4ths of the way through the scrimmage. He also converted a 3rd down with a tough 6-yard run. He was on the freshman A-team last year, and hung in there very well going up against the older kids this morning.

Wide Receivers

Jared Taylor started off the scrimmage with a bang as he caught a pass from Jordan and took it inside the 10-yard-line. Unfortunately, nothing came of the first drive of the game.

Sam Landingham, who will be a junior, caught a touchdown from Jordan Johnson.

Seth Despres, a senior, caught a pass from his brother, Sean, and got a nice 25-yard gain out of it. Another senior, Josh Carter, also had a catch and made a nice move in the open field to get a first down.

I don't feel like I can make accurate judgments on the offensive line, so I will abstain, courteously.

Defense

The defense has performed very well and was extremely motivated all spring. They've got a chip on their shoulders.... allowing 455 points in the prior season can do that. Coach Faith, as we know, was a defensive coordinator, so I imagine that last year's performance left an incredibly bitter taste in his mouth.

As I mentioned earlier, Jacob Kainer spent this scrimmage as a linebacker, and I thought he performed rather well in that capacity. He is not only showing his versatility; he is also demonstrating that he has a high football aptitude, looking as though he's been a linebacker all through his young career. Because of this aptitude, I believe that he's the top overall prospect in the Wildcats system.

After Jared Taylor's big play to open the morning, the defense clamped down and kept the offense out of the end zone. They followed that up with 4 consecutive 3-and-outs before Sean Despres and the offense finally broke through.

Tobi Orundami, a sophomore nose tackle, will definitely one to remember for the future. Already one of the larger kids in the program, he strikes me as a pretty laid-back kid, and sometimes, "laid back" is a code phrase for "low energy." I don't really like the assumption that if someone has a laid back demeanor, then he's a low-effort player by default. He certainly did not show a lack of energy this morning, as he was a force at the line of scrimmage. Tobi's upside is tremendous, and I hope he continues to make strides as a player.

I didn't like the fact that the D-line fell for the hard counts... definitely going to need to clean that part up. Otherwise, they continued to play with great energy. They've taken it to their counterparts on the offense all spring.

All that's left is Thursday. The Cy Woods Spring Football Game will take place on Thursday, May 21. The sub-varsity will lead things off, and the varsity will wrap up the spring football season at 7:00.

Observations from Scrimmage #2

The Wildcats held their 2nd scrimmage of the spring yesterday. In my first spring football dispatch, I touched on the quarterback battle and the three main candidates for the job and a few kids who might have turned some heads with their performance in the first scrimmage on Wednesday. In this post, I'll be focusing on some new faces, and a few familiar ones. This post will also be a little shorter; I've got a busy weekend ahead.

The JV scrimmage was much more evenly matched this time around as the offense got 4 scores, including one on a option keeper in which junior (to-be) QB Sean Despres scampered to the endzone virtually untouched. After that clunker on Wednesday, the JV offense looked much improved. Defensively, Tyvon Alexander, a junior safety, had 2 interceptions.

Jared Taylor was a standout in Friday's proceedings as he took this Bryson Powers pass, shook Kason Franklin, and burned the defense for a touchdown. He also lined up at cornerback and intercepted a pass; the starting receivers are also getting reps in the secondary. Entering his 3rd season as a varsity player, Jared is someone who will definitely be counted on to provide leadership. He'll also be a valuable target for whoever starts at quarterback next season.  

Now, one series later, Jared was on the receiving end of this jarring hit from Myles Wilson. He performed well as a sophomore thrown into the fire of varsity football, but with one season under his belt, I expect Myles to make a significant leap forward performance-wise and emerge as a leader on the defense. In the first two scrimmages, he has looked more poised in the secondary and a little more confident in his tackling. 

A couple of returning players in the front 7, Keith Watson and Caleb Smith, were in the backfield for a good portion of the scrimmage. Especially Keith, who was virtually unblockable in the pass rush. With his excellent speed and unrelenting tenacity from the outside linebacker spot, he has the potential to emerge as a significant problem for opposing offensive linemen in the district. The defensive line played with some serious intensity yesterday and had their way with their counterparts on offense.

On to the QB battle.... dropped passes remain an issue. Most of the throws from Bryson Powers, Austin Goffney, and Jacob Kainer looked to me like they were well-placed and rather catchable balls. The only problem was that they were just dropped. 

Austin Goffney did a better job of putting his throws on the mark on Friday; on one drive, he found a totally uncovered Jack Barrientez on a wheel route in the red zone that was inexplicably dropped. That drive, unfortunately, ended without a touchdown, as a botched pitch was recovered by the defense right outside the goal line.

From my observations of the first two scrimmages, I believe that Austin is the best improviser of the three candidates. They are all at least solid, but Austin's physicality puts him at the top in that aspect. He also has pretty good strength for a wiry kid; he's a tough runner once he's underway, and would-be tacklers bounce off of him with surprising ease, which will definitely serve him well when he's forced to use his feet to extract himself from tough situations. On the run, he made a couple of solid throws; rolling out to his right, he found an open man who nearly got the first down, and while under pressure, he lobbed a pass over the heads of the pursuing linemen and found Michael Young, who was coming out of the backfield. He also caught a couple of passes; one of them went for a nice gain, but he did come up a little shaken up. However, nothing significant; just a cramp, it seems. Tempo is still an area that Austin needs to improve; he has to know that in this offense, the next play starts instantaneously. 

Overall, I would probably call Friday a spirited draw. A few more completed passes would have tipped the scales slightly in the offense's favor. 

Help (still) wanted: I'm still looking for three players (1 sophomore, 1 junior, and 1 senior) in the program to serve as guest writers. I didn't get much luck in finding anyone last season, but the offer is still open. If you're interested, please direct your questions to me on Twitter. 

Some Observations from Spring Scrimmage #1

I got my first look at the 2015 Cy Woods Wildcats yesterday as they held their first scrimmage of the spring. In this post, I'll be sharing some of my observations with you, including a few players that caught my eye. I even took some videos of a few plays; forgive me for the spotty quality (YouTube, for reasons unknown, would not let me upload these videos in HD) and the howling wind.

The main takeaway from this first impression of the Wildcats is that they're not going to allow 455 points on defense again. JV and varsity defensive players alike... they flew around and really imposed their will on the offense yesterday afternoon.

The JV scrimmage was an affair completely dominated by the defense. No matter who was on the field for them, they consistently drove the offense backwards and positive-yardage plays were few and far between. I think they forced 4 fumbles and recovered 3 of them, and had an interception or two. One JV defender that I was particularly impressed with was Collin Fewox, a sophomore (to-be) safety who had a couple of impressive hits, played with good intensity, and was intent on making plays while he was on the field. For me, he'll be one to watch for in the future.

On the offensive side, JV-wise... well, there's some work to be done. They were on the field for 45, maybe 50 minutes, and did not reach the end zone once. This was, without a doubt, a forgettable outing, but let's keep in mind that this was the first scrimmage of the spring.

Now, on to the varsity. The offense had a few explosive moments, but as was the case with the JV session, defense ruled the day. Again, I must reiterate... it was one scrimmage, and making definitive statements at this point would be most unwise. Kason Franklin had a solid day; he caught Jack Barrientez from behind after the young tailback made a catch-and-run of at least 60 yards and brought him down inside the 5-yard-line. 3 plays later, Kason had an interception in the end zone, one of two passes that he picked off on the day. Here's the other INT:

C.J. Jones and R.J. Harmon did not participate, so sophomore (to-be) Jack Barrientez took the majority of the reps at tailback with the first team. About midway through the varsity session, Jack took a pass from Bryson and very nearly scored; Kason ran him down and tackled him at about the 3-yard-line. Towards the end of the day (I'm fairly sure this was the last play of the day), Jack took a handoff, streaked right through the middle, and left everyone behind on his way to the endzone.

The freshman A-team backfield from last season left a pretty good first impression on me... Jack Barrientez has some pretty good wheels for a freshman. I thought he handled himself very well going up against the big leaguers, and he definitely possesses the big-play capability that the coaching staff covets from its running backs. Jacob Kainer also didn't seem fazed; he busted out a few impressive runs himself, including a long touchdown run that probably would've been called back in an actual game because of a block in the back.

Bryson Powers, Austin Goffney, and Jacob Kainer took turns under center as the Cats look to find a replacement for Nick Hooper. There were some dropped passes and some overthrown balls, which are two telltale signs of a passing game that needs refinement. That'll come with time. The big gains in the passing game came from Barrientez's catch-and-run out of the backfield, and a catch-and-run touchdown caught by Matt Ficalora, a junior (to-be) wideout. He ran a slant, got the pass from Kainer, made a couple of nifty moves in the open field to break free from a couple of would-be tacklers, and showed a good burst of speed as he eventually made his way to the endzone.

In case you missed last season, Bryson made quite the impact as a sophomore as he showcased his versatility and athleticism on both sides of the ball. He started out the year as a receiver and caught 2 touchdowns against Cy Ridge. The next week against Cy Falls, he moved over to safety and ended up garnering 2nd-team All-District honors as a safety. He just does it all. Now, he's back on the offensive side of the ball, looking to state his case to become the next QB1.

Austin Goffney entered the system as a quarterback, but last season on the JV Cardinal (A) team, he also lined up as a receiver, and on occasion, at running back. During the varsity portion of the scrimmage, he caught a touchdown pass. He looked a bit erratic at QB and, during a stint at slot receiver, he dropped a ball in the red zone that he really should have caught. However, he did redeem himself a couple of plays later as he caught that touchdown I mentioned earlier. Because Austin has been utilized in multiple roles in the past, there's still going to be a place for him on the field, even if he doesn't win the starting QB job.

I only saw parts of 2 freshman A-team games last season, but I liked what I saw from Jacob Kainer in that small sample size. His playing style reminds me of Nick Hooper from when he was a freshman. They are strikingly similar: they possess the same body type, a big arm, and if given the chance, they can do serious damage with their legs.

In my opinion, all three of the contenders for the starting quarterback spot possess the talent to be outstanding QBs. The two that lose out don't really lose, to be honest. I feel that they're all good players who will be more than able to contribute in other roles. Players like those don't just wallow away on the bench.

That's all I have for now; more to come following the 2nd scrimmage. I'll be attending all of the scrimmages and the spring game.

Bryce Callahan signs with the Chicago Bears

Three days and 256 names later, the 2015 NFL Draft is in the books. 

Rice cornerback Bryce Callahan, a 2010 graduate of Cypress Woods High School, was not among those 256 who heard their name called or saw their name flash at the bottom of the screen on NFL Network's or ESPN's coverage of the draft. However, he did not have to wait long for his chance at the NFL as he will be signing with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. He is the first Wildcat alumnus to join a National Football League team, and it is a well-deserved opportunity for 

Bryce did come off as a bit of a diva at times, especially on the practice field. I remember Coach Zachos getting on his case for just about everything imaginable. However, when it was time to perform, Bryce instantaneously transformed into the best player on the field. On the field, Bryce did it all: he returned punts, served as the leader of the defense, patrolled the field like a center fielder, delivered big hits to opposing receivers, and on occasion, he'd leave the defense in the dust as he took a Colton Huntsman heave to the end zone for a long touchdown.

At first, I thought that Bryce was too good of a player to end up at Rice, but the allure of an education at such a prestigious school, the opportunity to become a part of something special football-wise, and his accomplishments during his time there turned out to be the rebuttals to my thoughts all those years ago. In his four years as a member of the Rice Owls, Bryce got the opportunity to play in three bowl games (winning two) and was part of a conference championship-winning team. Without a doubt, Bryce Callahan played a crucial role in the revival of the Rice Owls.



Though Bryce and I have gone our separate ways, I'm glad that I can call him a friend, and I'm also glad that I was able to call him a teammate. Congratulations, brother. I hope you have a long and successful career, no matter where it takes you, and we're all going to be rooting for you every step of the way.

Cy Woods accolades

1st-team All-District 15-5A (2008, 2009)

1st-team Associated Press All-State (2009)

Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star (2010)
Honorable Mention Academic All-State (2009)

Career leader in interceptions (13) and kickoff/punt return touchdowns (4 punts returned for TDs)

Rice accolades

Armed Forces Bowl champion (2012)

Conference USA Champion, Liberty Bowl (2013)

Hawaii Bowl champion (2014)

Sporting News Freshman All-American (2011)

2nd-team All-Conference USA (2013, 2014)

All-freshman Conference USA, honorable mention all-conference (2011)

Jim Thorpe Award watch list (2014)

East-West Shrine Game participant (2014)

13 career interceptions (tied for 2nd in school history)

Photo uploaded to Facebook by his mother

View image | gettyimages.com

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.

All-District Wildcats

Congratulations to the Wildcats earning All-District honors for the 2014 season! Here's the story from the district website.

Nick Hooper, in addition to being a unanimous 1st-team All-District selection, was named the Offensive MVP for District 17-6A. That's not a bad way to wrap up a high school career.

His final totals for the season are as follows: 166-273 (60.8%), 2,749 yards, 21 TD, 9 INT; 224 carries, 1,002 yards (4.5 yards per carry), 22 TD (Woods record); 2 catches, 9 yards, 2 TD

Joining him on the 1st team are junior OL Skylar Schulz, senior DL Justyn Johnson (a unanimous pick), and sophomore RB C.J. Jones, who made it as a return specialist.

C.J. was honored 3 different ways; he was the Offensive Newcomer of the Year and was a 2nd-team choice at running back. I suppose that, in a way, he was the most decorated Wildcat this season. He ran for 893 yards on just 97 carries and scored 12 times. And... he also showed that he was a threat to score every time he touched the ball, with 7 receiving touchdowns and 2 kick return touchdowns. A 3rd was negated by a penalty.

2nd Team

WR Zac Duncan (SR) - Led team with 36 receptions
WR Tre' Hart (JR) - Led team with 541 receiving yards; averaged 22.5 yards per reception
RB R.J. Harmon (JR) - 1,118 rushing yards was a Cy Woods single-season record; averaged just over 9 yards per carry, also added 454 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns
RB C.J. Jones (SOPH) - 9.2 yards per carry, 12 rushing TDs; 15.4 yards per reception; 1,294 total yards on offense (893 rushing, 401 receiving); averaged 10.5 yards per offensive touch (97 carries, 26 catches)
LB Wade Carson (SR)
LB Shane Lawless (SR)
LB Tyler Greaves (SR)
DB Bryson Powers (SOPH) - Led team with 3 interceptions; also had 2 receiving TDs and returned a punt for a touchdown
K Luis Reyes (SOPH) - 7 FG made, 74 XP made; 95 points set a Woods single-season record for a kicker
P Jordan Johnson (JR) - Also an honorable mention at WR; district's leading punter

Honorable Mention

WR Jordan Johnson (JR) - 9 rec, 286 yards, 3 TD; 2nd-team punter
WR Taylor Tesch (SR) -  15 rec, 276 yards, 3 TD
WR Jared Taylor (JR) - 529 receiving yards, 2 TD
OL Ty Dendy (SR)
OL Wyatt Wozniak (SR)
DL Morgan Tosten (SR)
DL Randall Medlin (SR)

A (Very, Very Early) Look Ahead to 2015, and.... On Cy Ranch Playing for a State Championship

Well... November 29, 2014 marked Day 1 of the 2014-15 offseason for the Cy Woods Wildcats. One thing you should know about me is that I'm always jumping the gun on stuff. This post is no exception. And so... without further ado, here's my look ahead to the 2015 season.

Who's Not Coming Back?

Asterisk indicates a starter.

QB Nick Hooper* 

QB Reece Clark

RB Jacobi Boudreaux

WR Zac Duncan*

WR Taylor Tesch*

WR/long snapper Chad O'Donnell

OL Ty Dendy*

OL T.J. Frank

OL Brian Biddy (injured much of the season)

OL Andrew Gallagher*

OL Wyatt Wozniak*

OL Shiva Reddy*

OL Brandon Kula

OL Hunter Rohles

DL Randall Medlin*

DL Isiah Clay

DL Morgan Tosten*

DL Justyn Johnson*

LB Wade Carson*

LB Tyler Greaves*

LB/Special Teams Ace Danny Malone

LB Shane Lawless*

LB Elijah Pierson*

DB Jake Jones*
DB Robert Barrientez

DB Michael Wirt*

DB Matthew Swalm*

DB Nick Bailey

Who's Coming Back (as far as I know)?

Italics- Junior in 2015

RB R.J. Harmon

RB C.J. Jones

WR Tre' Hart

WR Jared Taylor

WR/QB/P Jordan Johnson

OL Skylar Schulz
OL Andrew Gonzalez

DL Caleb Smith

DL Brandon Love

LB Keith Watson

LB Austin Greaves

LB Brandon DePrato

DB Kason Franklin

DB Myles Wilson

DB Bryson Powers

K Luis Reyes

Returning Statistical Leaders

Passing: R.J. Harmon (this is not a typo), 1-3, 40 yards, TD
Rushing: R.J. Harmon, 122 carries, 1,118 yards, 8 TD (C.J. Jones leads the team with 12 rushing TDs)
Receptions: R.J. Harmon and Jared Taylor, 35 each
Receiving yards: Tre' Hart, 541
Receiving touchdowns: C.J. Jones, 7
Interceptions: Bryson Powers, 3

Questions That Must Be Addressed

1. Who's going to be the QB? 

The Cats went through a similar situation after the 2010 season when Colton Huntsman departed. Gabe West, who made a couple of spot starts in Colton's stead due to an injury, stepped in the following season and while he wasn't electrifying, he provided stability at the QB position and proved to be more than a capable performer. However, this situation is a little different. The Cats will be losing both their starter (Nick) and backup (Reece). Here are three guys who are probably going to be the primary contenders in the mix this spring.

Other than Nick and Reece, Jordan Johnson was the only player on the 2014 team that had QB experience. He has played quarterback at the sub-varsity levels and has performed well in that capacity, so presumably, he might be the front-runner for the job. He got in at quarterback during a couple of blowouts this past season, but he did not attempt a pass. Jordan's an outstanding athlete. He fits the mold of the Wildcat QB: a dual threat who is capable of making plays and extending them with his feet.

Austin Goffney was one of 3 (4, maybe?) players who saw action at QB at the JV Cardinal level this year. That position was a revolving door due to injuries, and the coaching staff was looking to see who could separate themselves from the pack. Goffney also fits the Wildcat QB mold in that he is also a dual threat. Although he might need a little more refinement as a passer, he possesses a good arm. He was also deployed as a receiver and a running back in certain situations this season on the JV level, so he could help as a utility player.

Jacob Kainer, a sophomore (OK, he's a freshman, but as far as the program is concerned, he's a sophomore), performed well as the primary freshman A-team QB. His skill set is rather reminiscent of Nick when he was a freshman, and I thought he played pretty well in the 2 freshman A-team games I saw this year. If (that's the operative word) he were to make the big club as a sophomore, which would also continue a trend of freshman A-team quarterbacks making the jump straight to the varsity, my guess is that he'd be broken in as a receiver, much like Nick and Mason Roberts were when they were sophomores.

Whoever gets the nod will have some weapons at his disposal, and more than likely, in keeping with the Wildcat tradition of employing dual threats at the quarterback position, he'll be a weapon himself. R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones are both returning; they're looking to build on electrifying 2014 seasons. Tre' Hart and Jared Taylor are the top 2 wideouts. Throw in R.J. and C.J. in the passing game, and the Wildcats are getting their top 4 receivers back for next season. The cupboard will hardly be barren for the new QB. 

2. Who's going to be protecting the QB and creating lanes for the running backs?

The Wildcats will also have to rebuild their offensive line. Skylar Schulz is the only returning starter, and if I'm not mistaken, he was the only non-senior offensive lineman in the rotation for much of the season. The Cats only brought up one offensive lineman during the course of the regular season: a junior named Andrew Gonzalez, and if I remember correctly, his playing time came when the outcome of the game was well in hand. It is pretty much a given that the 2015 season will be the first exposure to varsity football for the vast majority of the offensive linemen.

3. The Defense

The Wildcat defense surrendered 455 points, which is by far the most they've allowed in any season. They gave up 359 in the regular season alone. Again, that was also the most points that they've allowed through the 10-game regular season. I was actually much higher on the defense to begin the season, so their rather poor performance was definitely a surprise.

The front 7 will be a new-look unit in 2015; DLs Brandon Love and Caleb Smith, and LBs Keith Watson, Austin Greaves, and Brandon DePrato, who were all juniors last season, are the 5 returning defensive players on the front line who saw any sort of playing time on the varsity level. In the secondary, Kason Franklin, Myles Wilson, and Bryson Powers were all key contributors as sophomores. Bryson, along with Jake Jones and Michael Wirt, led the team in interceptions with 3. They cut their teeth in 2014 and performed admirably. Now, they're looking to take the next step in 2015.

I think the youth of the secondary was a key factor in the struggles of the defense... I mean, they played 3 sophomores. Then, when injuries thinned the ranks, the Cats had to draw from offensive players. They were also susceptible to the big play through the air. A possible silver lining from all this was that they got a healthy number of interceptions because teams were looking to throw on them quite a bit this year.

Part of this also stemmed from their inability to just get off the field. At times, it felt like the opposing team was converting on every single 3rd down situation, regardless of distance. The Jersey Village game was a prime example of this deficiency. The Falcons went 13-18 on 3rd down, and the 13th was killer, as they got a 12-yard pass play when they needed 7 yards to move the sticks. To top that all off, that occurred when the Cats had the Falcons pinned deep in their own territory late in the 4th quarter. A stop there could have given the offense the ball for one final attempt at a comeback with great field position. They were also hit by the injury bug, especially in the secondary. They had to find receivers that could play corner towards the end of the season. Shane Lawless missed some time. Keith Watson was not totally healthy this season. But... yeah, injuries are a factor, but whoever steps in has to contribute as well. It's a somewhat valid reason, but not totally valid.

Since day one, this is a defense that has subscribed to a "bend, but don't break" philosophy. The amount of yards they gave up didn't matter, as long as they kept the opposing offense out of the endzone. Keeping opponents out of the endzone didn't happen very often with this defense, where teams seemingly put up points at will on them. It's fun watching a shootout, unless you're more defensive-minded. Now, the defense played well for stretches, but they had very few games where they were able to put it all together on that side of the ball.

I'll get this out of the way, too: The offense scoring too quickly is not a valid reason for the defense's struggles. In the past, the Wildcat defense still found ways to stuff opposing offenses even as their own offense was busy running opposing defenses off the field.

I doubt that Coach Faith, who, lest we forget, was a defensive coordinator prior to taking the reins at Cy Woods, was pleased with the team's performance on the defensive side of the ball. Between now and August, I know he and the defensive coaches will be finding solutions in order that a season like this does not happen again on the defensive side.

4. How is this team going to remain a playoff contender even as the landscape of the district changes?

Simplest answer: Find 22 kids on each side of the ball that will compete fiercely on every down.

However, we all know that's easier said than done. Note that I didn't say that it couldn't be done. Thankfully, the Cats have not run into many serious complications in this aspect in the past.

Although.... admittedly, I do have my reservations about the kids coming up from within the system, and these reservations are about the kids that are probably going to be counted on to contribute at the varsity level. I won't openly elaborate on this further, but I have concerns.

5. Is there any reason why the Cy Woods Wildcats can't be a playoff team in 2015?

Maybe it's the blind homerism speaking, but on paper.... no, I don't see a reason why the Cats don't make the playoffs in 2015. But the reality is that there are countless variables that will be in play.

For one, injuries. Some key players will be banged up along the way, some more serious than others. Another factor will be how the new quarterback handles the reins. Nick Hooper's production won't be replaced instantaneously, but sometimes, stability at the quarterback position is what matters most. The defense is going to have to reinforce itself. They will need to step up, because there will be teams in the district that will be bringing back many of their key players on offense.

Cy Ranch's appearance in the state championship game just raised the stakes significantly in this district. Their run to the title game has pretty much ensured that the district will be a slugfest in 2015. Think about it. Not only will the Cats have the Mustangs to contend with, but Langham Creek will be hell-bent on defending their crown. Jersey Village is hell-bent on ending their playoff drought after getting eliminated on the final day of the regular season. Cy-Fair, in all likelihood, will do what they usually do: lean on an outstanding running game and a stout defense to get them to the playoffs.

Even the non-playoff teams look to be much improved. Falls is a proud program that has suffered long enough, and they have key players coming back to give the opposition fits. Creek looks like they've solved a problem that has plagued them for the past few seasons. The revolution at Springs looks like it's about to bear fruit. Like I said... this district is going to be as rugged as ever. But I know that the Cats will be in the mix when the dust settles.

On Ranch playing for State, from the guy who was once a player but now randomly turns up at practices and JV games

Disclaimer: I never played against Ranch, so I found this somewhat easier to type out. I know... yuck. Truth hurts, but it's got to be said.

Consider that their ultimatum. It was an ultimatum that was not just aimed at the rest of the district, but one that was composed with you, the returning Wildcat football players, in mind. Hopefully, they've gotten your full and undivided attention.

Sometimes, teams you don't like are successful. That's sports. There is really no use in being bitter.