Taylor Williams, a backup nose tackle, was the first to wear this jersey in 2008.
Taylor Williams, 2008
Next to wear the #91 was one of the smartest Cats to ever put on the uniform, and (in my opinion) a great guy all around, Cyrus Iqbal. He moved to Cy Woods from New York before sophomore year, and I admit that I did not have a very positive first impression of him. I thought he ran his mouth quite a bit and really needed to just stop talking altogether.
Maybe it's because he's from New York (Syosset, on Long Island, to be exact), I dunno. But on a serious note, Cyrus is truly one of the most brilliant people that I have had the pleasure of knowing. I always remembered that we'd talk nonstop about sports during chemistry and lunch. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (petroleum engineering, pre-med) and is now studying at Baylor College of Medicine.
Cyrus Iqbal, 2009
Dylan Hurt was the next player to wear #91, in 2010.
Dylan Hurt, 2010
After wearing #92 in his first season as a varsity player, Jordan Cipriani switched to 91 for his final two seasons on the varsity. He was another one of the many talented defensive linemen who came through the program during the early days of the Wildcats. Jordan was a 2nd-team All-District performer as a junior in 2011.
Jordan Cipriani, 2010-12; wore #92 in 2010
After not being issued in 2013, the 91 jersey returned to action in 2014 with Jaycee Miller, a nose tackle.
Jaycee Miller, 2014
Adrian Garcia wore #91 in 2015. He was mainly a defensive end, but he also played some nose tackle for the Wildcats. Deon Jones was a backup defensive end in 2016.
The first Wildcat to wear #92 was Tyler Weatherbee, a backup nose tackle. The strongest man in the program, Tyler also participated in powerlifting. His records in the weight room have been broken, but he is still remembered for his tremendous country strength.
Sadly, Tyler is no longer with us; he passed away in a car accident in 2009.
Tyler Weatherbee (1990-2009), 2008
The next player to wear #92 was Dale Wright. He was a manager at Under Armour at the outlet mall in Fairfield for a while, but at some point a couple of years ago, I think he moved down to the outlets in Texas City to work at the Under Armour there. He also started a clothing company, NFG Premium Clothing, with some friends of his, but they've left that venture behind.
Dale Wright (right), 2009
In 2010, his sophomore year, Jordan Cipriani was a midseason call-up to the varsity, and was given the number 92. He wore 91 in his final two years at Cy Woods.
Jordan Cipriani, 2010-12; wore #91 in 2011 and 2012
With Jordan Cipriani switching to #91 in 2011, Matt Cooksey, a backup nose tackle, took this number that year.
Matt Cooksey, 2011
Michaelangelo Williams, another reserve nose tackle, wore #92 in 2012.
Michaelangelo Williams, 2012
Isiah Clay, who switched to #95 in 2014, wore #92 during his junior season in 2013.
Isiah Clay, 2013; wore #95 in 2014
Isiah switched to #95 in 2014, and Cameron Cullivan, a backup defensive end, took the #92 jersey.
Cameron Cullivan (right of picture), 2014
Matt Luna, a nose tackle, wore #92 in 2015.
After serving as the starting left tackle in 2015, Ryan Kenny moved back to the defensive line in 2016 and became the starting nose tackle; he also served as a team captain that year.
Ryan Kenny (making tackle), 2015-16; wore #77 in 2015
Tyler Sherrill made the varsity in 2019, his junior year, and took this number. He earned 2nd-team All-District 14-6A honors in his first season. His twin brother, Parker, also plays for the Wildcats as a defensive lineman.
No one wore this number in 2008, so Tyler Haley in 2009 was the first to wear the jersey. Tyler was a starter at defensive end that year and was one of the many fine defensive linemen to play in the early days of the program.
Tyler Haley (left), 2009
The 93 was passed on to James Randall in 2010. He too was a starter and part of a deep and talented defensive line.
James Randall, 2010
Ramon Guerrero was the next player to wear 93; he was a backup in 2011.
Ramon Guerrero, 2011
Another backup defensive lineman, David Berry, wore 93 in 2012.
David Berry, 2012
Kyle Bruegging was injured before the 2013 season began and did not play.
Cameron Cavnar, a nose tackle, wore this number in 2015.
The first member of the Wildcat family to wear 94 was Anthony Villamagna, a defensive tackle. His father, George (well, to me, he's Mr. Villamagna), is a former history teacher at Cy Woods. Anthony was selected as one of the first team captains in 2008 and was a key member of the defensive front along with Josh Theut, Justin Washington, and Glenn Etienne and earned 2nd-team All-District honors in District 15-5A.
Christian Hynes was one of the few underclassmen to make the 2009 squad, although he shuffled between the varsity and the JV that year. He became a regular in 2010 as part of a deep and talented defensive line.
Christian Hynes, 2009-10
Ernest "E.J." Horn was the next person to wear #94; he was a backup in 2011.
The most recent player to wear 94 was Kyle Van Buren, a backup defensive end. He also wore 71; players wearing more than one jersey in the same season is not uncommon at Cy Woods.
Kyle Van Buren (far left), 2014
Chris Statom made the Opening Day roster in 2015, but he shuffled between the JV and the varsity that season. Max Sweet originally wore 94 when he made the varsity as a junior in 2016, then switched to #74 in 2017.
Cody Johnson began the 2018 season wearing #93, but I guess damage to the jersey resulted in him having to switch to #94.
With 95 days left before the new season, it's now time to look at number 95.
Miles Carroll served as a backup defensive end on the first varsity squad in 2008.
Miles Carroll, 2008
Cody McKnight, another backup defensive end, wore this number in 2009.
Cody McKnight (left), 2009
After not being issued in 2010, Conner Kenny wore 95 jersey in the 2011 season. His brother, Josh, played in 2009. They are not related to Ryan Kenny, who is currently a junior defensive lineman.
Conner Kenny, 2011
Isiah Clay saw his first varsity action as a junior in 2013,wearing #92. In 2014, he backed up Morgan Tosten and Randall Medlin and switched to #95. Isiah was also a member of the choir at Cy Woods and performed the National Anthem before games on a few occasions.
Isiah Clay, 2013-14; wore #92 in 2013
Patrick Turner made the varsity in 2015, his junior year, and was mostly a backup that season. Christian Jones wore #95 in 2016. Christian switched to #71 and the offensive line for the 2017 season.
Josh Jones was a backup nose tackle in 2018.
Photo by Tom Dendy
Josh Jones, 2018
Duke Leonard made the varsity in 2019, his sophomore year. He also plays baseball for the Wildcats.
Jamie Nicolai was a backup defensive tackle in 2009. He did see action as part of the extra point team (the Wildcats didn't kick many field goals back then). Before the Klein Oak game, he yawned noisily while we were listening to the defensive gameplan, which prompted Coach Zachos to simply say, "Get out." Jamie replied "sorry, coach" in a groggy manner before he left.
Jamie Nicolai, 2009
The next player to don the #96 was Matt Gutierrez in 2010. He too was a backup. In his post-football life, he's a DJ.
Matt Gutierrez (right), 2010
Stephen Thompson is the only player to wear this jersey for more than one season; he was called up to the varsity early in his junior season (2011) due to injuries, but stayed up with them for the rest of the season, emerging as a key member of the defensive line. He returned in 2012 and was one of the main nose tackles with Justyn Johnson.
Stephen Thompson, 2011-12
After not being issued in 2013, Darion Shields wore #96 during the 2014 season. He was one of the two nose tackles who saw significant playing time, serving as Justyn Johnson's primary backup.
Darion Shields, 2014
Mitchell Wolverton was a backup in 2016. His older brother, Brandon, was a student trainer for the Wildcats from 2009-14.
Donte Wilson was a backup nose tackle in 2008, but he was one of the main backups behind Justin Washington and Anthony Villamagna.
Donte Wilson, 2008
The next wearer was Matt Donnellan; he was a reserve in 2009.
Matt Donnellan, 2009
Jordan "Moose" Hardy was the first to wear the 97 jersey for more than one season. He was part of the defensive line rotation for his two seasons (2010-11), playing primarily as an end.
Jordan Hardy, 2010-11
After not being issued in the 2012 season, Randall Medlin was given this number in 2013, and he formed a solid tandem on the defensive line with his classmate, Justyn Johnson, for two seasons. Randall, along with Dylan Thompson, are the only two defensive linemen to record interceptions for Cy Woods.
Randall Medlin, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2013-14
Jordan Frazier was a key member of the defensive line rotation in the 2015 season, while Chris Statom was a backup in 2016.
Trevor Reed was called up in 2016, his sophomore year, and wore #52. He switched to #97 in 2017, his first full season with the varsity.
Trevor Reed, 2016-17; wore #52 in 2016
Chris Agnew, a defensive lineman, made the varsity as a sophomore in 2018 and earned 2nd-team All-District 14-6A honors in his first season. His older brother, Ethan, was the starting center for 2.5 seasons and they both got an opportunity to play alongside each other.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
