SHENANDOAH, Texas -- For the second straight year, the Oak Ridge War Eagles have qualified for the Class 5A state football playoffs at the expense of the College Park Cavaliers.
The War Eagles, who looked dead-in-the-water after falling to Conroe 22-21 in their District 14-5A opener, played their best defensive game of the season on Friday night to blank the suddenly reeling Cavs 24-0 at Woodforest Bank Stadium.
Oak Ridge, which knocked College Park out of the playoffs a year ago, improved to 5-4 overall and 2-2 in District 14-5A. The War Eagles now have clinched one of the league’s four playoff spots.
College Park, which has lost four of its last five games, dropped to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in the league. The Cavs and Conroe will play next Friday at Buddy Moorhead Stadium to decide who will get the league’s final playoff spot.
“If our defense continues to play like that, we have a chance to beat just about anybody,’’ said Oak Ridge quarterback Ryan Cyr, who rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns in the game. “We knew we were a better team than we had showed (the last two games).’’
College Park, which has suffered from major injuries for most of the season, practically handed Oak Ridge the game by throwing three interceptions, giving up a blocked punt and fumbling another horrible punt snap for a 20-yard loss.
The Cavs, who were playing without starting quarterback Taylor Parsons (due to an ankle injury), managed only 142 yards of offense on couldn’t move through the air with unlimited frequent flier miles.
Still, the Cavs were hanging in the game until Oak Ridge’s John McCandless burst through the College Park line and swatted down Bret Mooney’s Rugby-style punt with under five minutes left in the first half.
One play later, Cyr turned a simple quarterback draw into a 38-yard score to give the War Eagles a 7-0 lead.
“It was the first time I ever blocked one (a punt),’’ an excited McCandless said after the game. “After I did it, I kind of looked up and said ‘Did I just block that?’”
The War Eagles would increase the lead to 10-0 on Martin Gonzalez’s 33-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Oak Ridge put the finishing touches on its biggest win of the year when Cyr scored on an 11-yard run with 8:01 left in the game, and Torrian Oakley busted a 33-yard touchdown run with 5:55 left in the contest.
Oak Ridge’s Chase Daniels, Jontry Guidry and Fredie Dotson all came up with interceptions on the night. All three picks led to Oak Ridge points.
Patrick Bates was about the only highlight for the Cavaliers as he came up with an interception on his own 5-yard line and partially blocked Gonzalez’s 35-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter.
“I think everybody had written us off,’’ McCandless said. “We used that as motivation and I think it worked.’’
Cyr said it feels good to be back in the playoffs.
“A lot of people didn’t think we would be here,’’ he said. “It feels good. Now, we want to go out and try and win a game (in the playoffs)."
College Park hurt itself almost the entire game with failed reverses on kickoff returns. The play, which worked once against Lufkin, continually left the Cavs pinned inside their own 10-yard line as Oak Ridge would not bite on the fakes.
On its first series, in fact, Chaumet barely escaped a safety as he was sacked at his own 1 after a bad kickoff return pinned the Cavs at their own 7.
“Everybody played their part tonight,’’ said McCandless, who transferred to Oak Ridge from Klein Collins. “The whole team went out and did a great job.’’
Oak Ridge will finish the regular season by hosting Lufkin at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Woodforest Bank Stadium. Lufkin enters the game 7-2 overall and 3-1 in District 14-5A play after falling to The Woodlands 31-21 Friday night.
“If our defense plays like it did this week, we will do everything we can to make it a good game,’’ Cyr said. “We just have to continue to practice hard and play hard.’’
Oak Ridge finished the game with 226 total yards, including 194 on the ground.
College Park managed only 99 yards rushing on 44 carries. It also had 43 yards in the air, but did not complete a pass longer than 15 yards all night.
