Previewing week two's match-ups around the league

Week Two of the high school football season kicks off Thursday and runs through Friday for local teams as they continue to prepare for district play.

The Woodlands Highlanders (0-1) at Spring Dekaney Wildcats (1-0)

Next Up: The Woodlands High School travels to Leonard George Stadium to take on the Spring Dekaney Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. This game will be broacast LIVE at woodlandsonline.com: http://www.woodlandsonline.com/sports/live/streamEvent.cfm?streamid=50

Last Week: The Highlanders dropped a 9-0 decision at Cy-Fair last week. Spring Dekaney is coming off an impressive 35-0 thrashing of Alief Hastings on the road and will be opening their home schedule against The Woodlands this week.

What to Watch For: Running back Patrick Carr currently sits 198 yards away from setting the all-time Highlander rushing record. Alief Hastings rushed for 104 yards against the Wildcats, but no player had more than 38 yards individually. If Carr can break off a big run or two, the record could be within his grasp.

Analysis: With the season so young, both teams will still be looking to find themselves and feel each other out. The Woodlands defense allowed 108 yards rushing to Cy-Fair last week, but it came on 36 carries, meaning they only gave up three yards a tote. The Wildcats tailback Ben Hawkins had 130 yards himself, on only eight touches. Whoever takes control of the rushing game may have the upper hand in this contest.

The College Park Cavaliers (0-1) vs. Houston Eisenhower (1-0)

Next Up: The College Park Cavaliers take on the Eisenhower Eagles at Woodforest Bank Stadium on Friday at 7:30pm. This game will be OnDemand at woodlandsonline.com to watch over the weekend.

Last Week: The Cavaliers played tough against Pearland before failing 25-14. Eisenhower opened it’s season beating Fort Bend Hightower 7-0 on the road at Hall Stadium.

What to Watch For: Sustained drives. Both teams focus on the run, which can lead to three-and-outs and short rest for the defense. If either team can control the time of possession and have long drives, that team will keep it’s defense fresh and ready to pounce in the fourth quarter.

Analysis: Which team will score enough points to back the defense? Quarterback Robert Ferguson showed a lot of deception in avoiding Pearland defenders and wreaking havoc, but towards the end of the game, the offense started to stall. Eisenhower pitched a shutout in it’s opening game and held Hightower to -5 yards rushing, so points may be at a premium in this contest. The team that gets to double digits first may win this game.

The Oak Ridge War Eagles (1-0) vs. Houston Aldine Mustangs (0-1)

Next Up: Oak Ridge takes to the road for the first time this season to take on Houston Aldine at Thorne Stadium on Friday at 7pm.

Last Week: Oak Ridge picked up a late, fourth-quarter comeback win over Morton Ranch 25-21, while Aldine fell to Houston Strake Jesuit 42-14 at home.

What To Watch For: The tempo of the game. Quarterback Braden Letney left last week’s contest and didn’t return, so the assumption is that Riley McKnight will start. McKnight has experience as the starter, taking over when Letney got injured last year and leading the team in the playoffs, but the offense took a few quarters to settle in against Morton Ranch. Oak Ridge will need to start fast against Aldine to gain confidence and make sure they don’t have to worry about fourth-quarter comebacks this time around.

Analysis: If McKnight can keep the defense honest, running back Kwame Etwi should have a strong game against Aldine. The Mustangs gave up 262 yards rushing against Strake Jesuit, and Etwi came up big for the War Eagles to the tune of 127 yards and two touchdowns last week from the tailback position. If Oak Ridge can open holes in the run game, this one may get away from Aldine quickly.

The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors (1-0) vs. Westbury Christian Wildcats (0-1)

Next Up: The Woodlands Christian Academy hosts Houston Westbury Christian at 7pm on Friday to kick off their home schedule.

Last Week: The Warriors took care of the John Cooper Dragons 50-20 in their season opener, while Westbury Christian fell on the road to Bay Area Christian 41-0.

What to Watch For: The Warriors offensive output. Jack Bento returned from his third ACL injury to perform well for the Warriors, going 10-of-14 for 177-yards and three touchdowns. Factor in Luke Hudson and Dirk Sanford’s performance in the 50-point outburst in week one, and The Woodlands Christian Academy appears to have a potent offense that could challenge anyone.

Analysis: Westbury Christian will need to regroup in a hurry to stick around in this one. The Warriors have a seasoned offense, and the defense held John Cooper to six points through three quarters. The Wildcats will need to jump out early and gain momentum to stick around in this tilt.

The Legacy Prep Christian Academy Lions (0-1) vs. Evadale High School Rebels (1-0)

Next Up: The Legacy Prep Christian Academy Lions host it’s first home game in school history as they take on the Evadale Rebels at 7pm on Friday.

Last Week: The Lions played their first football game, dropping a low scoring affair to Wortham 13-0. The Rebels went down to Galveston and beat O’Connell 40-14 to kick off their 2014 season.

What to Watch For: Offensive output. Evadale finished last year going 4-2, scoring 36 points or more in each of their wins. Then last week they put up 40, winning that game easily. Legacy Prep has yet to score, so they will need to get things moving on this side of the ball to keep up with Evadale.

Analysis: Last week, Legacy Prep faced a team in Wortham that could score some points. In 2013, Wortham was able to score in the thirties, and the Lions held them to 13. The defense for Legacy Prep will have to be stout again to keep this a low scoring affair, and bide time for the offense to gel and start clicking. If the Lions can make this a defensive struggle, they have a shot at their first win in school history.