Week three football preview: who is playing, what to watch for

THE WOODLANDS, Texas- Week three of the high school football season kicks off Thursday and runs through Friday for local teams as district play is right around the corner.

The College Park Cavaliers (0-2) at Katy Taylor Mustangs (1-0)

Next Up: The College Park Cavaliers take to the road for the first time this season on Thursday, as they take on the Katy Taylor Mustangs at Rhodes Stadium at 7pm.

Last Week: The Cavaliers are coming off a 24-0 defeat at the hands of Eisenhower, while the Mustangs rested last week after defeating Fort Bend Clements, 40-14, to open their season back on August 30th.

What to Watch For: Which College Park offense shows up. Against a top ten team in the state, Pearland in week one, the Cavaliers racked up 261 total yards and played them to a stalemate through three quarters. Against Eisenhower, they totaled 79 yards and couldn’t get anything working. Which offense shows up at Rhodes Stadium is a big factor in the outcome of this game.

Analysis: Katy Taylor knows how to run the ball, as they had two backs (Brandon Miller, Eli Walters) go for 124 yards and 148 yards respectively, in week one. If the College Park defensive line, led by three-year starter Roosevelt Henderson, can slow down the ground attack of Katy Taylor, it may give time for quarterback, Robert Ferguson, and running backs, Dominic Garcia and A.J. Sanders, to pull away. Whoever can dictate the rushing in this game has the upperhand.

The Woodlands High School Highlanders (1-1) vs. Katy Tigers (2-0)

Next Up: The Woodlands takes on the powerhouse Katy Tigers at Woodforest Bank Stadium on Friday, at 7:30pm. This game will be OnDemand at www.woodlandsonline.com to watch over the weekend.

Last Week: The Highlanders picked up their first win of the season by besting Spring Dekaney 24-14, on the road. The Tigers destroyed Fort Bend Travis 55-0 in their home opener last week.

What to Watch For: Can points be scored? The Woodlands have given up nine points to a top-five area school in Cy-Fair, and 14 points to Spring Dekaney, both on the road. Katy has pitched two shutouts, and they will be excited to have a chance to make it three-in-a-row on Friday at the Woodlands home stadium.

Analysis: Katy’s defense has pitched two shutouts, but their offense has been clicking on all cylinders as well. The Tigers scored 31 points at Kingwood, followed by 55 points last week against Fort Bend Travis. Katy has 327 passing yards and 484 rushing yards on the year, so they move the ball through the air and the ground. For The Highlanders to win, they need to make the Tigers a one-dimensional team and get the ball back to their offense. The offense will need to play ball control and have sustained drives, to have a chance of pulling out the win in this contest.

The Oak Ridge War Eagles (2-0) at Klein Forest Golden Eagles (1-1)

Next Up: Oak Ridge takes to the road to face the Klein Forest Golden Eagles at Klein Memorial Stadium on Friday at 7pm.

Last Week: Oak Ridge demolished Houston Aldine at Thorne Stadium 48-3, while Klein Forest got bested on the road by Humble Atascocita, 26-6.

What To Watch For: Offensive output. After starting the season slow, Oak Ridge had scored three points through the first three quarters (minus the last ten seconds of the third quarter), and the War Eagles have dropped 69 points over their last five quarters. Quarterback, Riley McKnight, has stepped in well for the injured Letney, throwing for three touchdowns against Aldine last week.

Analysis: Klein Forest is a balanced team, rushing for 201 yards and passing for 231 yards in their two contests. Oak Ridge has given up three points over their last five quarters, so the defense is in rhythm and playing good assignment football. If Klein Forest can’t use misdirection and get both facets of their offense working against Oak Ridge’s defense, there is a good chance McKnight and running back, Kwame Etwi, will run away and hide in this matchup.

The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors (2-0) vs. Houston Cypress Christian Warriors (1-1)

Next Up: The Woodlands Christian Academy hosts Houston Cypress Christian at 7pm on Friday, September 12th at Warrior Stadium.

Last Week: The Woodlands Christian Academy took care of Houston Westbury Christian, 29-14, in their home debut, while Cypress Christian took down Sabine Pass on the road, 42-0.

What to Watch For: Can Cypress Christian slow down Jack Bento? Bento has started the season on fire, amassing 274 yards through the air and five touchdowns. Throw in running back, Luke Hudson, and wide receiver, Dirk Sanford, having over 300 total yards and five touchdowns between them, and The Woodlands Christian Academy have an offense anyone would be envious of.

Analysis: Cypress Christian has scored 73 points in their two contests, while the Woodlands Christian Academy has scored 79, so it’s not as if Cypress Christian isn’t potent on offense as well. The difference is that The Woodlands Christian Academy has been consistent on defense as well, allowing 20 points in a blowout win, and 14 points last week. Cypress Christian has given up 36 points in week one to Bryan Brazos Christian and then pitched a shutout last week. Which Cypress Christian defense shows up Friday night will decide which team has the upper hand in this game.

The John Cooper Dragons (0-2) at Tomball Rosehill Christian Eagles (2-0)

Next Up: John Cooper travels to Tomball Rosehill Christian to take on the Eagles, Friday at 7pm, from Tomball Rosehill Christian High School.

Last Week: The Dragons were bested at Greenhill by a score of 50-23, while the Eagles defeated Tomball Christian Homeschool by a margin of 7-6.

What to Watch For: Eagle athlete, Jon Hendrix. The senior has accounted for all 108 yards passing for Tomball Rosehill Christian, and also leads the team with 154 rushing yards. He has five touchdowns on the young season, and will look to add to his total Friday night against the Dragons.

Analysis: The John Cooper defense has given up 50 points in both of it’s games, and it will need to improve in a hurry to slow down Tomball Rosehill Christian. The Eagles opened the season beating Northside Homeschool 48-0, so they know how to put points on the board. Hendrix is averaging over 19 yards a carry, and passing for over 21 yards an attempt, so the defense will need to be on it’s toes to keep him under control. If the defense can force turnovers and keep Hendrix from breaking big plays, they stand a chance to come away with the upset.

Legacy Prep Christian Academy Lions (0-2) at Fellowship Academy Mustangs (1-1)

Next Up: Legacy Prep continues to look for it’s inaugural win as they travel to Kennedale to take on Fellowship Academy at 7:30pm, Friday night, from Mustang Stadium.

Last Week: The Lions fell at home to Evadale, 34-14, while the Mustangs got the better of Dallas Lutheran, 14-6.

What to Watch For: Sustained drives. Legacy Prep got shutout in their opener against Wortham before putting together a few good drives against Evadale, and scoring their first points in school history. The Mustang defense is stingy, allowing 16 points in a loss to Garland Christian Academy, and six in the win last week, so the Lions will need to keep the offense moving to be able to hang around.

Analysis: Expect a low scoring affair in this one. Legacy Prep has given up an average of 23.5 points in their games, while the Mustangs have allowed 11 points. Neither team has shown a penchant for scoring, as Legacy is garnering seven points a game, while the Mustangs are sitting at 13.5 points a game. As both defenses seem to be the stronger units, the team that can make a big play, sustain a few drives, and score early may be the one to walk away the victor in this game.