CISD Football: Oak Ridge Vs. Gregory-Portland

THE WOODLANDS, Texas---To open the 2017-2018 High School Football season the Oak Ridge War Eagles will square off against the Gregory-Portland Wildcats in El Campo, Texas. The War Eagles are coming off a 4-6 season but have high expectations for this season. Oak Ridge is projected to have a very high powered offense this year as Quarterback Bishop Durst will be the head of this ship. Durst will have some heavy weaponry on the outsides as Wide Receivers Tanner Lacy and Darrius Jelks will be looking to build on their success from their 2016-2017 seasons.

A new face in the back field for the War Eagles is Running Back Senior Kamari Williams. Williams will be taking over former Running Back Jimmie Moore IV, as Moore IV graduated this past summer. Williams will be getting the bulk of the carries and will be should be an exceptional replacement for Moore IV.

Gregory-Portland will have a new starter at the Quarterback position this year, as former Quarterback Dustin Atkinson graduated last summer. The new starter is Junior Ruben Camacho. Thankfully for Gregory-Portland their Running Back from last year Mark Flores will be in the back field to help Camacho out. Star Wide Receiver Randell Harris looks to build on his tremendous Junior year as he will surely be the primary playmaker on this Wildcats offense.

Oak Ridge also returns some key players on defense as well. Defensive Ends Joseph Ossai and Darius Richmond, and Linebackers Malachi Cramm and Brennan Young. After a 4-3 start to the season last year, the Oak Ridge War Eagles hit a bump in their season schedule against The Woodlands, Lufkin, and Westbrook and ended up with a record of 4-6, and once again missing the playoffs. The War Eagles averaged 21.5 points a game while allowing 23.8 for the season. This year’s team should put up similar numbers.

While being a 5A school, Gregory-Portland has the potential to put up a tough fight against Oak Ridge if the War Eagles come into this game and underestimate the Wildcats. Unfortunately, I just do not see that happening. I think Head Coach Derreck Rush knows that his team has a great opportunity this year to be special and with the senior leadership on this team, Oak Ridge will get the job done. I have the War Eagles taking this one 42-10.