The Woodlands Higlanders and Grand Oaks Grizzlies Look to Build Off a Solid Start

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- This Friday at Woodforest Bank Stadium, The Woodlands Highlanders will face the Grand Oaks Grizzlies in a matchup between two 2-0 teams aiming to kick off district play on a strong note. Both schools are coming off close wins against out-of-district opponents after dominating their initial games. While their scoring totals are lower than some other district teams, they boast some of the strongest defenses that help them stay competitive in tighter games.

Grand Oaks Grizzlies

Led on offense by their duo at RB, Keilan Gause and Bryan Victorian Jr., Grand Oaks loves to run the ball. Gause has an impressive 269 rushing yards this season with 3 touchdowns, and his running mate Victorian has 124 yards with 1 touchdown. WR Preston Cloud leads the receiving group with 2 touchdowns and 127 yards. QB Grant Smith has thrown 3 touchdowns but also struggled with 2 INTs and will look to improve through the air in this game. On defense, Grand Oaks has many players with 6+ tackles on the year and has forced some solid turnovers, including 1 INT and 2 fumbles. Grand Oaks is a balanced team that can rely on both sides of the ball to close games and will be a factor for anyone in the district who challenges them.

The Woodlands Highlanders

Coming into the season, The Woodlands is always a team that competes within this district. On offense, they are led by QB Jack Daulton, who is committed to TCU and can make things happen both with his arm and his legs. Daulton has 409 passing yards so far this season, along with 4 touchdowns, and has over 170 rushing yards. He has spread the ball out to many different WRs during these first few games, such as Peyton Dipasquale, Jamieson Gavin, and Eli Lancaster, all of whom have scored at some point this season. RB Cody Jordan is another key player on offense that The Woodlands relies on heavily; he carries the ball a lot, and so far, Jordan has gained 130 yards on the ground but has yet to score a touchdown. On defense, The Woodlands again boasts one of the district’s best units. DB Caycen Bartolazzi leads the defense and has the most tackles on the team, averaging over 9 tackles per game. Speedy Parker Stewart supports him in the secondary with pass deflections and interceptions, while LB Cole Carlin controls the middle of the field with many tackles. Overall, The Woodlands looks like a district contender and will be a tough opponent for anyone moving forward.

Final Thoughts and Predictions

The Woodlands and Grand Oaks are both teams to watch this season because they are balanced teams that can compete with anyone in this district. This will be a tough fought battle, and The Woodlands has a lot of talent on their side, but Grand Oaks plays a style that allows them to compete with anyone. Overall, this will be an exciting game that The Woodlands should win, but you never know what will happen under the Friday night lights.