Two District Powerhouses Collide as College Park Takes On Willis

WILLIS – A true battle of titans is set for this Friday when the College Park Cavaliers travel to face the Willis Wildkats in what could be the game of the year. Both teams are currently undefeated in district play and are leading contenders for the district title. College Park boasts talented players on both offense and defense, featuring one of the district's best offenses and a tough defense that has shut down opponents all season. Willis, of course, has Jermaine Bishop Jr., a player who needs no introduction, along with other key weapons that have only improved as the season has gone on. Yates Stadium will host this epic showdown, and both teams will leave everything on the field—one emerging with a big win, while the other might see their district title hopes crushed on the turf.

Willis Wildkats: Seeking Another High-Profile Win

Willis has had an impressive season so far. A tough loss outside of district play to Klein Collins exposed some weaknesses on both sides of the ball and raised questions about the team's identity this year. Those questions were answered when they faced The Woodlands Highlanders, winning decisively against a team many considered the front-runner for the district title. As always, the leader, the heart and soul of this team, is Jermaine Bishop Jr., who has already shown why he's a force to be reckoned with. Bishop has been doing it all, nearly single-handedly defeating The Woodlands and displaying a high level of play rarely seen at the high school level. He is the driving force of this offense, with 912 yards of total offense and 12 touchdowns this season. Bishop scores as both a receiver and a rusher, lining up all over the field and doing whatever it takes to help his team win. He lines up in the slot, wide receiver, wildcat running back, and even punter, with success that forces opponents to account for him whenever he's on the field (which is about 99% of the game). His highlights have been incredible this year, and to see some of them from that Woodlands game and get an idea of what kind of player he is, check those highlights out here on Woodlands Online. Alongside Bishop, TE/DE Jaivion Martin has truly come into his own, accumulating 261 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Both Martin and Bishop are also impactful on defense, with Martin recording 18 tackles and 3 tackles for loss, and Bishop tallying 28 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. Freshman QB Lincoln Frazier, who has experienced some ups and downs this year, has been able to get the ball to his playmakers when needed. Frazier holds a 61% completion rate, with 1169 passing yards and 16 touchdowns so far, and shows no signs of slowing down. Despite throwing 3 interceptions and sometimes overthrowing receivers, he's still learning and has made noticeable improvements as the season has gone on. Other players have also contributed, as Bishop and Martin are not the only ones capable of scoring. WR Tyler Andrade has caught two touchdowns and scored another on a rush in the first half of the season. RB Jamarcus Williams has had a limited role offensively, as Willis prefers to pass, with most rushing yards coming from Bishop. However, he had a great run against Cleveland for a score, demonstrating his ability on the ground, and hopes to make a bigger impact in the run game when Bishop is not in the backfield.

On defense, the Wildkats have improved significantly after being overwhelmed by Klein Collins. They have been able to pressure the quarterback, as seen in the Woodlands game, where a fumble recovery late in the 4th quarter sealed their victory. Martin and Bishop have been excellent on defense, but LB Cayden Williams has been the heart of the unit, with 53 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. DE Waylan Nolen has an impressive seven sacks this season, and the defensive line, featuring Nolen, Martin, and Day’jon Moore, has been effective. Moore, often less discussed, is a crucial player, playing both offensive and defensive line, and is another top-level recruit coming out of Willis this year. Overall, this team is formidable and has proven why they are such a threat, but there is a way to beat them. Bishop will undoubtedly be the star, but it will take the entire team's effort to secure a win against a tough College Park squad.

College Park Cavaliers: An Emerging Contender

For years, College Park has been living in the shadow of its sister school, The Woodlands High School, but this year, they are making a name for themselves and stepping out of that shadow. The Cavaliers have been exceptional on offense this season, consistently scoring over 30 points every game and dominating every opponent they’ve faced so far. Leading the charge for College Park is QB Camden Hughes, who, in 5 games, has thrown for an impressive 1321 yards and 18 touchdowns on a 67% completion rate. Hughes has only thrown 1 interception all year, demonstrating his ability to take care of the football better than most. Along with those 18 passing touchdowns, Hughes has shown he can make plays on the ground, scoring 5 rushing touchdowns, the most on the team. All of Hughes’ passes are caught by College Park’s skill position group, which includes 4 players who have already surpassed 200 yards this season. Kaylen Stephens (231 yards, 4 TDs), Jordan Styles (231 yards, 2 TDs), Brian Snodgrass (224 yards, 5 TDs), and Julian Cromartie (476 yards, 6 TDs) have been reliable targets for Hughes so far. Notably, Cromartie leads all of College Park’s skill players with a total of 503 yards and has been one of the most electrifying players on the field. He shows excellent chemistry with Hughes, and it will only improve, as both players are only juniors this year. While their rushing attack isn’t the main focus of their offense, College Park has still managed to run effectively with multiple players. RB Antonio Booker leads the team with 192 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, while others like Kaylen Stephens have 165 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Cavaliers like to keep defenses guessing by rotating their ball carriers, utilizing 14 players in the run game this season and consistently keeping opponents on their toes.

The defense is arguably just as impressive as the offense, as they have only allowed a team above 21 points once, which came in a 58-21 victory over Klein Cain where the 21 didn’t really matter. They shut out Conroe and only allowed a combined 28 points in their next two games against Oak Ridge and Grand Oaks. Like any elite defense, many players make an impact, but no one stands out quite like Marco Beltran. Beltran leads the team with 22 tackles this season, along with 1 interception and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. He has also made an impact on special teams, scoring on a big punt return against Conroe. From these stats alone, it’s clear that Beltran has serious speed and may be the key piece that helps College Park keep up with Jermaine Bishop Jr. Beyond Beltran, the defense has recorded 15 sacks this year, resulting in 82 yards lost for the opposing team, showing they are formidable up front. Overall, College Park appears to be one of the most complete teams in the district, still unbeaten through 5 games. They boast an electrifying offense that’s fun to watch and a defense capable of shutting down whatever the opponent tries. If the defense can keep up with Willis’s weapons, the offense will have the opportunity to perform and push for a big win on Friday.

Final Thoughts: Game of The Year?

This game is shaping up to be one of the best we’ve seen this season, as both teams come into the game unbeaten in district play, and a win here has a strong chance at the district title. College Park will need to find a way to contain Bishop, as he might be in the same positions he was in against The Woodlands, and they will try all kinds of creative ways to get him the ball. For Willis, they will really have to be lockdown on defense and stop College Park's aerial attack, which has caused trouble for many teams this year. Overall, while both teams are elite on offense, the defenses will have to step up to secure a win, and this game will be decided by who can produce the most key defensive plays. It promises to be an epic game to watch unfold. To see this game live on Woodlands Online, check out the exclusive live coverage here.