War Of The Woods: The Woodlands Takes On A White-Hot College Park

THE WOODLANDS – This Friday, two of the district’s top teams will face off in a rivalry game that could very well determine the district champion. College Park enters the game undefeated, having dominated every team they’ve faced. The Woodlands, eager for a big win, aims to bounce back after falling short at Willis in their last shot for a signature victory. This cross-town rivalry usually doesn’t have such high stakes, as The Woodlands is 17-2 all-time against College Park, with losses only in 2007 and 2020. That 2020 season was the last time College Park took home the district title, and this season might follow a similar path. A rare win for College Park over The Woodlands might be just the exclamation point they need to go all the way this season. Ultimately, it will come down to who wants it more, and it’s expected to be one of the most exciting games this district has seen.

College Park Cavaliers: Best Of The Best

An undefeated season through 7 games is something the College Park Cavaliers have never accomplished in the history of their program. Those 7 wins were all in dominant fashion, as the only time College Park faltered was at halftime against Willis. That game ended with a blowout over the Wildkats, demonstrating that this College Park team is for real and capable of handling anything thrown their way. Behind these commanding victories is one of the best offenses not just in the district, but in the entire state. A long list of players contribute to this team' s success, including QB Camden Hughes, WRs Julian Cromartie, Jordan Styles, Brian Snodgrass, and RBs Kaylen Stephens and Antonio Booker. All of these players have proven throughout the season that they can contribute significantly, each recording multiple touchdowns during these 7 games. The offensive line, though not often highlighted, has been elite, enabling the team to execute their plays effectively and keep their QB safe. Camden Hughes has accumulated 30 touchdowns this season- 24 passing and 6 rushing- with his 1, 1832 passing yards ranking him sixth in all of Texas 6 A football according to MaxPreps. Both Brian Snodgrass and Julian Cromartie have scored 7 touchdowns apiece this season, with Cromartie just 30 yards shy of a 600- yard receiving season. RB Antonio Booker has been outstanding in recent games; while College Park previously relied heavily on the pass, Booker' s 6 touchdowns show they can also be formidable on the ground. The defense may be even better, having only allowed a team to reach 30 points once all season. S/KR Marco Beltran leads his defense into battle each week, making it difficult for opponents to score when all the starters are on the field. He is supported by players like David Sands, Lane Leger, Brandon Claybaugh, and Bryce Cooper, each holding over 20 tackles for the season, forming a tough defense at every level. When all these pieces come together, expect opponents' offenses to struggle. Overall, this College Park team is different, and they look prepared to meet the challenge against The Woodlands.

The Woodlands Highlanders: In Need Of A Big Win

While it’s not been a bad season for The Woodlands so far, it could be going better. They’ve handled almost all their opponents this season with relative ease and look as good as ever. The only downside is that loss to Willis, which haunted them throughout the season. It makes this upcoming game even more important for the Highlanders, as they need a big win to meet the high expectations every year. QB Jack Daulton will lead the team into this game on a hot streak. He has thrown for 981 yards this season, slightly below his last season’s figures, but he missed a game against Caney Creek and only played half against Cleveland, so those totals are missing a game and a half. Daulton can still make plays on the ground, with 216 rushing yards through 5 games. His passes will be distributed among WRs Eli Lancaster, Colton Weddel, Jamieson Gavin, and Payton Dipasquale, all of whom have caught TDs this season. The ground game remains the main source of offense for the Highlanders, as Lincoln Halsey and Jason Haskins have stepped into the roles after Cody Jordan went down against Willis. The Woodlands’ main strength this year is their defense, which, like College Park, hasn’t allowed a team to score more than 30 points all season. Defensive players like Caycen Bartolazzi, Parker Stewart, Deng Wei, and Luke Podowski will all try to make an impact and stop this elite College Park offense. Their biggest concern is scoring ability, as they don’t have the gaudy numbers College Park does, and it might be tough to find the end zone consistently. We saw against Willis how their offensive line can crumble against a good pass rush, and that could happen again in this game. If it does, Daulton might struggle to get the ball out and that could slow their rushing attack, leading to punts or turnovers. Overall, this team is still elite, but they lack some of the firepower College Park or Willis possess. So, the team as a whole will really need to come together to win this game.

Final Thoughts:

A game like this is always hard to predict, as while College Park seems to be heavy favorites, The Woodlands is right there with them and has shown time and again over the years that they can compete. While College Park has an excellent offense, this game will most likely come down to the defenses, as it could either be a blowout or a lower-scoring game with both defenses playing well. It could easily turn into a low-scoring game, something College Park hasn’t experienced much of this year. Expect these defenses to come out strong, but if College Park’s offense can break through, it might be a tough task for The Woodlands to handle. To listen to this game live, check out the CPSN livestream here on Woodlands Online.