Willis Travels To Oak Ridge Aiming For Another District Win

WILLIS, TX – As the season winds down, a few key matchups remain before the postseason begins. The Willis Wildkats will travel for the final time this season to face an Oak Ridge team that struggled in their last game. Willis still looks strong, and with a 5-1 district record heading into their last two games, they have nearly secured their playoff spot. For Oak Ridge, a lot has to go their way to make the playoffs, because even if they win the next two games, they probably won’t make it. That doesn’t mean this won’t be an intriguing matchup or that it could turn into an exciting game.

Willis Wildkats: Keep On Winning

After their loss to College Park, Willis's clear mission was to keep winning and focus on a postseason run. The scoring still remains strong, as they dominated their last two opponents after the loss, and they aim to maintain that momentum going forward. This scoring is led, of course, by Jermaine Bishop Jr., who has 17 touchdowns through 8 games this season. His 1,289 total yards come from both his rushing and receiving skills, scoring in many different ways. His defense has also gained attention recently, highlighted by a 90-yard pick-6 in last week's game against Conroe. With him on offense, TE Jaivion Martin has emerged as a scoring and receiving threat, totaling 623 yards and 9 touchdowns for the season. Quarterback Lincoln Frazier is their primary passer, with 2,240 yards and 25 touchdowns through the air. Frazier has been very consistent, although he still makes some turnovers that occasionally allow teams back into games. RB Jamarcus Williams demonstrated why he’s an emerging star on this team last week, with his two touchdowns bringing his season total to seven. The defense has also played well lately, holding their last two opponents to just 7 and 10 points, respectively. As a team, they have nearly 18 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 4 fumble recoveries. While they sometimes struggle, they've fixed many of their issues over the past few weeks and are prepared for anything the opponents throw at them. Overall, they remain one of the strongest teams in the district and should handle their remaining games well.

Oak Ridge War Eagles: A Scrappy Team

It hasn’t been the most ideal season for the War Eagles this year, as they suffered their fourth loss of the season to Grand Oaks last week. That loss likely also hurt any chance they had at making the postseason, meaning these final three games are all they have left. However, watching them up close has shown that this team does not give in and will continue to fight the rest of the way. They have played some close games this season, demonstrating that they can score and compete with anyone they face. They have pulled off some close wins but have also lost games where they still managed to score points. WR James Scott stands out on this team; the senior wide receiver has been exceptional these last few weeks despite the recent losses. He made some great catches last game and even filled in at QB when Drayton Urbay went down. Speaking of Urbay, he has been another impressive part of the offense so far. His rushing ability is among the best in the district, and he can make plays through the air when needed. He was injured in last week’s game against Grand Oaks, so it will be interesting to see if he can suit up for this game. The defense is usually the team’s weak point, giving up over 20 points in all but one game this season. They’ve been blown out a couple of times despite some close games, and that defense could really hurt them against a strong offense like Willis. Oak Ridge will need Urbay and the rest of the team to be healthy to have a chance at this one, and even then, it might be tough for the War Eagles.

Final Thoughts

This could be a fun game, but it all depends on how Oak Ridge performs. If they check out mentally and the defense struggles, then expect a big game from Bishop and his team. But if Urbay and his team can score some points, this game might be closer than Willis would like. The game will be live for free on Woodlands Online this Friday, so be sure to watch it here.