The Woodlands Highlanders Look to Finish The Regular Season Strong Against Oak Ridge

THE WOODLANDS, TX – It's been an up-and-down season for the Highlanders so far. The Woodlands enters this game with a 5-2 record in district play, which is lower than what some expected at the start of the season. Their two losses came against the top two teams in the district, Willis and College Park, but they have been able to win every other game quite comfortably. Oak Ridge comes into this game after a win against Caney Creek, ending a three-game losing streak that dates back to early October. It's been a tough season for Oak Ridge, as they’ve lost some close games and now stand at 3-4 in district play. Oak Ridge can sometimes play teams tougher than expected, and they will need everyone healthy to have any chance in this one. For The Woodlands, a win here would close out the season nicely before heading into the playoffs.

The Woodlands Highlanders: Tuning Up For The State Playoffs

For the Highlanders, this game shouldn’t be a struggle. They have dominated their last two opponents since losing to College Park, scoring a combined 114 points in those contests. They remain an elite team on both sides of the ball, and this game could serve as a tune-up as they prepare for the state tournament. QB Jack Daulton should be available to play, aiming to lead his team to another victory. Daulton nearly had 100 yards passing last game against Conroe, despite only throwing 15 times. This isn’t surprising, as The Woodlands is a run-first team, evident in both Daulton’s and RB Jason Haskin’s rushing numbers in recent games. Daulton logged 78 rushing yards against Conroe and 118 yards against New Caney the week before. Haskins has been impressive filling in for the injured Cody Jordan, rushing for back-to-back 100-plus yard games, hitting 200 yards last week against Conroe. Haskins has been a bright spot lately and will likely handle most of the work in this next game. In the passing game, Daulton’s few throws typically find multiple WRs on The Woodlands offense. WRs Eli Lancaster, Jamison Gavin, Carter Cass, and Bryson Bourne have all made great catches this year, with Bourne standing out last game, catching a 62-yard bomb and a TD. The defense remains the backbone of the team. DBs Parker Stewart and Caycen Bartolazzi have been strong in pass coverage, while others like Jy’Ree Jefferson, Cole Carlin, and Luke Podowski will try to increase their tackle numbers. Overall, this is still a very complete team and should be able to handle business before heading into the postseason.

Oak Ridge War Eagles: Closing Out A Hard-Fought Season

For Oak Ridge, it has been a tough few weeks, as they've faced three of the top five district teams in that span. Some of those games weren’t particularly close, and Oak Ridge now has a losing record heading into this game. This one will be another tough challenge for the War Eagles, as The Woodlands remains another district powerhouse they just can’t seem to beat. Oak Ridge is currently 0-21 all-time against The Woodlands, with every game being a blowout. Still, you never know until the game ends, so there's always hope for an upset. To even have a shot, they’ll need QB Drayton Urbay and WR James Scott to step up. Urbay has been fairly solid this season, with good rushing ability and some accurate throws when his O-Line gives him time. Scott has also been reliable, catching key passes from Urbay that have helped in comebacks like against Stratford and New Caney. Both players have been injured before, so they might not even be able to play. If they can’t, it could get ugly, as Oak Ridge’s backup looked unprepared in the last game I watched, and they lack other playmakers on the field. The biggest issues will be the O-Line play and the defense. The O-Line resembles that of a paper barrier at the start of the game, allowing almost everyone past them and creating too much pressure on the QB. The defense has been even worse, getting overwhelmed by nearly every opponent and forcing the offense to dig them out of holes, like in the Stratford game. They’ll need to find solutions if they want a chance, or it will get ugly fast. This doesn’t seem like a spot where Oak Ridge can finish the season with a win, but you never know until they play. Regardless of the outcome, this will be their final game of the season, as they won't qualify for the postseason and will look forward to next year.

Final Thoughts:

It’s unfortunate to say, because I like Oak Ridge, but they don’t really have much of a chance in this one. The Woodlands should keep winning and finish their regular season strong. They will go into the state tournament as the #3 team in the district, which might not give them the best seed, but they’ll still be able to compete well against anyone they face. For Oak Ridge, this will end their season, and hopefully they can put this tough year behind them when they start again next season.