College Park Heads To New Caney To Try And Wrap Up Their Perfect Season

THE WOODLANDS, TX – As it stands, College Park is still undefeated this season, and it doesn’t look like that will change this Thursday when they travel to play New Caney. College Park has had one of, if not their best, seasons ever this year, and a win here to finish a perfect 10-0 would mark them as one of the top teams in the state and a true playoff contender. For New Caney, it hasn’t been the prettiest season, sitting at an unfortunate 2-7 overall record. They have struggled to get anything going on offense and lack the talent that some other teams in this district have. Their goal in this game will simply be to limit the damage and try to finish out the season strong. This one shouldn’t be much of a contest, but it remains a significant game for the College Park team, as I’m sure a 10-0 record would make that program very happy.

The College Park Cavaliers: Chasing Perfection

If the Cavaliers can secure the victory this Thursday, they will finish the regular season undefeated and enter the playoffs with one of the best seeds in 6A. The record reflects what this team has been all year, a dominant force on both sides of the ball. Both the offense and defense are filled with talent, with the units complementing each other so if one falters, the other can step up. We’ve seen them win all types of games, from blowouts to shootouts to overtime comebacks, displaying a level of focus and determination that is rare at the high school level. They are currently ranked as the #12 team in Texas 6A football according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, meaning they could secure a top seed in the postseason tournament. For the offense, Camden Hughes will once again lead the team. Hughes has already thrown for 2,320 yards this season and has a total of 37 touchdowns. Of those, 31 have been through the air to his elite wide receiver core, which includes Julian Cromartie, Brian Snodgrass, and Jordan Styles. Cromartie leads in receiving with 754 yards and 11 touchdowns, being Hughes’ favorite target and a receiver capable of making plays all over the field. Styles has 508 yards with 3 touchdowns, while Snodgrass has 358 yards and 8 touchdowns. The running game is also significant, with RBs Antonio Booker and Kaylen Stephens making large impacts when needed. Stephens has gained 533 yards on the ground with 4 touchdowns but has also contributed as a receiver with 384 yards and another 4 touchdowns. Booker has 470 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, along with 137 receiving yards and 4 more touchdowns. Both RBs give College Park an elite rushing attack that has become almost as effective as their passing game in recent weeks. If the offense is firing on all cylinders, they’ll put up a lot of points against any opponent. The defense is equally formidable, with Marco Beltran and his squad ranking among the best in the district this season. Beltran leads in tackles with 48, along with 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries, showing he is the backbone of the defense. LB Bryce Cooper and DE Esteban Asong lead the team in sacks with 5 and 4 respectively, and the team has accumulated 24 sacks overall. They can pressure the quarterback effectively on nearly every defensive snap, causing havoc for opposing offenses. They’ve forced 5 interceptions and recovered 9 fumbles, demonstrating that their pressure leads to mistakes, which they capitalize on. If the defense continues to perform well, especially when the offense isn’t on the field, College Park will be one of the most formidable teams in the postseason.

New Caney Eagles: Looking To Next Year

It hasn’t been the best season for the New Caney Eagles, as they head into this game with a 2-7 record. On the bright side, New Caney managed to win 2 of their last 4 games, defeating Cleveland and Caney Creek easily and showing they are not quite at the bottom like those teams are. However, this game doesn’t seem like a win for the Eagles, as College Park is one of the worst opponents to face if you want to finish the season with a win. Still, New Caney has some players who can make an impact and might at least score some points. QB Payton Lopez has been the starter, passing for 865 yards and 7 touchdowns this season, as well as rushing for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns. RB Johnny Gomez leads in receiving yards with 237 and 4 touchdowns, while WR Brayden Logan has 424 yards and 5 touchdowns. The defense hasn’t been very impressive either, allowing multiple blowout losses and struggling to stop teams of similar or greater strength. They did hold Cleveland to a shutout last week, but honestly, everyone has had similar performances against them. There isn’t much hope for a win, but hopefully, New Caney can score some points against the backups and finish their season on a positive note. They’ll look to next year to improve, as they won’t even be close to making the postseason this year.

Final Thoughts:

This will be the final district game for both teams, and they have had very different years. College Park will likely finish the season 10-0, marking a historic year that their program will never forget. Meanwhile, New Caney will want to forget their season and look ahead to next year in hopes of rebuilding the program. For College Park, they will await their first-round playoff opponent as they try to make a run for the state title.