Everyone Wins! District 13 Teams Start The Playoffs Strong As All 4 Playoff Teams Get Big Wins To Start Their Playoff Journey

THE WOODLANDS, TX – This week, the 6A State Playoffs kicked off with a bang as all four teams from District 13 moved on to the second round. The teams representing District 13, College Park, The Woodlands, Grand Oaks, and Willis, all won their first-round playoff games, sweeping District 14 for the Bi-District round. Some of these games were close, while others displayed dominance that looks promising for a deep run. We’ll recap each of the four games played on Friday and Saturday, highlighting what went right for these teams and how it affects them moving forward.

Grand Oaks vs. Nimitz: A Historic Win For The Grizzlies

For our first Friday game, let's check out the match between the Nimitz Cougars and Grand Oaks Grizzlies. Grand Oaks won convincingly, beating Nimitz 38-28. This marks Grand Oaks' first playoff win in the young history of the program, adding to an already historic season. RB Keilan Gause was unsurprisingly the star of the game. The senior RB carried the ball 30 times, rushing for an impressive 300 yards and 2 touchdowns. Gause also added his tenth 100+ yard game of the season, further establishing himself as a key player in this Grand Oaks offense. His teammate, Bryan Victorian Jr., had a strong performance as well, scoring 2 touchdowns on 93 rushing yards, while QB Grant Smith also scored a rushing touchdown. Smith didn’t have a big night passing, but with Gause running so well, Grand Oaks didn’t need to throw much. This is a remarkable win for the Grizzlies, who now advance to face Cypress Ranch, a team that won their district with a 9-2 overall record and 7-0 in district play. It will be a tough challenge for Grand Oaks, but one they can handle as they continue this playoff run.

College Park vs. Eisenhower: The Cavaliers Look Dominant

It wasn’t much of a contest in College Park’s first-round game as they overwhelmed Eisenhower 45-6. College Park dominated from start to finish, leaving no doubt they are one of the most formidable teams in this bracket. The offense was on fire, with QB Camden Hughes leading the charge. Hughes completed 14 of 16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns. He also scored two rushing touchdowns, marking an impressive start to the playoffs. WR Julian Cromartie was again outstanding, catching four passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. WR Tate Chowaniec also contributed with his first touchdown of the season on a 15-yard pass from Hughes. The rushing game was somewhat quiet tonight, with Booker and Stephens combining for only 57 yards, partly because College Park rested starters after the third quarter and played backups most of the second half. Defensively, College Park looked just as impressive, allowing only six points and making some crucial plays. The defense forced two interceptions, with Marco Beltran grabbing one and Jonah Dinh returning another for a touchdown, resulting in a pick-6. Beltran nearly changed the game again with a nearly 50-yard punt return before being tackled on the 2-yard line just before halftime. Defensive standouts such as RJ Wyms, Brandon Claybaugh, and Bryce Cooper also played superbly, helping the team maintain another near-shutout. With this victory, College Park advances to face Cypress Lakes, a team that pulled off an incredible upset over the Magnolia Bulldogs last week. College Park will be on the road for this game, but they appear to be the team to beat in this region right now.

Willis vs. Westfield: A Hard-Fought Win For The Wildkats

It was a closer game than Willis might have wanted in their first-round matchup against Westfield. The Wildkats managed to escape with a scrappy 23-20 win, during which some of Willis’s stars had relatively quiet days. The offense had an okay day, scoring 2 times against a tough Westfield defense. Jermaine Bishop Jr. had a quiet day by his standards, though the senior WR/CB still caught 11 passes for 87 yards but ended without a touchdown. Bishop made an impact beyond the offense, recording a key interception in the 4th quarter during a crucial Westfield drive. He also executed one of his signature fake punts, throwing the ball to Nazeree Guy for a 51-yard catch-and-run that gave Willis big momentum. Jaivion Martin also had a solid day, catching the first TD of the night and making 5 catches for 50 yards. WR Jayden Lane reached the endzone again, catching a 49-yard pass from Lincoln Frazier, showing he can be a deep threat when needed. Frazier wasn’t bad, throwing for 273 yards and 2 TDs, but turnovers persisted, with Frazier throwing 2 picks in the game. The rushing attack reverted to earlier-season form, with no rusher gaining over 20 yards, and Jamarcus Williams was notably absent from the rushing stats. Williams did record 5 catches for 43 yards, so it wasn’t a total dud day for him, but the rushing game needs to improve if they want to avoid close games like this. Kicker Alec Hargis was crucial, going 3 for 3 on FGs, including his longest from 37 yards out. Hargis hasn’t had this many attempts all season but played a pivotal role in the win. The defense was solid, holding Westfield’s strong rushing attack in check and forcing them to pass, which led to 2 interceptions—one by Bishop and another by Trenton Frankum, who also snagged his in the 4th quarter. While some may see this as an ugly game, a win is a win, and Willis overcame a tough challenge to advance. They will travel to Randall Reed Stadium to face Tomball, a tough team with a 9-2 record. Willis has the strength to beat them, but it should be another great game.

The Woodlands vs. Benjamin Davis: Daulton Shines In A Shutout

The Saturday matchup saw The Woodlands travel to W.W. Thorne Stadium to face Benjamin Davis, a team that was beaten earlier in the year by Willis. It wasn’t much of a contest, as The Woodlands dominated from start to finish in a 24-0 shutout. QB Jack Daulton looked excellent in this game, throwing for 184 yards and 3 TDs on 11/15 passing. His deep ball looked great, as multiple throws showed why the TCU commit is one of the top QBs in the state. He once again spread the ball out to multiple receivers, as all 3 TDs came from different wideouts each time. Eli Lancaster, Peyton DiPasquale, and Alex Cornelius all contributed to the scoring, recording 166 combined yards on the night. Lancaster especially stood out, catching 4 passes for 111 yards, with one of them being a deep pass from Daulton that scored the first TD of the game. The rushing game took a step back in this game, with Daulton rushing for only 19 yards on 11 attempts, while Jason Haskins managed only 45 yards on 12 carries. Cody Jordan was dressed but still looked limited, rushing only 2 times for negative yards. Benjamin Davis’s rush defense was solid, so the rushing struggles should be a one-game issue. If the rushing game can improve and work alongside this improving passing attack, this offense will be dangerous moving forward. The defense was another star of the night, as they recorded another shutout and made key plays to prevent Benjamin Davis from scoring. The rush defense wasn’t perfect, as Davis managed some big runs thanks to Nicholas Tramble, who combined with other rushers for 200 yards total. The pass defense was excellent, with Parker Stewart and Caycen Bartolazzi each securing 2 key interceptions. Stewart’s pick was particularly impactful, as he intercepted in the end zone after a long drive from Davis that could’ve given them their first score of the night. Bartolazzi also led the team in tackles with 14, bringing his season total above 100. If this defense keeps playing at this level, The Woodlands could have a strong playoff run ahead. They will look to this week, traveling back to Thorne Stadium to face Klein Collins, a team that beat Willis earlier in the season and could be one of the toughest challenges The Woodlands has faced all year. It certainly looks like one of the best matchups in the second round.

Final Thoughts:

With everyone winning this week, District 13 looks strong heading into the second round, where the competition will only get tougher. Here’s the complete list of games this week:

Friday 11/21

Willis vs Tomball @ Randall Reed Stadium

College Park vs Cypress Lakes @ Cy-Fair ISD Stadium

Grand Oaks vs Cypress Ranch @ Tomball ISD Stadium

Saturday 11/22

The Woodlands vs Klein Collins @ W.W. Thorne Stadium

With some strong matchups this week, it’ll definitely be a challenge for some teams to reach the second round. The Woodlands versus Collins game is one to keep an eye on, as well as the Willis versus Tomball game, since those two opponents could be each team’s toughest matchup yet. Hopefully, we see everyone advance to the third round, as it would be an incredible achievement for District 13 and could lead to some rematches if teams go deep enough. Here’s to another great week and to all our favorite teams securing big wins.