State Playoffs 2nd Round: The College Park Cavaliers Take On The Cypress Lakes Spartans

THE WOODLANDS, TX – In the second round of the playoffs, the College Park Cavaliers will travel to Cy-Fair Stadium to face the Cypress Lakes Spartans. The Cavaliers dominated their last game, scoring 45 points against Eisenhower to advance. The Spartans are coming off a major upset over the Magnolia Bulldogs, one of the biggest first-round surprises. It should be an exciting game, and one that College Park is eager to win, as reaching the third-round next week during Thanksgiving is a top goal for the team. Let's quickly review the Cavaliers and Spartans to see how this matchup looks on paper before Friday’s game.

College Park Cavaliers: How High Can They Go?

Coming into this game, College Park is riding high after a solid win over Eisenhower. They dominated in that game, showing out on both sides of the ball in a 45-6 routing (Check out this recap for more on that game). QB Camden Hughes will once again step in as captain of this offense, joined by his talented RB and WR units that love to score points. Hughes has been outstanding all season, throwing with accuracy and power, and using his legs to escape tough situations. His impressive 2,616 passing yards and 36 touchdowns highlight how strong this team is through the air, while his 421 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns show his ability to score on the ground. Hughes wouldn’t have these stats without an elite WR corps, which features some of the district's most dangerous players. Julian Cromartie stands out, with 824 yards and 13 touchdowns. The junior wide receiver is one of the brightest rising stars in high school football, combining excellent route running with size and reliable hands. Cromartie is joined by Jordan Styles and Brian Snodgrass, two other wideouts deserving recognition. Styles has tallied 594 yards and 4 touchdowns this season, while Snodgrass has 420 yards and 8 touchdowns. Styles has elite speed, capable of breaking away from tackles and finding open space quickly, while Snodgrass can overpower defenders in his path. On the ground, this College Park RB group is just as impressive as the WR core. Led by Kaylen “Duke” Stephens and Antonio Booker, this rushing attack can’t be underestimated. Stephens leads with 638 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, also adding 447 yards and 5 touchdowns through the air. Booker has 579 rushing yards with 8 touchdowns, and also contributes as a receiver with 137 yards and 4 touchdowns. Both RBs present tough challenges for opposing defenses. Defensively, this elite College Park group has been among the best in the district this season. Led by Marco Beltran, they excel at getting to the quarterback quickly and shutting down the run. Beltran has made key interceptions during the year, serving as a speedy last line of defense. Alongside Beltran, players like Bryce Cooper, RJ Wyms, Brandon Claybaugh, and David Sands make this a tough team to crack. When both the offense and defense play well together, this team is intimidating and will be interesting to watch in the next round.

Cypress Lakes Spartans: Chance At Another Spoiler

Let's take a look at the Cavaliers' opponent in this round, the Cypress Lakes Spartans. The Spartans come from District 16, a highly competitive district with several strong teams. Finishing the season 5-5 overall and 4-3 in district play, the Spartans sneaked into the playoffs but proved they belonged when they upset the runner-up in District 15, the Magnolia Bulldogs. Magnolia finished 9-1 before that game, losing to Cy-Lakes 21-12, which showed the Spartans were no joke, even if their record wasn’t as impressive. On paper, Cy-Lakes has some notable stats, with their offense led by QB Jimmy Alcorn. Alcorn has been the driving force for Cy-Lakes, as the dual-threat QB has thrown for 1,987 yards and 23 TDs, as well as rushed for 629 yards and 6 TDs. Shutting down Alcorn will be a key goal for College Park, as he’s a dangerous player if allowed to operate freely. Other standout players on this Cy-Lakes team include RB Theodis Fields, who has rushed for 906 yards and 9 TDs this season. Fields is their primary rusher when Alcorn isn’t running, and he’s among their top scorers when he's on the field. At WR, Cy-Lakes features CJ Lewis, who does it all. Lewis has accumulated 927 yards and 11 TDs this year, making him the dominant WR in their offense. College Park will need to watch out for him, or he could become a problem. Defensively, Cy-Lakes was pretty solid last game, holding a strong Magnolia offense to just 12 points, but they’re sometimes vulnerable. They’ve been beaten by Waller and Bridgeland, yet were able to keep pace with Cy-Ranch, the top team in their district, so their defense can be inconsistent at times. Despite that, they pulled off a huge upset last round and remain a dangerous team despite their record. College Park shouldn’t underestimate their abilities, but if they can shut down the key offensive players, this game could go in the Cavaliers’ favor.

Final Thoughts:

On paper, this game seems like an easy win for College Park, as Magnolia would have been a much tougher opponent for them. However, Cy-Lakes managed to pull off a convincing upset, so they may be just as formidable as Magnolia could have been. College Park would be smart not to underestimate this team, because I’m sure that’s what Magnolia did last round, and they paid for it. It could turn into a very competitive game, and if College Park advances, they will face the winner of DeSoto and Longview, both of which are among the best teams in the state.