College Park and Willis Continue On To The 3rd Round While The Woodlands And Grand Oaks Fall

THE WOODLANDS, TX – It was an interesting week for our playoff teams from District 13, as two teams fell, but two advanced to the next round. Willis and College Park both made it through, with Willis staging a signature comeback to beat Tomball, while College Park once again dominated. The Woodlands, unfortunately, lost to Klein Collins, and Grand Oaks fought valiantly against Cy-Ranch, but both teams saw their seasons end in the second round. College Park moves on to face DeSoto, while Willis takes on Forney. If both teams can advance past the third round, we might see a rematch between the Cavaliers and Wildkats in the fourth round. Let's dive into all the action from this weekend and see how everything turned out.

College Park Takes Down Cypress Lakes In Another Dominant Win

The Cavaliers are on a warpath this postseason, having taken down Cy-Lakes 44-11 in their second-round game. College Park left no doubt in this one, controlling the game from start to finish with a score that’s becoming all too common lately. It was a wet first half, as the game was initially delayed slightly, with heavy rain throughout the second quarter. This led to a lot of rushing plays during the night and a more ground-focused attack from College Park. There was a big scare in the first half too, as star QB Camden Hughes was injured while trying to avoid a safety early on. He was able to leave the field and avoid a major injury but had to watch most of the game from the sidelines. Hughes was later seen walking around with lots of tape and ice on his left ankle, so his health will be a major concern heading into next week. Still, the rushing attack managed to step up, showing that this injury wouldn’t slow them down. RB Duke Stephens had an outstanding day, rushing for 181 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. It could’ve been even more, as he had two runs over 80 yards wiped out due to errors. One came when Stephens had the ball punched out near the 3-yard line after a long run, resulting in a turnover, while another 90-plus yard run was called back because of a questionable holding penalty. Despite that, Stephens had an incredible night, which was much needed after how this game started. Other rushers like Antonio Booker, Brian Snodgrass, and Jordan Styles also contributed, scoring key touchdowns to make up for the lack of a passing game. Backup QB Tate Chowaniec did have one highlight through the air, throwing a 37-yard touchdown to Caleb Cortez late in the game. He wasn’t asked to do much as the backup, but it was still an impressive throw and one of the best plays of the game. Beyond the offense, College Park's success was heavily supported by their special teams and defense. Defensively, they were on fire, making multiple tackles for loss each drive and recovering two fumbles. Estaban Asong and RJ Wyms dominated on the line, making huge plays and preventing Cy-Lakes from establishing any ground game. On special teams, Beckett Cocke was outstanding, hitting all three field goals and delivering some of the best kickoffs I’ve seen this season. He pinned Cy-Lakes deep in their own territory multiple times, kicking just short of the goal line and forcing returns. This might seem small, but Cocke’s accuracy and power played a crucial role in the defense’s success. Marco Beltran also made a big impact on special teams, returning multiple kickoffs and punts into Cy-Lakes territory, setting up College Park with short fields regularly. His contribution on returns helped the offense score more easily, establishing himself as one of the district’s top returners. Overall, this win was a total team effort on both sides of the ball. Even with their QB out, College Park was able to dominate Cy-Lakes and advance to the third round. That third-round appearance marks the first time College Park has reached this stage, making this season already historic. They will now travel to face the DeSoto Eagles this week, one of the most dangerous teams in Texas.

Willis Comes Back Against Tomball To Make It To The 3^rd Round

The Wildkats faced the Cougars in what could be the best game for Willis all season. Down 21-10 at halftime, Willis stormed back in the second half to secure the win and advance to the third round. This was an incredible victory for Willis, demonstrating why they are one of the strongest teams in this part of the bracket and why talent is such a key factor for them. Once again, Jermaine Bishop Jr showed why he is one of the best athletes in the country. Bishop tallied 160 yards and a touchdown through the air, and rushed for another two touchdowns, delivering one of his best performances against a solid team. But it wasn’t just Bishop making an impact; wide receivers Jayden Lane and Tyler Andrade also contributed. Lane, whose role has increased in recent weeks, capitalized on all the attention being on Bishop and Martin, recording 46 yards and a touchdown. Andrade also made a notable contribution, with 9 catches for 91 yards, one of his best performances of the year. Jaivion Martin also played a key role, with 93 yards on four catches. Martin made a significant impact on defense as well, causing disruptions against the Tomball line and quarterback, even swatting the ball on some pass plays. Quarterback Lincoln Frazier played well, completing 25 of 36 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception, but his overall performance was what helped Willis get back into the game. One play I want to highlight is the 2-point conversion Frazier caught to put the game at 34-27. Bishop was forced to throw the ball with a ton of pressure, hitting Frazier in the endzone from the 21-yard line, and completed it for a crazy conversion. Frazier gaining this playoff experience as a freshman cannot be understated, and if he continues to improve, Willis will have a dangerous quarterback for the upcoming years. The rushing game was not as productive, mainly because being behind for most of the game led Willis to pass more. Bishop did rush for 2 touchdowns, but both were short-yardage plays, and he only gained 14 yards on the ground. Kicker Alec Hargis was perfect, going 2-for-2 on field goals, compensating for stalled drives earlier and hitting some crucial FGs to keep Willis in the game. Defensively, the team struggled early but improved in the second half. A’Majai Friend made a key interception in the third quarter, returning it all the way to the Tomball 20. Friend’s interception was the defensive highlight for the Wildkats, but they managed to make some key stops later, with Jamal Lagway sealing the game with a pass deflection. Overall, Willis surprised many in this game; comebacks aren’t typically their strength, and it’s impressive to see them come back and win in the second half. This game boosts their confidence for the rest of the playoffs, proving they’re for real and have the talent to overcome adversity. They will travel to face the Forney Jackrabbits this week, one of the top teams in the Dallas area. A win there could set up a rematch against College Park, a game Willis will be eager to play again.

Grand Oaks Falls To Cy-Ranch, Ending Their Historic Season

The historic season comes to an end as Grand Oaks was defeated 27-13 by Cy-Ranch. The Mustangs proved to be too much for the Grizzlies, but it was a valiant effort from Grand Oaks as they head into the offseason. A second-round appearance is something this program should be proud of, especially since reaching this far in only their first playoff appearance is remarkable. They will look to retool next year and come back even stronger to make another run. Going into the game, QB Grant Smith played decently, throwing 16/37 for 197 yards and 2 TDs. However, he also threw 2 picks, which hurt his overall rating and didn’t help the narrative that Grand Oaks has struggled to throw the ball this season. Cy-Ranch completely shut down the rushing attack, causing RB Keilan Gause to have a relatively quiet day with only 46 yards and no TDs. Smith’s passing TDs were both to Darnell Jackson Jr., who had 63 yards along with those 2 scores. Jackson had the best day of anyone on this offense, with Preston Cloud being the only other WR with over 30 yards. The defense was also outmatched, with Cy-Ranch’s WR Manny Leyja recording 138 yards and a TD through the air. They managed to get 3 sacks on the night, but it was not enough to stop this solid offense. Overall, it wasn’t much of a contest for Cy-Ranch, but Grand Oaks did their best and finished a great season by reaching the second round. We will see how they perform next season and if they can return to this spot again.

The Woodlands Faulters Against Klein Collins For An Ugly 2^nd Round Exit

It was a tough day for the Highlanders as they were eliminated from the playoffs by Klein Collins with a 42-27 loss. The game was close at halftime, but Klein Collins was able to pull away in the second half, similar to how they defeated Willis earlier this season. This marks a disappointing end to the season for The Woodlands, who finished third in the district but had the talent to go further. They will lose key players like QB Jack Daulton and DB Caycen Bartolazzi in the offseason, so although next year's team will be different, it should remain strong. In this game, Daulton was asked to throw more as the rushing attack was shut down by Collins' tough defense. He had an average day, completing 14 of 31 passes for 198 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. He also rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown, but their ground game was limited—RB Jason Haskins was held to just 35 yards, though he did catch a 20-yard touchdown pass. Multiple wideouts made contributions, with Eli Lancaster and Colton Weddel each catching a touchdown. Lancaster finished with four receptions for 48 yards, while Carter Cass led in receiving yards with 64 on three catches. The defense struggled significantly, allowing 42 points—one of their worst performances of the season. Klein Collins' offense was dominant, with several rushers exceeding 50 yards and Ty’Drick Finley totaling 175 yards of offense. Braydon Schoggin also performed well, completing 9 of 12 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He added 66 rushing yards and a touchdown, demonstrating all the ways he could score against them. However, numerous penalties, missed tackles, and missed assignments led to a rough outing for a defense that had been solid all season. This is a rare exit for The Woodlands, as they traditionally lose in the third round, but this year they fell in the second, failing to get their rematch against Duncanville. The team will see some new faces next year, but traditionally, they are expected to be the same strong team as always. They will traditionally enter next season as favorites to win the district again, and hopefully, they can make it happen this time. But it's also a tradition that nothing ever really changes, so who knows. It will be exciting to see what Jack Daulton can do on the next level, and I wish him the best on his journey at TCU.

Final Thoughts:

We saw some great wins and some ugly losses this week, but in the end, 2 will move on, while 2 fall. Willis sets up a date with the Forney Jackrabbits, a team comparable to their last opponent, while College Park will face a historically rich DeSoto team. The Woodlands saw their season end in brutal fashion, while Grand Oaks is sent home with a new sense of winning and a bright future. College Park and Willis both have a chance to win this week and move on to the 4th round. If this happens, we could see a rematch between the two District 13 titans. An exciting outcome that could be one of the best games of the playoffs if both teams can get through this next round. Here’s to more playoff football and hopefully our teams can gift us more entertainment this Thanksgiving weekend.