Two Powerhouses Battle It Out As The College Park Cavaliers Take On The DeSoto Eagles In The 3rd Round Of The Playoffs

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Last week, the College Park Cavaliers secured their second playoff win in the area championship round with a 44-11 victory over the Cypress Lakes Spartans. This commanding win marks the first time College Park has advanced to the regional semifinals, further highlighting their already historic season. They are now set to face the DeSoto Eagles, a perennial 6A powerhouse with multiple state titles in recent years. They were back-to-back champions in 2022 and 2023, reaching the fourth round last year, and ending this season with a 7-3 record. This matchup is shaping up to be one of the toughest challenges College Park has faced all season, and a win would be one of the biggest in school history. With talent on both sides, this game could turn out to be one of the most exciting contests of the season.

College Park Cavaliers: Questions That Need To Be Answered.

This historic season has been full of challenges for the College Park Cavaliers. Beating Willis and The Woodlands was both a test for this team, as The Woodlands has always had the Cavs' number in district play, and Willis forced them to dig deep to pull off an incredible comeback. Reaching the 3rd round of the playoffs was also a major challenge, as when I spoke to Coach Kyle Coats earlier this season about their goals, he told me “our goal was, we're going to be together on Thanksgiving, and then we take it from there, right, one game at a time.” Now, they are here, together during Thanksgiving week, with a chance to continue their amazing season and try to surprise the high school football world. It will depend on many factors, but this team is resilient and talented on both sides of the ball, with the potential to be one of the best in the state if everything clicks.

Let's start on offense, where the Cavaliers have made a name for themselves as one of the best scoring teams in 6A. Leading the charge is junior QB Camden Hughes, a captain and leader of this team who can do it all. Hughes has been excellent this season, throwing for over 2,400 yards with 36 TDs and only 4 interceptions. He can also use his legs, rushing for 424 yards with 9 TDs, and using his legs to escape trouble in a collapsing pocket. He has been the engine of this team all season, which is why his injury in the 2nd round is a major concern for the Cavaliers. Hughes went down in the 1st quarter against Cy-Lakes, injuring his leg while trying to avoid a safety in his own end zone. Luckily, it seems Hughes was able to avoid a major injury, as he was seen later in the game walking under his own power around the sidelines with plenty of tape and ice on his left ankle. He ultimately did not return to the Cy-Lakes game, a smart decision, as College Park’s rushing attack was able to make up for the lack of passing. His health going into this game will be a big question mark, and if he is able to suit up, College Park should be just as dangerous as they’ve always been. That said, the rushing game is what allowed College Park to dominate Cy-Lakes. RB Duke Stephens had a great game, rushing for 181 yards and a TD, though it could’ve been more if he hadn’t fumbled or had a long TD run called back for holding. Stephens has been the Cavs' leading rusher with 894 yards and 5 TDs, along with 447 yards and 5 TDs as a receiver. His running mate, Antonio Booker, has also been solid, rushing for 612 yards and 9 TDs, and catching 137 yards and 4 more TDs. Booker wasn’t as involved last game, only getting 6 carries but scoring a TD; look for him to be more involved this time. College Park proved last game that their rushing attack can be just as threatening as their passing game, so watch out for these two backs—they could be key to winning this one. On the passing side, several wideouts have made an impact this season. Junior WR Julian Cromartie leads the group with 824 yards and 13 TDs. He was quiet last game, but if Hughes is back, expect a big game from him. Joining Cromartie are Brian Snodgrass and Jordan Styles, who are both crucial for this team’s success. Snodgrass’s 452 yards and 8 TDs don’t tell the full story; he’s one of the most physical receivers the Cavs have, sometimes asked to run the ball himself. He’s lined up for direct snaps on the goal line, pushing his way through to 5 rushing TDs on the season. Styles, in a good way, is the opposite—a quick, agile gadget WR who can do a lot of things. He can catch jet sweeps and get downhill fast, adding variety to the run game when needed. His 594 yards and 4 TDs put him and Snodgrass in strong WR2 territory, making them great options. Off the field, another key scorer for the team is kicker Beckett Cocke. Cocke is 17/19 on field goals this season with a 50/51 line on extra points, and his accuracy was vital last game. When the offense and Cocke are playing well and healthy, this team remains a threat to any opponent.

The defense ranks just as highly as the offense, with a unit full of talent that makes them one of the best in the division. Marco Beltran leads this group; the speedy defensive back is crucial in shutting down opposing threats. He's excellent in coverage, with a team-high 3 interceptions and 6 passes deflected. Beltran also stands out as a punt/kick returner, consistently gaining positive yardage each time he gets the ball. The front line of this defense has also been outstanding, with RJ Wyms, Estaban Asong, Brandon Claybaugh, and Bryce Cooper all being playmakers. Wyms and Asong have been disrupting opposing offensive lines, recording multiple tackles for loss per game and applying heavy pressure on the QB. This defense will be key in stopping the DeSoto team, and if they are up to the task, it could make things tough for their opponents.

DeSoto Eagles: A Modern Juggernaut

Don’t be fooled by this DeSoto team’s record; a 9-3 finish with third place in district might not seem impressive, but they remain one of the top teams in Texas. DeSoto’s three losses came against Creekside, one of Georgia’s top high school teams; North Crowley, a powerhouse in 6A; and Duncanville, another elite team in the state. Despite these defeats, they managed to beat Waxahachie, another district contender and one of Texas’ best teams. Overall, they’ve faced one of the toughest schedules this season, giving them valuable experience against high-level opponents. The program is historic, boasting three state titles—one in 2016 and back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023. All this makes them the toughest challenge College Park will face this season, and they will come into the game ready to prove it. Leading the team are the dynamic WR Ethan Feaster and RB SaRod Baker, two of the best players in the state. Feaster, a 4-star recruit, is currently ranked as the #1 wide receiver in Texas and #10 nationally. He is committed to the University of Southern California (USC) and is expected to be one of the most exciting newcomers in college football next year. College Park faced a player of Feaster’s caliber earlier in the season when they beat Willis, with Jermaine Bishop Jr., a 5-star recruit and the #3 athlete in Texas, who ranked higher than Feaster. Through 11 games (excluding last game), Feaster has amassed 1,163 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, dominating DeSoto’s passing attack as a 6’2” wideout. The defense will need to step up again to contain him, just as they did against Willis. However, Willis lacked a running game when its star was shut down, whereas DeSoto’s SaRod Baker presents a different challenge. Baker, a junior RB and a 3-star prospect according to 247 Sports, has lived up to his ranking with 1,758 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns in 11 games, though last game's stats are unavailable. He’s a dangerous back, unlike anything College Park has faced this season, requiring a unique game plan to stop him. Baker is also versatile, playing quarterback and throwing for 498 yards and 4 touchdowns on 20 completions, often operating behind the scenes in DeSoto’s offense. Quarterback Legend Howell has been steady, passing for 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns in those 11 games, mostly targeting Feaster. While their main weapons are these three, they have been enough to make DeSoto’s offense one of the best in the state and a significant threat to any defense. Their defense, though not extensively documented, is notably solid, but potentially vulnerable—a point College Park could take advantage of. They’ve allowed few points to lower-tier district opponents but struggled against top teams, losing 70-28 to Creekside and 48-28 to Duncanville. They did hold strong against Waxahachie and shut out two other teams, yet they can yield many points, something College Park excels at. Overall, DeSoto is an incredibly strong team, but if College Park can execute some breaks, the game could become quite interesting.

Final Thoughts:

This one’s really tough to predict. On one hand, if Hughes is healthy and ready to play, College Park has a good chance to score a big win, but if not, it could be problematic. DeSoto can score a lot of points, and it will come down to whether College Park’s defense can keep up with all the weapons DeSoto has. This game might turn into a shootout and could be very high scoring if both offenses are firing on all cylinders, making it anyone's game. Both teams will have long road trips for this game, traveling to Gupton Stadium in Leander. It’s shaping up to be one of the best matchups of the playoffs, and hopefully, it turns out to be an exciting game. A win for College Park would be huge for the team and the program.