The College Park Cavaliers Face The Iowa Colony Pioneers In A Key Opening Matchup

THE WOODLANDS – With football finally returning this week, teams eagerly await the 1st game of the season and a chance to start a new journey in 2026. Despite the new season, the College Park Cavaliers pick up right where they left off, returning several key players on both sides of the ball. The Cavaliers are looking to capture their 2nd consecutive district title and defend their undefeated district streak. They will face Division 5A Iowa Colony in a game that might feel unfair but really isn’t when you dive into the Cavaliers’ opponent. It will be a unique challenge for College Park and a good way to start their season, as their out-of-district games are big opportunities to shine a light on this team’s possibilities.

College Park Cavaliers: Pushing To Be The Best

Last season felt like a dream for the College Park Cavaliers. They finished with a perfect 8-0 district record on their way to the district title and a third-round playoff appearance. New head coach Michael Buro will look to make a statement in this opening game and prove he can lead the team to similar success. As for the players, the Cavaliers return a ton of starting production on both sides of the ball, making them heavy contenders in the district.

Offense

Notable Players:

• #12 QB Camden Hughes
• #0 RB Duke Stephens
• #23 RB Antonio Booker
• #11 WR Julian Cromartie
• #10 WR Brian Snodgrass

Starting things off on offense is QB Camden Hughes, who enters this season hot off a 2,600-yard, 36-TD season. Hughes is the engine of this offense, and his absence in the latter half of last year’s playoffs really hurt them during that run. His return this season will be a huge boon for the Cavaliers, and this opening game is a good chance to show he hasn’t missed a beat.

Catching Hughes' passes will be returning starters Julian Cromartie and Brian Snodgrass, two wideouts who stood out across the district for production. Cromartie was a force last season, as the Clemson commit put up some of the best numbers for a Cavalier WR in recent memory, scoring 13 TDs and averaging 63.4 yards per game. Snodgrass wasn’t a slouch either, scoring 9 TDs, racking up 523 yards, and serving as a key underneath threat in a dynamic offense. Expect them to get some big passes in this opener, as they will be instrumental to this season.

The rushing attack is similarly talented, featuring a dynamic duo of RBs that gives the Cavaliers plenty of options. Duke Stephens and Antonio Booker both return with valuable experience, rounding out a stellar offensive attack. They complement each other well, with Stephens as the shifty playmaker and Booker an explosive power back who runs through anyone in his way. Stephens had a fantastic junior season last year, rushing for 980 yards and 7 TDs, while also logging 450 yards receiving. Booker was just as impressive, rushing for 700 yards and 10 TDs, along with 4 receiving TDs in 2025. Both of these RBs are extremely threatening and will certainly be impact players in this game and throughout the season.

Defense

Notable Players:

• #17 LB Brandon Claybaugh
• #21 CB James Cabarrus
• #15 DT Lucas Richard
• #98 DE RJ Wyms
• #99 DE Jordyn Grant

Defense was a key aspect of the Cavaliers’ success last season, and they get multiple fantastic players back this season to help sustain that production. They boast some of the strongest units in the district, with proven production up and down the defensive front, but some will have to step up to fill holes left by last year’s stars.

One of the strongest groups on this defense is the LB group, with Brandon Claybaugh headlining a strong unit in the middle of the field. Claybaugh was excellent last season, finishing 2nd on the team in tackles with 54 and recording 4 tackles for loss. Another returning player is Sam Ferrar, who saw some action last season and comes in to round out an LB unit that looks to be elite this season.

On the perimeter corner, James Cabarrus looks to lock down opposing wideouts and build on a great 2025 season. The New Mexico commit finished with 35 total tackles and 5 tackles for loss in 2025 and will be an impact player on the outside.

The defensive line is where things get interesting, as RJ Wyms, Jordyn Grant, and Lucas Richard all return to strike fear into opposing offenses. All three players recorded 3 sacks last season, with Wyms standing out at 19 tackles for loss. These guys were big parts of the defensive success last season and should form another powerful Cavalier defensive line unit.

Vs. Iowa Colony

This game is certainly an interesting one, since 5A Iowa Colony isn’t the team you’d expect to be a 6A team’s first opponent. Still, Iowa Colony isn’t some joke 5A school here as a tune-up for the Cavaliers. The Pioneers went 12-2 last season, reaching the regional finals in the 5A playoffs. They’ve also had 2 10+ win seasons before 2025, so despite losing some key players, the Pioneers have shown they can backfill that talent well. Remember, 5A only means they have less enrollment, not less talent, so they can still be really good against 6A schools.

The Cavaliers will face an interesting challenge to open the season and could struggle, depending on what Iowa Colony does. Still, the Cavaliers have a massive talent edge, with elite QB, WR, RB, LB, and DL units. If runners like Stephens and Booker get going early, that’ll open up more options for Hughes to hit Cromartie downfield. Make sure to watch out for Hughes, as he will no doubt be a key factor in this game. The defense will have to contend with a team that loves to run the ball, so containing it quickly will be essential for success. If the Cavaliers can contain the offense and get their own offense going, they should be able to handle anything thrown their way.

Final Thoughts

It's going to be an interesting opening week across the district, and this game is no exception. It will be exciting to see all these players back in action, and hopefully they can start the season in the win column. College Park has some tough opponents coming up on the schedule, so staying sharp throughout these first few weeks will be vital, though it will provide us with some awesome matchups. With that electric offense mostly returning, though, the Cavaliers could put themselves in a position to not only contend in the district but also for a state title.