The College Park Cavaliers Take On The Willis Wildkats In An Exciting District Opener

THE WOODLANDS – This week marks the start of district play in 6A District 13, and we are off to a strong start. It will be a clash of two district powerhouses as the Willis Wildkats host the College Park Cavaliers. These teams couldn’t have had more different starts, with Willis coming out of non-district play 3-0, while College Park sits at 1-2 after 2 tough losses in weeks 2 and 3. The Cavaliers won last season’s contest 55-37, holding that key win over the Wildkats that helped them capture the 2025 district title. For Willis, a win here would catapult them ahead in the district title race, while a win for College Park could get their season back on track. With such a high-stakes game so early in the season, this one is bound to be exciting.

The Willis Wildkats: Undefeated District Leaders

So far this season, the Willis Wildkats have picked up right where they left off. Boasting a 3-0 record coming out of non-district play, the Wildkats have been strong on both sides of the ball, with a defense that finally complements their powerful offense. That defense has allowed only 35 points this season, highlighted by a Week 1 shutout over Magnolia. With this side of the ball more secure, the Wildkats look dangerous heading into this game.

Notable Players:

• #1 QB Linc Frazier
• #6 WR Parker Stephenson
• #3 RB Jamarcus Williams
• #9 WR Trey Finney
• #4 S A’majai Friend
• #15 DE Waylan Nolen

The Willis offense has always been a strong part of their identity, and that’s still true this season. It’s no secret that the Wildkats love to throw the ball, with QB Linc Frazier throwing 108 times in just 3 games. The sophomore QB has completed 63 of those passes, generating 878 passing yards and 5 TDs on a 58% completion rate.

His strong play has helped his new wide receiver duo, Preston Stephenson and Trey Finney, put up big numbers. Stephenson currently leads this WR room in yards, posting 386 yards and 2 TDs on 23 catches. Finney, meanwhile, has logged 27 catches for 254 yards and 1 TD, and threw a TD in their last game against Westfield. Other players like Daylen Wilkerson and Antrell Warren round out this group, who have also had their fair share of plays throughout the season.

On the rushing side, Jamarcus Williams has stepped up in a big way after a solid sophomore season in 2025. Williams has gained 251 yards and 3 TDs on the ground, while also being a threat in the pass game, with 9 catches for 141 yards and 1 TD. His excellent play has rounded out this offense, adding a dimension they lacked at times last season. That balanced attack will certainly be a problem College Park has to address, as any of these players could explode on any play. Big days from Stephenson, Finney, or Williams could spell trouble and could turn this into an ugly contest if Willis steps on the pedal fast.

What makes this team feel so dangerous right now is its defense, which has been lights out so far. Players like Waylan Nolen and AJ Edwards have been wreckers on the defensive line, while DBs A’majai Friend and Raymond Johnson have locked down opposing wideouts. Nolen and Edwards have combined for 9 tackles for loss, while Friend currently leads the team in total tackles. This defense looks like it's going to be a problem for any offense moving forward, so expect solid defensive play to go along with that explosive offense.

With so many threats on both sides of the ball, College Park has a lot to watch out for in this game. Containing these guys is going to be tough, and Willis has proven thus far that they are a much more well-rounded team than they were in 2025.

The College Park Cavaliers: Looking For A Bounce-Back District Start

While this season hasn’t gone as planned for the College Park Cavaliers so far, don’t write them off just yet. This Cavalier team is still loaded with talent up and down the roster and, much like Willis, has key contributors on both sides of the ball. Although a 1-2 record isn’t the prettiest, they’ve played tough competition and have dealt with injuries that have stalled an offense that looked very promising coming into the year. If everyone is back to 100%, this team is still a distinct title contender, and it would be foolish to judge them based on their record alone.

Notable Players:

• #12 QB Camden Hughes
• #0 RB Duke Stephens
• #23 RB Antonio Booker
• #11 WR Julian Cromartie
• #21 DB James Cabarrus
• #15 OLB Lucas Richard

Solid QB play really does change how a team looks, and the Cavaliers have felt that over the last 2 weeks. Senior QB Camden Hughes is the key to this offensive engine, and his injury during non-district games has held them back. Hughes exited the game against Cy-Fair late in the game and was absent for the game against CE King, where the Cavaliers were crushed 58-7. With an extra week to get right, hopefully Hughes can get back in there and lead a Cavalier offense that is hungry to prove itself.

Hughes’ main target is standout WR Julian Cromartie, who last season proved he was one of the best players in the district. Cromartie has done his best these last few weeks to keep his team afloat, scoring the lone TD in the CE King game, but he needs Hughes to get plenty of mileage out of his fantastic hands and speed. In the WR core with him is Brian Snodgrass, who, hopefully, gets a break from playing QB this week and can get back outside. Snodgrass has seen solid success throughout his playing career and pairs well with the speedy Cromartie, forming a WR duo we hope to see again. If the QB is good to go, expect some big plays from this dangerous duo.

In the running game, both Duke Stephens and Antonio Booker have proven to be a scary duo when this offense is rolling. Stephens’ elite speed and agility make him a premier outside running threat. He can seemingly break off huge runs at any moment, already recording some amazing plays this season. Booker, on the other hand, is the bruiser, bulldozing his way through defensive lines and serving as an excellent example of a power back in this offense. Both players had solid production in the first two games, but recent blocking struggles have cut off lanes that could lead to big-time plays. If the line can come back and block well against Willis, expect these two to make some big plays.

The defense is a big question mark coming into this, as they’ve allowed many points in non-district play and sometimes look completely different from what we saw last year. They have the talent, with guys like James Cabarrus and Lucas Richard solid so far, but they need to put it all together as a unit. If the defense can bounce back after a beatdown 2 weeks ago, they can threaten opposing offenses, but they still have to prove it on Friday.

This team is better than their record suggests, and although they’ve struggled, this extra week of rest has hopefully prepared them for the uphill battle ahead. If the offense can fire on all cylinders, they should be electric, but they’ll need the defense to step up to prevent a shootout. If they can match Willis on both sides of the ball, the Cavaliers have a good shot in this one.

Final Thoughts

With such a pivotal game this early in district play, both teams are going to have to come into this one focused and ready for anything. This could very well decide the district champion, and both sides know the stakes after a 2-week break. They’ve both had extra time to prepare for what’s shaping up to be a barnburner, and we can’t wait to see it. Willis is very strong, and a win here would check another game avenged from last season, while a win for College Park would be huge after a rough non-district slate. It’s going to be an exciting Friday night at Yates Stadium, and hopefully these 2 teams put on a show.