Road To The Playoffs: The Woodlands Highlanders Face Off Against The Hungry Grand Oaks Grizzlies

THE WOODLANDS – Only a couple of games remain in the regular season, with playoff spots being finalized and filled every week. This Friday, 2 playoff hopefuls will duke it out at Woodforest Bank Stadium as The Woodlands Highlanders take on the Grand Oaks Grizzlies in a high-level showdown. The Woodlands has all but clinched their spot in the playoffs, sporting an undefeated district record of 5-0 and looking like one of the best teams in 6A as of late. Grand Oaks, on the other hand, hasn’t quite clinched their spot in the postseason, but looks like one of the best 4 teams in the district, setting a new standard for this young program. Both teams have plenty of talent, which could make for an interesting game in the 2nd-to-last regular-season slate.

The Woodlands Highlanders: Returning To Glory?

It’s been a couple of years since the Highlanders last won the district title, but this season might finally mark their return to the top. A tough Week 1 loss to Bridgeland has molded this team into one of the more complete Highlander squads we’ve seen in a long time, and they are playing some amazing football. They enter this week undefeated in district play, with big-time wins over teams like Willis and College Park, both of which are pushing for a postseason spot. Grand Oaks will be their final test against a fellow postseason contender. While the Highlanders do have that playoff spot locked up, a win here all but clinches the ever-elusive district title.

Offense has been the key to the Highlanders’ success this season, and we’ve talked about it a lot. What more can you say about QB Kaden Copelin that hasn't already been said? The junior QB has been a revelation for the Highlanders this season, stepping into the starting role seamlessly and leading an offense that scores 5.9 TDs a game, 2.4 more than the national average. Copelin’s aerial attack has been highly effective, with 1909 passing yards and 31 TDs, complemented by a 73% completion rate. He doesn't turn the ball over either, recording only 1 interception all season (which wasn't entirely on him) and taking care of the football at an elite level. Just watching replays and highlights, it's not too hard to see why Copelin is special, and he is one of the biggest parts of this team's success. He’s certainly a factor in this game and should continue his fantastic stretch of play.

A QB needs good skill players around him, and the Highlanders have those in droves. At RB, Jason Haskins has been solid all season, rushing for 513 yards and 7 TDs while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He’s been breaking off some huge runs recently, so expect explosive plays from the senior against Grand Oaks. While the rushing game is mostly a one-man show, the receivers are a powerful collective with capable players all over the roster. WRs Carter Cass and Bryson Bourn have been the top targets so far, with both players having their fair share of incredible moments. Cass currently leads the team with 41 catches for 530 yards and 12 TDs, is Copelin’s top target in every game, and can break off a huge play at any moment. Bourn is right behind him, catching 27 passes for 491 yards and 8 TDs, being Copelin’s favorite target down the field and making some of the best catches we’ve seen all season. Both will be factors against Grand Oaks, and look for one of them to make a huge play.

Along with Cass and Bourn, guys like Kaiden Stewart, Colton Weddel, and Harry Miller have all been solid as well, with great moments throughout the season. Stewart, much like Cass and Bourn, has unreal speed and burst, converting that into 14 catches for 276 yards and 3 TDs in a great debut season. Weddel has also been getting in on the action, as the senior TE has been a huge factor over the middle, putting up 252 yards and 4 TDs on 12 catches. He brings value in both the pass game and the blocking scheme, serving as the centerpiece of some of the more electric plays the Highlanders bring to the table. If all the pieces are clicking, expect any one of these guys to make a play this Friday.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has progressed brilliantly over the season, with multiple players stepping up to form one of the strongest defenses in the district. Senior DE Magnus Herndon has continued his fantastic play from last season, recording 7.5 sacks this season and 8 total TFLs. He’s the centerpiece of the front 7 and has been everything we hoped he would be this season. Along with Herndon, the LB unit is full of talent, with players like Max Mitchell, Vinny Lewis, Jacob Montgomery, Nate Beagle, and Cash Mock all making an impact this season. Up top, DBs Nico Chavez, Pilot Clary, Matthew Johnson, and Thomas Daigle have been solid in pass coverage, rounding out this defense nicely. Altogether, this is a unit that can do some damage to opposing offenses and has quickly become a complete unit. Watch out for some big plays from these guys on Friday, and expect them to be all over this Grizzlies offense.

Grand Oaks Grizzlies: Setting A New Standard

The 2026 season has been a strong continuation of last season's success for the Grand Oaks Grizzlies. They are setting a new standard as year-in, year-out contenders within the district, with talent continuing to cycle in year over year. Still, they have work to do if they want to clinch that coveted playoff spot, as they enter this matchup with a 3-2 district record. They have had a tough slate these past few weeks, with losses to both Willis and College Park being the only blemishes on their record. They are still searching for that season-defining win, and this week is probably their last chance to make noise in the regular season. They have a tough challenge ahead against the Highlanders, but they have shown they can compete with the best of the best, so it could get interesting if they take advantage early.

We’ve talked about the Grizzlies a lot in the final stretch of this season, and the constant theme has been balanced offense. Last season, the Grizzlies leaned heavily on the run, but this season they have found a way to mix in a solid passing game to complement their still excellent run game. QB Harley Adams has stepped into the starting role very well this season, throwing for 1317 yards and 15 TDs, enough for 3rd best in the district. Adams has made mistakes, but for a junior who still has another season to play, this has been an amazing start. He’s a capable runner too, logging 246 yards and 1 TD on the ground, and he can escape pressure if needed. Adams will need some big throws in this matchup against The Woodlands, and hopefully he is up to the challenge.

At the key skill positions, the Grizzlies are surprisingly deep at both RB and WR, with multiple players who can make an impact throughout the roster. At RB, junior Kaden Carter has been one of the best in the business, rushing for 610 yards and 7 TDs on an efficient 6.6 yards per carry. Carter, much like Adams, has stepped into the starting role nicely and will continue to be a force in the late-season push. Behind him, players like Isiaias Moreno have been solid in relief, with Moreno logging 29 carries for 168 yards and 2 TDs. Expect Carter and Moreno to be factors on the ground, with Adams capable when it's needed.

In the WR room, the standout this season has been Darnell Jackson Jr., who has made a big impact in the receiving game. The University of Utah commit has logged an impressive 31 catches for 544 yards and 8 TDs so far, combining elite speed with solid attacking skills at the catch point. Jackson will remain a factor for this Grizzlies offense through the latter part of the season and should be someone the Highlanders watch. Alongside Jackson, Brandon Francis has been an impact player as well, logging 17 catches for 266 yards and 3 TDs and serving as a valuable 2nd option for Adams. The TE room is deep for the Grizzlies as well, with multiple guys getting action, including Peyton Nickel, Ethan Vera, and Ryun McRae, all of whom have helped catch passes in the short game this season. All around, this receiving core is solid and could be a big factor in the Grizzlies' success this Friday.

Final Thoughts: Maybe An Interesting Game?

This might be one of the final big regular-season matchups and, on paper, could be an interesting one to watch this Friday. The Woodlands are motivated by the chance to clinch the district title and will be a force on both ends of the field. Grand Oaks wants that big win to cap off another solid season, but will have to show up. Last week against College Park, they fell behind quickly after a strong start. Both sides have big playmakers, and hopefully we get to see some fireworks from both offenses. It’s going to be an exciting one to watch this Friday and should tell us a lot about these teams as we inch closer to the state playoffs.