Road To The Playoffs: The Red-Hot Willis Wildkats Look To End The Season Strong Against The Conroe Tigers

WILLIS, TX – The final week of the regular season is here, and one matchup still carries meaning before we head into the postseason. On Thursday, the Willis Wildkats take on the Conroe Tigers in a must-win game for both sides. For Willis, a win here would all but clinch a playoff berth, while a win for Conroe could turn the final 2 playoff spots on their head. If Conroe wins, it would create a 3-way tie among the 3-4-5 teams, setting up a unique tie-breaker to determine who makes the postseason. Still, Conroe would have to pull off a big upset to achieve this level of chaos, but sometimes you never know until they play the game.

Willis Wildkats: Rekindled Offensive Firepower

In the past few weeks, the Willis Wildkats have been on fire, winning their last 3 games and scoring over 55 points in each matchup. Granted, these games were against some of the bottom dwellers in the district, but it's good to see this team find success again and get back on track before a potential postseason run. They are back to being electric on offense, despite some unfortunate injuries, and the defense has hopefully turned a corner. They will be an interesting team to watch if they find their way into the playoffs and could have a similar run to last year if everything is clicking.

This Wildkat offense is still electric, but it has added new elements that have made it more dangerous as the year has gone on. Senior QB Parker Stephenson took over for the injured Linc Frazier in week 8 and has looked great. In his 3 starts, he’s thrown for 991 yards and 15 TDs with 74% efficiency, and he’s thrown only 1 interception. He’s been a spark plug for this offense and has picked up right where Frazier left off before he went down.

On the skill position side, the Wildkats have plenty of talent to make big plays. RB Jamarcus Williams has been dynamite for the Wildkats all season, a major factor in both the run game and the pass attack. He’s unlocked this offense's ability to run the ball, something they struggled to do last season, adding another layer to an already strong offense. With 902 yards on the ground and 299 yards through the air, Williams has scored 12 total TDs this season and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. He will be a major threat heading into this final stretch and could be the key to postseason success.

In the passing game, Preston Stephenson and Trey Finney have been solid all season and complement each other well. Stephenson has been his brother’s favorite target over the past few weeks, racking up 54 catches for 840 yards and 8 TDs, and he’s been a key deep threat for the Wildkats. Finney has also been excellent, catching 57 passes for 737 yards and 10 TDs. He’s been elite after the catch and is the primary threat in the short passing game. Alongside Stephenson and Finney, players like DeShaun Williams have stepped up over the past few weeks, with Williams catching 18 passes for 276 yards and 2 TDs. This pass attack is as good as ever and will likely remain a problem heading into the postseason.

The defense has been up and down for the Wildcats this season, but it still has plenty of talent capable of making big plays. Players like DB A’Majai Friend have been key defenders downfield, and the safety currently leads the team in total tackles. Up front, players like Waylan Nolen and AJ Edwards anchor a line that can generate pressure quickly and force opposing offenses into uncomfortable situations. LB Longani Friberg has been solid over the middle and is a key defensive player at the 2nd level of this defense. They have talent all over this side of the ball, but they need to keep big plays in check if they want to succeed in this game and beyond. If they can do that, this is a scary unit that can give many offenses a hard time.

Conroe Tigers: Fighting To Stay Above Water

This season hasn’t been the prettiest for the Conroe Tigers, who currently sit at a 3-3 district record. The Tigers haven’t really made any of the top teams sweat, but they have at least taken care of business against weaker competition, keeping them in the hunt late in the season. We already said this is a must-win game for the Tigers, but pulling off an upset against this Willis team will be tough.

On offense, the Tigers have been solid but not as impressive as some of the teams ahead of them. QB Cameron Nunley has been solid this season, throwing for 800 yards and 7 TDs (we only have 7 game logs), but overall he hasn’t stood out among the district's top dogs. He’s spread the ball around, with guys like Jaylon Tarry-Walker, Jackson Taylor, Josiah Cirilo, and Jamari Dawson all gaining over 100 yards, and Tarry-Walker and Taylor going for over 200 yards on the season. Conroe is known for their ground game, though, which explains Nunley’s lower comparable numbers. If he can get the ball in the air, maybe one of these WRs can make an impact.

Speaking of the running game, this is the one area that could potentially get Conroe going if they want a shot at the upset. Two RBs for the Tigers have rushed for over 500 yards, with Louis Jessie and Jamari Dawson both having solid seasons. Dawson leads in overall yards, while Jessie leads in TDs. Both have 85 carries. It's no secret the Tigers love to slow games down, and with a rushing attack featuring multiple starting-level players, that is certainly possible.

There’s a reason we haven't talked much about the Conroe Tigers this season: they are just unremarkable. Sure, there are good players, and we believe they can do great things, but the pieces just never seem to be there. Like last season, this is a mediocre football team that struggles to keep up with the top dogs in the district. That’s what makes them hard to evaluate and why it’s tough to see them pulling off this upset. If they do, it would be a remarkable moment for both these players and this program, but it still might not make a difference in the end. These players deserve to win something meaningful, but given how things are run, we don’t see that changing anytime soon.