Know Your Enemy: Cypress Creek Cougars

Week 6: Cypress Woods Wildcats @ Cypress Creek Cougars
6:00 PM, Saturday, October 3, 2015
Pridgeon Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats were unable to overcome a 28-6 halftime deficit and ultimately fell 44-25 to their hated rivals, Cy Ranch. R.J. Harmon had 142 total yards and 2 scores.

The Enemy: Cypress Creek Cougars

2014: 4-6, 4-5 (6th) in District 17-6A
Did not qualify for playoffs

Creek season-to-date

L 38-28 @ Klein Oak
L 14-7 vs. Cy-Fair
W 46-14 @ Cy Lakes
W 34-31 @ Langham Creek

(A Few) Players to Watch on the Other Side

QB Luke Allen, OL Grayson Reed, OL Bryon Forte, ATH Kaleb O'Bryant, WR Miles Battle, RB Tre Earls, DL Jowelle Aponte, DL Jacari Tatum, DB J.P. Hite, DB Antoine Small, DB Chance Steverson, DB Trevien Thomas, K Gabe Sequeira

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 5-2.

Previous Meetings


October 3, 2014: Woods 35, Creek 21
November 1, 2013: Woods 21, Creek 14
November 2, 2012: Creek 39, Woods 14
October 21, 2011: Woods 49, Creek 31 (Homecoming IV)
October 22, 2010: Woods 61, Creek 35
October 9, 2009: Woods 21, Creek 20
October 10, 2008: Creek 54, Woods 25

2¢ on Creek

The Cougars have a solid collection of talent returning as they attempt to break into the top 4 for the first time since 2010.

Luke Allen emerged as the victor of the quarterback battle that was being waged for much of the 2014 season. In his first full season at the helm of the Creek offense, he has become one of the district's top performers. Tre Earls, their top returning rusher, will accompany him in the backfield. Miles Battle, a sophomore receiver, was a starter for them as a freshman during basketball season. He enters his first season of varsity football with high expectations.

The glut of the Cougars' talent lies in its juniors. Grayson Reed performed well on the offseason camp circuit and has garnered significant attention from Division I programs. Reed will team up with Bryon Forte to anchor the Cougars' offensive line. Kaleb O'Bryant is an emerging talent at running back who can also line up as a receiver, which gives him a similar skill set to C.J. Jones. There's a lot of speed among their offensive skill players.

Although the Cougars allowed more than 300 points in the regular season for the first time since 2007, they have always trotted out some solid defenses. Jowelle Aponte and Jacari Tatum both started as sophomores on the defensive line in 2014. The Cougars also boast a veteran secondary with Steverson, Thomas, Hite, and Small leading the way. Steverson is a three-year starter.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

The Wildcats seemed to be reeling from the aftereffects of their loss to Cy Ranch, and their malaise carried over to the first half of this game. An ineffective Nick Hooper was pulled from the game, and Reece Clark was able to engineer a scoring drive. However, the Cougars led 14-6 at halftime as the offense was suddenly punchless.

The adjustments made by the coaching staff and the break in action appeared to rejuvenate the team as Nick Hooper pulled himself together and the Wildcats wound up finishing the game on a 29-7 run. The defense was excellent in the 2nd half as they kept the Cougars out of the endzone... until the final play of the game, when the Cougars scored a cosmetic touchdown as time expired, turning the final score into 35-21 instead of 35-14.

C.J. Jones ran for 103 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 10 carries. He also had an 11-yard touchdown reception. R.J. Harmon sliced and diced his way to a 162 yards on 20 carries.

For Freshman Games: Location of Cypress Creek High School

Cy Ranch 44, Cy Woods 25: In Which I Cannot Believe That They Still Want to Defer

2015 Record: 1-3, 1-2 in District 17-6A

You want to know an incredibly depressing statistic? Cy Woods has deferred to the 2nd half in all 3 of their losses. They've been outscored 105-19 in the 1st half. In the one game where they took the ball to start, they beat Ridge. Now granted, they lost a fumble on the first play of that game, but they still won. In this latest loss, a 28-6 halftime deficit proved to be too much for the Cats to overcome, and so... for the first time ever, the Cypress Ranch Mustangs have a winning streak over Woods, as they took this one by a final score of 44-25.

I'm still very high on this offense. Although the point output was rather pedestrian, they were able to carve through an outstanding Ranch defense. Unfortunately, they were left to wallow over a couple of massive opportunities in the 2nd quarter: Two solid drives in that quarter yielded a grand total of zero points. Maybe the offense should be the group that leads off the game? I'm not paid to make these decisions, but I feel that when a team defers, they're confident that their defense can set the tone for them. On the other hand, it's a double-edged sword: they're also giving their opponent the first opportunity to set the tone for this game. Considering how it has been an absolute struggle for the Wildcats on the defensive side of the ball to begin this season, they are basically letting their opponents get the jump on them when they defer to the 2nd half.

If you know me, I am always the optimist when it comes to sports, almost to the point where you could say that I am being totally irrational with optimism. Nothing's been decided yet. That doesn't take the sting away from losing a rivalry game, but this season is far from over.

There was a bit of a health scare post-game as Jordan Johnson required medical attention and had to be stretchered off. It looks like he'll be fine, though.

Thank God🙏 pic.twitter.com/DPpQiQsSc9

— Jared Taylor (@JaredTaylor05) September 27, 2015

So, What Happened Was...

Ranch just had an answer for everything Woods threw at them.

The Mustangs opened up the scoring with a 2-yard run from Dylan Proske to cap off the first drive of the game. R.J. Harmon responded with a 37-yard touchdown run, but the extra point was blocked. Collin Rock added a 1-yard touchdown run for Ranch.

End 1st: Ranch 14, Woods 6

The 2nd quarter was where it all got away for the Wildcats. Midway through the frame, they had a nice drive going, but the end result was Bryson Powers getting stuffed on 4th & 1 inside the Ranch 30. On the ensuing Ranch possession, Proske's path to the goal line was completely clogged, but all of a sudden, he saw a completely vacated right side of the Woods defense and managed to bounce outside, enabling him to score his 2nd touchdown of the evening. R.J. Sneed returned a punt for a touchdown with 4 minutes left in the half. Following Sneed's touchdown, the Wildcats drove to close out the half and made it inside the 10, but they fooled around and Luis Reyes ended up missing a 41-yard field goal. I absolutely did not get the halfback pass call. They tried to get cute and it blew up in their faces. 2 good drives, 0 points.

Half: Ranch 28, Woods 6

R.J. caught a 15-yard touchdown pass, which accounted for the only scoring in the 3rd quarter. C.J. Jones had a 75-yard punt return touchdown negated by a holding penalty. Didn't care too much for that call.

End 3rd: Ranch 28, Woods 13

Following a turnover on downs, the Wildcats took over and made their way down the field, culminating in a 10-yard touchdown reception for Jared Taylor. It looked as though the momentum was on the verge of shifting to Woods, right? Well... Ranch ran a fumble back for 2 points on the ensuing PAT, which put everything back in their corner. E.J. Thompson and Terrence Shaw effectively put this game out of reach with scoring runs of 12 and 71 yards, respectively. Jacob Kainer, a sophomore quarterback/wide receiver, threw his first touchdown pass at the varsity level when he connected with Tre' Hart from 32 yards out with 4:34 left in the game.

Final: Ranch 44, Woods 25

Ground

Bryson Powers managed to grind out 115 yards on 25 carries. I'd like to see that number of carries decrease a little, though. R.J. Harmon broke out for a 37-yard touchdown run in the 1st, which represents his longest run of the year. I think he's due for a monster game.

Bryson Powers: 25 carries, 115 yards

R.J. Harmon: 9 carries, 84 yards, TD

C.J. Jones: 5 carries, 8 yards

Jared Taylor: 3 carries, 21 yards

Jack Barrientez: 2 carries, 14 yards

Jacob Kainer: 1 carry, 7 yards

Jordan Johnson: 1 carry, 3 yards

Air

Bryson had a good night of passing, other than a 4th-quarter interception. On that play, he walked off the field in some pain. This kid is tough, though. Jacob Kainer tossed his first touchdown pass late in the 4th. Unlike last year's game against Ranch, the passing game was actually functional.

Bryson Powers: 15-25, 163 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Jacob Kainer: 1-2, 32 yards, TD

C.J. Jones: 8 catches, 46 yards

R.J. Harmon: 5 catches, 58 yards, TD

Jared Taylor: 3 catches, 37 yards, TD

Tre' Hart: 2 catches, 46 yards, TD

Jordan Johnson: 1 catch, 13 yards

Jack Barrientez: 1 catch, 8 yards

Defense

This group has shown that they can hit..... however, hitting is merely a component of tackling. Finishing tackles has proven to be quite the challenge for the Wildcat defense. More often than not, a Ranch ballcarrier was able to wiggle away for a few more yards. I've seen 8 years of Cy Woods football games and I cannot recall seeing a Wildcat defense having so much difficulty (1) with tackling and (2) in getting off the field. They allowed a 23-yard pass play on a 4th & 8 situation in the 2nd quarter, and the Mustangs managed to finish that drive off with a touchdown. Man.

The Wildcats even had to summon Jared, C.J., and Jordan to play cornerback, mostly in passing situations. They haven't really had true shutdown corners since Josh Holley and Deonte Davis way back in 2011. 

Tackles: Kason Franklin 10 (6 assisted), Neil Chambers 7 (5 assisted, 1 for loss), Austin Greaves 5 (3 assisted, 1 for loss), Keith Watson 5 (3 assisted), Caleb Smith 5 (2 assisted), James Fontenot 4 (3 assisted), Brandon DePrato 4 (2 assisted), Stace Ivie 3 (2 assisted, 1 for loss), Adrian Garcia 3 (all assisted), C.J. Jones 3 (1 assisted), Collin Fewox 3 (2 assisted), Terrell Brown 2, Elijah Strang 2, Jared Taylor 2, Trent Bird 2 (1 assisted), Brandon Love 2 (1 assisted), Chase Taulton 1, Luis Reyes 1, Jordan Frazier 1 (assisted, for loss)

Special Teams

It was a rare off night kicking-wise for Luis Reyes. One of his two extra points was blocked, and he missed a 41-yard field goal. He also handled the punting duties in this game.

Luis Reyes: 0-1 FG (missed 41), 1-2 XP (1 blocked); 3 punts, 108 yards, 36 yards per punt

No one is going to kick deep to the Wildcats. I guess they're getting used to that.

Man of the Match

R.J. Harmon put up his best game of the young season as he posted 142 total yards (84 rushing, 58 receiving) and 2 total touchdowns. He's been bothered by various minor injuries dating back to the start of two-a-days, so it's good to see him get back in form. R.J. almost got wiped out on a kickoff return that ended up getting flagged for being a late hit out of bounds, and he was a bit slow getting off the field.

Looking Ahead

A 1-2 district record certainly isn't a sign of impending doom, but the margin of error has shrunk significantly. Oh, the perils of playing in a district where that is essentially the season... but then again, anything and everything will happen in Cy-Fair ISD football.

As the calendar turns to October, the Wildcats will be back at Pridgeon as they'll face the Cy Creek Cougars on Saturday, October 3. Woods will be the away team. Kickoff is at 6:00.

This Is an Apology, I Guess (HELP WANTED)

Before I begin, I would like to say that no, I am not abandoning this blog. Also, buckle up, because I tend to be very long-winded before I actually get to my point.

As you may (or may not) know, I recently started volunteer work as an ESL teacher for Vietnamese people in the Bellaire/Alief area. I will admit that the first week was a horror show, but I have (somehow) managed to pull myself together. It's all good. This is the first time that I have ever taught anything and it is also the first time that I have ever been considered a teacher, so I'm just embracing this challenge and taking it one day at a time. I feel that I am making somewhat of a reconnection with my Vietnamese roots, which have been in disarray ever since my days as a Cy-Fair ISD student. Yes, this is the longest period of time that I have spent among my people (outside of my family). I have to confess to all of you here... I cannot speak Vietnamese. I understand it, I can string a few sentences together, but if you're expecting me to have a conversation in Vietnamese, forget about that. Well, if I'm teaching these people English, then I could learn a little bit of my mother tongue in return. I have also heard quite a bit of Burmese, too, since a couple of my students are from Myanmar, which is another country in Southeast Asia.

The one thing that I truly expect to accomplish during my time as a volunteer teacher is to make a difference in these people's lives, and the way that I'm attempting to make a difference in their lives is by teaching them the English language. I hope that comprehending the basics of English can give them at least a fighting chance to be able to carve out a new life in a new country. You cannot begin to fathom the challenges that these people, who in many cases have not been in the US for very long, are facing. That, however, is me getting completely off topic. For what it's worth, the challenges they face are far beyond my understanding as well, because although I'm Vietnamese, I was born in Phoenix. I have never had to face such challenges, and I can admit that I am extremely fortunate to be born here in America.

With all of that being said (and then some), this commitment has taken a significant amount of time away from my ability to maintain this blog. I had originally intended to include a short post with sub-varsity scores, and some standouts for those games, but since I teach on Thursdays and sub-varsity game night is usually Thursday, this is impossible for me. So, I want to apologize to everyone for the state of neglect in which I have left this blog.

On a personal level, though, I think this hiatus of sorts has been great for me. I deserve this break. I deserve a break from all the nuttery that ensues after every Cy Woods loss. Yes, I know nuttery comes with the territory of having a blog about a sports team, and the Internet is the stage where anyone can have an opinion, no matter how awful it is, but I just simply needed a break. At some random point during this break, I realized that there will be a time where I will no longer be able to hang around to watch this team. That day is inevitable, and I am at peace knowing that.

In the year+ that this blog has been active, I have stayed up until daybreak fishing around for statistics on games that occurred seven years ago and trying to find some random fact about a backup wide receiver that only I know. But... my efforts are somehow working, because people actually read this blog, which actually bewilders me a little. Sometimes I read this blog to myself and think that these are the ramblings of some moron who thinks he knows football but really, he doesn't. I guess as long as people read the blog, I'm doing something right. Right?

Which (finally) leads me to this. I really, seriously, you could say desperately, need some help. I would like to find someone (or some people) who can give me the scores of the sub-varsity games. I'm still holding out hope that I will somehow get 4 players who are currently in the program on board as guest writers. I am looking for one player from each grade to be a contributor to the blog.

Twitter is nice and all, but if you can devote 140 characters to your thoughts, then I believe that you have the ability to elaborate on those thoughts, make them more coherent, and then expound on them even further. This is a possible avenue for you to express yourself. And, as a result, you will learn to become a better writer, and probably a better speaker. Trust me, you are going write A LOT in high school and college. I believe that if you have the ability to put your thoughts on a computer in an effective and coherent manner, you will find putting thoughts on a piece of paper to be significantly easier. In other words, you will know what you want to write about. Writing is a challenge, and I struggle with it every time I try to post something on this blog. There's a lot of aspects to writing that I worry about, like whether the sentence I just typed is grammatically correct, or if it sounds odd when I read it to myself. Other times, I wonder if there is a better word that could be used in place of one of the words in that sentence... like, I'm an adult who has acquired a vast vocabulary... I should be utilizing that vocabulary instead of some noun that I learned in grade school. Writing may very well turn out to be a huge challenge for you, but... the more you practice, the better you'll become at it. In a way, it's sort of like football. You probably don't know it yet, but chances are you're a far better writer than I can ever dream of becoming.

The following is for players only: If you are interested in contributing to the blog, please send me an email. My email address is on the right side of the page, under "Links." Or, send me a message on Twitter. If you plan to send an email (which is the option I prefer), please attach a sample of your writing in your message, preferably something you have done in school.

If you are interested in sending me freshman and JV scores, disregard the above paragraph. I just want the final scores. You can tweet end-of-quarter and halftime scores to me, but all I need are finals. Never mind, I can do this myself.

Thanks a lot for bearing with me, and I have never said this before (shame on me), but I truly appreciate each and every one of you for taking whatever scant time you have during your day to read my nonsense. Thank you for being my audience. An audience is really all I was hoping for when I started this blog over a year ago.

Go Cats. 212 and all that good stuff.

Dustin Nguyen

Kamal: A Talent In My School

Kamal is like any other eleventh grade science student in my school. He is a shy and a timid young boy. Because of his silent and calm nature, he is not an easily noticeable student in the school. He is a member of the school vocational club.

Recently the school conducted 'Club Exhibition'. The school has twenty one clubs. Kamal occupied a small space in the vocational club corner. He sat quietly with some mobile repairing equipment displayed before him. The crowd concentration shifted from one club to another but not many were interested in Kamal. The few that came thought that what was before him was merely a display of disassembled mobile phone. 

All during the program Kamal remained inconspicuous to the audience. It was only towards the end of the program that Kamal came to the limelight. Actually it was my encounter with him that caught the crowd's eye.

Kamal in the vocational club corner

The guests had already left and there was a very thin audience left. I thought we had called it an exhibition and I was walking out of the hall. As I neared the exit door I saw Kamal sitting quietly with two other friends.

"What have you got here?" I asked him.

"Mobile repair sir"

"Can you repair my mobile? Its sound doesn't work" I asked .

I thought he would not dare accept to work on a teacher's mobile. But the response was a confident "Yes sir"

I handed him my mobile and others around me started to laugh taking Kamal for granted. But Kamal started getting busy on the mobile. I told him in jest 'I hope you will not return my mobile in pieces like Mr. Bean returning a solid radio in several pieces to a customer' following which there was a huge laughter from students who thronged around to watch Kamal.

The students who were watching Kamal were anxious over what Kamal was doing. They thought he was on a risky venture of handling a teacher's phone.

Just then a lady teacher walked past and asked me "What's going on here?"

"He is repairing my mobile" I said.

"He will only get your mobile spoiled" she remarked and walked away giving a fleeting glance at Kamal.

Kamal heard the comment and he blushed but his hands never ceased to be confident.

Kamal working on my mobile

At one moment I was skeptical of his ability. I wished I had not given him the mobile. By then he had dismantled the phone completely and I could only watch him.

But his hands were deft and he exuded confidence over what he was doing

Still skeptical, I asked the other two boys sitting next to him who were equally quite. "Do you think he can really repair my mobile?"

"Yes sir. He can. He is really good at it sir." That gave me some reassurance.

Kamal had identified a problem with my phone. He said "sir, there is a disconnection here" He pointed to something very tiny which I couldn't make a thing. He  worked meticulously on it and got it fixed. 

Watching among the crowd was another teacher who also had problem with his mobile phone. He stepped forward and handed Kamal his phone. He had multiple problems - the camera, screen and dial pad. Kamal got all of them fixed just in few minutes. He won the crowd's heart.

Fascinated by his capability, I asked him "Did you do any formal training on repairing mobile phones?" 

"No sir. I learnt by myself at home" he said still looking timid.

"Are all these repair kits yours?" I asked pointing at the kits.

"Yes sir"

"Do you do this at home?"

"Yes sir"

"Sir, he is well known in Daragaon, (the place where he stays)" said the other two boys near him."People give him different electrical appliances such as, rice cooker, curry cooker, water boiler, microoven, washing machine and fan to repair. Just anything sir-any electrical equipment. He fixes them all for free sir. His room looks like a electronics repair shop" 

The next day I got the following things repaired:

1. Water boiler

2. Two fans 

3. Micro oven 

4. Tubelight

5. Extension cord

6. My wife's watch

I was surprised at Kamal's unique skills. Unique because he didn't learn from any Guru but his skills are self-taught. However, Kamal admitted that he cannot repair computers and digital camera. He has plans to attend computer repair course this winter. 

When asked about his ambition, Kamal said he wants to become an electronic engineer. 

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Ranch Mustangs

Week 5: Cypress Woods Wildcats (1-2, 1-1) vs. Cypress Ranch Mustangs (2-1, 2-0)
6:00 PM, Saturday, September 26, 2015
Pridgeon Stadium

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats led of Week 4 with a tilt against Cy Falls. They had absolutely no answer for the Eagles' two-headed monster of Desmond Hite and Shannon Vaughns, who both scored 3 touchdowns on the ground for Falls as they romped to a 57-20 victory.

The Enemy: Cypress Ranch Mustangs

2014: 13-3, 8-1 (2nd) in District 17-6A
Playoffs: 6A Division I runner-up, lost 47-16 to Allen

The Mustangs walked off with a 27-24 loss at the hands of Cinco Ranch to begin the 2015 season. They've stormed out of the gate in district play; they started off by decimating Lakes 52-3. Then, on double Homecoming Friday, Ranch forced 5 turnovers (4 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered) as they suffocated Langham Creek 27-14.

(A Few) Players to Watch on the Other Side

QB Collin Rock, RB Holden Gourley, RB E.J. Thompson, FB Dylan Proske, RB Ty Laurent, ATH R.J. Sneed, WR Keric Wheatfall, DL Harrison Loveless, DL Juan Perez, LB Brayden Stringer, LB Lawson Pyles, LB Amaud Willis-Dalton, DB Mark Bruno, DB Kiantre Meullione, DB Nick Stiff

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 3-2.

Previous Meetings

September 27, 2014: Ranch 38, Woods 35
October 19, 2013: Woods 54, Ranch 0
October 20, 2012: Woods 40, Ranch 37 (OT)
September 23, 2011: Woods 68, Ranch 21
September 24, 2010: Ranch 38, Woods 35

2¢ on Ranch

Last November, Ryan Nanni of SB Nation composed a feature on one of the longest-contested rivalries in college football. The two belligerents featured in his story are two Division II schools in South Dakota. In this intriguing and well-written feature, he described football (you could include the other sports, but then again, this is Texas) as "merely a means for a clash of cultures. Whether the clash is real or imagined is irrelevant. It only needs to exist in the minds of the fans, so they can point to the enemy and see him as different." This pretty much describes the dichotomy of Cy Woods vs. Cy Ranch to a T.

In 5 years, Woods-Ranch has become arguably the nastiest rivalry in the city of Houston, and it surely has to be one of the nastiest in the state of Texas, as well. It's not just limited to football, either. Some friendships are definitely going to be put on hold for this week, and possibly for the foreseeable future. But, Matthew 5:44, I guess.

As nasty as this rivalry is, it is just as passionate. When you're in the stands for this game, you can clearly see that these two schools have been blessed with outstanding support from their respective communities.

The Mustangs are fresh off an appearance in the 6A Division I championship game. Despite this, I feel very little animosity because I never played Cy Ranch. Although Ranch's run to the final is a feat that deserves respect, I'm glad they lost. It's nothing personal. I would much rather see Cy Woods win the first state championship in football for Cy-Fair ISD, even if it took 75 years. (I'm only saying 75 because I most likely won't be around to see it if it took 100 years.)

Collin Rock, an SMU commit, is back at the helm of the Mustang offense, and he is the face of Cy Ranch football. He is a dangerous runner, especially in the open field. Rock showed tremendous poise and skill as he became one of the district's breakout players in 2014, playing a starring role in Ranch's run to state.

R.J. Sneed, who will probably get as many touches as possible, emerged as Rock's top target in the passing game as a sophomore. Sneed just another one of the talented players in the Class of 2017 in Cy-Fair ISD. The Mustangs will have to find a replacement for the outstanding Charlie Booker, who is now at Harvard. Running back isn't a position of weakness for the Mustangs, though. Holden Gourley has emerged as presumably the next in line, and he's had a fine start to the 2015 season. Ty Laurent has also become a weapon in the run game and the return game as well.

Brayden Stringer is a three-year starter at linebacker. He was a unanimous 1st-team All-District selection and is the leader of the Mustang defense. Accompanying him will be Lawson Pyles and Amaud Willis-Dalton, a couple of talented juniors. Willis-Dalton emerged as an impact player during their playoff run and also has a kickoff return TD on his ledger this year. Mark Bruno, another three-year starter, leads their secondary. He had 2 picks in the win over Langham. Bruno will be joined by Stiff and Meullione, who also doubles as a dangerous return man. Harrison Loveless was pressed into duty on the defensive line as a sophomore last season and performed extremely well. He's also an accomplished thrower, placing 2nd in the discus in last year's district track meet.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

I'm sure the vast majority of you would prefer not to remember that night.

Ryan Nanni put it succinctly and deftly: "Rivalry history only matters for 364 days a year. The day of the game is different." Time to write the next chapter in the book.

For JV games: Location of Cypress Ranch High School

You must be new to this area if you are asking. I'm not trying to come off as crabby, I just call it like I see it.

Cy Falls 57, Cy Woods 20: Falling Hard

2015 record: 1-2, 1-1 in District 17-6A

I wasn't at this game. I am taking a step towards hopefully becoming a productive member of society, so one of the steps I've taken towards this goal involves teaching Vietnamese people English down in Alief this fall. I do this on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Like I said after the Klein Collins game, there is no use in sugarcoating a blowout loss. But I'm not fickle. Nothing has been decided. Well, this game has, but I'm talking about the grand scheme of things.

So, What Happened Was...

The Wildcats were buried under the avalanche of a 43-6 deficit. This is the most points that they've ever allowed in the 1st half.

Ground

I don't know, I wasn't there.

Bryson Powers: 13 carries, 80 yards, 2 TD
R.J. Harmon: 16 carries, 40 yards
Jared Taylor: 2 carries, 14 yards
Jack Barrientez: 3 carries, 12 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 carries, 2 yards

Air

I don't know, I wasn't there.

Bryson Powers: 11-26, 169 yards, TD, 2 INT
C.J. Jones: 0-1

R.J. Harmon: 4 rec, 17 yards
Jordan Johnson: 3 rec, 104 yards, TD
C.J. Jones: 2 rec, -6 yards
Tre' Hart: 1 rec, 44 yards
Jared Taylor: 1 rec, 16 yards

Defense

Sheesh.

Special Teams

I don't know, I wasn't there.

Jordan Johnson did have a kickoff return touchdown that was negated by a penalty, which was one of 14 flags against the Wildcats. Sheesh.

Man of the Match

I don't know, I wasn't there.

Looking Ahead

It's rivalry week.

The Wildcats will play at Pridgeon Stadium for the first time in 2015 as they face off against the Cy Ranch Mustangs. Cy Woods will be the home team for this one. Kickoff is at 6:00.

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Falls Golden Eagles

Week 4: Cypress Woods Wildcats (1-1, 1-0) @ Cypress Falls Golden Eagles (2-0, 1-0)
7:00 PM, Thursday, September 17, 2015
Berry Center

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

The Wildcats rebounded from their drubbing at the hands of Klein Collins by opening District 17-6A play with a 59-31 victory over Cy Ridge. Bryson Powers shook off a poor start with one of his best games to date as a Wildcat, finishing 14/18 for 223 yards and 5 touchdowns. 3 of those touchdown passes went to C.J. Jones, who racked up 109 yards on 4 catches.

The defense got in on the act as well as Kason Franklin returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown and Brandon DePrato fell on an errant snap in the endzone.

The Enemy: Cypress Falls Golden Eagles

2014: 4-6, 3-6 (7th) in District 17-6A
Did not qualify for playoffs

The Eagles opened 2015 with a 45-21 victory over Klein. In their District 17-6A opener, they kept up step-for-step with an explosive Langham Creek offense, and ultimately, they were able to keep the Lobos at bay and emerged with a 33-30 victory.

(A Few) Players to Watch on the Other Side

QB Casey Rosellini, RB Desmond Hite, RB Shannon Vaughns, WR Corey Henkhaus, WR/DB Jorren Pollard, TE Brent Hertel, OL Nathan Mikulski, DL Ozie Wilhite, LB Trey Baldwin, DB Davion Morris

All-Time Series

Cy Falls leads 4-3.

Previous Meetings

September 20, 2014: Woods 48, Falls 47
October 25, 2013: Woods 37, Falls 15
October 26, 2012: Falls 35, Woods 10
September 10, 2011: Falls 28, Woods 12
September 11, 2010: Falls 28, Woods 20
November 7, 2009: Falls 46, Woods 43
November 8, 2008: Woods 70, Falls 20

2¢ on Falls

The Eagles will rely on an experienced offense led by three-year starter Casey Rosellini under center.

As a junior, Rosellini emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the district. Pollard, who is also a starting defensive back, also tied for the team lead in interceptions last season. Corey Henkhaus is their top returning receiver. The emergence of Shannon Vaughns at the running back spot last season following an injury to Desmond Hite gives Cy Falls a solid tandem at that position. Apparently the Eagles have made a shift in their offensive philosophy, and it has paid dividends in the early going. They racked up 387 yards on the ground against Langham Creek, with Hite accounting for 173 of them and Vaughns chipping in with 126 of his own.

Speaking of Hite, he had over 500 yards on the ground and scored 5 touchdowns in an abbreviated season for him. Despite missing a significant portion of the season, he was still the Eagles' leading rusher.

Trey Baldwin, a Missouri pledge, is a transfer from 4A power West Orange-Stark; he starred in their run to the title game last season, where they fell to Gilmer. He's the next impact defender for the Eagles, following Du'Vonta Lampkin and Otaro Alaka. Baldwin made a huge impact in their win over Langham, which saw him absolutely demolish Toneil Carter, the Lobos' star tailback. Wilhite will fill the role of defensive line anchor after Lampkin's departure. In the secondary, Pollard will be joined by Davion Morris, who had a promising sophomore campaign.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

The Eagles got on the board first, but the Cats responded by going on a 27-0 run that was capped off by Michael Wirt, who returned an interception for a touchdown that put them up 27-7. However, two late scores in the first half for Falls cut the Wildcats' lead to 27-20 at halftime and set the stage for an uneasy 2nd half that saw the Eagles hot on the Wildcats' tails.

In the end, 2 missed extra points and some clutch defense turned out to be the difference as the Wildcats escaped with a 48-47 victory. This game wasn't pretty as the Wildcats had to beat themselves as well: they committed 19 penalties, turned the ball over 5 times, and had to overcome a lackluster 4th quarter on offense.

Bryson Powers, who had an interception in this one, recovered a fumble with 5 minutes to go in the game, and Randall Medlin and Wade Carson stopped a screen pass on 4th down with 2:12 remaining in the ballgame.

Tre' Hart (124) and Jared Taylor (101) both had over 100 receiving yards and they both caught a touchdown pass from Nick Hooper, who threw for 311 yards. Nick also ran for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns.

For JV games: Location of Cypress Falls High School

Because the varsity plays on Thursday, the sub-varsity teams will play on Wednesday night.

Cy Woods 59, Cy Ridge 31: An Awakening

2015 Record: 1-1. 1-0 in District 17-6A

Well, I'm not really an "I told you so" kind of person, but...

Now, the first 12 minutes of this game was far from pretty. I'm not going to argue otherwise. But suddenly, the switch turned on, and it was vintage Cy Woods afterwards as they finished this game by outscoring the Rams 52-10 over the final 3 quarters of play as they erased the horrible taste left from the beatdown the suffered at the hands of Klein Collins at Reliant on Opening Day with a 59-31 victory in the first game of district play. The Wildcats fought back from an early deficit, and once they weathered that storm, they proceeded to blow the Rams away, much like they did in last year's game.

I've gotten so many questions as to what I would do in order to improve the offense, because apparently some people are dying to hear this. My answer is that I would make it a balanced attack, and that's what I saw Friday night. This team is so much better when they successfully integrate the passing game, especially with the personnel they have. The offensive system works. The Wildcats have been a fixture in the playoffs with this system, so I admit that I am a bit perplexed at this "they should change the offense" talk. Cy Woods has played fast and furious on offense since 2008. They have always had the skill players to do so, and I do not see that changing anytime soon.

Ridge has some real intriguing players, and I think they could be a spoiler team this season. I was especially impressed by their #1 running back, Trelon Smith. He returned a kick for a score in last year's game, and in this one, he carved up the Woods defense, especially in the 1st quarter. Toneil Carter may be the more heralded player, but Trelon is another outstanding talent in this district who represents the class of 2017. He's the next in a line of great Cy Ridge running backs.

So, What Happened Was....

On the first play from scrimmage, Kamari Staton forced a fumble by delivering a jarring hit to Bryson Powers, and the Rams recovered it at the Cy Woods 1. The Cats very nearly got it back on the next play, but Trelon Smith opened the scoring with a 1-yard run on 2nd down. The Cats responded with a fine drive that culminated in Bryson connecting with Jordan Johnson for a 14-yard touchdown pass. The 1st quarter turned out to be the Trelon Smith Show for the Rams, as he scored two more times (from 69, and again from 1 yard out) in the 1st quarter.

End 1st: Ridge 21, Woods 7

After Smith's 3rd score, the Wildcats scored 22 unanswered in the 2nd quarter. R.J. Harmon busted out a couple of 20-yard runs, and finished it off with a 7-yard touchdown catch. The defense then foiled a fake punt attempt, and one play later, Bryson found C.J. Jones for a 30-yard score. Another Ridge drive stalled, and on the first play of the Cats' next drive, C.J. found a wide-open Jordan Johnson for 57 yards. C.J. wrapped that drive up with a 15-yard touchdown catch, and Bryson Powers ran the ball in for 2 points following a botched snap. Ridge's 3 points in the 2nd came on a 40-yard field goal from Kevin Campos.

Halftime: Woods 29, Ridge 24

The Cats left the Rams in the dust by outscoring them 30-0 in the 3rd quarter.

For the 2nd time in his Woods career, C.J. Jones recorded 3 receiving touchdowns in a game. This one went for 56 yards, and on the PAT, Jordan leapfrogged a Ridge defender for 2 more points. Myles Wilson recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown, but that got negated by a penalty. On the ensuing Wildcat drive, Jared Taylor punched it in from 10 yards out, and C.J. added 2 more points on a pass from Bryson. The Rams were knocking on the door late in the 3rd, but Kason Franklin put a stop to all of that with an interception, which he returned 96 yards for another score. Woods' final points of the night came when Brandon DePrato fell on an errant snap in the endzone.

End 3rd: Woods 59, Ridge 24

Ridge backup QB Tyson Williams scored the final points of the evening with a 5-yard run.

Final: Woods 59, Ridge 31 

Ground

Despite the limited exposure, R.J. Harmon and C.J. Jones still made the most of their playing time. R.J. rattled off 3 20-yard runs, while C.J. did his damage in the passing game.

Jared Taylor, who did play some running back as a freshman, made his first start as a running back at the varsity level.

Jared Taylor: 11 carries, 69 yards, TD
Bryson Powers: 6 carries, 36 yards
Austin Goffney: 5 carries, 59 yards
R.J. Harmon: 4 carries, 65 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 carries, 15 yards
Jack Barrientez: 2 carries, 9 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 carry, 3 yards

Air

Now that's the Cy Woods passing attack that I've been accustomed to seeing all these years. Bryson Powers looks to be the man going forward. Bryson didn't throw for 500 yards here, but his throws in this game were precise, and his receivers did the rest. He almost had a 6th passing touchdown, if it wasn't for a timely breakup in the 1st. Otherwise, Jordan Johnson would have left everyone in the dust. It's the 5th time that a Wildcat quarterback has thrown for 5 touchdowns in a game. 3 of these games have come against Ridge, and it's the 2nd consecutive year that this has occurred against Ridge.

Bryson Powers: 14-18, 223 yards, 5 TD
C.J. Jones: 1-1, 57 yards
Austin Goffney: 2-2, 4 yards

Jordan caught a 14-yard strike for the Wildcats' first points of the evening. His 57-yard catch on a halfback pass by C.J. Jones is now the longest pass play of the year for the Cats.

C.J. Jones: 4 catches, 109 yards, 3 TD
R.J. Harmon: 4 catches, 32 yards, TD
Jordan Johnson: 2 catches, 71 yards, TD
Tre' Hart: 2 catches, 33 yards
Jared Taylor: 2 catches, 31 yards
Austin Goffney: 1 catch, 12 yards
Jake Wolf: 1 catch, 2 yards
Brandon Sustala: 1 catch, 1 yard

Defense

Uh oh we found our defense

— Brandon DePrato (@cdubbdeprato8) September 12, 2015

The last time the Wildcats scored 2 defensive touchdowns in a game was the 2011 season finale against Cy Springs. It would've been 3 on Friday, had a penalty not wiped out Myles Wilson's 70-yard fumble return in the 3rd quarter. The Rams had a tough time holding on to the ball, as they put it on the ground 5 times. The Cats picked up 2 of them, one of which resulted in a touchdown. They both should've resulted in touchdowns, but oh well.

The late-down defense still needs some shoring up; the Rams were 8-15 on 3rd down, which included 2 touchdowns. Okay, one of those scores occurred midway through the 4th quarter, but this remains an area of concern. Both of their opponents have converted more than half of their 3rd-down situations, which is completely inexcusable. I know it's only been 2 games, but against teams like Ranch and Fair, they're going to have to find a way to get those offenses off the field as quickly as possible.

Brandon DePrato deflected a couple of passes that both nearly turned into interceptions. He almost deflected one to himself, but the ball was just out of his reach. He put up 6 more points in the 3rd when he outraced Ridge QB Cody Canady to a bad snap that found its way into the endzone, Austin Greaves made his presence felt with 9 tackles and a forced fumble. Kason Franklin put up double-digits in the tackle column to go along with his pick 6.

Jordan and Jared were also summoned to try to slow down Kevin LeDee, who gave the secondary fits all night. Trelon Smith had a fine night, but the Wildcat defense did well to keep him out of the endzone for the final 36 minutes of the game.

Tobi Orundami, in his first extended action, was a force on the line of scrimmage. This sophomore has tremendous upside, and it's going to be interesting to see how he develops. The Wildcats' first sack in district play belongs to Jordan Frazier; he drove the Rams back 6 yards.

Sacks: Jordan Frazier 1 (6 yards lost)
Passes broken up: Brandon DePrato 2, Collin Fewox 1, Elijah Strang 1, Jordan Johnson 1
Interceptions: Kason Franklin 1 (96 yards, returned for TD)
Fumbles recovered: Brandon DePrato 1 (recovered in endzone for TD)

Tackles: Kason Franklin 10 (4 assisted), Austin Greaves 9 (3 assisted, 1 tackle for loss), Terrell Brown 6, Keith Watson 5 (3 assisted, 1 for loss) Myles Wilson 5 (1 assisted), Neil Chambers 3 (2 for loss), Tobi Orundami 3 (all assisted), Elijah Strang 3 (2 assisted), Collin Fewox 3 (1 assisted), Ryan Olvera 3 (2 assisted), Jamion Fontenot 3 (1 assisted, 1 for loss), Cody Eggleston 2 (1 assisted), Caleb Smith 2 (1 assisted, 1 for loss), Brandon DePrato 2 (both assisted), Jordan Frazier 1 (sack), Austin Goffney 1 (assisted), Hunter Carmouche 1 (assisted), Adrian Garcia 1 (assisted), Dylan Bert 1, Brandt Redden 1 (assisted), Stace Ivie 1 (for loss)

Special Teams

The Wildcats did not punt in this game. Well, they did line up to punt once, and Jordan Johnson ended up running for 3 yards after a high snap forced him to do so.

Luis Reyes hit all 5 of his extra points. 2 more weren't attempted because of bad snaps, but Bryson Powers and Jordan Johnson were both able to run the ball in for 2 points.

Luis Reyes: 5-5 XP

Nothing significant in the return game. Ridge's only punt went for 19 yards and was not returnable.

Jared Taylor: 2 kicks returned, 40 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 kick returned, 30 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 kick returned, 25 yards
Tre' Hart: 1 kick returned, 23 yards

Miscellaneous

The Ridge band played Skyfall as part of their halftime show. Skyfall is one of my guilty pleasure songs, and the fact that they played this song immediately makes them one of my favorite marching bands.

Man of the Match

This was a total team effort, rallying from a 21-7 deficit. So, I'm going with the entire team.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will be back at the Berry Center on Thursday to take on Cy Falls. Kickoff is at 7:00.

Two years in, what's the point of the Abbott Government?

By Mungo MacCallum Tuesday 8 September 2015

Photo: The only certainty with this Government is that Tony Abbott will keep on punching to the end. (AAP: Lukas Coch)

After two years in Government, Tony Abbott is still more defined by what he has gotten rid of and how he has fought Labor than anything he has created or achieved. And we can expect this trend to continue, writes Mungo MacCallum.

So here we are at another Abbott anniversary - two years gone, one to go. And as we start the run up to the final 12 months, it is time to take stock: just what have we got for it and what can we expect? Or, more brutally, just what is the point of the Abbott Government?

This is a question I asked many years ago while interviewing the long-serving and successful NSW premier, Neville Wran. Wran, a wealthy and celebrated QC, had taken over the Labor leadership of the lacklustre Pat Hills and had become a political star: Wran was The Man.

But once elected, he didn't actually seem to do very much. When I asked him to enumerate the highlights, he mentioned one of the big ones was the encouragement of outdoor dining in cafes.

It didn't seem a lot: so what was it that made him go through the sacrifices - financial and personal, the awful hours, the constant frustrations, of climbing the greasy totem pole of state politics? What was his driving force? Wran replied in measured and, in those days, still mellifluous tones: "To keep the other bastards out."

And so it is with Tony Abbott: he is defined not by his vision, but by his opponents. When he says, as he often does these days, it is not about him, he is quite correct; but he is dead wrong when he adds that it is really about jobs, growth and national security. These are not an end in themselves, but a means to wedge, denigrate and ultimately (he hopes) destroy Bill Shorten and the ALP.

Abbott says he is good at fighting Labor, and he is: his time as opposition leader was Olympic standard as a model on how to bring down a vulnerable government. But fighting Labor is, it has now appeared, the only thing he is good at; when it came to the more complex task of building a replacement, there has been nothing to offer.

Last weekend even his friend Greg Sheridan admitted in The Australian that the Government was going around in circles.

Sheridan, as with the other News Corp barrackers for Abbott and the Libs, were notably reticent about boosting the achievements of the last two years. Instead, those who've tried have had to fall back almost entirely on negatives. Abbott ended the carbon tax and the mining tax, he stopped the boats. They did not have much to say about the other magic slogan: fixing the debt and deficit.

There are, of course, some positives - mainly the free trade agreements, although in the case of China that too has been deployed more as a weapon against Shorten than as a benefit in its own right. And not content with getting rid of some of things Labor has done, Abbott has now resorted to claiming credit for those that it didn't.

Last week he boasted proudly that he had scrapped the bank deposit tax - the insurance guarantee that the previous government had proposed to ensure the safety of assets in the event of a collapse among one or more of the big institutions. This remained on the books for the most recent budget, propping up the bottom line to the extent of $500 million, but had never been legislated. Now it is gone - another swingeing blow against Labor's financial waste and extravagance. Another straw man demolished instead of actually of doing anything.

This has, of course, been the pattern: Labor's suggestion of looking at any budget measures - superannuation, capital gains tax, negative gearing - have been dismissed, not because they are not worth considering, but simply because they are Labor ideas, and therefore to be summarily rejected. In their place we are repeatedly promised "conversations" - about tax, federation, the cost of living, online gambling - you name it, it is in on the table. Just how, or with whom, these cosy chats are to be convened is unclear - in fact, they are no more than distractions from the principal agenda. Only when and if Labor raises an objection will they come into force - implacable, irresistible force.

As for action - well, Abbott says he will take any proposals for the next election - or perhaps the one after that. But there will of course be income tax cuts - that's a firm promise. Well, as firm as the circumstances allow. And this is the big problem; after two years of drift and dithering Abbott and his mates have left the Australian economy in a far worse position than when they found it.

It is not all their fault; the Senate has resisted what were generally seen to be unfair and precipitate ambushes, and the international situation has obviously deteriorated. But the same could apply to Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan and they managed triumphantly. Now we are faced with almost unrelieved gloom, economic indicators dropping towards still uncharted depths.

The June quarter growth figure of a derisory 0.2 per cent was, Hockey noted, a bit below expectations (it was just half what was predicted) but look on the bright side - it was better than Canada, and, er, Brazil. But not as good as Greece, long held up as the basket case of bad management. And, it turned out, only remaining in the black at all because of a surge of government spending, which Hockey promptly disavowed: "I can promise you it wasn't planned this way," insisted our accidental Treasurer.

Hockey continues to be determinedly optimistic, as does his indefatigable Finance Minister Mathias Cormann - it is their job. But it is hard to see much, if anything, to enthuse about. The 2015 budget has disappeared without a trace; the much vaunted stimulus to small business has now been buried like a belch in the barrage of bad news. And that appears to be that; there is nothing to look forward to until the next election, when all will be revealed - or at least promised, and we all know how much we can rely on that.

The best that can be said is that there is only about 12 months, or probably less, to go; but that does not provide much comfort either. The only certainty is that Abbott will keep on punching to the end. We can only hope that he knocks himself out in the process.

Mungo MacCallum is a political journalist and commentator.

Two years in, what's the point of the Abbott Government? - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Syrian migrant crisis: Christians to get priority as Abbott faces pressure to take in more refugees

By political reporter Anna Henderson and political editor Chris Uhlmann Tuesday 8 September 2015

Photo: Millions of Syrian refugees have fled areas controlled by Islamic State militants, fearing the group's reign of terror. (Reuters: Murad Sezer, file photo)

Related Story: Europe 'rediscovers its humanity' through migrant crisis, UNHCR says

Related Story: Australia should increase assistance to Syrian refugees: UN

Related Story: Australia could accept more than 10,000 Syrian refugees: Baird

Related Story: Liberal MP calls on Government to accept up to 50,000 Syrians

Map: Australia

The Abbott Government wants to restrict any intake of Syrian refugees to minorities which are largely Christian, as passions run high in the Coalition over the way Australia should handle the crisis in Syria.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is under increasing pressure to increase this year's humanitarian intake of 13,750 people, but has put off a decision while Australia consults with the United Nations about the best approach.

Labor is pushing for an additional intake of 10,000 people, while the Greens want double that number.

Beyond the debate over numbers there is an argument over what kind of refugees should be accepted.

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

Government ministers, like Malcolm Turnbull, have argued for accepting more Syrian Christians, and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has nominated minorities like the Yazidis.

One backbencher told the ABC the message being sent to the Prime Minister by some in the Coalition was clear: "No more Muslim men".

Mr Turnbull said yesterday he was very concerned about the plight of Christian communities in Syria.

"They are a minority, they survived in Syria, they've been there for thousands of years, literally since the time of Christ," he said.

"But in an increasingly sectarian Middle East, you have to ask whether the, the gaps, the spaces that they were able to live and survive in will any longer be available."

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

Video: Julie Bishop discusses Syria asylum seeker crisis (ABC News)

Senate Leader Eric Abetz has also highlighted the case for Christians to be prioritised.

"It should be on the basis of need and given the Christians are the most persecuted group in the world, and especially in the Middle East, I think it stands to reason that they would be pretty high up on the priority list for resettlement."

Ms Bishop told AM the Government was looking at the best way to offer both temporary and permanent protection options for those fleeing the crisis.

"I think that Christian minorities are being persecuted in Syria and even if the conflict were over they would still be persecuted," she said.

"So I believe there will be a focus on ensuring we can get access to those persecuted ethnic and religious minorities who will have no home to return to even when the conflict is over.

"That includes Maronites, it includes Yazidis, there are Druze, there are a whole range of ethnic and religious minorities that make up the populations in both Syria and Iraq."

Fears focus on religion will increase persecution

Labor has joined refugee groups in warning the Government's emphasis on helping Christian refugees is "dangerous".

"Being a victim of war doesn't know a particular religion," Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said.

"If you're a woman facing terrible crimes to be committed against you, if you're a child, a little child, potentially drowning at sea, I'm not interested in their religion, I'm interested in their safety."

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Drum: This is about humanity, not religion

The fact the Government would pause in light of such a visceral tragedy to suggest Australia should prioritise Christian refugees from Syria speaks volumes, writes Sarah Malik.

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Refugee Council chief executive Paul Power said it is "natural" to expect a large number of refugees will be Christian, but he said the focus on the group is likely to do damage.

"I'm sure one of the consequences is that extremists within Syria and other parts of the Middle East will use this as a weapon against Syrian Christians," Mr Power said.

"They would use it as an argument to push the view that the west cares about Christians and does not care about Muslims and other religious minorities."

In this morning's party room meeting, Coalition MPs suggested the Government fast-track a planned increase in the number of refugees it accepts.

MPs, including Tasmanian Brett Whiteley, told the party room community sentiment around the Syrian crisis had "changed" and the public wanted the Abbott Government to act.

The ABC understands some MPs raised the prospect of the Government bringing forward its plan to increase the refugee intake to 18,750, which according to current policy is not due until 2018.

It is understood Immigration Minister Peter Dutton will brief the national security committee tonight about his meetings in Europe on the issue.

Cabinet will discuss the issue tomorrow morning and there is a suggestion the party room may meet again before an announcement is made.

Speaking from Europe, Mr Dutton said he would hold talks with the United Nations refugee agency and other organisations on how Australia could help.

"There's more to be done and the Australian Government's very keen to have discussions with the UNHCR, with our partners otherwise, to look at what more we can do," he said.

"We'll be focusing our attention particularly on the families who are in the refugee camps along the border of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey."

'Persecuted minorities' must be the focus: Bernardi

Yesterday in the Senate, Liberal backbencher Cory Bernardi said persecuted minorities must be the focus on Australia's efforts.

"The Christians in the Middle East are among the most persecuted people on Earth," he told the Senate.

"If we can provide safe haven to them, then I say we should do it. And that is what the Prime Minister has said."

Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

Video: Bernardi questions motivations of those trying to enter Europe (ABC News)

Senator Bernardi also questioned the motivation of thousands of those who are trying to enter Europe.

"This seems to me to be becoming an opportunistic cycle which is masking the true humanitarian need that is the responsibility of all Western nations," he said.

"That is the challenge for us — to distinguish between those who are being opportunistic and those are truly in need."

Government backbencher Ewen Jones said Australia had the capacity to take up to 50,000 refugees.

But the calls for ever larger intakes were rebuffed by another Coalition backbencher, Andrew Nikolic.

"We will do this is an evidence-based way," he said.

"We're not going to do it in a way with this rhetoric of trying to out-compassion each other.""

Richard Marles has described Cory Bernardi as an "embarrassment" to the Government and said the comments were "reprehensible" and out of kilter with community sentiment.

From other news sites:

• The Sydney Morning Herald: Explainer: Difference between migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
• BBC: Migrant crisis: What next for Germany's asylum seekers?
• News.com.au: Refugee plan welcomed by asylum seeker supporters
• Daily Mail: How hundreds of Muslim migrants are converting to Christianity to boost their chances of winning asylum in Germany
• The Daily Telegraph: Germany to spend $US6.7bn more on asylum seekers

Syrian migrant crisis: Christians to get priority as Abbott faces pressure to take in more refugees - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Know Your Enemy: Cypress Ridge Rams

Week 3: Cypress Woods Wildcats vs. Cypress Ridge Rams
7:00 PM Friday, September 11, 2015
Berry Center

Previously on Cy Woods Football...

In the 2015 season opener, the Wildcats faced off against Klein Collins at Reliant Stadium, and it got ugly fast. The Cats were down 34-7 at halftime, never got themselves going on offense, and various miscues sent them to a 62-21 defeat.

Tre' Hart was one of the few bright spots that afternoon as he recorded 5 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown.

The Enemy: Cypress Ridge Rams

2014: 2-8, 2-7 (t-8th) in District 17-6A
Did not qualify for playoffs

The Rams opened up their 2015 campaign on a winning note as they took advantage of Morton Ranch's miscues and came out on top 35-26 at Rhodes Stadium on Saturday. Kevin LeDee caught 2 passes, and both went for touchdowns.

(A Few) Players to Watch on the Other Side

QB Cody Canady, WR Kevin LeDee, WR DeAndre Jelks, RB Trelon Smith, DB D'Angelo Ellis, DB Dasharm Newsome, DB James Froehlich, DL Kamari Staton, DL Lucky Jeffery, LB Breon Hayward, LB Darius Warfield

All-Time Series

Cy Woods leads 4-3.

Previous Meetings

September 13, 2014: Woods 59, Ridge 28
September 19, 2013: Woods 28, Ridge 26
September 20, 2012: Ridge 54, Woods 21
October 29, 2011: Woods 45, Ridge 13
October 30, 2010: Woods 49, Ridge 40
September 25, 2009: Ridge 46, Woods 20 (Homecoming II)
September 26, 2008: Ridge 43, Woods 41

2¢ on Ridge

The Rams' inexperience in 2014 led to their worst season ever. However, they return the most lettermen in the district, and many of their starters are back as well. They'll be looking to put the lessons they learned from a rough season to good use as they try to return to prominence.

A significant problem for Cy Ridge last season was a lack of stability at the quarterback position. I believe that they had 5 different people try their hand at QB last season. D'Angelo Ellis, who is normally a defensive back, was one of them. He got the start against Cy Woods last year. Cody Canady was another kid who got a start under center, and he was the Opening Night starter, so it looks like the Rams have some semblance of stability at that spot.

On the other hand, running back has been a position that the Rams haven't found difficulty in filling; they seem to have a legit player at the position every season. The next in line for them is Trelon Smith, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown in last season's game. Smith, who was a sophomore last season, showed good potential before an injury cut his season short. He'll be backed up by Kendall Walls. I don't know

Kevin LeDee is rather easy to spot; in addition to his long, flowing locks, he's usually the tallest person on the field, which gives him a significant advantage in jumpball situations. LeDee, who started as a sophomore in 2014, is expected to be the next in line to replace Kemah Siverand. He and DeAndre Jelks are the Rams' top two returning receivers.

For as long as I can remember, the Rams have always had some fine players on the defensive side of the ball, particularly on the front line. Kamari Staton was the Defensive Newcomer of the Year in the district last season. On the other side of the line is Jeffery, who is described as "a long specimen with a high motor." Hayward will lead the second level of the defense along with Darius Warfield. Ellis, a Rice commit who led the Rams in interceptions last season, is back in the secondary, and he'll form an excellent cornerback duo with Dasharm Newsome.

Last Time These Two Teams Met

The first 17 minutes of this game was topsy-turvy as both teams traded scores. However, after the Rams scored on 3rd & 20 to cut the Wildcats' lead to 28-21 in the 2nd quarter, the Cats seized all of the momentum with two quick touchdowns and left Ridge in the dust en route to a 59-28 win. The (then) sophomores enjoyed breakout performances, as C.J. Jones scored 4 total touchdowns (2 rushing, 2 receiving) and finished 3 receiving yards shy of a 100-100 game. Bryson Powers caught 2 touchdown passes in his last game before becoming a full-time defensive player, while R.J. Harmon had 131 receiving yards and a touchdown and added 125 more yards on the ground.

For JV games: Location of Cypress Ridge High School

Tony Abbott's first two years: broken promises and confected 'wars' leave voters deeply unimpressed

Lenore Taylor Friday 4 September 2015

The PM’s line from February – ‘good government starts today’ – is a gallows-humour joke inside his administration. Even Coalition MPs are no longer sure what they are trying to achieve

John Howard and Tony Abbott stand next to a portrait of Robert Menzies. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Two years in and the Abbott government remains a clamour of battle slogans in search of a policy purpose. The prime minister keeps shaping up for confected daily fights without comprehending that is exactly why he is losing the political “war”.

This is the point in the three-year cycle when a functional government would be finishing the hard grind of doing what it promised at the last election and beginning the task of selling those achievements, and a few new ambitions, at the next one.

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Tony Abbott one year on: how the trust was won and lost

Lenore Taylor, political editor

Even when he knew he would win the election, Tony Abbott refused to risk telling voters the truth. Then came the overreach, the backtracking and the deferred decisions. The question now is whether voters will accept untrustworthiness as a given

Read more

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Not this administration. The prime minister’s line – after the unsuccessful February leadership spill – that “good government starts today” has become a running gallows-humour joke inside his own administration. Even Coalition MPs are not quite sure what their “good government” is trying to achieve.

Its first two years have been a switchback ride of policy reversals, broken promises, foot-stomping frustrations and ideological overreach, leaving Coalition supporters despairing and voters – according to every published poll – deeply unimpressed. Instead of soothing, negotiating, persuading or explaining, the Abbott government responds to new setbacks with another whiplash of hyperbolic aggression or distraction.

When ministers dutifully recite the talking point that the leak/leadership story/scandal/side issue of the day is a “distraction”, no one knows what we are supposedly being distracted from.

Coalition MPs cling to the John Howard comparison. He had persistently bad polls in his first term and he still won a second, right? But Howard was unpopular in his first term mostly because he actually did the unpopular things he believed in – he cut government spending, he changed industrial relation laws, he forced through the gun buyback and he asked voters to give him a second term so he could introduce a goods and services tax. So when he framed the 1998 election around “economic competence” and growth and jobs (sound familiar?), he could point to actual achievements to demonstrate the “courageous decisions” necessary to achieve it, from his political perspective.

By contrast this government has kept switching its slogans and policy objectives for the economy every time the last script didn’t work out.

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Malcolm Turnbull says 2014 budget was Abbott government's 'biggest misstep'

Communications minister and man seen as Tony Abbott’s strongest leadership rival says time is over for ‘spin and slogans’

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It began with the call to arms at the last election – the “debt ‘n deficit disaster” that was all Labor’s fault and only a new Coalition government could avoid. But the first Abbott budget didn’t even try to do all that much about it, and ambushed voters with previously unmentioned health, education and welfare changes which the public and the Senate (backed by at least three sets of modelling) rejected as inequitable and unfair.

By the Coalition’s pre-election reasoning (which ignored international forces like global financial crises or changes in commodity prices) the bigger and longer-lasting deficits and higher debt now forecast should be an even bigger emergency than the one it inherited.

So the slogan switched to “have a go” and the shiny, optimistic 2015 budget was all about getting good, honest folk back to work, primarily women – by way of a new childcare package. That was paid for by cuts to family tax benefit and a massive paring back of what had previously been the prime minister’s “signature” policy on paid parental leave. But neither have passed the Senate, so the productivity- boosting childcare plan (which isn’t supposed to start until July 2017 anyway) remains somewhat hypothetical and complicated to talk about.

So now the slogan has switched again, to “jobs and growth”. The government likes to refer to 300,000 jobs “created” during its term, but that hasn’t been enough to stop unemployment rising. Growth has slowed to a crawl.

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Budget 2015: Tony Abbott says 'let's talk' about how to pay for childcare policy

The prime minister ‘prepared to talk to Labor and the crossbench’ to find savings not necessarily attached to last budget’s failed family tax benefit cuts

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Which brings us to “lower, simpler, fairer taxes”. Let’s put aside for one second the inconvenient facts that the government introduced a deficit levy and re-indexed petrol excise, both moves I agree with, but not exactly lower taxes.

The “lower, simpler, fairer” tax policy it will present at the next election may or may not include personal income tax cuts funded by an expansion of the GST, depending on which day it is and which member of the government is talking. But even if voters were to forget that the prime minister promised “the GST will not change. Full stop. End of story” when asked if he would propose changes in a second term, any GST expansion would require the agreement of the states and they want the money to pay for the looming (and real) “black hole” in hospitals funding. And any parent who has spent time comforting a sick and distressed child in a seething accident and emergency department is likely to be on the premiers’ side in that argument.

Meanwhile, the government’s plans for higher education policy remain in limbo. It abandoned a promise to match Labor on schools funding so we have no idea what will happen there, and the Medicare co-payment has ostensibly been shelved but the Australian Medical Association says a freeze on rebates achieves exactly the same thing over time, by stealth.

Barack Obama turned up and had the nerve to point out that climate change might have an impact on the Great Barrier Reef

For a while the government was going to “end the age of entitlement” for Australian industry. But then (who’d have guessed) the polls in manufacturing states headed south and it suddenly found another $500m for the car industry as a kind of farewell present, and said the Australian Submarine Corporation was actually good for something other than canoe-building and might just get a look in on the $20bn future submarine contract after all.

Briefly, the G20 was pencilled in as a headline achievement, but Barack Obama turned up and had the nerve to point out that climate change might have an impact on the Great Barrier Reef – who knew? – and most of Australia’s solemn economic pledges in the supposedly growth-turbocharging “Brisbane Action Plan” were subsequently ditched.

The free trade agreements might be chalked up as one actual Abbott government achievement, although the China FTA could still fall foul of the current toxic political environment if Labor overreaches and pushes too far with the union movement’s demands or Abbott finds it impossible to make even small legislative concessions.

And having abolished the carbon price, slashed the renewable energy target, abolished the climate council, tried to abolish – or nobble – the clean energy finance corporation and insisted that wind turbines are “utterly offensive” while “coal is good for humanity”, the government said it would sign up to tougher-than-expected 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets, but without any credible policy to achieve to them. (It then dusted off unrelated and dated economic modelling to manufacture a case that its mostly unannounced policy would be a cheaper way to reach these targets than Labor’s unannounced policy to reach its unannounced targets. Former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser, now chair of the independent climate change authority, described that particular diversionary exercise as “weird” and “misleading”).

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Minimal sound and almost no fury: life in the shadow of Australia's wind farm 'hell'

As the political cacophony about ‘noisy, visually awful’ wind turbines reaches fever pitch, Calla Wahlquist visits the Western Australian farmers who host one of the southern hemisphere’s largest wind farms and finds them stubbornly unperturbed

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On national security – a policy area where Labor has offered determined bipartisanship – the government has worked particularly hard to confect disagreement, and has sometimes managed to achieve it most successfully within its own cabinet – for example with the ill-considered and almost certainly unconstitutional surprise first draft of the citizenship laws and the equally ill-thought-through first shot at metadata retention.

On asylum the government has achieved what both major parties promised in 2013 – it has “stopped the boats”. But the human collateral damage is ongoing and has no obvious end – given the lack of resettlement options for those refugees left stranded and suffering on Nauru and Manus Island.

And while the government has been swerving and sliding and prevaricating on the most important areas of policy for the everyday lives of ordinary Australians it has confected “wars” on everything and everyone from Q&A, to conservation organisations to Gillian Triggs, which to anyone outside News Ltd editorial meetings appear to border on the unhinged.

The prime minister used internal processes to shut down any chance that this parliament will achieve marriage equality, was reluctantly forced to retreat on the “right to be a bigot” racial discrimination laws, and shocked his own party with his personal ideological frolic of reintroducing knighthoods and then giving one to Prince Philip.

All these “wars”, of course, have a political purpose – to silence dissent, sideline unwanted advice and distract from critical scrutiny – the same motivations for systematically removing Labor appointments from boards and advisory groups and defunding or sidelining groups that advocate for the poor, the sick, the disabled, the disadvantaged, refugees or the environment.

The government finishes its second year flailing around for a new enemy (it’s Fairfax, no – it’s still the ABC, maybe it’s those sabotaging greenie environmental vandals with the temerity to suggest the environment minister should follow environmental law) and still apparently unaware that its gladiatorial winner-takes-all style is actually adding to its dysfunction and voters’ mistrust.

Well, actually some inside the party understand this all too well but they are not heard – the February leadership spill opened the prime minister’s closed circle of advice a little bit, but not that much. Cabinet is as circumvented as ever – it recently met without a single formal submission and was not consulted before the party room debate on same sex marriage. And it’s leaking more.

This time last year voters had already lost trust in the prime minister, dating back to his first ill-considered budget. Now they are losing respect and the party is once again descending into a self-defeating cycle of instability, suspicions and second guessing of the leadership intentions of Malcolm Turnbull or Scott Morrison or Julie Bishop.

The only glimmer of hope for the Coalition is that voters also appear deeply underwhelmed by Bill Shorten’s Labor.

That’s what Howard was clinging to when interviewed on the ABC’s Insiders program earlier this year about his successor’s troubles, comparing them to his own difficult first term.

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Tony Abbott's national security one-upmanship is about winning – at any cost

Lenore Taylor Political editor

The national security ‘debate’ is a response to Isis but it’s also a way for the prime minister to back Bill Shorten into the untenable position of being ‘weak on terror’

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“One of the reasons we came back was that deep down, people didn’t think Kim Beazley – terrific bloke – stood for anything.

“[There] is a lot of parallels now; I don’t think Bill Shorten stands for anything. One thing that will increasingly being put in the spotlight is the policy acuity of the Labor party.”

But that logic fails if the Coalition incumbent doesn’t stand for anything either.

As the newly reinstated Kevin Rudd discovered in 2013, a government that goes to an election with nothing much to offer except a reminder of how much people dislike the other guy might find that the electorate decides the other guy is a risk worth taking.

Tony Abbott's first two years: broken promises and confected 'wars' leave voters deeply unimpressed | Lenore Taylor | Australia news | The Guardian