Cy Ranch 52, Cy Woods 13: The End

Final 2016 record: 2-8, 2-7 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Matt Ramos, The Crimson Connection

A tumultuous and torturous season is finally over. Two years removed from a playoff run, the Cy Woods Wildcats have fallen to the bottom of the table. This fall from grace was capped off with a crash landing in the form of a 52-13 dissection at the hands of the Cy Ranch Mustangs in the 2016 season finale.

Too long, didn't read version: The 2016 iteration of the Battle of 290 was no contest.

Changes are coming.....

So, What Happened Was....

The Mustangs scored on all six of their possessions in the first half to cruise to a 38-0 lead on a hapless Cy Woods squad in the first half before Jacob Kainer finally put the Cats on the board with a six-yard touchdown run with no time left.

Halftime: Ranch 38, Woods 6

Ranch scored two more times for good measure in the third quarter and were on the verge of handing Woods its worst-ever defeat before C.J. Jones caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Brighton Gullickson with under two minutes remaining in the game.

Final: Ranch 52, Woods 13

Ground

Yes, injuries happen, but it really is a shame that we didn't get to see a fully healthy C.J. Jones get a chance to shine on the football field this season. As he has done so many times in the past, he led the Cats in rushing in his final game, and he broke off a couple of nice runs.

C.J. Jones: 13 carries, 57 yards

Brighton Gullickson: 6 carries, 30 yards

Jacob Kainer: 7 carries, 25 yards, TD

Matt Ficalora: 2 carries, 16 yards

Angel Laca: 1 carry, 14 yards

Bobby Dodson: 3 carries, 14 yards

Semaj Trahan: 2 carries, 3 yards

Air

C.J.'s touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the 14th of his Cy Woods career, moving him into a tie at the top of the all-time leaderboard with Gary Tesch and Jordan Johnson.

Jacob Kainer: 1-14, 17 yards

Brighton Gullickson: 4-12, 31 yards, TD, 2 INT

C.J. Jones: 1-1, 46 yards

Semaj Trahan: 0-1

Brennan Niles: 2 catches, 31 yards

Tanner Sherrill: 1 catch, 46 yards

Matt Ficalora: 1 catch, 14 yards

C.J. Jones: 1 catch, 3 yards, TD

Bobby Dodson: 1 catch, 0 yards

Defense

Um... I will plead the fifth. This is the third straight year in which the Wildcat defense has allowed over 400 points in a season. The problem here is that two of these seasons are non-playoff seasons.

Tackles

Micheal Young - 10

Elijah Strang - 7

Neil Chambers, Tre Minix - 5

Cody Eggleston and Tory Spears - 4

Kason Franklin, Collin Joyce, Evan Alexander, Ryan Kenny - 3

Matt Roberts, Myles Wilson - 2

Blake Brown, Trent Bird, Joaquin Garza, Matt Ficalora, Yussef Nuñez, Christian Jones, Hayden Chalmers, Hunter Magallan - 1

Sacks: Neil Chambers 1 (7 yards lost), Cody Eggleston 1 (2 yards lost)

Fumbles forced: Tre Minix

Fumbles recovered: Jake Tesch

Special Teams

Luis Reyes converted on the final extra point attempt of his career. He will finish his Cy Woods career with 187 points, an all-time record for a Wildcat kicker.

C.J. Jones: 2 kicks returned, 64 yards

Tre Minix: 2 kicks returned, 39 yards

Micheal Young: 1 kick returned, 16 yards

Other Happenings

The student section took part in the Mannequin Challenge, and Cami Beardmore recorded it all. Pretty cool stuff. They also threw powder in the air, apparently.

CYPRESS WOODS #MannequinChallenge #212 pic.twitter.com/MINOTiTncG

— Cameron Beardmore (@BeardmoreCami) November 5, 2016

The Wildcats' Mannequin Challenge attempt made it to the Chronicle, too!

Wow our #Mannequinchallenge made it in the Houston Chronicles! Check out the story here:https://t.co/PC0Ointf6h

— Cameron Beardmore (@BeardmoreCami) November 7, 2016

Looking Ahead

It's the offseason.

Cy Creek 24, Cy Woods 23: Heart. Break. City.

2016 Record: 2-7. 2-6 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Matt Ramos, The Crimson Connection

A long season just got a little bit longer, because despite a valiant effort, the Cy Woods Wildcats fell 24-23 to Cy Creek after Luis Reyes' 39-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left with eight seconds remaining in the game.

No Cy Woods football team had lost more than six games in a season... until now. To say that it's been a tough year is a rather large understatement.

With their fates already sealed, the Cats could have just gone through the motions in this game and been content with getting smacked 55-0. On the contrary, I did not see anybody quit in this game; they played as though they were still in a playoff chase, and it makes me sick to see them put forth that amount of effort, only for them to fall short of a victory.

Creek missed a game-winning field goal against Woods in my senior year (that one was not even close), so I suppose both teams are even now.

This was the first time that Woods went with the white/gold uniform combination, and it looked excellent. What was not excellent: the PA announcer. I was not aware that Cy Woods changed their mascot to the Tigers.

So, What Happened Was...

This game had a heated beginning. Tyler Redgrave got into it with Pryce Pearson during the opening kickoff, and Tyler ended up losing his helmet in the process. In retaliation, he ripped off Pearson's helmet and chucked it about ten yards. Obviously, his actions resulted in his ejection.

Hopefully this serves as a lesson for him. Things do get testy on the football field, but there are times where you just have to be the bigger man.

Jacob Kainer was picked off on the second play of the game, and the Cougars turned that into three points with a 22-yard field goal from Ryan Nealy. After Creek ran a fake punt on fourth down.... inside their own 15-yard-line and fumbled the ball away, Luis responded with a 31-yard field goal with four minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Yes, that fake punt was a thing that actually occurred in this game.

End 1st: Woods 3, Creek 3

Jack "Barren-tinez" scored twice in the second quarter; his first came on a 34-yard run. Then, with just over two minutes remaining, Brighton "Gullilckson" saw that Jack was totally uncovered, lobbed the ball to him, and Jack took it from there, scoring from 31 yards out. Creek found the endzone right before halftime as Miles Battle scored on a 14-yard pass from Mateo Renteria.

Halftime: Woods 17, Creek 10

Brighton scored on a two-yard run, which was the only scoring play of the third quarter. The extra point was not attempted due to a bad snap.

End 3rd: Woods 23, Creek 10

Battle scored twice in the fourth quarter, and both of his touchdown catches came on fourth-down plays. The first went for eight yards in the back corner of the endzone and it looked as though he was out of bounds. The official closest to the play did not see it that way, though, and the replay looked like it showed that he had a foot down. The second came when he caught a screen pass and outran everyone for a 42-yard touchdown. The extra-point attempt following that touchdown was moved back because of a false start, and the retry was nearly blocked by Tre Minix, but Nealy was able to convert the PAT.

Following a punt, the Wildcats regained possession with 2:45 left. Jacob Kainer did what he was supposed to do; put Woods in a position to win the game. It all fell to Luis Reyes, who came on for a 39-yard attempt to win the game. He was iced twice, and that strategy, unfortunately, paid off, because the kick went wide left.

The extra point that didn't get kicked turned out to be the difference in this game.

Also, the fourth quarter continues to be absolute torture for the Wildcats; they have now been outscored 117-36 in the final period this season.

Final: Creek 24, Woods 23


Ground

Jack Barrientez continues his star turn.

Jack Barrientez: 18 carries, 111 yards, TD
Jacob Kainer: 10 carries, 31 yards
Brighton Gullickson: 8 carries, 19 yards, TD
Jake Tesch: 1 carry, 4 yards

Air

Connor Faulk was targeted a fair amount in this game, especially when the Wildcats needed first downs, and he made the most of his chances; four of his six receptions resulted in first downs, and he was the team's leading receiver in this game. There is a lot of upside with this wide receiver group with him and the Sherrill twins; all three of them are just sophomores, and they are just scratching the surface of their potential.

Jacob Kainer: 11-21, 107 yards, INT
Brighton Gullickson: 5-10, 92 yards, TD
Jack Barrientez: 0-1

Connor Faulk: 6 catches, 58 yards
Jack Barrientez: 4 catches, 63 yards, TD
Matt Ficalora: 3 catches, 37 yards
Brennan Niles: 1 catch, 17 yards
Jake Fennis: 1 catch, 14 yards
Jake Tesch: 1 catch, 10 yards

Defense

Although the secondary had their hands full with Miles Battle, the defensive unit turned in an inspired performance. Collin Fewox was in on seemingly every play on Thursday. I really like what I saw from Collin in this game... he's fearless and he's playing with an edge that has been sorely missing from the Cy Woods defense for a few years now. He also intercepted a Mateo Renteria pass near the goal line to stop a potential Creek scoring drive, and Cody Eggleston also had an interception; he looked sort of surprised that the ball hit him in the hand at first, but he stuck with the play and was able to secure the ball.

Tackles

Collin Fewox - 15
Neil Chambers - 14
Cody Eggleston - 10
Tre Minix - 7
Johnathan Hunter - 5
Elijah Strang - 5
Micheal Young - 4
Evan Alexander and Collin Joyce - 3
Hunter Magallan, Myles Wilson, Ryan Kenny, and Christian Jones - 2
Connor Faulk, Adrian Venzor, Hunter Husbands, Trevor Reed, Trent Bird, and Ethan Agnew - 1

Interceptions 
Collin Fewox 1, returned 29 yards
Cody Eggleston 1

Fumbles recovered
Evan Alexander 1

Special Teams

Keep your head up, Luis. The great thing about this game is that no matter the result of your last run, reception, or kick, you will get another chance to do it again.

Luis also took a vicious hit on a punt after a bad snap forced him to scramble after the loose ball, and somehow he managed to get the kick away. No penalty was assessed because he became a runner when he ran to recover the ball and kicked it rugby-style. I'm amazed that (1) he was not seriously hurt, and (2) that kick was not blocked.

Luis Reyes: 1-2 FG (made 31, missed 39), 2-2 XP; 7 punts, 233 yards

Tre Minix: 2 kicks returned, 38 yards
Jake Tesch: 1 kick returned, 14 yards; 1 punt returned, 4 yards
Myles Wilson: 1 kick returned, 5 yards
Jake Fennis: 1 kick returned, 5 yards

Man of the Match

Without a doubt, Jack Barrientez has been the Wildcats' most valuable player this season.

An honorable mention goes out to Collin Fewox. That kid is tough, and he really plays with some reckless abandon.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will close out 2016 with a showdown against the Cy Ranch Mustangs at the Berry Center at 7:00 on Friday, November 4. Cy Woods will be the home team.

Cy-Fair 35, Cy Woods 17: Homecoming Crashed

2016 Record: 2-6, 2-5 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

It's been a rough year for Cy Woods, and this 35-17 loss to Cy-Fair on Homecoming has condemned them to a losing season for the second time in school history. In addition, the Wildcats have been eliminated from playoff contention for a second consecutive year.

Well.... Cy Woods should probably consider looking ahead to 2017. A season like this has basically guaranteed that changes are coming to this program, right?

Also, football's dumb now. On a serious note, all programs go through down periods, and it looks like it is Cy Woods' turn to suffer this fate. All you can really do is hope that this downturn doesn't last long.

So, What Happened Was...

Trent Kennedy opened up the scoring with a 45-yard run with just over four minutes to go in the opening period. Less than 30 seconds later, Cy Woods responded with a three-yard run from Jack Barrientez.

End 1st: Woods 7, Fair 7

A 45-yard field goal from Luis Reyes gave the Wildcats their only lead of the game. Kennedy scored again from five yards out, and Cam Arnold threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brock Wright.

Halftime: Fair 21, Woods 10

Jacob Kainer's 11-yard touchdown run was the only scoring play of the third quarter.

End 3rd: Fair 21, Woods 17

The Bobcats put this game away thanks to a six-yard touchdown pass from Arnold to B.J. Chambers and a one-yard run by Kennedy.

Final: Fair 35, Woods 17

Ground

Cy Woods' longest run in this game? 74 yards. Their next-longest? 18. Jack made both of these runs. That 74-yard run is now the longest offensive play of the season for the Wildcats. Outside of those two plays, however, the Wildcats gained just 86 yards on 35 carries.

Jacob Kainer: 15 carries, 28 yards, TD
Nijah Surtain: 11 carries, 62 yards
Jack Barrientez: 9 carries, 96 yards, TD
Brighton Gullickson: 2 carries, -8 yards

Air

I've never seen a Cy Woods team have so much difficulty passing the ball. Jack failed to record a catch for the first time this season.

Jacob Kainer: 5-12, 68 yards, INT
Brighton Gullickson: 0-2

Jake Tesch: 1 catch: 20 yards
Cullen Sherrill: 1 catch, 14 yards
Nijah Suratin: 1 catch, 13 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 catch, 11 yards
Brennan Niles: 1 catch, 10 yards

Defense

Myles Wilson has been the Wildcats' best defensive player by far. These kids are continuing to fight, but once again... they can only hold out for so long.

Tackles

Myles Wilson - 13
Neil Chambers - 11
Tre Minix, Evan Alexander, Hunter Husbands, and Cody Eggleston - 6
Collin Joyce - 4
Elijah Strang and Micheal Young - 3
Johnathan Hunter - 2
Matt Ficalora, Tanner Sherrill, and Trent Bird - 1

Sacks: Elijah Strang 1 (3 yards lost)

Special Teams

Luis Reyes scored five points with a 45-yard field goal and two extra points. The field goal is his longest since hitting a 48-yarder against Cy Lakes in 2014. Luis also successfully executed an onside kick and punted the ball four times; his longest boot of the night went for 61 yards.

Luis Reyes: 1-1 FG (made 45), 2-2 XP = 5 points; 4 punts, 205 yards (51.25 yards per punt), long of 61

Jake Tesch: 3 kicks returned, 64 yards; 1 punt returned, -2 yards
Nijah Surtain: 2 kicks returned, 33 yards

Key Stat

Third down has haunted the Wildcats all season, and in this game, it was no different.

Cy-Fair went 6-11 when facing third down. By contrast, Cy Woods was just 1-9.

Man of the Match

Give Jack Barrientez the ball.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will take on Cy Creek at Pridgeon Stadium on Thursday at 7:00. Cy Woods will be the visiting team in this game.

Cy Woods 36, Cy Lakes 33: Off the Canvas

Record: 2-5, 2-4 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

The Cypress Woods Wildcats snapped a school-record-tying four-game losing streak by snatching a 36-33 victory over Cy Lakes from the jaws of defeat onThursday at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium.

No doubt, the Cats needed this win to at least bring back some positive feelings. It's definitely a relieving feeling when a long losing streak is stopped, and to their credit, they've continued to fight, even through the countless lapses. 

Yes, I think this team is better than their 2-4 record in district play, but I'll save that rant for another day.

So, What Happened Was...

Tyrese Miller connected with Reginald Breggs on a 16-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring. However, the Cats swiftly responded as Jacob Kainer found Jake Fennis for a 66-yard score. Just before the end of the opening quarter, Jack Barrientez caught a five-yard touchdown. 

End 1st: Woods 14, Lakes 6

Ansar Richardson scored on a 13-yard run to cut the Wildcats' lead to two points, and then Jack caught a six-yard touchdown pass, his second of the evening. The Spartans got on the board right before halftime thanks to a two-yard touchdown pass from Miller to Colin King.

Halftime: Woods 21, Lakes 19

Jack was intercepted by Julian Hall, who returned it for a pick-six to put Lakes in the lead. He atoned for that miscue with a 68-yard touchdown, and on the ensuing PAT, Matt Ficalora scored two points. The Spartans regained the lead thanks to a three-yard scoring run by King.

End 3rd: Lakes 33, Woods 29

The Spartans downed a punt at Cy Woods' one-yard line with three minutes remaining in the game. On the first play of the drive, Jack busted loose for a 42-yard run. With the Cats facing a 4th & 13, Jacob managed to gain 14 yards. Four plays later, Nijah Surtain caught a screen pass from Jacob and scampered 32 yards for the game-winner with 23 seconds left. 

Collin Fewox sealed the deal by picking off a desperation heave from King.

Final: Woods 36, Lakes 33

Ground

Running backs running the ball. Hmm... hope this concept catches on. Jack's 68-yard touchdown run is the Wildcats' longest running play of the season. Only one of his carries in this game resulted in a loss of yards. In fact, the Wildcats only had four running plays in which they lost yards. I think that's ideal.

Jacob Kainer: 10 carries, 34 yards

Jack Barrientez: 7 carries, 123 yards, TD

Nijah Surtain: 6 carries, 56 yards

Air

This was the second game in which Jacob threw four touchdowns. Julian Hall picked off both Jacob and Jack, and he returned Jack's interception for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Jacob Kainer: 16-28, 264 yards, 4 TD, INT

Jack Barrientez: 0-1, INT

This game was also the first time that someone other than Jack led the team in receptions. Well... he and Nijah tied for the lead in this one. 

Brennan Niles became the second player to reach double figures in receptions and the second player to surpass 200 receiving yards this season. His 46-yard catch in the 3rd is now his longest grab of the year.

Nijah Surtain: 6 catches, 71 yards, TD

Jack Barrientez: 6 catches, 42 yards, 2 TD

Brennan Niles: 2 catches, 70 yards

Jake Fennis: 1 catch, 66 yards, TD

Cullen Sherrill: 1 catch, 15 yards

Defense

Myles Wilson continues to make his presence felt on defense. I've watched him for almost four years, and he has the ability to play at the next level. Collin Fewox finished with 11 tackles and the decisive interception. 

Tackles

Myles Wilson - 13

Collin Fewox - 11

Collin Joyce and Elijah Strang - 10

Neil Chambers - 9

Cody Eggleston - 8

Evan Alexander - 7

Micheal Young and Christian Jones - 4

Tyler Redgrave and Trent Bird - 3

Chris Statom - 2

Tre Minix, Jack Barrientez, and Blake Brown - 1

Fumbles forced: Collin Fewox and Neil Chambers - 1 apiece

Interceptions 

Collin Fewox - 1, returned 18 yards

Micheal Young - 1, returned 21 yards

Special Teams

Luis Reyes went 4-4 on his extra point attempts, and his only punt of the night traveled 41 yards. When he isn't called on to punt often, that's usually a good sign. All but one of his kickoffs went for touchbacks.

Jake Fennis: 3 kicks returned, 31 yards

Nijah Surtain: 1 kick returned, 17 yards

Tre Minix: 1 kick returned, 14 yards

Micheal Young: 1 kick returned, 11 yards

Jack Barrientez: 1 punt returned, 0 yards

Man of the Match

Without a doubt, Jack Barrientez has been the Wildcats' best offensive player this season. With 165 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns, he gets the nod here.

Jacob showed tremendous poise in directing the offense on the game-winning drive. He's a good player; that's why he's the starting quarterback. Once he reins in the turnovers, that is when he can be considered great.

Looking Ahead

It's Homecoming at the Woods. In the ninth Homecoming football game, the Wildcats will take on the Cy-Fair Bobcats at Pridgeon Stadium on Friday, October 21 at 7:00. Naturally, they will be the home team.

Cy Falls 27, Cy Woods 10: ***Simulate to End of Season***

2016 record: 1-5, 1-4 in District 17-6A

The Wildcats were shackled on offense in a 27-10 loss to Cy Falls on Friday, sending them to a fourth consecutive defeat, which, unfortunately, ties the longest losing streak in Cy Woods football history. It is also the first time that the Wildcats have lost four games in a row in the same season. And now.... the possibility of a playoff drought is one step closer to reality.

They have given two previously winless teams their first wins of the season. I.... I just can't right now.

So, What Happened Was...

Luis Reyes opened the scoring with a 21-yard field goal. However, Chhay Hok put the Eagles in front with a 14-yard touchdown run.

End 1st: Falls 7, Woods 3

Jordan Ramos' 12-yard touchdown pass from T.J. Goodwin was the only scoring play of the second quarter.

Halftime: Falls 14, Woods 3

Christian Anderson scored the only points of the third quarter with a three-yard run.

End 3rd: Falls 20, Woods 3

Brighton Gullickson connected with Matt Ficalora on a 32-yard touchdown pass for Cy Woods' only touchdown of the game. Sadly, Devon Hayward sealed the victory by picking off Brighton and returning the interception 52 yards for the final score of the evening with three minutes left.

Final: Falls 27, Woods 10

Ground

Not much to report here.

Jack Barrientez: 11 carries, 27 yards
Jacob Kainer: 5 carries, 25 yards
Brighton Gullickson: 3 carries, 0 yards
Semaj Trahan: 2 carries, 7 yards

Air

Another multi-interception outing for the signal-callers.

PSA: Turnovers kill.

Jacob Kainer: 11-19, 124 yards, INT
Brighton Gullickson: 6-11, 92 yards, TD, 2 INT
Semaj Trahan: 0-1

Jack Barrientez: 5 catches, 53 yards
Angel Laca: 3 catches, 37 yards
Jake Fennis: 2 catches, 44 yards
Matt Ficalora: 2 catches, 36 yards, TD
Bobby Dodson: 2 catches, 16 yards
Brennan Niles: 1 catch, 16 yards
Tanner Sherrill: 1 catch, 12 yards
Sam Landingham:1 catch, 2 yards

Defense

Well, they held an opponent to fewer than 30 points for the first time this season. I suppose there's that.

Special Teams

Luis Reyes hit a 21-yard field goal and his only extra point opportunity of the game.

Man of the Match

I guess I'll go with Matt Ficalora for scoring the Cats' only touchdown.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will kick off Week 8 of District 17-6A football as they take on the Cy Lakes Spartans at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium. Kickoff is at 7. Cy Woods will be the visitors in this game.

Langham Creek 62, Cy Woods 35: September Doldrums

2016 record: 1-4, 1-3 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

For a second consecutive year, the Cypress Woods Wildcats are in a mid-season swoon. At times, they have looked excellent. At other times, they've looked completely incapable of keeping pace with the opposition, and unfortunately, there have been more occurrences of the latter. In the first game of Week 6 in District 17-6A, the Wildcats looked as though they were simply unable to match Langham Creek's intensity in a 62-35 loss, dropping them to 1-4 on the season and 1-3 in district play.

This.... this is what growing pains on offense and a defense that still has the inability to keep opposing offenses off the scoreboard, gets you. This is an offense that has nine sophomores seeing playing time. Sounds a lot like the Astros in the second half of this season. They're fighting, and that is commendable, but at 1-3, the Cats are really up against it now. They just haven't been able to put a complete football game in the last two weeks, and now a third consecutive defeat has them at the brink, meaning that the only way for them to salvage any hope for the playoffs is if they win out. Never say never, though.

You may think that I'm the mouthpiece for the coaches, but honestly (seriously), I was not overly optimistic about this team heading into the season. They simply have too many questions, and too few, if any, of them have been answered so far.

If (I won't say when just yet) the Cats are formally out of the playoff picture, I wouldn't be surprised if they shift straight to youth movement mode to see what they have for 2017... then again, they're basically undergoing one on offense right now. As an alum, of course I want this team to do well. I do realize that missing the playoffs isn't the end of the world, either. Regardless of how this season turns out, I'm still very interested in seeing how the youngsters develop. There is hope... maybe not for this year, but surely for the future.

So, What Happened Was...

Toneil Carter opened up the scoring with an eight-yard run, and Jack Barrientez put Cy Woods on the board with a five-yard run to tie the game. However, it only took one play for Langham to regain the advantage, as Reagan Coburn scored on a 56-yard pass from Chris Herron, who scored on a seven-yard run shortly before the end of the first quarter.

End 1st: Langham 20, Woods 7

Cullen Sherrill scored the first points of the second quarter by catching his first touchdown pass of the evening, a 22-yard connection with Jacob Kainer. Herron responded by finding Praise Okorie for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Jacob fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brennan Niles, giving him a touchdown reception for the second straight week. However, the wheels fell off for them to end the half, as Chase McCray scored on a nine-yard run and Paul Darks returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown.

Halftime: Langham 41, Woods 21

Cullen's second touchdown reception of the evening was the only scoring play in the third quarter.

End 3rd: Langham 41, Woods 28

The Lobos snuffed out a fake punt attempt, and Herron capped off the Lobos' ensuing drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Golden Eke. Nijah Surtain scored on a four-yard run, but Langham buried the Cats with a 29-yard touchdown run from Toneil Carter and a 21-yard pick-six from Brad Pinkerton.

Final: Langham 62, Woods 35

Ground

On a more positive note... welcome back, C.J. His presence in the offense was sorely missed, and while he didn't score in this game, he was able to break off some nice runs. He will likely have to take his game to unprecedented heights to help keep this team in the picture.

Congratulations to Nijah Surtain for scoring his first touchdown at the varsity level.

C.J. Jones: 11 carries, 90 yards
Jacob Kainer: 14 carries, 54 yards
Nijah Surtain: 5 carries, 14 yards, TD
Bobby Dodson: 3 carries, 9 yards
Luis Reyes: 2 carries, 8 yards
Jack Barrientez: 2 carries, 7 yards
Brighton Gullickson: 3 carries, 2 yards

Air

Four interceptions, two pick sixes.... definitely not ideal. Just a rough night against the defense that leads the district in interceptions. Brighton Gullickson got the start, and he played a few series before Jacob assumed control of the offense the rest of the way.

All but one of Cullen Sherrill's catches have resulted in touchdowns this season.

Jacob Kainer: 18-34, 262 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT (2 returned for touchdowns)
Brighton Gullickson: 2-4, 7 yards, INT
Jack Barrientez: 0-1

Jack Barrientez: 7 catches, 59 yards
Tanner Sherrill: 4 catches, 92 yards
Brennan Niles: 2 catches, 32 yards, TD
Cullen Sherrill: 2 catches, 28 yards, 2 TD
Nijah Surtan: 2 catches, 10 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 catch, 35 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 catch, 8 yards
Connor Faulk: 1 catch, 5 yards

Defense

Can't pin two pick-sixes on the defense, but Langham Creek scoring on their first five offensive possessions of the game... definitely not ideal. The Wildcats didn't have an answer for Chris Herron in this game.

Neil Chambers and Collin Fewox delivered solid performances; Collin recorded six tackles, two of which resulted in a loss of yards, and one was a sack. Neil had two sacks and recovered a fumble.

Tackles

Elijah Strang: 7
Myles Wilson and Collin Fewox: 6
Kason Franklin: 5
Tory Spears and Neil Chambers: 4
Eron Vanduren: 3
Hunter Husbands, Collin Joyce, Cam Howland, Connor Faulk: 2
Hunter Magallan, Micheal Young, Brighton Gullickson, Ellington Shepard, Jack Barrientez, and Tyvon Alexander: 1

Sacks

Neil Chambers: 2, 14 yards lost
Collin Fewox: 1, 6 yards lost

Fumbles Recovered

Neil Chambers: 1

Special Teams

Luis Reyes hit all five of his extra points and punted the ball three times for 104 yards.

Jake Tesch had a 28-yard kick return, his longest of the year.

Jake Tesch: 3 kicks returned, 54 yards
Nijah Surtain: 2 kicks returned, 31 yards
C.J. Jones: 2 kicks returned, 21 yards
Jake Fennis: 1 kick returned, 12 yards
Bobby Dodson: 1 kick returned, 6 yards

Man of the Match

I guess..... Cullen Sherrill? Yeah, I'll go with Cullen.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will open up the second half of their schedule with a tilt against the Cypress Falls Golden Eagles at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium on Friday, October 7, at 7:00. Cy Woods is the home team in this game.

Jersey Village 58, Cy Woods 46: Falcons' Supremacy Continues

2016 Record: 1-3, 1-2 in District 17-6A

Photo credit: Billy Schuerman, The Crimson Connection

No team had ever defeated the Cypress Woods Wildcats in football in four consecutive years. That changed on Saturday, though, as Jersey Village came away with a 58-46 victory to extend their winning streak over the Wildcats to... four.

Well... the Cats are not in dire straits yet, but this was surely another game that they felt they let get away, especially considering that they led 31-17 at halftime. The Falcons turned the tables in the second half by outscoring the Wildcats 41-15.

After a dud against Cy Ridge, the Wildcat offense reverted to its usual, explosive self. Jacob Kainer had an excellent night as he was responsible for five touchdowns, and Jack Barrientez continues to be an impact player, but someone has to emerge to take some of the burden off of Jacob and Jack while C.J. Jones continues to be on the mend. Nijah Surtain and Jake Tesch have shown promise in their sophomore campaigns, but it's apparent that they are both trying to adapt to the varsity level. Brennan Niles had a solid night catching the ball; he could become a reliable option in the passing game if he gets the targets, and that would take a huge amount of pressure off of Jack, who has really been the Wildcats' one consistent receiving threat this season.

One loss? Fine. Two losses, however, makes things more dicey. Heading towards the second half of the season, each game begins to take on more significance in terms of the playoff picture, and at the same time, the margin for error has virtually vanished. In Cy-Fair ISD, every game counts, and this next game against Langham Creek is the game that the Wildcats must win if they want to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot.

So, What Happened Was...

Emerson Garcia opened the scoring in Jersey Village's favor with a 27-yard field goal. Woods responded with an eight-yard touchdown run from Jacob Kainer and a 28-yard field goal from Luis Reyes.

End 1st: Woods 10, JV 3

Alec Wechsler connected with Jordan Jones for a 36-yard touchdown pass to tie the game, but the Wildcats responded with 21 unanswered points. Jacob punched it in from a yard out, and Jack Barrientez found Brennan Niles on the patented halfback pass for a 28-yard touchdown. Jacob then found Cullen Sherrill for a 61-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons got a three-yard touchdown run from Jireh Thompson just before the half.

Halftime: Woods 31, JV 17

That score before halftime sparked a 28-0 Jersey Village run, and Thompson scored all four of those touchdowns. In the third, he scored on runs of seven, 71, and 12 yards; the 12-yard run gave JV their first lead of the evening. Jacob scored on a two-yard run, his third rushing touchdown of the game, for the Wildcats' only points of the 3rd.

End 3rd: Woods 38, JV 38

Thompson took over in the third quarter, but in the final stanza, he turned it over to his quarterback, Wechsler, who proceeded to torch the Wildcats for three touchdown passes. His second touchdown pass to Jones put the Falcons back in front. Jack caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Jacob for a score, and then Myles Wilson fought his way into the endzone for the go-ahead two-point conversion, putting Cy Woods up 46-45. Wechsler would have the final say in this one, though, as he hit John Gilbert for a 69-yard touchdown to give Jersey Village the lead for good, and he sealed the deal with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Thompson.

Final: JV 58, Woods 46

Ground

C.J. has been missed, and that really puts the burden of the running game on Jacob, who already has more than enough on his plate. Nijah is still trying to adjust, so the Cats' options at running back are pretty limited. Jack has basically been thrust into a utility role, sort of like the role Jared Taylor played at times last year.

Jacob left the game due to an injury in the fourth quarter, but it doesn't seem to be too serious.

Jacob Kainer: 29 carries, 123 yards, 3 TD
Jack Barrientez: 7 carries, 25 yards
Nijah Surtain: 6 carries, 37 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 carry, 3 yards

Air

Jacob had a new career-high in passing yards, and this was the best that the passing game has looked all season, because more receivers are getting looks in the passing game. On the other hand, a cynic may say that that may be a product of trying to see who will step up.

We already know that Jacob and Jack have already established a solid rapport together, but as the other receivers are getting more acclimated, we're seeing more of them getting involved.

Judging by their numbers, Jake and Brennan were both targeted quite a bit in this game, and I think that's a good sign for this offense moving forward; as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, Jack is clearly the primary option, so one of these guys must emerge as a #2 receiver in the passing game. It could be Jake, whose exciting skill set is reminiscent of Mason Roberts. It could be Brennan, who has steadily improved each year and is getting his shot to shine. It could be one, or even both, of the Sherrills. With their size, they are instant mismatches on the outside.

Jacob Kainer: 22-31, 333 yards, 2 TD
Jack Barrientez: 1-1, 28 yards, TD
Brighton Gullickson: 1-3, 8 yards, INT

Jack Barrientez: 7 catches, 116 yards, TD
Jake Tesch: 6 catches, 68 yards
Brennan Niles: 4 catches, 82 yards, TD
Tanner Sherrill: 2 catches, 38 yards
Sam Landingham: 2 catches, 0 yards
Cullen Sherrill: 1 catch, 61 yards, TD
Connor Faulk: 1 catch, 12 yards
Nijah Surtain: 1 catch, 2 yards

Defense

Unfortunately, the defense was gashed by the opposing team's running back for the second straight week, and the Wildcats could not find an answer for the Falcons' offensive assault in the second half. JV running back Jireh Thompson ran for 242 yards on 23 carries and scored four touchdowns. In addition, Alec Wechsler threw for 368 yards and four more scores, and John Gilbert and Jordan Jones both exceeded 100 receiving yards.

Tackles

Trent Bird: 7 (1 for loss)
Christian Jones, Myles Wilson and Kason Franklin: 5 (all solo)
Cody Eggleston: 5 (1 assisted, 1 for loss [sack])
Elijah Strang and Micheal Young: 4
Tory Spears, Semaj Trahan, and Collin Fewox: 2 (all solo; Fewox had 1 tackle for a loss)
Deon Jones, Eron Vanduren, Chris Statom: 1 (all solo)
Evan Alexander, Matt Ficalora, Collin Joyce: 1 (assisted)

Takeaways

Fumbles forced: Trent Bird, Tory Spears, Christian Jones: 1
Fumbles recovered: Myles Wilson 2

Special Teams

Luis Reyes converted on his first field goal attempt of the season and also hit on all five of his extra point attempts.

1-1 FG (made 28); 5-5 XP; 4 punts, 133 yards (33.3 yards per punt)

Return opportunities have been scarce in recent weeks, but Nijah Surtain got plenty of work with five kickoff returns.

Nijah Surtain: 5 kicks returned, 102 yards
Matt Ficalora: 1 kick returned, 10 yards
Jake Tesch: 1 punt returned, 5 yards

Man of the Match

Before the season, I felt that Jack Barrientez was primed for a breakout season, and his versatility would be a huge asset for the offense. C.J. Jones' absence has thrust Jack into a starring role, and he has responded by putting up All-District caliber numbers in the early going.

Looking Ahead

The Wildcats will alternate between Thursday and Friday games from here on out. They'll kick off Week 6 in District 17-6A with a tilt against the Langham Creek Lobos at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium this Thursday at 7:00. Cy Woods will be the home team in this contest.