Cinco Ranch toppled Cy Ridge 34-17 Saturday afternoon at TDECU Stadium in Houston for the 6A Division II Region III Championship. The Cougars were powered by a bludgeoning defense that forced four turnovers and immobilized a prolific Cy Ridge rushing attack.
Cy Ridge entered Saturday’s game without District 17-6A’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year Trelon Smith, who was forced out of last week’s game against Clear Brook with a foot injury. The Rams ran for 455 yards in that game even without his production. There was confidence that an offense that averaged 400 yards per game on the ground in the playoffs would be able to keep it going.
However, Cy Ridge could not find that same success. The Cinco Ranch defense, anchored by front four Argenis Medina, Blake Kuithe, Eliel Ehimare and Chris Pappas, shut down the free-running Rams offense. Alex Jacobs, Mike Ajayi and company were held to a combined 86 yards rushing. It was the first time in fourteen games this season Cy Ridge failed to reach 100 yards on the ground. Cinco Ranch head coach Don Clayton credited the championship caliber performance of his defense to the hours put in by his coaching staff.
“Our defensive coaches do a tremendous job,” Clayton said after the game. “Both of our D-line coaches, our linebacker coach, our DB coach; they all do a tremendous job of planning. Our kids were very well prepared and it showed. We put in what we thought was a good plan and our kids executed it. It’s a tribute to our coaches and our kids.”
To compliment their stout run defense, the Cougars were able to win the battle for field position. The blend of two recovered fumbles, two interceptions, a blocked punt and excellent returns in the kicking game provided the Cinco Ranch offense with a short field all game long. In fact, the average starting field position for the Cougars touchdown drives was the opposing 35-yard line.
The offense was lead by a powerful two-headed quarterback combo in Bratn Kuithe and James Klingler. Kuithe was there to run and he punished Rams defenders for 118 yards rushing and two bruising touchdowns. He also chipped in several big kick returns, earning him 276 all-purpose yards on the day.
When the Cougars opted to throw, they went with Klingler, who kept the Cy Ridge defense off balance with 191 yards through the air and two passing touchdowns. Both scores were caught by the Cougars’ leading wide receiver Greg Williams Jr., who hauled in a total of six receptions for 91 yards.
With nowhere to run, Cy Ridge would depend on their deep threat receiver Kevin LeDee to get open and make plays. LeDee collected 74 yards on just three receptions and scored Cy Ridge’s only offensive touchdown. At the time, LeDee’s second quarter touchdown grab had put the Rams up 10-7.
But the Rams would not reach the end zone again until the fourth quarter when defensive back James Froehlich returned an interception 98-yards for a touchdown and gave the Rams new life. That spark was quickly extinguished when Brant Kuithe returned the subsequent kickoff 73 yards into Rams territory.
After Kuithe set the table, he would clear it himself with a 15-yard touchdown run. Cinco Ranch running back Sanders Crawford IV piled on with an eight-yard touchdown run later in the quarter to put the game away.
Cinco Ranch advances to the State Semifinals to face Cibolo Steele on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Alamodome.
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