The Cy Ranch Mustangs ended their 2016 season in a giant NFL stadium just like all schools want to accomplish. But it was the wrong stadium and the wrong round of the playoffs.
Cy Ranch went undefeated in regular season and beat Bellaire in the bi-district round of the 6A playoffs. In the second round at NRG Stadium, the Mustangs fell to perennial power Katy by a 31-14 score. It was the second-straight year the Mustangs lost to Katy in the Area Round, which comes off the heels of a state title game appearance in 2014.
Cy Ranch has experienced quite a remarkable run in its infancy stage as a school and football program. Coach Gene Johnson, the District 17-6A Coach of the Year in 2016, has built a juggernaut.
Last season Cy Ranch outscored its opponents by an average of 43-23, and the Mustangs had lots of firepower on an offense that reloaded with quarterback Blake Nevins.
Key Losses
OL Alexander Dulevitz, WR RJ Sneed II, QB Blake Nevins
Dulevitz, Sneed and Nevins were unanimous picks for first-team all-district in 17-6A last season. Dulevitz, listed at 6-2, 265, was one of the anchors on an offensive line that paved the way for a team that averaged 275 rushing yards a game.
Nevins completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,794 yards and 19 touchdowns and was the 17-6A Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
Sneed was named first-team all-district with a team-leading 702 yards on 40 receptions and seven touchdowns.
Key Returners
OL Colten Blanton, DB Rance McInnis, DB Ryan Fields
Blanton is a giant on the offensive line at 6-7, 280 pounds. The Texas A&M commit will once again anchor the offensive line at left tackle, which means protecting the blind side of an incoming quarterback and paving the way for a strong running game.
McGinnis (6-1, 185) was a first-team all-district selection last season as a sophomore and Fields was named to the District 17-6A second-team. McInnis was second on the team with 79 tackles last season and led the team with three interceptions.
Verdict
The defense will be salty and the offense will once again be hard to stop, especially running behind the beefy Colten Blanton, who’s only going to get bigger in the offseason — which should downright scare defensive coordinators.
Cy Ranch has made a habit of making the playoffs, and they should be there again in 2017 after competing for another district championship.
