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6A

District 17-6A Season Preview

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There’s no shortage of coaching experience in this district. Four of the eight coaches have held their positions for 14 years or more.

There is a clear divide between the top four and bottom four in this district. The top four have all made the playoffs for multiple years in a row, whereas the bottom four have playoff droughts that are all at least a couple of years long. Will that status quo hold, or will one of the Cypress schools play spoiler this year? And can Spring Woods and Northbrook continue their development on the field this fall?

Here’s what to watch in District 17-6A.

Cy-Fair Bobcats

Head Coach: Jeff Miller (4th Season)

Last Season: 10-2; 7-0 (Lost to Cinco Ranch in area round)

Cy-Fair Key Players and Storylines

Cy-Fair hasn’t missed a beat since Jeff Miller took over from Ed Pustejovsky in 2020.

The Bobcats haven’t missed the playoffs since 2009, but their goal this season will be getting past the area round. It’s a hurdle that has snagged the Bobcats the past four seasons.

Cy-Fair has the offense to do just that. Texas commit quarterback Trey Owens (3,057 passing yards and 34 touchdowns) returns with Rice commit wide receiver Owen Carter(992 receiving yards and nine touchdowns), Sam Houston State commit tight end Cooper Stevens (319 receiving yards and four touchdowns), and receiver Connor Porter (545 receiving yards and eight touchdowns).

The offensive line has plenty of heft as well as Anthony Gonzalez and Nathaniel Salisbury both return after earning first-team all-district honors.

Defensively, the Bobcats have a next-level talent on their defensive line in three-star prospect junior Landon Rink (76 tackles and 18 TFLs).

He’ll have help in the secondary as both David Vah and Austin French return after earning all-district honors last season.

The Bobcat offense could be something special this season. 2023 will be a prime opportunity for them to break past that second-round barrier that has held them back the last four seasons.

Cypress Creek Cougars

Head Coach: Greg McCaig (22nd Season)

Last Season: 5-5; 4-3 in district

Cypress Creek Key Players and Storylines

The Cougars came up just short of the playoffs a year ago. Their 36-21 loss to Jersey Ridge ended up being the difference as the Falcons won the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot.

The Cougars averaged nearly 40 points per game a year ago, but they were ripped apart by transfers. Their starting quarterback, running back, and top two receivers from last season are no longer with the program.

Head coach Greg McCaig has said in interviews that the Cougars may be relying on some players from the defensive side of the ball to also contribute on offense.

Among the players to watch defensively are safety Dwayne Brocken and defensive tackle Nicolas Igwe.

This Cougar program has lost several key players to transfers this offseason on both sides of the ball.

However, one thing Cypress Creek is blessed with is an experienced head coach. Expect McCaig to have the Cougars ready for battle this fall as they settle in new faces at several positions.

Cypress Ridge Rams

Head Coach: Andrew Shanle (5th Season)

Last Season: 2-8; 2-5 in district

Cypress Ridge Key Players and Storylines

It has now been seven years since Cypress Ridge last made the playoffs. The last three seasons, head coach Andrew Shanle’s team has been stuck on the two-win mark.

The Rams lost a couple of key seniors to graduation, but there is still up-and-coming talent on the roster.

Evan Stroman is a promising junior out at receiver, while all-district honoree Braylon Johnson returns on the offensive line.

As Shanle heads into his fifth year, he’ll hope that his players’ familiarity with him and his system will pay off as the Rams look to take a step forward in the win column as they work toward earning their first playoff berth since 2016.

Jersey Village Falcons

Head Coach: David Snokhous (26th Season)

Last Season: 7-4; 4-3 in district (Lost to Houston Lamar in bi-district)

Jersey Village Key Players and Storylines

Jersey Village had a knack for putting up points in bunches a year ago as it earned its second-straight playoff appearance. The Falcons averaged over 41 points per game.

This season, the offense has a chance to be just as talented, with seven starters returning. Look for the backfield to be the driving force with quarterback Adam Tran (2,650 passing yards and 25 touchdowns) and running back Quinton Jones (1,051 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns). Center Logan Brady, a second-team all-district selection in 2022, should anchor the offensive line.

On the other side of the ball, Jersey Village returns five starters. Look for defensive back Kamron Young-Russell (51 tackles) and linebacker Donovan Holmes (45 tackles) to be among Jersey Village’s leading tacklers again this season. Defensive end Malik Slone should be a threat to opponents’ backfields again this season after finishing 2022 with 11 tackles for loss.

Head coach David Snokhous said Jersey Village had set the bar at making the postseason. The Falcons may lack depth in some positions, but he believes the leadership of the returning players, coupled with their postseason experience, should be enough to boost the Falcons into the playoff places again this fall.

Houston Memorial Mustangs

Head Coach: Gary Koch (31st Season)

Last Season: 8-4; 5-2 in district (Lost to Katy in area round)

Houston Memorial Key Players and Storylines

The Class of 2023 certainly left the Mustang program in a better place than where they found it. After missing the playoffs from 2016-2018, Memorial has made the postseason the past four years.

The Mustangs have to replace 13 all-district players from last season’s roster.

Look for quarterback Jackson Salters and running back Cooper Gindorf to step up and lead the backfield after both split time at their respective positions last fall.

The Mustangs do have some veteran experience on the offensive line in Harvard commit Max Wang and fellow 2022 all-district honoree Jack Ramsey.

H-back Robert Fowler is another all-district honoree that returns. He proved himself to be a weapon in the passing game last fall.

Defensively, the four leading tacklers for the Mustangs all graduated. Defensive tackle James Klingberg is the leading returning tackler, so look for the Mustangs to rely on him up front this fall.

Memorial has experience back at virtually every position of offense. The Mustangs will need to lean on that side of the ball heading into district play as they work to fill the gaps left the by nine defensive all-district players who graduated last May.

Northbrook Raiders

Head Coach: Andres Gomez (4th Season)

Last Season: 1-9; 0-7 in district

Northbrook Key Players and Storylines

A 1-9 record may not catch the eye of many. But for Northbrook, its 27-14 victory over Aldine in week two was a priceless one. It snapped a 42-game winless streak that dated all the way back to November 2017.

Head coach Andres Gomez believes it’s evidence of the progress his program is making. The seniors on this squad were just freshmen when he took over back in 2019. He said their buy-in and subsequent leadership have significantly impacted the program’s underclassmen.

With seven starters back on offense and six returning on defense, Gomez expects the Raiders to be improved on both sides of the ball in 2023.

Senior quarterback Brandon Dillard is poised to take over under center this year after playing receiver last year for the Raiders (243 receiving yards and one touchdown). His athleticism should help give the Raider offense another gear.

Last year’s leading receiver NJ Swinney (330 receiving yards), is back to give Dillard a reliable target, while center Sebastian Guzman will help anchor the offensive line. Guzman’s senior leadership up front will be crucial, as Gomez said the Raiders lack depth on both the offensive line and defensive line.

That being said, Julian Cruz (45 tackles, four TFLs) is primed to lead the defensive line after finishing as Northbrook’s third-leading tackler last season. Behind him, Gomez is looking for linebacker Dade Delva and cornerback Daniel Espinoza (33 tackles) to be key players for the Raider defense in 2023.

Looking at the big picture, Gomez said the Northbrook program has been on an upward trajectory. Not only are its numbers increasing, but he also said his players have been making gains in the weight room. He hopes the varsity experience his players continue to gain not only in games but in practice as well will help them get to a point where they can better compete with the other teams in District 17-6A.

Spring Woods Tigers

Head Coach: Keith Cripps (14th Season)

Last Season: 1-9; 1-6 in district

Spring Woods Key Players and Storylines

Spring Woods has been another perennial struggler. The Tigers haven’t made the playoffs since 1997.

However, after a 1-9 season a year ago, head coach Keith Cripps emphasized he expects his Tigers to be a lot more competitive this year. 13 of their starters (seven on offense and six on defense) returning from last year’s team should help their efforts.

The offense will need to be more consistent in finding the end zone this year after it was shut out in all six of Spring Woods’ district defeats.

Cripps is confident the offensive line will provide a sturdy foundation with Anthony Luna and Joseph Perez leading the Tigers up front. They should help pave the way for the Spring Woods rushing attack led by Mantrez McAlister.

On the other side of the ball, Cripps also expects Spring Woods’ strength to be in the trenches with defensive linemen Jairo Martinez and Siaosi Patton. Behind them, linebacker Angel Vanegas will be the player to watch for Spring Woods in the heart of the field.

The Tigers have shown progress in recent years, finishing with three wins in 2020 and four in 2021. With the experience they have returning, Cripps is expecting multiple wins from his team again this season as they look to continue to lead Spring Woods back in the right direction.

Stratford Spartans

Head Coach: Todd Rankin (5th season)

Last Season: 8-3; 5-2 in district (Lost to Houston Heights 25-20 in bi-district)

Stratford Key Players and Storylines

2022 ended in a gut-wrenching defeat for Stratford. Houston Heights defeated the Spartans 25-20 in the first round of playoffs after scoring a long touchdown with just seconds remaining.

Stratford head coach Todd Rankin said that loss has served as motivation for his team as they look to not only make the playoffs for the third-straight season but also put together a playoff run.

In order to earn a postseason spot, Stratford will need several new starters to emerge as it returns only three starters on offense and four on defense.

The Spartans have no shortage of talent at the skill positions. Speedy running back Derrick McGee will join junior Javi Denson (447 rushing yards and four touchdowns) as a great one-two punch for the Stratford rushing attack. But that’s not all. Out at receiver, the Spartans also boast Dartmouth commit Luke Rives (621 receiving yards and six touchdowns).

That athletic skill talent will be crucial as the Spartans lack experience on the offensive line and may need some time for consistency up front to develop.

On the other side of the ball, Rankin said Stratford has key players at all three levels with defensive end Cullen Devine (47 tackles, 13 TFLs), linebacker Johnny Crawford (43 tackles), and defensive back Parker Johnson (17 tackles, two INTs).

Stratford’s offense led the way a year ago, averaging 42 points per game. And with the skill talent back this year, there’s no question that the Spartans can be explosive again this year. But as his team deals with roster turnover in several key positions, Rankin hopes that his players continue to work hard and develop throughout the year so they can be playing their best football when November rolls around.

 

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