This is going to be a fun district. There is still so much newness to the Bridgeland Bears and Texas A&M-commit Conner Weigman leading them into 2021 should be a show.
Cypress Park is an intriguing team with 21 starts back, including national recruit Harold Perkins, who is a weapon on both sides of the ball.
Cy Ranch has always been a power and Cy Woods and Langham Creek will duke it out for the fourth and final spot.
PRESEASON RANKING
Bridgeland
Cypress Park
Cypress Ranch
Cypress Woods
Langham Creek
Cypress Falls
Cypress Lakes
Cypress Springs
(Bold Denotes Playoffs)
PRESEASON AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Conner Weigman, Bridgeland
Offensive MVP: Harold Perkins, Cy Park
Defensive MVP: Chibby Nwajuaku, Cy Ranch
Breakout Player of the Year: Tanner Murray, Langham Creek
Sleeper Team: Langham Creek
Bridgeland Bears
Well, that didn't take long as legendary coach David Raffield has built Bridgeland into an immediate winner. The Bears made school history, winning district and reaching the Regional Semis in Year Three.
Nine starters return and it doesn't hurt that QB Conner Weigman is one of them. Mr. Everything can run and throw a football and a baseball with anyone in the country. The future Texas A&M Aggie is the top player in a city of stars.
While the Bears say goodbye to a loaded senior class, it clear the way for new cubs to emerge. WRs Andrew Maleski and Jonathan Nelson are going to catch a boat-load of balls while running lanes will be open for Mason Culton. The OL must be somewhat retooled but Chance Scheiffele will get the new guys ready to play.
The defense will be stingy with Nathan Earle and Charles McKnight leading the charge up front, followed by LBs Hudson Hooper and Caleb Fattig. The secondary has some talent with Terrance Cullivan, Graham Gillespie and Ross Pohmeyer knocking down balls and supporting the run. The district should be a breeze but Weigman has eyes on more history.
Cypress Park
This is going to be a battle for district supremacy as Cy Park entered the conversation last year, reaching the postseason for the first time in school history. And to think they return 21 starters. Scary. If Harold Perkins keeps his motor running hot, the Tigers will make the playoffs again. The school's first bona-fide star can run, catch and tackle with the best in Texas and his swag is unmatched.
His partner-in-crime is Owen Pewee, who is a tremendous athlete catching the ball and covering RBs out of the backfield at his natural LB position. The Wing-T will be lethal with Cameron King and Nathan Livingston also churning up yards. Perkins, King and Livingston all rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2020. Wait, what? Jarra Anderson, Robert Jones, Wesley Echerenwa, Carling Snell and Jaylon Simien lead the way up front.
Perkins, Pewee, Jones and Anderson flip to defense and are nasty. Chris Gilbreath rounds out the LB corp and Raymond Davis and Mason Canty patrol the secondary if anyone gets that far.
Cypress Ranch
The 'Stangs were once the perennial district favorites year in a year out in the CFISD. Can they get back to hoisting the hardware? Coach Sean McAuliffe has some serious Ranch Hands in the trenches, where games are won.
The defense is on point with DL Chibi Nwajuaku (6-3, 255) and Ashton Porter (6-4, 240). Both are DI talents and can push opposing OLs around, freeing up LB Christian Brathwaite and Jonovan Dennis. The secondary is where Ranch will need a little help.
QB Blake Baker (6-5, 200) could have a breakout junior season. The dual-sport star is the future of Ranch athletics. He will stay upright with the help of Baylor- commit Bryce Simpson (6-5, 310), who will help an inexperienced line. WRs aren't a problem as Dylan Caddle and Tracey James will stretch opponent's defenses. RB Kameron Burton is also dependable to help move the chains.
Cypress Woods
Cody Simper is coming back home to Cy-Fair ISD. Before taking his first head coaching job at Corpus Christi Ray in 2010 he was on the staff at Cypress Springs. After Ray, he went on to open Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, which he turned into a power, winning 10 or more games in each of the last four seasons, including going 13-1 a year ago.
Now, he takes over the Cy Woods program that is seeking its fourth-straight playoff appearance. Eleven starters are back for Simper including Trey Craft, who will be all over the field on offense and somehow will have the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Duke Leonard will hold down the OL.
Defensively, look out for LB Dylan Rogers, DL Grant Ladner and DE Terrance Green. Defense will be the early calling card for this Wildcats squad as they fight for that fourth spot.
Langham Creek
So, who makes that big step this season in this tough district? Langham Creek looks like that sleeper team as their young offensive stars continue to develop. The combination of QB Tanner Murray and Jaquaize Pettaway could be special. Murray (6-3, 200) can sling it and run a little to keep defenses honest. Pettaway could be the next Quartney Davis, who went on to Texas A&M fame.
RB Jayden Landry will handle the ball-carrying duties and OL Chandler Magee will anchor the OL that needs to mesh quickly if this offensive game-plan is to come together. The defense returns five and will lean heavily on DL Cade Hanks and DB Mamareion Gipson.
They are going to have to make some stops to get the wins necessary to get in the postseason. It will all come down to the showdown with Cy Woods to see who will advance.
Cypress Falls
Cypress Falls finished in sixth in the district standings at year's end in 2020 going 2-7 overall and 2-5 in league play. With how the Golden Eagles have historically finished, last fall could be looked at as a fluke. Considering the previous two years they had gone 19-5 overall under Chris Brister, who enters year five at the helm of the program.
With seven starters back on offense, including quarterback Jonathan Valdez, they may return to those winning ways in 2021. Valdez is coming off a year where he passed for 1,203 yards and nine touchdowns. He will have to take care of the ball better this year after tossing up 11 interceptions a year ago.
The Golden Eagles will have to find a back to rumble out of the backfield to help Valdez. Ethan Spear and Trey Silas should be his two top targets after each had 297 and 270 yards receiving, respectively, in 2020.
Defensively, Cy Falls' two top tacklers are back in Josh Wilburn (56 total, 8 tackles/game) and Spear (52 total, 6.5 tackles/game and two sacks). Also, watch for Terrance Hawkins and Jesse Chukwu on the DL.
Cypress Lakes
Cy Lakes had bounced back from a run of 3-26 from 2015-2017 to go 10- 10 over 2018 and 2019 and looked to be picking up steam under Ronald Patton. The Spartans went a little backwards in 2020 going 0-9 for the first time since 2017 and being outscored 389-136.
Cy Lakes has proven they can win, now can they get back to it in 2021?
Matthew Garcia is back at quarterback after passing for 1,089 yards and seven scores a year ago. Darnell Green was the Spartans' top back with 613 yards and four scores. He did finish with three games with 100 or more yards on the ground.
Defensively, Donovan Carter will be the leader of the group after registering 35 tackles last fall. Other names to remember are OL Mateo Garcia and LB Cameron Gray.
Cypress Springs
Cypress Springs will be under new leadership in 2021 as Oji Fagan comes in to take over the program. Fagan has the blueprint to build a successful program coming from Fort Bend Marshall, which he watched James Williams build into a powerhouse.
Now, Fagan will try and implement that same plan at Cypress Springs, which has gone 2-28 in the last three seasons.
With 12 starters back, Fagan has some pieces to work with. Marc Bailey will be the motor for the offense coming out of the backfield at running back. He is a weapon running and catching the ball, so someone will have to always keep an eye on him. Terrill Curtis is a two-way player for the Panthers and a factor on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, also watch for LB Jemari Seals and DB Cameron White.
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