VYPE/ESPN Austin Central Texas Game of the Week Preview: Cedar Park vs. Rouse

It wasn’t all that long ago that the Cedar Park Timberwolves were the dominant 5A football program in the Austin area and a perennial threat to win it all. The Timberwolves nabbed two State Championships – 2012 and 2015 -- and reached the title game on two other occasions – 2014 and 2020.

Cedar Park (1-0, 2-2) returned to Earth a bit in the past three seasons, even as they continued to make the playoffs. Now, however, the Timberwolves appear to be trending in the right direction again, as evidenced by a double overtime win over powerful Vandegrift in Week 2. The T’wolves host the Rouse Raiders at Gupton Stadium in the VYPE Central Texas High School Football Game of the Week this Friday night (10/4), simulcast on 102.7 FM ESPN Austin radio.

Sophomore quarterback David Cooper (59-98, 900 yds., 8 TDs, 2 INTs) and explosive junior running back Trae Hill (105-459, 4 TDs) key a T’wolves offense that’s averaging just under 400 yards/game. Meanwhile, the vaunted Black Rain defense seems to be finding itself after allowing Killeen Chaparral just 12 points last week.

Coach Joshua Mann’s Rouse Raiders haven’t exactly been slouches in the meantime. The Raiders (1-0, 2-2) reached the 2012 state semifinal game in just the program’s third season and have reached the playoffs in eight of their 14 seasons, including an 8-4 run last season.

Junior quarterback London Morgan (59-99, 934 yds., 9 TDs, 2 INTs) leads the Raider offense with senior running back Bryce Johns pacing the ground game.

Even when they’ve struggled in recent years, Cedar Park has done well in district games. We’ll see what happens in this District 8-5A-1 clash Friday night from “The Gup.”

What: Cedar Park vs. Rouse
When: 6:45 Pregame, 7:00 Kickoff
Where: Gupton Stadium
Who: Josh Willard, Cecil Coconougher, Brad Cone
Watch: https://www.vype.com/7pm-football-cedar-park-vs-rouse
Listen: 102.7 FM ESPN Austin, https://www.1027espn.com/