Bobcats’ defense delivers in second half
District’s top unit recovers from early problems, gets past Cougars
Cy-Fair wasn’t at its finest in the first half.
The district’s No. 1 defense gave up a couple long drives, the much-improved offense struggled, and standout running back Trenton Kennedy fumbled at the goal line on the Bobcats’ first possession.
But they picked themselves up — and dusted off a fine second half.
Kennedy recovered to rush for 156 yards and three touchdowns, and the Bobcats scored on their first four second-half series to secure a 27-20 win in District 17-6A play Saturday at Pridgeon Stadium.
“We started out lethargic, so we came out (in the) second half trying to fire off the ball, and that’s what we did,” Kennedy said.
Cy-Fair is 5-2 overall, 5-1 in district after its seventh straight win in the series.
Cy Creek slipped to 3-4, 3-3, dealing its playoff hopes in a crowded district race a big blow in the process.
Trailing 13-7 at halftime, the Bobcats regained the lead on the opening possession of the second half, with Kennedy’s 14-yard scoring run giving them a 14-13 lead with 7:48 left in the third.
Then Zach Nelson blocked a punt, setting up the first of two field goals (36, 38 yards) by Laurence Crea, and Kennedy’s 11-yard TD run with 5:11 remaining in the game gave them the cushion they needed.
“We came back in the second half and pulled things together and played a little bit better,” Cy-Fair coach Ed Pustejovsky said.
Cy-Fair’s defense was dialed in early.
It forced the Cougars into three-and-outs its first two possessions and held running back Jack Hook to no gain on fourth-and-1 on the third, and then Erick Hallett intercepted QBMateo Renteria on the fourth.
But the Bobcats’ muchimproved offense, so good most of the year, didn’t reciprocate.
Kennedy fumbled at the goal line on the opening series, and Trevis Earls recovered for Cy Creek.
Kennedy atoned with an 8-yard TD run the next series, giving the Bobcats a 7-0 lead, but they weren’t sharp the next two series, punting twice, and then Ladarius Anthony intercepted QB Cameron Arnold.
“We had a couple of formation blunders that cost us big plays, first downs … and we just weren’t executing, from the wide receivers to the right tackle, and it was disappointing,” Pustejovsky said.
The lapse gave the Cou- gars time to create some momentum.
They drove 88 yards on an impressive 18-play drive that Caleb Horn capped with a 2-yard touchdown run, then turned Cy-Fair’s second turnover into a 13-7 lead on a 30-yard TD catch by Miles Battle.
Battle added a 25-yard TD grab with 2:46 left but it was too little, too late.
Cy Creek successfully recovered an onside kick after the score, but Geonardo Sutton fumbled on the first play, Arnold Crayton recovered, and Kennedy helped run out the clock with four straight runs.
“(Kennedy) did a good job, and he kept his confidence level up,” Pustejovsky said. “You can’t get down.
“The next play coming up is the most important one.”
Cy-Fair finished with 288 total yards and 19 first downs.
Creek produced 372 yards and 20 first downs, with Renteria completing 41 of 63 passes for 327 yards and two TDs.
“They made one or two more plays than we did, but our kids don’t have anything to hold their heads about,” Cy Creek coach Greg McCaig said.