On road to state
Manvel, Cinco Ranch and Cy Ridge advance.
Cinco Ranch is coming on offensively in the playoffs after a rocky ride through the regular season.
Cypress Ridge is rolling on, despite losing running back Trelon Smith.
Both of them are heading to the Class 6A Division II Region III final, where the winner will advance to the state semifinals.
On Saturday at NRG Stadium, Cinco Ranch cruised to a 34-7 victory in its regional semifinal after Friendswood quarterback Tyler Page was injured on the first play of the game, and Cypress Ridge beat Clear Brook 49-14 in the second semifinal to set up their championship showdown next week.
Cinco Ranch (10-3) and Cypress Ridge (11-2) will play at 1 p.m. Saturday at TDECU Stadium.
The path here
The Cougars lost twice in district for the first time in four years and only the second time in nine seasons. Now they are in the regional finals for the first time since 2009.
“We didn’t have a very experienced team coming into the season,” Cinco Ranch coach Don Clayton said. “We had a lot of kids off the JV and some younger kids as well, so it’s been a process … but the kids have been faithful and we’re seeing it come to fruition now. It’s pretty neat. Nobody expected anything out of this team.”
The Cougars took control with touchdowns on their second and third series for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter against the Mustangs.
Receiver Greg Williams took a handoff from Brant Kuithe, who split time with James Klingler at quarterback, and ran 15 yards for the first score. Klingler also scored a 15-yard rushing TD on his first carry.
Kuithe, who carried 29 times for 235 yards and two TDs, pushed Cinco Ranch’s lead to 21-0 on a 71-yard TD run early in the third.
The Cougars finished with 377 yards and 18 first downs.
Friendswood lost Page, its all-time leading rusher who is pledged to SMU, to a left ankle injury on its first play from scrimmage, which coach Robert Koopmann said was designed for Page to hand off.
Page said he felt “excruciating pain” and immediately thought he was done for the afternoon.
Without Page, the Mustangs managed only 43 total yards and two first downs before halftime and finished with 190 yards.
Their only score came on Elijah Blackburn’s 61yard run early in the third.
Page finished his senior season with 2,092 yards and 31 TDs rushing and 1,625 yards and 17 TDs passing.
“I was crying because I love these guys,” Page said. “I’d do anything for them.
“I know how special high school football is. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s so special, and I cherished every moment of it and I played hard every time I got the chance. I’m very proud of Friendswood, and I’m proud to play for Friendswood, and I hope that they’re proud of me, too.”
And in this corner...
The Cypress Ridge community is proud of its Rams, as well.
They are first-time regional finalists after beating Clear Brook, which was fourth in District 246A, with a 28-0 run in the second half.
“In ’07, we got beat (24-21) on a 50-yard field goal by Hightower, and in ’ 08 up in Waco on a Hail Mary pass with no time left (in a 55-48 loss to Copperas Cove),” Cypress Ridge coach Gary Thiebaud said. “So this is awesome.”
The Rams won despite losing Smith to a foot injury and a rocky second quarter in which Clear Brook climbed out of a 21-0 first-quarter hole by turning two Rams turn- overs into 14 points.
Smith exited with 10 carries for 66 yards.
Alex Jacobs racked up 210 yards and two TDs on 17 runs in relief, and quarterback Tyson Williams rushed for 79 yards and three TDs, helping the Rams total 520 tards (58451 rushing) and 27 first downs. Clear Brook finished with 255 yards and 11 first downs.
“I have to (credit) our seniors,” Thiebaud said. “They said in the locker room at halftime, ‘Coach, don’t worry about it, we got it,’ and … (the) next guy came up. Alex Jacobs did an awesome job running the football, Mika Ajayi took over, and Tyson Williams ran the show back there.”