Cougars punch ticket to state semifinals
Hit-and-miss offense picked up by defense, special teams in win
Cypress Ridge was back in the game after senior James Froehlich’s 97-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.
But Brant Kuithe one-overed him.
The all-purpose junior returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards, then hurdled Froehlich on his way to a 15-yard touchdown run, propelling Cinco Ranch to a 34-17 victory Saturday at TDECU Stadium.
“It feels amazing,” said Kuithe, who rushed for 120 yards and two scores. “After some setbacks (in the regular season), we came together as a team, and we play our hearts out every single game.”
They’ll do it at least one more time this week.
With their win in the Class 6A Division II Region III final, the Cougars (11-3) will face Cibolo Steele in the state semifinals at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
It’s only Cinco Ranch’s second trip to the final four and first since 2009.
“I’m so happy and proud of our coaches and kids for the job that they did,” Cinco Ranch coach Don Clayton said. “Coaches did a tremendous job preparing the kids, kids executed the game plan, and that’s all you can ask for as a head coach.”
The Cougars also moved to 8-2 against Cy Ridge with their fifth straight win in series, ending the first regional-finalist campaign for the Rams (11-3), who played without 2,000-yard rusher Trelon Smith.
Without Smith (foot), who was injured last week, they managed only 78 yards on 33 rushes.
“There were guys who were pressing a little bit, but as I’ve said before, we’re not a one-man show here,” Cy Ridge coach Gary Thiebaud said. “Obviously, Trelon Smith (an Arizona State pledge) is a super talent, but our guys came in with a plan and we felt confident we could win this game.”
Cinco Ranch won with defense and special teams picking up a hit-and-miss offense.
The Cougars forced four turnovers, including interceptions by Josh Ofili and Klay Tolleson, and Jacob Davis blocked a punt, giving their offense one of numerous short fields, which Kuithe converted into a 1-yard TDrun on a direct snap for a 14-10 advantage with 5:09 left in the first half.
Williams’ 49-yard scoring grab gave Cinco Ranch a 20-10 halftime lead.
The senior receiver also scored Cinco’s first TDon an 18-yard run set up by Devin Wygal’s fumble recovery.
“They locked it down, no doubt,” Kuithe said. “Defense won the game for us.”
Cy Ridge managed only 197 total yards and 10 first downs, with only three first downs in the second half.
“Defense was rock-solid all day,” Clayton said.
Sanders Crawford IV sealed the win with an eight-yard scoring run, and Ofili’s fumble recovery with 3:05 left allowed Cinco Ranch to run out the final min- utes after another 15-yard run by Kuithe.
“He’s a heck of an athlete, and beyond that, he’s a heck of a competitor,” Clayton said.
Cinco Ranch finished with 326 yards and 20 first downs.
Quarterback James Klingler completed 12 of 28 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
“We had too many turnovers,” Thiebaud lamented.
“We had a blocked punt. That hurt. They scored off of that, and then we were tight in the game, and they scored off of that. You’re not going to make mistakes like that … (and) win in the fourth round of the playoffs against a good team like a Coach Claytoncoached team making those kinds of mistakes.” Jason McDaniel is a freelance writer.