Tigers head to playoffs on winning note
WILLIS — Conroe already had clinched its first playoff spot since 2012. But a win over Willis gave the Tigers reason to finally celebrate it.
The Tigers topped Willis 35-14 Friday night at Berton A. Yates Stadium to conclude the regular season.
Both Conroe (5-5, 3-2 District 13-6A) and Willis (5-5, 2-3) reached the playoffs. The Wildkats reached their second straight postseason with Oak Ridge’s upset of Grand Oaks at Woodforest Stadium.
It’s been a slow build for Conroe since head coach Cedric Hardeman came to the program in 2018.
Conroe, which was winless in district last year, opened 13-6A play this year with wins over the bottom two teams in Oak Ridge and Grand Oaks before falling to College Park and The Woodlands.
“It feels good for these seniors to end the year with a .500 record considering the ups and downs that we went through with the injuries,” Hardeman said. “To play like the way we played and be 3-2 in district is the next step up for us as a program. We’re going to celebrate this one, put it to bed, and then ready for a darn good Westfield.”
Conroe snapped a two-game slide with the win, while Willis will enter the playoffs on a twogame losing streak.
“I told the guys because of the work we put in early in the year and we got some district wins, we crept in,” Willis coach Michael Wall said. “But we’ll take it. I’m happy to coach these guys some more. I know these seniors love the game and I’m proud for them. Next week is a new week to see what we’ve got and see what we can do.”
Conroe quarterback Clayton Garlock had four rushing scores and threw for one. He totaled 271 yards passing and 165 rushing.
“There’s a lot of quarterbacks in our district that get a lot of praise and a lot of notoriety,” Hardeman said. “But I think it’s time for people to recognize what this kid does. Game in and game out ... he’s not the quote unquote five-star. But you look at his stats and productivity, (and) he’s doing it against everybody. I’m just proud of him.”
Garlock scored rushing touchdowns from 11 and 5 yards out, respectively, to build a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Willis quarterback DJ Lagway hooked up with Jadarius Brown on a nice throw to his back shoulder for an 8-yard score.
The teams combined on three lost fumbles in the second quarter.
After Conroe punted, Willis sandwiched two fumbles around one by Conroe.
Conroe’s Ortego Crosby and Maddox Rodel had the fumble recoveries for the Tigers while Montana Parker had one for Willis.
Willis had a chance for a score on the final play of the first half, but the ball went through a receiver’s hands.
On Conroe’s first drive of the second half, Garlock’s 14-yard run made it 21-7 with 6:18 left in the quarter.
Willis responded swiftly, as Kaden Fitch scored on a 34-yard run with 4:37 left in the third quarter.
Conroe went back up two scores on the ensuing drive when Garlock hooked up with Khylige Payne on a 47-yard pass down the right sideline.
Conroe used a long drive to drain the clock in the fourth quarter. Garlock capped it with a 1yard dive for a touchdown.
Payne had 125 yards receiving and Louis Williams III had 99.
“Missed tackles on defense and turnovers on offense again hurt us,” Wall said. “We’ve got to find a way offensively to put more points up. We’ve struggled on offense most of the year. We have to clean up some things, there’s no doubt about. We have some work to do.”
Lagway had 227 yards passing, while Brown had 76 yards receiving and Cannon Roach added 62.
Conroe’s 14 points allowed were their least since a Week 2 shutout of Kingwood.
Hardeman praised his players and his defensive coaching staff.
“The kids played hard,” Hardeman said. “I couldn’t be more proud of that.”
Friday marked the first-ever varsity game between Conroe and the Wildkats in Willis.
Conroe fell at home to Willis 29-28 in the first-ever I-45 Showdown between the two schools last December.