Football Countdown: No. 4 Cy Falls should contend for D-17 title
Cy Falls High senior wide receiver Dean Johnson has a good chance to break every Cy Falls’ receiving record this season, said Golden Eagles coach David Raffield. (Photo by PATRIC SCHNEIDER/The Sun)
The Cy Falls High football team has seldom had any difficulty moving the ball through the air.
Defense and the running game have sometimes been question marks for a Golden Eagles squad that’s 8-11 over the past two seasons.
“The defense has improved athletically like I never dreamed,” Cy Falls football coach David Raffield said. “The secondary is extremely fast, the linebackers are aggressive and tackling well.”
Senior linebacker Jake Twardoski compiled a team-high 129 tackles last season and should be a candidate for Class 5A-District 17 Defensive Player of the Year.
“We look good on the field, and we’re always having fun out there,” Twardoski said. “We look a lot better on the practice field than we did last year. I’m expecting big things for us.”
And senior running back Tre’ Clark, who rushed for 441 yards and four touchdowns last season, is one of nine returning starters for the Golden Eagles, who open the season on Sept. 3 at the Berry Center vs. Katy Morton Ranch; the Mavericks finished 1-9 last season.
“(Clark) is so explosive,” Raffield said. “He’s like the Energizer Bunny – he never stops.”
Clark said he’s excited about playing a key role in the offense this season.
“The offense is clicking now,” he said. “All I need is a little crease (to make an impact). I take more pride in what I do without the ball.”
Despite a 1-4 start last season, the Golden Eagles closed out the regular season with a 4-1 record, capped by a stunning, 45-42 upset of eventual state quarterfinalist, Cy Woods.
They lost a playoff road game to eventual state semifinalist, Round Rock Stony Point, 56-7, six days later, but that didn’t stop the Golden Eagles’ momentum going into the offseason.
And the storied Cy Falls passing game won’t slow down in 2010.
The Golden Eagles return junior quarterback Troy Mitchell, who played in all 11 games last season as a backup to Jacob Poole, passing for 500 yards and four touchdowns.
“He’s throwing the ball well,” Raffield said. “He has a great personality. The kids love him.”
Senior wide receiver Dean Johnson is a three-year starter who led the district in receiving with 1,013 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“Dean has had an awesome summer,” Raffield said. “He’s worked extremely hard. I think he may be the best wide receiver in the history of the school. We’ve had a lot of good receivers – it does say a lot. I really think he’s going to break every Cy Falls receiving record.”
Cy Falls has lots of depth this season, which isn’t surprising considering that they have the largest enrollment of the 10 Cy-Fair ISD schools this season.
That will be beneficial when they open district competition on Sept. 11 vs. Cy Woods at the Berry Center.
“We’re excited,” Raffield said. “You play nine straight ballgames that matter. Teams that stay healthy and focused will be successful.”
Cy Falls hasn’t won a district title since 2006 – the same year that they became the first Cy-Fair ISD team to compete in a state championship game (they lost to Cedar Hill).
In order to win district this year, they’ll have to play well early; after Cy Woods, they meet two-time defending district champion Cy Creek on Sept. 17 at Pridgeon Stadium and Cy Ridge on Sept. 25 at the Berry Center.
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