Sophomore running back James Bates has already made a name for himself on Canyon Lake's football team. He played in his first varsity game as a freshman last season and, with the playoffs right around the corner in 2019, he's excited to continue his first full season with the team. The upperclassmen on the team have been super supportive of Bates, welcomed him on the team, and are motivated to help him grow in his football career. Bates explains what they've meant to him.
"It feels great," said Bates. "They are all like my second family. They have always given me high hopes."
Bates has always been a football kid and a Canyon Lake fan. Going to watch high school football games through elementary and middle school was one of Bates' favorite things to do. After growing up watching the same team, Bates' one goal was to get on the varsity team he looked up to as a kid.
After a short playoff appearance in 2018, Bates hopes that the team can go further this year by keeping a high energy level throughout each game.
"We have to get going early," Bates said. "Start with the same energy and finish with the same energy."
This year's team is senior-heavy, so Bates will be one of the varsity players that can learn from the seniors and help next year's players grow. Bates is also excited to continue his football career through high school and has started thinking about college ball as well.
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There are plenty of marquee football matchups this week in the Austin area. Plenty of folks will be curious to see how Cedar Ridge holds up against Lake Travis or just exactly how many points Cedar Park and Hutto are going to score between them in their battle for 24-6A lead.
But the vast majority of games each week slip under the radar, largely unnoticed by anyone except the teams themselves and their fans. That doesn’t make those games any less important. And this week’s VYPE Central Texas Game of the Week between McNeil and Stony Point at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex is a perfect example.
There are similarities between these two longtime Round Rock ISD rivals. Both are operating under new head coaches. And both are trying to build new cultures around those coaches and return to playoff form.
McNeil’s journey has been the most harrowing of the two. The Mavericks (0-2, 0-6) returned to the playoffs in 2024 and were one freakish play away from repeating that accomplishment last season under former head coach Scott Hermes. The program then went through the process of replacing Hermes twice, ultimately landing Jerry Gardner from Wylie East late in the summer.
Between the late change and seriously rebuilding after losing a ton of talent to graduation, the Mavericks have gotten off to a slow start. Senior quarterback Orion Covault has worked through the air (52-100, 646 Yds., 5 TD, 3 INT – stats through 5 games) while tacking on 261 rushing yards with a touchdown. Senior Zylen Hall (48-255, 9.5 YPC, 4 TD) has provided a spark on the ground with young receivers Quincy Sampson (13-194, 14.9 YPC, 2 TD) and sophomore Jeremy Powell (12-143, 11.9 YPC, TD) emerging as his favorite targets.
It’s a similar, if more conventional story at Stony Point (1-1, 2-4). Former Hutto offensive coordinator Dustin Pleasant travelled west along Hwy. 79 to land in Tigerland, taking over from legendary head coach Craig Cheshire. Unlike McNeil’s recent playoff appearance, the Tigers haven’t been to the postseason in a minute or two. And while the path to postseason is difficult in a district with Lake Travis, Westlake, and Round Rock, the path potentially exists with a win over Cedar Ridge (or a huge upset of either “Lake” team.)
Senior quarterbacks Brady Davis (49-89, 670 yds., 5 TD, 2 INT) and sophomore Kadin Smith (29-55, 324, 2 TD, INT) have both seen time behind center while junior Aiden Lloyd (98-475, 4.8 YPC, 8 TDs) anchors the running attack. Senior Olamide Aroworade (28-456, 16.3 YPC, 3 TD) has been the Tigers’ leading receiver.
It’s easy to hype the drama between two powerhouse teams. These two – McNeil and Stony Point – each have their own goals and agendas. At the most basic level, McNeil is simply looking for their first win of the season and of the Coach Gardner era; a chance to reap the rewards after months of hard work.
The Tigers’ slender playoff path relies on winning all their game against the rest of the district while punching one of the favorites in the nose down the road.
But mostly, it’s just one of the 10 nights these kids get to experience the thrill and joy of playing Texas High School Football. The fact that it’s our VYPE Austin CenTex Game of the Week is just icing on the cake.
The scuttlebutt heading into last week’s District 24-6A showdown between Cedar Park and Rouse was this: Cedar Park’s high powered offense should score a lot of points; the jury was still out as to how well the Timberwolves’ defense would hold up against a Rouse offense that was more than capable of scoring points of their own.
Question asked; question answered as Cedar Park gradually pulled away in the second half for a convincing 37-23 win over Rouse in the VYPE Austin CenTex Game of the Week.
Senior Lucas Viloria (22-147, 6.7 YPC, 2 TD) set the tone on Cedar Park’s opening drive, capping off a 6-play, 75-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown run. Senior David Cooper’s toss to senior Wesley Hebert put the T-wolves up 8-0. They scored again after the Black Rain defense recovered a fumble. This time it was a 24-yard pass from Cooper (10-17, 123 Yds., 2 TD, INT) to senior Brayden Jahns followed by another conversion pass to senior Jonah Johnson to make it 16-0 Cedar Park.
The defenses dug in for a while before the Raiders finally got untracked. After a previous 18-play drive stalled on the Cedar Park 5-yard line, Rouse’s senior quarterback Chase Whitten (26-37, 245 Yds., 2 TD) connected with senior Aubryn Davis from 11 yards out to pull Rouse within 16-7 at the half.
The teams traded scores in the 3rd quarter. Cooper’s second touchdown pass, this one a 27-yarder to Hebert, helped Cedar Park open up a 23-7 lead. But the Raiders’ Davis (15-65, TD rushing; 10-47, TD receiving) scampered in from 7-yards out to cap off a 9-play, 67-yard drive as Rouse pulled within one possession at 23-15.
And then the Timberwolves took command.
A 75-yard drive ended with Viloria punching it in from 1-yard out to nudge the lead back to 30-15. The Black Rain forced a punt to break serve before senior Kycen Pham’s 18-yard run midway through the 4th quarter put the game away.
Whitten, however, connected with senior Coen May (8-159 Yds., TD) on a 45-yard touchdown to make the score look more respectable.
Rouse (1-1, 3-3) looks to rebound at Bible Stadium against Leander Friday night (10/9). Cedar Park (2-0, 6-0), meanwhile, puts its undefeated record on the line against powerful Hutto (2-0, 5-1) in a game that may see 100 points scored. VYPE Live will broadcast that game.
