So far, the road to the District 8-5A-1 title runs through Cedar Park.
District challengers take their shot at the Timberwolves one by one, and one by one, Cedar Park turns away those challenges. Last Friday night (10/18) the Glenn Grizzlies took their crack at it, only to see the T’wolves prevail 34-28 at Gupton Stadium.
The clutch victory keeps Cedar Park alone in first place as they face their next challenger – Lake Belton – in this week’s VYPE Central Texas High School Football Game of the Week on 102.7 FM ESPN Austin radio.
Neither squad was able to shake the other. The game was tied 7-7 after the first quarter, 14-all at the half and – following offensive outbursts by both teams – 28-28 heading into the final quarter. With four minutes remaining, sophomore running back Cameron Graham (18-120, 4 TDs) punched in his fourth rushing touchdown, this one from five yards out, to put Cedar Park ahead for good. The Black Rain defense held on to secure the win.
Sophomore quarterback David Cooper (7-16, 160 yds, TD) tossed one touchdown to senior Zane Claybrook to go with Graham’s workhorse rushing performance.
Cedar Park (4-0, 5-2) will try to protect their 1-game lead over Lake Belton, Leander, Georgetown and when they travel to Belton High School’s Tigers Stadium to face the Broncos (3-1, 5-2) in a game our Cedar Park VYPE crew will broadcast with the simulcast on 102.7 FM ESPN Austin radio. Glenn (0-4, 2-5) will look to play spoiler against Georgetown.
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.
