Nimitz's Jared Flores is trying to live out his father's dream on the pitch.
"My dad played in Honduras and he was trying to go pro over there," Flores said. "My mom had me and he went to work to support his family. Now, I'm trying to complete his dream to go pro."
Flores helped Nimitz win District 16-6A last season going undefeated and then knocked off Klein Oak in the first round.
The senior has learned the game playing against some elite competition. "I've been playing with ex-pro players my entire life with my dad," he said. "I've gotten my experience from them. They have taught me the game and that has given me a lot of confidence over the years."
It's no surprise that Christiano Ronaldo is his favorite player. "I really look up to him," he said. "He's one of the older players now, but he just puts in the work. He shows the younger guys like me how to improve our skills."
The 6-foot forward is pretty versatile. He can play solid defense and is an aggressive scorer. The Cougars are going to need him to play big if they have hopes of getting to the postseason.
"My strength is my attacking and scoring goals," he said. "Soccer is all about teamwork. I love seeing how a team comes together. We don't know each other's styles at the beginning but by the end of the season we will be inseparable. We have to keep improving as the season continues to go on. After that, it's in God's hands."
So, what does the future hold for the striker?
"I'm looking to play soccer in college and finish my degree," he said. "I'm looking to be an engineer. Then I'll have a family and show my children how to play soccer like my dad did for me."
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.
