GAMES
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RANKINGS
Senior quarterback Jonathan Mendoza surveys the field as Kingwood faces Atascocita.
VYPE U: Kingwood Football Looks to 2021
The Kingwood Mustang football program was not spared from a rocky 2020. In late January, before much of the chaos came about, eight-season head coach Barry Campbell announced that he had accepted a coaching position at Belton High School. Highland Park's defensive coordinator Cale Melton took over and led the Mustangs through the 2020 season for his first year at Kingwood.
Taking the helm in the midst of the pandemic, Coach Melton had unusual obstacles to overcome. The 2020 offseason was stopped in its tracks by the pandemic, and even when the team was able to get together in the summer, training was riddled with COVID-19 related struggles and restrictions. They improvised and stayed connected through position group and full team Zoom meetings and sent out at-home workouts weekly over Twitter and Google Classroom.
The coaches did not get to work with the players in-person until the second week of June. Summer practice was extremely calculated, requiring plans for things like capacity requirements, equipment cleaning, and player arrival. In the midst of it all, the team also had to shut down in-person practice and resume again two weeks later.
Though it was complicated, Melton looked back gratefully at the opportunity to work with players over the summer, saying "it was a grind, but it was worth it!"
The coaching staff is working hard to build a culture similar to their vision statement. They hope to support athletes to be, "champions in the classroom, champions on the field, (and) champions in [their] community and society." Melton says they value, "loving one another and building lasting relationships." The main goal of the staff is to show the athletes that their mission is bigger than football and that they, "care more about who they are and what they become." Commitment, enthusiasm, mental and physical toughness, teamwork, integrity, and tradition are the core values that lay a foundation for the atmosphere of Kingwood football.
The team got off to a less than ideal start to the 2020 season, but they pulled together and closed it out with two wins, ending up with a 2-8 overall record. Melton feels that the Mustangs, "kept believing in each other and trusting the process" as the season progressed, getting better every week.
Kingwood had 32 graduating seniors this season. Melton believes they, "help lay the foundation for [their] football program and where [the team is] wanting to go." He praised them for giving, "everything they had and trust[ing] the process" through the highs and lows.
As they look to next year, the Mustangs hope to improve as a team. A major difference for the 2021 offseason is the ability to have more of a united offseason.
The team is currently going through 'Stang Maker', a program designed to focus on strengthening mental toughness, leadership skills, discipline, and enthusiasm. Stang Maker typically lasts three to four weeks. Melton says, "it is about building mental and physical toughness, building a bond and accountability." He says the "leaders start to rise to the top," revealing who is "all in." On a typical day, the players go through four ten-minute stations. The stations each have eight exercises or lifts and the players are required to memorize the exercises in order by the end of the second week. Memorization, motivation, and enthusiasm are three of the main focuses throughout the program. For Melton, it is about the players, "hav[ing] enthusiasm and learn[ing] how to motivate each other in a positive way."
Through the rest of the offseason, Melton plans on setting up for success with more training in the weight room and on the track, building strength and speed for a solid foundation, working on football skills later in the spring to refine throwing, catching, and footwork.
Kingwood looks to the 2021 season with optimism, preparing to compete once again in District 21-6A, one of the most difficult for high school football in Texas.
VYPE U: College Park Football Powers Past Kingwood
Saturday afternoon VYPE U was on hand as The Woodlands College Park Football team drew hundreds of fans to Woodforest Stadium for their first home game of the season. Supporters decked out in pink for "Pink Out Night" and seniors and their families celebrated "Senior Night". The Cavaliers entered with a 3-1 record while the Kingwood Mustangs entered with an 0-4 record for the season.
The Cavaliers came out electric in the first quarter. Junior Quarterback, Ty Buckmon, was able to make contact with junior Alex Brigman twice to secure two touchdowns. The first quarter concluded with the Cavaliers keeping the Mustang scoreless (12-0).
Dylon DeAngelo was able to start the second quarter off by scoring on a 3-yard run. He was then followed by Juniors Cody Mladenka (12 yards) and Alex Brigman (25 yards) who continued the touchdown streak. Soon after, the Mustangs were not able to be stopped by the College Park Defense during a 4th down and were able to get their first points of the game. The Cavaliers were able to close out the first half of the game with a comfortable 34-7 lead over the Mustangs.
The members of the College Park Defense, Dylan Hazen (Wake Forest Commit), Chance Jackson, Andrew Edmonson, and Marcus Scott, helped paved the way to keep Kingwood scoreless throughout the 3rd quarter. A Kingwood turnover forced by Joseph Golden at the end of the quarter kept the score at 34-7.
With 1:33 remaining, the Cavaliers were able to add an additional touchdown to the board. The final score of the game was 41-7. The Cavaliers effort and strong performance is only the beginning for them this season.
College Park Football is entering a bye week but will be back at Woodforest Stadium on October 30th for their homecoming game against Grand Oaks. They will then face the bulk of their district competitors in Willis, Oak Ridge, and The Woodlands. This talented team is hoping to make a playoff run this season, and their performance on Saturday is evidence that they can do so.