And Then There was One…

T’wolves are Centex’ Final Unbeaten team with huge win over McNeil

It may have been an expensive win, but it was a hugely important one. Friday night at The Parmer Palace Cedar Park shoved the McNeil Mavericks from the ranks of the area’s undefeated with a decisive 28-7 win in which the Timberwolf defense raised its performance to record levels.

Throttling one of the area’s best offenses, the Gang Green set a record for fewest yards ever allowed in a game since district competition began in 2000, giving up a paltry 119 total yards to the previously high-scoring Mavericks. Following CP’s taking of a commanding 21-7 lead in the second quarter, in their last seven possessions of the game, McNeil gained a grand total of….wait for it….forty yards.

And 33 of that came on one possession.

Not to be outdone, the Cedar Park offense rang up a respectable 346 yards – just two below their average - against a Mav defense that was ranked no. 1 in central Texas going in. The T’wolves hogged the ball long enough in this game to set a school record for most team rushing attempts, at 55.

Coupled with the Leander win over Westwood, the number of undefeated 5A football teams in the Austin / central Texas area has now been pared down to one: and that team is our own 5-0 Cedar Park Timberwolves. In fact, there are only six unbeaten teams in all of Region II- Richardson Berkner, Dallas Molina, Klein Forest, Spring Westfield, Killeen Ellison… and Cedar Park. There are twenty-six unbeaten 5A teams remaining in the state.

More importantly, it leaves Cedar Park atop the 14-5A standings at 2-0. Despite all the crowing in the local press over the quality of football in Round Rock schools, Leander makes the top spot an all-LISD affair with their own spotless 2-0 league record. Both LISD schools beat the two previously-unbeaten RRISD teams Friday night.

The win is the third in a row over the McNeil program for Cedar Park, after beginning the series with four straight losses from 2000 through 2003. It extends CP’s centex-best winning streak to seven games. Going into Friday’s contest, McNeil had the second-best area winning streak, at six games. The Timberwolves are now 21-6 over all and 12-4 in district play since beginning 2004 0-2. These marks remain the best in both categories of any team in 14-5A in that timeframe.

The price of Friday night’s win may not be known for a few more days. The prime offensive spark plugs – running back Tyler Smith and quarterback Michael Cochran – both left the game with injuries and their return is uncertain.

Despite those important personnel losses, the Cedar Park offense hardly missed a beat, ending the game with a phenomenal 96-yard drive in fifteen plays that ended with two knees to chop away the final 9:13 of the game. That drive was commanded by senior Travis Watson, the starter at QB in 2005 who’s back from a long absence due to injuries.

Smith’s normal load of carries was dispersed across a backfield assembled from several very capable T’wolves; Scott Dollahite, Taylor Itz, Hunter Dixon, and Dedrick McKnight. In fact, the game saw another school record set- most number of players to register a rushing attempt in a single game; nine. That mark is more practically at eight, as it was required to charge punter Blake Silguero with a “carry” when he was forced to chase down a high punt snap and fall on it for a loss at one point late in the game. Those who actually ran with the ball on a called running play were Smith, Cochran, Dixon, Dollahite, Itz, McKnight, Watson, and Justin Fortney.

Smith left the game permanently in the middle of the second quarter. He was on pace for a record performance, with 136 yards on ten carries for two touchdowns: an eye-popping 13.6 yard-per-carry average. If The T had been able to log his average of 28 totes established in the previous two games and kept his YPC average steady, he would have challenged his own record for most yards rushing in a game. As it is, Smith is central Texas’ leading 5A rusher, with 766 yards on 97 carries and 14 touchdowns.

But Coach Ross’ running back committee showed it can still rack up the ground yardage by spreading the workload around, should Smith’s absence continue. The other ball carriers totaled a very respectable 163 yards between them.

Come back here for a narrative of the game’s action and the complete stats later tonight!