Warriors Knock off Timberwolves

Cedar Park Falls to Westwood to End Phenomenal Streak

 

Some time ago, a literary project concluded its effort to find one universally true statement: a sentence that was true no matter the subject, setting, or time. The project settled on a line from an ancient Hebrew story about the transitory nature of life’s events and situations. That statement came to mind as the Timberwolves’ memorable winning streak came to a close late Friday night…

 

“And this too shall pass.”

 

The Warriors used a combination of an excellent quarterback, a tough running back, superb pass blocking, stifling defense and outstanding special teams to trounce the Timberwolves at the Parmer Palace 34-14. It was Cedar Park’s first loss in more than a year, dating back to October 21, 2005, and it ended the longest 5A winning streak in Texas outside of Southlake Carroll.  It was the largest margin of defeat in the Chris Ross era for Cedar Park. (None of the five losses in ’05 were by more than fourteen points.)

 

Westwood gave us a dose of our own medicine. In short, the Warriors did to Cedar Park what the Timberwolves under Ross have made a habit of doing to other people: race out to a big quick lead and then let the other team struggle to a few late scores in a comfortable win.

 

But let’s get to the positives:

 

  • This loss does not derail the Timberwolves’ district championship expectations. Their destiny remains in their own hands. Win these final two games against Round Rock and Leander and a share of the title is theirs. They can still win it outright if Leander also loses to McNeil this week, and if Westwood loses one of their final two games against Stony Point or Pflugerville.

 

  • The team has already clinched a post-season berth. With championships at the statewide level decided from the base of that bracket’s pyramid upward, theoretically the Timberwolves could lose to Round Rock 57-0 and Leander 93-0 and yet still emerge as State Champions. Once the playoffs start, your prior record has no bearing. You beat your way up the ladder to the summit one game at a time.

 

  • This game saw the return to action of the district’s most potent offensive player, Tyler Smith. The T entered the game in the second half and logged a few carries in preparation for full-time action beginning this week against the Dragons. With Smith, the offense will be an order of magnitude more difficult for opponents to stop the rest of the season.

 

We’ll not go into the details of the drive-by-drive narrative this week, as we’d like to hasten the placing of this game in the past, but there were some notables...

 

  • Quarterback Travis Watson went 10-for-19 passing for 155 yards and one interception, and threw a nice twelve-yard touchdown dart to Tyler Smith.  Watson two best career passing nights have both come in the last two games.

 

  • Jamie Knight had 63 receiving yards on four catches- the most receptions by a single Timberwolf in the Ross era.

 

  • Halfback Hunter Dixon had his best career night running the ball, with 64 yards on eleven carries.

 

  • The 24 first downs achieved were more even than the Warriors produced, and was the second-most ever generated by a Cedar Park team. The record of 26, oddly enough, was set in the same venue against the same team in a 26-0 win two years ago.

 

  • The offense did generate 325 total yards, just seven yards below their average. Granted, 193 of that – and all of the points – came in the final three possessions, already trailing by multiple touchdowns. But the T’wolves were outgained by only forty yards, and only punted twice, in their first two possessions.

 

But the Gang Green defense has struggled of late, not forcing any punts out of these last two opponents until stopping the Warrior second team on their final possession Friday night. Much of that has to do with the caliber of the opposing offenses, and the fact that all-everything linebacker Justin Allen has had to use much of his energy on offense in these two games, running the ball in an attempt to recoup some of the lost yardage resulting from Smith’s absence, and returning kickoffs. The defensive task gets no easier this week, as the Round Rock O has scored well all season long.

 

In such cases as these, when a streaking high falls to Earth, there’s a tendency to let down emotionally and psychologically… to think that one loss might crumble the program’s tremendous progress and outstanding season.  We have to acknowledge that any urge to fret over this defeat, to become despondent over the loss, is natural, but we don’t have to give in to it.

 

Because this too shall pass.

 

We will not consider this loss any sort of mortal wound. In fact, it isn’t even a deep cut. Great teams like we have, and great coaches like they have, work such losses into calluses; something that’s actually an advantage the next time similar tough work comes along. 

 

After this brief unscheduled stop, let’s get the Timberwolves’ District Championship express back on schedule.

 

 

Cedar Park

 

Westwood

 

 

 

 

First Downs

24

 

21

Rushes

42

 

30

Rush Yards

170

 

148

Yards/Rush

4.05

 

4.93

Pass Att.

19

 

20

Pass Comp.

10

 

13

Pass Int.

1

 

0

Pass Pct. Comp.

53%

 

65%

Pass Yards

155

 

217

Avg Yds/Att.

8.16

 

10.85

Total Yards

325

 

365

Penalties

8

 

8

Pen Yards

59

 

80

Fumbles

2

 

1

Fumbles Lost

1

 

0

Punts

2

 

1

Return Yards

67

 

72

 

 

 

1st

2nd

 

3rd

 

4th

 

 

Final

Cedar Park

0

0

 

7

 

7

 

 

14

Westwood

10

7

 

10

 

7

 

 

34

 

Scoring Summary

 

 

 

 

 

Q

T

CP

Ww

How

 

 

 

1

5:32

 

3

Putnam 47 FG

 

 

 

 

1

2:01

 

10

Stockberger 21 run (Putnam kick)

 

 

 

 

2

4:06

 

17

Rich 73 pass to Rausch (Putnam kick)

 

 

 

 

3

7:07

 

20

Putnam 25 FG

 

 

 

 

3

3:20

 

27

Stockberger 2 run (Putnam kick)

 

 

 

 

3

0:31

7

 

Allen 2 run (Greer kick)

 

 

 

 

4

8:14

 

34

Rich 18 pass to Murphy (Putnam kick)

 

 

 

 

4

3:28

14

 

Watson 12 pass to Tyler Smith (Greer kick)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individual Stats

Rushing

Cedar Park- Dixon 11-64; McKnight- 6-46; Watson 7-43; Ty. Smith 6-19; Allen 4-16; Itz 7-7; Silguero 1-(-25)

Westwood- Stockberger 24-151 2 TDs (21, 2); Foulstone 3-12; Scaggs 2-2; Rich 1-(-17)

 

Passing

Cedar Park- Watson 10-19-1 155, 1 TD (12)

Westwood- Rich 13-19-0 217 2 TDs (73, 18)

 

Receiving

Cedar Park- Knight 4-63; Tr. Smith 3-54; Silguero 1-22; Ty. Smith 2-16 1 TD (12)

Westwood- Rausch 4-180 1 TD (78); Stockberger 3-38; #15 3-36; Murphy 1-18; Davis 1-13; Taylor 1-4

 

Kickoff Returns

Cedar Park- Allen 3-67

Westwood - #15 1-34; Vernon 1-22; #7 1-0

 

Interception Returns

Cedar Park- No interceptions

Westwood- Unknown 1-3