TPI District 17-5A Preview

District 17-5A teams will be the ones to watch this season. Both Cy Fair and Cy Ridge have the personnel to make big things happen this year. But who will come out on top? TexasPrepInsider takes a look at this Houston-area district in our annual free previews.

Texasprepinsider.com District 17-5A Preview

Projected Order of Finish (Division I ALL CAPS)

1. CY FAIR
2. CY RIDGE
3. Jersey Village
4. Langham Creek
5. Cy Falls 
6. Strake Jesuit
7. Cy Creek
8. Cy Springs

District Outlook:
When a district has two of the most exciting players (Cy Fair’s Sam McGuffie, Cy Ridge’s Russell Shepard) in the nation that should let you know that 17-5A will be a tough district to battle in. Look for Cy fair and Cy Ridge to dominate, with a possibility for Jersey Village to slide in at No. 2. In reality, when the Top 4 teams face each other, expect nothing less than a good game. With all of the talent this district holds, every squad should bring their ‘A’ game weekly or they could be defeated. Strake Jesuit is the sleeper team because it a small school with a large talent pool.

Team Capsules:

CY FAIR BOBCATS 
2006 record: 12-2 overall, 6-1 in district
Outlook: Though the Bobcats only return four starters, All-state running back McGuffie is back after bulking up this summer. He rushed for over 3,000 yards and 43 touchdowns. He will be the workhorse…again. Fullback Wesley Cobb will provide McGuffie his running room. Defensively, Austen Wozniak and Daniel Moose will lead the Bobcats, but there may be few new faces present for the season. Cy Fair is not a shoe-in, but there is a strong possibility for a district title.

CY RIDGE RAMS
2006 record: 6-5 overall, 4-3 in district
Outlook: This team has the potential to be the most dangerous team in the district. Quarterback Shepard has proven to be effective by air (775 yards, 4TDs) or ground (1,454, 22 TDs). The other offensive weapon is running back Hasan Lipscomb who is poised for a 1,000-yard season. On defense, Curtis Slater and Royce Hill are two of Houston’s best defensive backs. This team has the chance to gain a lot of momentum. If that happens, they could jump to the No.1 spot.

JERSEY VILLAGE FALCONS
2006 record: 5-6 overall, 4-3 in district
Outlook: After getting blasted by Katy in bi-district last year, the Falcons bring back 10 starters and this could be the year they make a big postseason push. With an offensive leader like running back Anthony Bibbs (1,214 yards, 8 TDs) returning, they shouldn’t have problems scoring points. Jersey Village also has defensive strength up front with Corey Wright and Tim Benford. Look for the Falcons to be in the postseason, again.

LANGHAM CREEK LOBOS
2006 record: 6-4 overall, 3-4 in district
Outlook: Langham Creek missed the playoffs last year, but there is a chance for redemption. If quarterback Max Jenkins even matches what he did last year (1,936 yards, 18 TDS-600 rush) that may be enough because he has a few capable targets. Defensively six starters return including All-District defensive back Obinna Akujuobi. The first few games will tell how strong the Lobos will be, but they are likely to sneak into the playoffs.

CY FALLS GOLDEN EAGLES
2006 record: 12-4 overall, 6-1 in district
Outlook: The word ‘rebuilding’ is likely to be going through everybody’s mind in the Cy Falls organization. After reaching the Division II state game last year, only one starter returns. But he is a good one. Athlete Shane Turner (1,290 yards, 14 TDs) will carry the load for Cy Falls. Quarterback Kolby Gray is also a player to watch, but he has not taken too many snaps. Look for the Golden Eagles to be competitive, but playoffs are a stretch.

STRAKE JESUIT CRUSADERS
2006 record: 4-6 overall, 2-4 in district
Outlook: Building year after year is what Strake Jesuit has been doing for the past five seasons. And yes, the Crusaders are making a few strides and there are some top-level athletes there. The team is led by Quarterback Jeff McVaney who made a name for himself at the linebacker position. On defense, David King returns after a strong spring training. The athletes are present, but it is depth that is the primary issue. The Crusaders have held up okay since making the transition the UIL play, but they still have a ways to go.

CY CREEK COUGARS
2006 record: 5-5 overall, 2-5 in district
Outlook: The Cougars allowed a few games to slip by the in 2006 and only pulled away with two district wins. Success for them will rest in the hands of quarterback Jacob Thompson. Thompson threw for over 1,400 yards and rushed for nearly 300. Trent Faith will need to have another big year at linebacker after last year’s 98-tackle performance. There are 14 starters returning, let’s see if they make some noise this season.

CY SPRINGS PANTHERS
2006 record: 1-9 overall, 0-7 in district
Outlook: The Panthers return 16 starters from last year’s team. Look for the combo of quarterback Darius Wilson and tailback Darrell Lea to lead the Panther offense after both took some snaps last year. Wilson and Lea accounted for about 400 yards of total offense. Defensive back Troy Randle is top returning defender. It may be another long season for the Panthers.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Russell Shepard, Cy Ridge
RB Sam McGuffie, Cy Fair
DE David King, Strake Jesuit
RB Anthony Bibbs, Jersey Village
RB Shane Turner, Cy Falls