Who are these guys?
College Park Baseball Prepare for the 6A Playoffs
Todd James
May 23, 2018, 8:23 pm
The Cavaliers are in the regional semi-finals for only the second time in school history Vype
Surprising run has Cavaliers in fourth round of 6A playoffs.
There’s a recurring theme in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” where the outlaws are being chased by a relentless posse of lawmen.
Butch and Sundance cannot shake the nameless, faceless group from their trail as they watch the burning torches from the horseback posse getting closer in the night sky.
At one point Butch asks Sundance “Who are these guys”?
The Houston baseball community is now asking the same question about the College Park Cavaliers.
“Who are these guys”?
The Cavaliers had to finish off a pesky Conroe squad the last game of the season just to garner the fourth and last playoff sport in district 12-6A.
With a regular season record of 14-16 (7-7 in district) the Cavaliers got hot quickly and have made an astonishing run through the playoffs. Breezing through the first three rounds with their only loss coming to Rockwall-Heath in the first round.
Led by “switch pitcher” Brandon Garza, who amazingly pitches from either side of the mound with either hand, the Cavaliers are in the regional semi-finals for only the second time in school history.
The first time being way back in 2009.
Only a junior, the ambidextrous Garza will most likely start game one and is 3-0 in the playoffs with key wins over Rockwall-Heath, Pearce, and Oak Ridge.
“We have to go as hard as we can this week,”said Garza.
“Its the fourth round and we’re losing for a win this Thursday to get things started.”
Also contributing mightily for the Cavlaliers are senior infielders Travis Washburn and Luke Trahan, who each homered in the final game against Oak Ridge.
Cavalier Coach Jason Washburn has his team primed for an another upset against a Round Rock team that finished the regular season 32-8 and ranked #11 by TxHighSchoolBaseball.com.
“Its going to be a really good series,” said Washburn.
“And its going to be the best show in town starting Thursday night (in Huntsville.)”
The Cavaliers will play their opening round game Thursday night at 6pm at Sam Houston State’s Don Sanders Stadium. Due to graduation ceremonies Friday night the series concludes Saturday evening at Dell Diamond Stadium in Round Rock with the second game of the series starting at 5:30pm.
A third game, if necessary, will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the prior days game.
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Miami (6-7) at Houston (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM Odds: Texans by 3.
Against the spread: Dolphins 5-8; Texans 5-6-2.
Series record: Texans lead 8-3.
Last meeting: Dolphins beat Texans 30-15, on Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami.
Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 32-26 in OT; Texans were off, beat Jaguars 23-20 on Dec. 1.
Dolphins offense: overall (19), rush (24), pass (14), scoring (23).
Dolphins defense: overall (9), rush (7), pass (11), scoring (T14).
Texans offense: overall (18), rush (16), pass (17), scoring (11).
Texans defense: overall (5), rush (10), pass (7), scoring (T12).
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Texans plus-10.
Dolphins player to watch
QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at throwing with anticipation and accuracy since he returned from a concussion in Week 8. Tagovailoa leads the NFL with a 73.8% completion rate and threw for 300 yards for the third straight game last week vs. the Jets. Tagovailoa is the first player in NFL history to have at least 40 pass attempts, multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions in three consecutive games within a single season.
Texans player to watch
QB C.J. Stroud has thrown for at least 225 yards in each of his six home games this season and is 11-4 in 15 starts in Houston, including the playoffs. He has thrown for 3,117 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.
Key matchup
Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Miami’s run defense. Mixon ran for 101 yards in Houston’s previous game for his seventh 100-yard game this season. He ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game. This week he’ll face a run defense that ranks seventh in the NFL by holding teams to 105.6 yards a game.
Key injuries
Miami LT Terron Armstead is dealing with a knee injury that limited him to just five snaps last week. He did not practice Wednesday… LBs Bradley Chubb (knee) and Cameron Goode (knee) could make their season debut, depending on how this week of practice goes, coach Mike McDaniel said. … WRs Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (hamstring), RB Raheem Mostert (hip), and LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring) were among those limited in practice Wednesday. … Houston S Jalen Pitre is expected to miss a second straight game with a shoulder injury. … DE Denico Autry was limited in practice Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Series notes
Houston won the first seven meetings in this series. … Miami didn’t get its first win against the Texans until a 44-26 victory in 2015. … The Dolphins have won the past two meetings. … These teams first met in the season opener in 2003 when Houston got a 21-20 win on a late field goal.
Stats and stuff
Three of Miami’s final four games of the season are on the road. … K Jason Sanders needs 13 points Sunday to reach 800. He also needs one field goal to reach 177, which would give him the second-most field goals made in franchise history. … TE Jonnu Smith needs 100 yards receiving to reach 792 and set a franchise record for most yards receiving by a tight end in a single season. Smith had three catches for 44 yards, including the game-winning TD vs. the Jets last week after having no receptions during regulation. … Tagovailoa needs a completion rate of 70% or better on Sunday to reach eight consecutive games completing at least 70% of his passes. That would tie him with Joe Montana (1989) and Drew Brees (2017-18) for the longest streak in NFL history. … The Dolphins gave up a season-high 402 yards to the Jets last week. Aaron Rodgers burned Miami’s pass defense for 319 yards, and Miami’s secondary allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams. … Houston can clinch the AFC South title for the second straight year with a win and a loss by Indianapolis Sunday. … The Texans rank second in the NFL with 84 tackles for loss. … Their 42 sacks also rank second. … WR Nico Collins had eight receptions for 119 yards for his fourth 100-yard game this season in Houston’s previous game. He has had at least 75 yards receiving and a TD reception in each of his four home games this season. … TE Dalton Schultz had five receptions for 61 yards and a score in Week 13. He has had at least five catches in two of his past three games. … LB Azeez Al-Shaai will serve the first game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of QB Trevor Lawrence Sunday. … DE Danielle Hunter is one of two players in the NFL this season with at least 15 tackles for loss (15) and 10 sacks (10 1/2). It’s his sixth career season with at least 10 sacks. He has eight tackles for loss and five sacks combined in his past three games. … DE Will Anderson has had a sack in his past two home games. … LB Henry To’oTo’o has had at least five tackles in four straight games. … CB Derek Stingley had his third interception of the season in his previous game. … CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high eight tackles, including a tackle for loss in Week 13. … S Jimmie Ward has had an interception in his past two home games. He also had an interception in his previous game against Miami in 2022 while with San Francisco.
Fantasy tip
Collins has 456 yards receiving and four touchdown receptions in four home games this season.