State Aspirations
State Championship Preview: Can Cy-Fair beat Midway for 1st football title?
Thomas Bingham
Dec 21, 2017, 7:31 am
Kennedy has been a key piece in Cy-Fair’s run. Vype
Originally appeared on Vype.com.
Saturday’s UIL 6A Division 2 state championship game features two programs that have never won a football state title. Cy-Fair hadn’t even reached the season’s final game until this year’s run, and its counterpart, Waco Midway, has one appearance from the 2011 season.
The matchup to watch is Fair’s dominant defense against Midway’s high-flying attack. This is probably the Bobcats’ toughest test to date, but their unit is well-prepared. It slowed down seven offenses that averaged at least 28 points a game this season, including Austin Westlake (45.1 ppg), Langham Creek (36.1 ppg) and Friendswood (28 ppg) the last three rounds. The tough competition hasn’t startled cornerback Erick Hallett, linebacker Patrick Atkinson, or other boys in maroon because opponents have averaged 9.6 points against them in the postseason, and 11.9 during the regular season.
Midway not only scores a lot (45.7 ppg), but also has a trio of offensive talents. Oklahoma-commit Tanner Mordecai, who’s thrown for nearly 4,000 yards this season, and rushed for 1,100, is joined by 1,800-yard rusher James Fullbright, and 1500-yard receiver Clayton Williams.
If Fair allows over 14 points for the first time this postseason, expect its offense to pick up some of the slack. Trenton Kennedy is the latest in a long line of great Cy-Fair running backs, and the Cam Arnold-to-Christian Richmond connections will keep the Midway defense (21.3 points allowed per game) on its toes.
If you’re looking for more state championship coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEnwHTX) on Twitter.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.