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Panthers’ backups rise to the occasion
  
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By Michael Sudhalter
The Klein Oak High football team proved that revenge is a dish not served at all.
The Panthers forced five turnovers in a 49-21 victory over Cy Creek in the second round of the UIL Class 5A Division II playoffs Saturday night at the Berry Center.
“Against Westfield-we caused turnovers , against Klein Forest – we caused turnovers, tonight we caused turnovers,” Klein Oak coach David Smith said. “We bring people, and blitz and we have kids that can really run and put pressure on people and take a chance. They might burn us, but our coaching staff said let’s go ‘get em coach’.”
Klein Oak (9-1) defeated Cy Creek (8-2), the District 15 Champion, for the second time this season. They beat the Cougars, 38-29 on Sept. 6.
“If we did not come out here and play with the passion that it takes to a play in the state playoff championships, they would have whipped our tails,” Smith said. “But our kids came out with the passion it takes to play a championship game.”
The Panthers will play Dallas Lake Highlands (10-2) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Round Rock ISD Stadium in the third round of the playoffs.
Klein Oak held Cy Creek, which entered the game averaging 500 yards per game, below 30 points for just the second time this season. The other 30-below game was the 38-29 loss.
The Panthers overcame injuries that sidelined starting quarterback Andy Wilson (cramps) and District 13 rushing leader Ossam Cook (twitched ankle). Both are expected to play next week, said Smith.
Wilson finished with 20 carries for 131 yards and threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Stanford-bound senior tight end Jordan Navjar, who had seven catches for 112 yards.
But their understudys more than picked up the slack.
Backup running back, senior Jeremy Mayweather had 13 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown, and backup quarterback, junior Brandon McClain finished with 10 carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns. All of McClain’s yards came in the fourth quarter.
Cook finished with nine carries for 93 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. He saw limited action after the first quarter due to his ankle.
Cy Creek fought back to tie the game with sophomore running back Jermichael Selders (19 carries for 134 yards) tying the game on a one-yard touchdown run.
The Panthers then scored 21 unanswered points to take a 28-7 lead before Cougars senior quarterback Austin Pugliese connected with junior wide receiver Brent Mitcham on a 76-yard touchdown pass; Mitcham finished with seven catches for 172 yards.
Selders’ second touchdown run cut the lead to 28-21 in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers capitalized on a pair of turnovers and good field position to score the final 21 points of the game.
The Cougars’ loss capped a storybook season that saw them go from 2-8 and winless in district play to an eight-game winning streak and an unbeaten district record.
The Panthers forced five turnovers in a 49-21 victory over Cy Creek in the second round of the UIL Class 5A Division II playoffs Saturday night at the Berry Center.
“Against Westfield-we caused turnovers , against Klein Forest – we caused turnovers, tonight we caused turnovers,” Klein Oak coach David Smith said. “We bring people, and blitz and we have kids that can really run and put pressure on people and take a chance. They might burn us, but our coaching staff said let’s go ‘get em coach’.”
Klein Oak (9-1) defeated Cy Creek (8-2), the District 15 Champion, for the second time this season. They beat the Cougars, 38-29 on Sept. 6.
“If we did not come out here and play with the passion that it takes to a play in the state playoff championships, they would have whipped our tails,” Smith said. “But our kids came out with the passion it takes to play a championship game.”
The Panthers will play Dallas Lake Highlands (10-2) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Round Rock ISD Stadium in the third round of the playoffs.
Klein Oak held Cy Creek, which entered the game averaging 500 yards per game, below 30 points for just the second time this season. The other 30-below game was the 38-29 loss.
The Panthers overcame injuries that sidelined starting quarterback Andy Wilson (cramps) and District 13 rushing leader Ossam Cook (twitched ankle). Both are expected to play next week, said Smith.
Wilson finished with 20 carries for 131 yards and threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Stanford-bound senior tight end Jordan Navjar, who had seven catches for 112 yards.
But their understudys more than picked up the slack.
Backup running back, senior Jeremy Mayweather had 13 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown, and backup quarterback, junior Brandon McClain finished with 10 carries for 52 yards and two touchdowns. All of McClain’s yards came in the fourth quarter.
Cook finished with nine carries for 93 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. He saw limited action after the first quarter due to his ankle.
Cy Creek fought back to tie the game with sophomore running back Jermichael Selders (19 carries for 134 yards) tying the game on a one-yard touchdown run.
The Panthers then scored 21 unanswered points to take a 28-7 lead before Cougars senior quarterback Austin Pugliese connected with junior wide receiver Brent Mitcham on a 76-yard touchdown pass; Mitcham finished with seven catches for 172 yards.
Selders’ second touchdown run cut the lead to 28-21 in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers capitalized on a pair of turnovers and good field position to score the final 21 points of the game.
The Cougars’ loss capped a storybook season that saw them go from 2-8 and winless in district play to an eight-game winning streak and an unbeaten district record.
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