Cypress Christian School
With a dominating performance against Bay Area Friday night, our varsity football team secured their fourth straight District Championship. The 50-7 victory culminated in a district run that saw the Warriors averaging almost 50 points per game while holding opponents to less than three.
As the district champs, CCS gets a first round bye in the playoffs (November 11) and will play the winner of an Area Round game on November 16, at Giddings High School in Giddings, Texas.
The Warriors have a very strong senior class led by Zeke Hogan and Jacob Rauch who have started on the varsity team for all four years of their high school careers. The team features seniors at the majority of positions on the field including Andrew Owen, JD Potts, Drew Mestayer, Brody Johnson, Brayden Stovall, Alex Kissamis, Owen Witschonke, William Ellisor, Cooper Griess, Luke Wisenbaker, CJ Willis, Miles Martin, Will Simcik and Oliver Ranson.
Coach Hogan loves his seniors! “These seniors are a very special group in several areas. Not only are they talented players, but they have been good leaders as well. They have made their way through the program watching the classes before, and now they are the group leading the 2023 edition of Warrior football. They take themselves and our team seriously and I love the character they exemplify on a daily basis. They are so unique as individuals and they all bring special characteristics to the locker room that make them a joy to coach.”
This year’s junior class is also a big part of the success the Warriors have had this year. Ryan Fisk, Beckett Swinney, John Kelly, Matthew Storey, Gavin Snyder, Warren Haudek, Dominic Locandro, Micah Humphrey, Rowan Smith, Ian Barrow, Colton Beckman, Tucker Goodall, Aiden Bialas and Max Supplee are a solid group of young men, making a difference on the game and practice field. Hudson Dennis, William Werlein and Will Iler were this year’s sophomores that made the varsity team.
The Warriors finished the regular season, which featured a very strong non-district schedule, with a 7-3 record. “We believe playing tough opponents early gets us battle tested and better prepared for tough competition in the playoffs,” said Hogan.
After struggling offensively early in the season, the Warriors have gotten better every week and caught a rhythm as they began moving toward district play. The offensive line of Sanchez, Rauch, Owen, Goodall and Hogan, along with tight ends Ellisor and Dennis, have solidified into a very physical group. Quarterback Swinney had a very strong district showing and Kelly leads the district with over 1,700 yards rushing. Warren Haudek has been an offensive weapon at multiple positions, while Witschonke, Mestayer and Johnson have been dependable receivers.
Defensively the Warriors have been strong. There’s a deep defensive line rotation with Rauch, Andrew Owen, Ryan Fisk, Max Supplee and Alex Kissamis. “Those guys have proven to be very disruptive and they all play with high motors,” commented Coach Hogan. The linebackers are also a very deep group. Willis, Potts, Wisenbaker, Ellisor, Griess, Werlein, Simcik and Storey are a very smart and dependable group. Willis is a natural and Potts is like having a coach on the field. Wisenbaker, Werlein and Simcik can play all four LB spots. Ellisor is very physical and Griess has been a spark plug to the group.”
The secondary is loaded with experience with Owen Witschonke and Brayden Stovall at safeties and Snyder and Mestayer locking down the cornerback positions. “Our defensive backs are smart and competitive, and rarely give up a big pass play.”
The Warriors also have a strong kicking game with the luxury of having two place kickers, Witschonke and Storey, an experienced deep snapper in Owen, and an all-district punter in Johnson.
Hogan thinks the team is on track for another deep playoff run. “Overall, this team has put themselves in a position to have success because they have been resilient in their pursuit to improve. They are a smart group of young men and they understand our system of preparation, so they have continued to improve week after week. I’m proud of our team and I’m excited to watch them in the playoffs and compete for the goals we have set. I love coaching these young men.”
The Warriors play a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the Quarterfinal Round on Thursday, November 16, at 7 p.m. at Giddings High School-Buffalo Stadium, 1600 N. Main St., Giddings, TX 78942.
If you are unable to attend in person, you can watch varsity games live on The Sports Broadcasting Network (TSBN).
We look forward to cheering on the Warriors all the way to State!
