JV Green was back home this week to open District play versus a talented Cy Fair Bobcat program. The Spartan defense came out strong as junior safety John Franklin came up with a huge interception on the first play of the game and returned it all the way down to the 2 yard line. Unfortunately, the Cy Fair defense held strong and kept Stratford out of the end zone and off the scoreboard.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle as Cy Fair jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Stratford would answer with a solid drive as QB Luke Tamez connected with RB Davis Kendall on a swing pass, and his speed did the rest as he raced down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown. The Bobcats added another score to take a 14-6 lead in the second quarter, but the Spartans would catch a break as Cy Fair fumbled a punt return and LB Dylan Ward recovered to give Stratford excellent field position. Tamez would find junior WR Tyler Fewell on another swing pass as Fewell got behind the defense and found the end zone for a 30-yard score to cut the lead to 14-12.

The Bobcat offensive line had a significant size advantage, and they leaned on their running game to add another score to give Cy Fair a 21-12 lead. The Spartans would get the ball back before halftime, march down inside the Cy Fair 5-yard line, but unfortunately turn it over in the end zone and trail 21-12 at half.

Stratford’s defense held their own in the second half. Their effective blitzes created negative plays as linebackers Sam Salas, Jax Blundell, and Dylan Ward made several key tackles and safeties. Peter Vescovo and Cody Hanlen came up to help in run support. Cy Fair had to get creative to find positive yards, and they dialed up the perfect trick play – a backwards pass to the running back who would throw deep to a wide-open receiver for a 60-yard TD pass. The Bobcats took a 27-12 lead in the 4th quarter.

Stratford’s offense would answer with an efficient drive fueled by some tough rushing yards by Davis Kendall and a deep pass from Luke Tamez to WR Liam Bowman down to the 2 yard line. Amazingly, the Bobcat defense would again keep Stratford out of the end zone for a third time from inside the 5 yard line; another missed opportunity. The Spartan defense would force a stop and give the ball back to the offense with time running out. Tamez connected with WR Xaviera Campbell down the sideline and would cap off the drive by finding RB Corbin Morris in the end zone and Liam Bowman for the 2-point conversion to pull the Spartans within 7 at 27-20.

Unfortunately Stratford could not recover the following onside kick, and the Bobcats would run out the clock for the 27-20 victory. Another tough, close loss to a very solid team…the Spartan JV Green Team will look for their first District win next week on the road vs. Cy Creek.