On Saturday, the Cy Woods Wildcats (now 3-4) were defeated by the Cy-Fair Bobcats (now 7-0) in a disappointing game of 49-21. With the first half ending 42-0, it was not looking promising for the Wildcats to score at all, but they did manage to get some points on the board during the second half while holding off the Bobcats from scoring more. This comes as a hard hit for Cy Woods late in the football season and severely hurt their chances of making it into playoffs. If they even want a chance at playoffs, some serious adjustments need to be made.

The biggest problem that plagued the Wildcats was their defense. This goes for the defensive line and the offensive line holding off the Bobcats’ defense. As some might say, it was like they did not even show up for the game. Especially during the first half, the Wildcat defensive game was practically non-existent, allowing the Bobcats to charge ahead by 35 points. Also, there were countless quarterback sacks, specifically during the second quarter, that disabled the Wildcat offense and prevented them from scoring anything during the first half. The Cy-Fair lines slipped past Cy Woods for a touchdown or a sack so easily that it was like no one was there. The Wildcats lost their defensive presence that has helped them previously. If they want to do any better in the final weeks, the Wildcats must reestablish their defensive abilities on the field.

Another major issue was their fourth quarter dependency. Throughout the whole season, the Wildcats have come back in the second half or fourth quarter to win the game, and while this has worked against lesser opponents, this was destructive to their performance against Cy-Fair. They allowed the Bobcats to score 35 points in the first half with no response. Cy Woods is becoming overly dependent on tiring out their opponent and surging forward at the last minute. This is detrimental because they perform far worse earlier on and allow the other team to take a massive lead that is too big for the Wildcats to overcome. Cy Woods must stop depending solely on the fourth quarter for a win and begin to focus their efforts throughout the whole game. Otherwise, Saturday’s result will be repeated.

While this was a hard loss, the Wildcats never stopped pushing forward. Despite being significantly behind going into the second half, Cy Woods continued to push through in the final minutes. They successfully slowed the Bobcats’ momentum from the first half and shortened their lead. They adjusted well going into the second half and made the necessary changes to play a better game. It was already looking impossible halfway through the first half, but they did not let that stop them. In the face of an enormous challenge, they persevered through and kept their heads high through the game. The Wildcats refused to let the scoreboard stop them.

Saturday was a demoralizing loss that was a huge blow to Cy Woods after their win against Cy Lakes last week. Playoffs may look slim, but a chance does exist. If the Wildcats learn from their mistakes this week, they might just be able to qualify in the final weeks. For now, the Wildcats have their work cut out for them. Cy Woods will be taking on Cy Creek on Friday, November 3 at 7 at Pridgeon Stadium.