The Lions (7-3) are coming off an open date, but they have won their last four games - all District 4 battles en route to a second-place finish - onto the city-owned field against the 5-4 Warriors.
The Woodlands Christian finished in a three-way tie for second in District 5 at 3-2, having lost 68-64 to league champion Brazosport Christian and 38-33 to Dickinson Pine Drive in its final regular-season game last weeknd.
CTCS is listed as a four-point favorite by sixmanfootball.com.
“It’s taken this team longer to jell than my other teams here,” CTCS coach Jeremy Wentrcek said. “But it’s all come together very nicely in the past few weeks. I’m really pleased. We’ve had the best week of practice we’ve ever had. It’s been crisp and sharp. The defense has been quick to the ball and has remained disciplined. Remaining in your zone is extremely important in six-man football.”
If the Lions extend their victory streak tonight, they probably will have a real treat in the second round of the playoffs - a matchup with the state’s top-ranked private team, Rockwall Heritage (9-1). Heritage plays Austin Hill Country (5-5), a CTCS district rival, in the opening round.
Coach Jerry Bradshaw’s Warriors are offense-oriented and love to fling the ball all over the lot. They are led by quarterback Joseph Bento, a large six-man offensive operator at 6-3 and 190 pounds, and running back/receiver Trevor Piccione.
They have outscored their opponents 404-278 and have scored 50 or more points in six games, including a season-high 73 against Clear Lake Christian. Of course, The Woodlands Christian can be shut down. Calvert, the state’s third-ranked public six-man team, blanked the Warriors 48-0.
“They will throw as many offensive formations as they can,” Wentrcek said. “Piccione is fast and they’ll put him in various positions from the backfield to the line to get him to where he can get the ball. Their quarterback has quite an arm. They are a good football team.”
Bento threw for more than 400 yards in the 73-26 win over Clear Lake Christian.
“Defensively, they basically work from a 2-3-1,” Wentrcek said. “It’s a bend-but-don’t-break philosophy.”
The Lions will counter the Warriors with a team that has produced 3,576 yards - 2,730 on the ground - and allowed 3,076. CTCS has outscored its opponents 503-305 and has exceeded 50 points in six games, including all four district wins.
Senior Tyler Beechem leads the Lions with 1,617 yards and 28 touchdowns on 147 carries. He also has completed 11 of 28 passes for 216 yards and four scores and caught 16 passes for 299 yards and four TDs. Quarterback Tyler Truitt has passed for 573 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 179 yards. Freshman Caleb Paschall has added 542 yards and seven TDs on 48 carries.
The Lions will be buoyed by the return of Brian Browder (knee) and Marshall Hugo (ankle) from the injuries.
Wentrcek knows what CTCS must do to be successful.
“Whoever turns the ball over the least will have a big advantage,” he said. “We need to establish our running game and we need to take one of their two major weapons away.”
The Lions and Warriors have had two common opponents - Hill Country and Tomball Rosehill. CTCS beat Hill Country 72-52 and The Woodlands Christian lost 32-15 in its opener. The Lions opened the year with a 32-16 win over Rosehill, and the Warriors downed district rival Rosehill 54-40.
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