Cypress Ranch High School’s football team had a standout season, finishing with an 8-4 overall record, including a playoff win and a 5-2 record in district play. The Mustangs demonstrated their resilience and talent throughout the year, advancing to the second round of the playoffs and delivering memorable performances along the way.
The team’s path to the playoffs began with a 17-14 victory over Langham Creek, setting the stage for their Round 1 playoff matchup against Klein Cain.
In a hard-fought game, during the first round of playoffs Cypress Ranch secured a 27-17 win. In the first quarter, #7 Matthew Ciers intercepted a pass, placing Cypress Ranch at their own 45-yard line. The Mustangs opened the scoring in the first quarter with a rushing touchdown by #9 Niklas Fisher, contributing 6 points. Klein Cain responded with 10 points in the quarter to take an early lead.
In the second quarter, #23 Peyton Thomas found the end zone for the first of his two touchdowns, helping the Mustangs tie the game 10-10 by halftime. Cypress Ranch’s kicker, #31 Diego Alfaro, added a critical field goal to the score.
The game remained tight in the third quarter with Klein Cain scoring a touchdown to make it 17-10. Cypress Ranch regained control in the fourth quarter when Thomas scored his second touchdown, bringing his total to 12 points for the game. Alfaro added another field goal, bringing his contributions to 9 points overall and sealing the 27-17 victory for Cypress Ranch.
In Round 2, Cypress Ranch faced The Woodlands High School, losing 38-21. The game started evenly with both teams scoring a touchdown in the first quarter. #6 Owen Cossette scored for Cypress Ranch. However, The Woodlands pulled away in the second quarter, scoring three touchdowns to take a 28-7 halftime lead. The Mustangs’ defense limited The Woodlands to a field goal in the third quarter, but the offense could not close the gap. In the fourth quarter, #16 Joelle Arnett and #26 Trey Smith scored touchdowns for Cypress Ranch, with Alfaro contributing extra points.
Despite the rally, The Woodlands added a final touchdown to secure the win.
“Although the outcome wasn’t what we expected, but just being able to make it to round two for the first time in five years was a huge accomplishment for our program,” junior Peyton Thomas said.
Cypress Ranch’s playoff journey showcased strong performances and marked a significant milestone for the program, advancing past Round 1 for the first time in five years, ending the 2024-25 season.
“Overall, we had such a good season district-wise and with winning a playoff game. Also with a new coaching staff, I feel that the team faced adversity better than most people would. I will definitely miss it all, especially playing under the Friday night lights,” senior quarterback Owen Cossette said.
