The Woodlands saw the best of the best in 2022. No, it didn’t go the Highlanders’ way in the bookend games of the season. But playing challenging teams can go a long way in the long run.
The Highlanders began last season by dropping a nondistrict game to eventual Class 6A Division I state-runner up North Shore. The season ended with eventual Class 6A Division I state champion Duncanville in the regional semifinals.
“We just have to continue to work on being good at what we do,” The Woodlands coach Jim Rapp said when asked of his takeaway from last season. “We can’t worry about (the quality of the opposition). That needs to be our mindset is ‘Let’s go play.’ In all reality, nobody gave us a chance to beat Duncanville. We were the only ones that believed in ourselves. We played a heckuva first half. They probably got chewed on a little bit at halftime and came out and first play of the second half, they go for a touchdown.
“For me, what we have to learn is we need to be solid at what we do.”
It will be a battle of Greater Houston Top 5-ranked teams when No. 1 North Shore comes to Woodforest Bank Stadium this coming Friday to play the No. 5 Highlanders in the season opener.
The Woodlands, a playoff team in 28 consecutive seasons, has plenty of talent returning to compete again and be among the elite. They are also looking to avenge a loss to New Caney last season, which ultimately cost them a chance at the District 13-6A title.
“District championships are great,” Rapp said. “But we didn’t win a district championship and went three rounds (in the playoffs). Everybody has a goal to be the district champion. But if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t stop you. The expectation every year is we are supposed to go out and be district champions. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t.”
The Highlanders, 10-3 last year with playoff wins over Nimitz and Klein Cain (scoring 135 points combined), have an exciting brand of football on offense.
It starts with four-star Wisconsin commit Mabrey Mettauer, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound threat to pass and run. Mettauer had 2,621 passing yards, 613 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns (32 passing) as a junior in his second season as starter.
According to 247 Sports, Mettauer is the No. 26 rated Class of 2024 quarterback in the country.
“Mabrey has done a good job over the summer in working on becoming a better quarterback,” Rapp said. “That’s a good thing and ultimately that’s what we’re all doing. Every kid, no matter what position he is, is honing their skills and getting better. That’s what they do and that’s what Mabrey did this summer.”
Mettauer will hand the ball off to junior Kiandrea Barker, a four-star Penn State commit who transferred from Arkansas.
“Kiandrea is learning the system,” Rapp said. “Haven’t necessarily seen fully what he can do yet. We haven’t had a ton of opportunities to scrimmage. Him, Joseph Canola, Perry Watkins – those three guys are going to be solid in the backfield. And to play behind those linemen, they are going to do some very good things.”
Junior Quannell X Farrakhan Jr., a four-star recruit, leads the wide receiver corps. Farrakhan Jr. caught seven touchdown passes last year and also returned punts.
“We’ve got Quannell as our leading receiver,” Rapp said. “He’s back. Shane Walker, our second leading receiver from last year, he’s back. Got a lot of experience from those guys. You’ve got Patrick Rabel, who’s a three-year letterman for us. Bryce Cooper is really good and a three-year letterman. Aden Self, he’s going to be a phenomenal football player for us. He’s really talented.”
And how about that offensive line at The Woodlands? Three Division I commits – Ryan Hughes (TCU), Koltin Sieracki (Baylor) and Everett Champlin (Army) – will be a force to deal with.
“The fact that you have three Division I football players in that group is really special by itself,” Rapp said. “They all have experience. Sieracki, this will be his third year to start. You look at Hughes and Champlin and this is their second year to start. They played a little as a sophomore. But there’s a good group.”
Warren Nolan is another standout on the line.
And if the offense stalls, the Highlanders have a booming kicker in junior Scott Starzyk, who didn’t miss a point-after attempt last year. He and Patrick Miller, also the backup quarterback, give the Highlanders a boost in the kicking game.
“If we get the ball within the 35, we have a chance to kick a field goal,” Rapp said. “That’s a great weapon to have.”
On defense, the Highlanders have just four returners.
“The kids have had a really good spring,” Rapp said. “Our offseason and spring training was good. We lost a lot of kids defensively. We have 4-5 guys that are back that played quite a bit, but weren’t starters all the time. I like what I’ve seen with them in the spring and then they continued to grow in the summer. They are a really tight unit defensively. They have fun together, they fly around and have a good time.”
Caleb Phillips (outside), Cayden Clayton (inside) are returning starters at linebacker. Luke Johnson is another standout in that group.
On the defensive line, Jack Miller is back as a starter with Caio Andrade and Nolan Burris other standouts there.
Tyler Honeyman is returning starter in the secondary. Parker Stewart, Andy Orr and Farrakhan Jr. will also be looked upon to hinder opposition’s passing plans.
“The group that we graduated were really good,” Rapp said. “There were a lot of really talented kids that bought into our system. These kids are the same way. They’re bought into the defensive system too.”
