Willis head coach Trent Miller can’t seem to get his cell phone to calm down this week.
“They’re coming out of the woodwork,” Miller said of the locals trying to text message, email and direct message him to get any insight on what Willis’ game plan is against Conroe this Friday night for homecoming, 7 p.m. at Berton A. Yates Stadium.
Everyone in the two towns thinks they’re family and are privy to such information. The first part might be true. Access to the second part of that is a stretch.
“The game plan is to win,” Miller said, preferring not to get into the X’s and O’s of how they will do that.
Winning is something the newly state-ranked Wildkats and the Tigers have been doing so far in 2023.
Both teams are 3-0 entering the second District 13-6A contest on the schedule. It’s just the fourth time the neighbors of north Montgomery County will meet in varsity football since 2020 after an 84-year hiatus as the schools differed in size until becoming Class 6A district foes that year.
“The kids get super hyped for this game,” Miller, who’s in his second year at the helm, said. “It’s like their Super Bowl. I think the cool thing about it is it’s both sides. It’s both us and Conroe. So many of our players and so many of our families are related to each other. Whether first cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas…it makes for such a competitive and exciting atmosphere.”
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It’s the first time since 1971 that both teams are unbeaten through the first three games in the same season. Conroe started 3-0 that year while Willis was 2-0-1.
“I think given where both programs are at, I think we’re just adding to it, which is fun,” Conroe’s sixth-year head coach Cedric Hardeman said. “We’ve played them three times now since they’ve come up to 6A. It’s been cool.”
Willis chimed in at No. 22 in this week’s Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Class 6A state poll. The Wildkats, 3-0 for the first time since 2016, are the Chronicle’s No. 16 team, ranked for the first time this season as well.
Willis, led by five-star Florida commit D.J. Lagway at quarterback, has defeated Bryan Rudder, Temple and defending 13-6A champion New Caney in succession.
“We knew eventually at some point we would get the exposure that the kids deserve that we would get on the radar,” Miller said of the state recognition. “I think it helps early on taking out a perennial powerhouse in Temple. The third winningest program in the state of Texas. That put us on the radar. Coming in last week and knocking off the defending district champs in the fashion which we did, it’s gotten our name out there.”
Conroe, meanwhile, won three home games to start the year. In defeating Paetow, Eisenhower and Caney Creek, Conroe, a playoff team the past two years, is 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
“Every week we just try to come out and focus on us getting better,” Hardeman said. “Things that we know we need to do in order to give ourselves a chance to be successful. The kids have done that. To their credit, they’ve come out and worked, paid attention to details and played hard for each other.”
A year ago, Conroe won the matchup 28-24. Willis was without Lagway, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 at Temple, and it set the Wildkats down to 1-3.
“We knew going into last year’s game on Monday afternoon that D.J. wasn’t going to play,” Miller said. “He came out there that Monday and tried to move around. He just physically couldn’t do it. We already had a Plan B prepared going into that week for if he could play but couldn’t finish the game. Just the presence of DJ on the field…the kids respond to that. When he’s not out there, they respond differently.”
Through three games, Lagway leads 13-6A with 967 passing yards and 14 touchdowns to two interceptions. He is seventh in rushing with 181 yards and another score there.
Receivers Jalen Mickens and DeBraun Hampton each have four touchdown receptions apiece. Willis is second in the district with 559 rushing yards, led by Daylion Robinson with 179 yards and two scores (he also has 183 receiving yards and three scores). Terri Lawrence III, who missed most of last season with an injury, has 165 yards and two rushing scores.
Willis is averaging 508.7 yards per game and 50.3 points.
“You have to play your best game,” Hardeman said. “They’re a very talented team. One of the most talented teams we have on the schedule. It all starts with (Lagway) and what he’s able to do. Not just with arm, but with his legs. He’s a smart kid. He understands coverages and does a good job leading. They have a plethora of weapons out there from the Mickens kid to the Hampton kid. (Jermaine) Bishop (Jr.) is playing both ways now. (Imauree Holmes) goes both ways now. They’ve got two running backs — (Lawrence and Robinson).”
Miller, a Montgomery County native who came to Willis in 2022 after a successful four-year stint at Spring, felt that health and a full offseason under their belts has been key to the offense’s success.
“The kids look good,” Miller said. “The beauty of what we do offensively is we have the ability to put the ball into somebody’s different hands on every snap. What I’ve been overly excited about the last couple weeks specifically is we are who we are offensively. We have an identity of throwing the ball around. But we’ve got our run game going so well the last couple weeks. We rushed for 270 yards against Temple and nobody pushes Temple around.
“That’s a testament to our offensive line and our running backs.”
Conroe’s defense has had a strong start. The Tigers lead 13-6A with 162.3 yards allowed per game. In the secondary, Devondre McGee, Isaiah Pruitt and Tice Williams have adjusted to their positions after a full offseason. As has Tate Trantham and Mitch Melton.
“They went through and got experience last year,” Hardeman said. “It’s a mature group. They’ve been able to go through an offseason with their position. It’s a good group and they’re coached real well. I promoted Coach (Patrick) Resby to defensive coordinator this year. We have similar concepts and ideas in mind. The coaching staff has done a great job.”
Willis’ defense leads 13-6A with a plus-6 turnover margin. Bishop Jr., Earl Melebeck and Luke Reynolds each have an interception. Kayde Hyde, Cannon Roach and Carter Jenkins have recovered fumbles. Brock Perry leads the Wildkats with 15 tackles.
“We have the luxury to rotate in a lot of guys so that we can stay fresh,” Miller said. “I think that’s one of the biggest benefits. Down the stretch in district ball games and playoff ball games, it’s the battle of attrition. You can’t rely on one guy to be the playmaker and you have to be OK with the next man up is not a step down.”
Conroe is gaining experience on the fly on offense with junior quarterback Christian Nunley (505 yards, 8 touchdowns) and junior running back Dramemko Green (318 yards, 3 touchdowns) leading the way.
“That group is kind of where our defense was at last year,” Hardeman said. “We have a lot of new faces. Not young guys, but a lot of inexperienced guys.”
Conroe is looking forward to getting on the road and making the short eight-mile trip up I-45.
“We have a crowd, it’s right up the street,” Hardeman said. “It’s their homecoming, so it’s going to be packed and fired up. For both teams, it’s a fun atmosphere. I tell this group that a lot of kids play their whole high school career, and they don’t get to play in games like this. You’ve got to enjoy it and have fun.”
