Preview: Smithson Valley Rangers vs. College Station Cougars
The Smithson Valley Rangers are on the road again on Friday and play against the College Station Cougars at 12:30 p.m. on November 24th. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Smithson Valley had already proven themselves in the regular season, and didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They had just enough and edged Magnolia West out 20-17. Given Smithson Valley's advantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 72nd, while Magnolia West is ranked 299th), the result on Friday wasn't entirely unexpected.
Meanwhile, College Station had already won ten in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 31.4 points), and they went ahead and made it 11 on Friday. They put the hurt on Magnolia with a sharp 45-21 win. The result was nothing new for College Station, who have now won ten contests by 23 points or more so far this season.
Wilson Stapp had an outrageously good game as he rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 8.7 yards per carry. Paden Cashion did his part to keep the secondary busy, picking up 104 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Smithson Valley has yet to lose a game on the road this season, leaving them with a 11-1 record. As for College Station, their victory bumped their record up to an identical 11-1.
Smithson Valley came up short against College Station when the teams last played back in December of 2022, falling 26-21. Can Smithson Valley avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
