Despite a tough two-week stretch, Canyon still controls its postseason destiny heading into the final weeks of the season.
Coming off losses to Steele and Kerrvile Tivy, the Cougars are currently tied for fourth place in their district with three games to go. If they can hang on to their spot, the Cougars will be headed to the playoffs.
But Les Davis hasn’t begun to think about the postseason. The coach knows that tomorrow won’t matter if Canyon doesn’t take care of business today.
“We can’t worry about anything but this week,” Davis said. “We played hard but didn’t get it to happen for us last week, but we’ve got to go forward.”
Canyon (3-4, 2-2) plays host to district power Alamo Heights at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The Mules (5-2, 4-0) suffered some attrition over the offseason, but they’ve returned this season locked and loaded. They’re currently tied with Steele for first place in District 27-4A.
“Alamo Heights is always going to be good,” Davis said. “They’ve been through the battles before, and they’ve got a good system they’ve been running for years. Even when they graduate heavily, they replace them and keep going.”
The school has picked up a reputation as something of a quarterback factory. After leading the Mules to a 30-10 victory over the Cougars in his senior season last year, Drew Allen continued his football career at Oklahoma.
The Mules’ previous quarterback, Giovanni Vizza, is now at Texas A&M.
“They’ve had a great run of good ones,” Davis said. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I think there is something they’re doing right to keep producing players like that. Their quarterback this year — he’s another one along those lines.”
Cullen Mills has thrown for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns this season in the Mules’ spread offense. He’s complemented by Justin Rosenthal, who has piled up almost 1,000 yards of rushing this season.
“He’s one of those kids that if you spotted him on the street, you wouldn’t think he’s a great running back,” Davis said of Rosenthal. “He doesn’t look fast, but he runs fast. He makes a lot of people miss tackles.”
The Mules run a scheme akin to Tivy’s, Davis said.
“It’s similar as far as formations and stuff,” Davis said. “It’s just a little different of an approach. Tivy runs more wide open, and Alamo Heights is a little more traditional. But they make you defend the whole field like Tivy does.”
After preparing for what seems like every offense under the sun the past few weeks — San Marcos’ Slot-T, Steele’s power game and Tivy’s air raid — it may work in Canyon’s favor to prepare for two similar offenses in consecutive weeks.
“Hopefully continuity from one week to the next week will help,” Davis said. “Still, it’s a matter of getting kids into the right spot and them making the play.”
Offensively, the Cougars hope to continue their search for a drive-capping playmaker to put points on the board. The past few weeks, Davis said, Canyon has moved the ball but struggled to score.
“We’re completing passes and we’re getting into position,” he said. “But that’s it.”
Davis complimented Cougars quarterback Lane Fife, who has settled in at quarterback. He has thrown for 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season and can reach 1,500 yards passing this week against the Mules.
Fife passed for 200 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 38-16 loss to Tivy.
“Lane has been pretty consistent each week,” Davis said. “He had three interceptions last week, but sometimes it’s not always the quarterback’s fault. He’s done a good job of putting mistakes behind him and learning from it.”
