HS Football: Complete Dominance Gives Willis Undefeated Record Heading Into District

KLEIN, TX -- The Willis Wildkats (2-0) handled business in their road matchup against the Klein Collins Tigers (0-2) by winning 40-7 under humid and rainy conditions.

Issues from the Wildkats’ season opener against the Davis Falcons became focal points between their matchups. During the shortened week, issues with turnovers and drops on offense were tackled in practices.

In an exclusive interview with The Woodlands Online Sports, Willis Head Coach Trent Miller spoke on how the coaching staff addressed the team’s shortcomings from their Friday matchup.

“The emphasis all week was working on us,” said Miller. “Too many penalties on defense, and we took our opponents lightly last week. I was excited to see how the kids would respond to it.”

Willis’ problem with dropped passes during the second half of the Davis game was irradicated on the team’s opening drive.

Quarterback Jack Emerson led the team on a 70-yard charge down the field, with most of the team’s yards coming through the air. Receptions by Jalen Mickens and Daylion Robinson peppered the Tiger defense for large chunks at a time.

The air assault culminated in a 30-yard passing touchdown for a quick 7-0 lead. Expert play design got multiple receivers into open space behind the Klein Collins defensive backs for an easy trip to the endzone.

Defense was a driving factor for Willis’s success against the Falcons, holding the team to just 58 yards on the ground. They experienced similar success against the Tigers, who tried to maneuver around the Wildkat exterior defenders. Their effort on the first drive worked against them, as over-commitment to the run resulted in a fumble recovered by Willis.

The excellent field position worked to Willis’ advantage. The shortened field allowed the Wildkats to rely on their run game to pick up their second score. A short 3-yard rush through the heart of the defense saw Robinson breach the endzone for a 14-0 Wildkat lead.

Klein Collins’ second drive showed promise following the turnover in their territory. Sturdy blocks in the trenches allowed the running game to generate momentum into Willis' territory. But a third and short ended in disaster for the Tigers, with the snap fumbling through the offensive backfield for another turnover.

The Wildkat offense continued their early dominance with a balanced attack that diced the Tiger defense to pieces. Accurate throws from Emerson and crushing runs from Robinson gave the team a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Needing to get on the board or face a blowout, the Tigers had to eliminate their turnover issues on their third drive. The running game showed signs of progress, but back-to-back turnovers hindered the team on the scoreboard.

Klein Collins started the second quarter with a lengthy, time-consuming drive down the field. A 65-yard drive toward the endzone was capped off by a 12-yard rushing score for the Tigers to get their first score of the game.

The joy was short-lived for the Tigers, as another pass-heavy drive for the Wildkats pierced the Klein Collins defense.

Despite the rain, speedy receiver Jermaine Bishop Jr. blazed past Tiger defensive backs into wide-open space. An easily lobbed throw from Emerson landed in his hands for a 58-yard passing touchdown to push the Willis lead back to 21 points.

“We had explosive opportunities last week, but we were able to overcome the elements this week,” said Miller. “Jack [Emerson] got a taste of what our special players are all about when he found those guys in space.”

Another turnover from the Klein Collins offense gave the Wildkats a chance to make more explosive plays. A long-distance “Moss” from Bishop Jr. put the Willis offense deep inside Tiger territory for the fifth straight drive.

Unfortunately for the Wildkats, penalties put the team behind the chains for a fourth down and long to convert. Robinson tried to convert on a screen pass but was tripped up before clearing the line.

The first-half clock hit zero before Klein Collins could make anything of the defensive stop, and they were forced to come up with solutions for the 28-7 Willis lead.

Klein Collins’ solution out of the break was to stick with the run game that got them their only score thus far.

The Tiger drive was working well, running to the outside of the Willis defense continued to pick up decent gains, but desperation from the Tigers on a fourth down saw the team turn the ball over for a fourth time.

“I was so pleased with our box,” said Miller on his defensive core. “I was pleased with how they got pressure and penetration on the ball.”

Emerson and the Willis receiving core continued their feast of the Klein Collins backfield with another explosive play to work into the red zone.

Instead of breaking again, the Tiger defense planted their feet and refused to budge against the red-hot Wildkat offense. Willis had to settle for a field goal, but the score continued to push the team further ahead on the scoreboard.

Justin Willis’ field goal was the only score for either team in the third quarter, and the writing was on the wall for Klein Collins that their chances for a comeback were slim.

With the Wildkats up 31-7, both teams took their time on their fourth-quarter drives.

Neither squad scored any offensive points during the final 12 minutes, with the only points coming from Willis’ special teams. A safety forced on a Tiger punt and a kick return from Bishop Jr. put Willis in front 40-7 with under two minutes remaining.

The end-to-end dominance by the Wildkats gave the team a satisfying win to keep the team undefeated. But in the face of another win, Miller and the coaches are still trying to improve things.

“We have to keep the main thing the main thing,” explained Miller. “The biggest thing for us right now is identifying the plays that we didn’t execute to perfection tonight and harping on those things.”

Willis will march into their district opener against the Caney Creek Panthers under the bright lights of Yates Stadium next Friday.

Photos