Craven: Breaking down this week's showdown in Cedar Park

[caption id="attachment_19431" align="alignright" width="247"]Photo by Robert Ward Photo by Robert Ward[/caption] In a week packed with high-profile games, the best of the bunch in Texas high school football may take place in Cedar Park when the Timberwolves take on Vandegrift this Friday. Both teams enter the game undefeated and coming off emotional wins over rival programs. Cedar Park, ranked first in Class 5A, cruised past Leander, while Vandegrift, ranked fourth in Class 5A, stormed back from a 42-14 halftime deficit against Vista Ridge to win and set up this pivotal district contest. The Timberwolves boast one of the best and most diverse running games in the state. Vandegrift must slow down the Cedar Park running game and force quarterback Mak Sexton to win. The sophomore signal-caller attempted just 86 passes through six games, completing 62.8 percent of those attempts for seven touchdowns to just three interceptions. It is on the ground where Cedar Park makes its living, and the Timberwolves rely on multiple ball carriers. Ten different players rushed for a touchdown in Cedar Park’s first six games and eight have over 10 attempts on the season. Tyler Lavine does the dirty work, rushing 40 times for 326 yards and two touchdowns through six games, but it is Jack Grimm, whose brother was the quarterback when Cedar Park won a state championship, who gets the ball near the goal line. He has 10 rushing touchdowns and leads the team with 42 carries and 23 receptions. No other player on the Cedar Park roster has double-digit receptions. [caption id="attachment_19434" align="alignleft" width="300"]Photo by Christopher Farias Photo by Christopher Farias[/caption] Conversely, Vandegrift spreads the ball around and is a two-dimensional offense. Quarterback Alex Fernandes has completed more passes than Sexton has attempted through six games. He already has 25 touchdown passes to just two interceptions and is completing just over 67 percent of his attempts. His favorite target is Rice commit Paxton Segina, who may be the best 2016 prospect in Leander ISD. Segina has 34 receptions for 625 yards and 12 touchdowns in just six games. He is one of four Vandegrift receivers with double-digit receptions. The Vipers don’t just pass the ball, though. Running back Travis Brannan is the workhorse for Vandegrift on the ground. The senior is averaging 9.84 yards per carry and has already eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season. In 116 attempts, Brannan has 1,141 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. Both offenses will have success, but this will be a battle between Vandegrift’s ability to stop the run and Cedar Park’s ability to slow down the Viper passing game. Cedar Park cornerbacks Jav and Elisha Guidry will be responsible for limiting the big-play potential of Segina and the Vandegrift passing offense, while the 3-3-stack defense tries to limit Brannan in the running game. Vandegrift will overload the box like it did against Cedar Park in a victory in 2014, and it will be up to Sexton to use play-action and force the Vandegrift secondary to be honest, opening up lanes for the running game. Both of these teams are and will continue to be state title contenders, with Vandegrift in Division I and Cedar Park most likely headed to Division II once the playoffs start, but bragging rights and the top spot in Class 5A are up for grabs Friday night.