The most anticipated game in the entire season is finally here, Tomball Memorial vs Tomball High. This storied matchup has always provided in terms of great games. However, after last week’s loss to Klein Collins, many questions are being asked about whether or not the Wildcats can even make an argument that they can win.

Last week’s loss to the Tigers was a disappointment for the Wildcats; however, it was somewhat expected. The Wildcat’s performance in the 1st half was a good showing, but as soon as the 2nd half started, the team looked for lack of a better word, dead. The team was not in contention for the latter half of the game. The defense could not withstand the Tiger’s excellent rushing game, and the offense could not break through and push the ball forward most of the time. As much as it sounds like the Wildcats got destroyed, they didn’t. In fact, they were able to keep up with the Tigers at the start. But as I stated earlier, in the 2nd half the Wildcats just fell off. Senior Terrance Legions believes that the team’s inability to adapt was a leading factor in the loss.

“They just kept running it up the middle, and we couldn’t stop it,” Terrance stated. “And when we finally put people there to stop them, it was too late in the game.”

If last week’s game didn’t seem important to you, this week’s one definitely will. This is the Wildcat’s greatest rival, the Tomball High Cougars. The Cougars are the only team that the Wildcats have faced every year since the school’s inaugural season all the way back in 2012 when many students who attend the two schools were children. This game has a lot riding on it, the title of best TISD team being the most prevalent. Out of the eleven previous matchups between the two schools, it is clear that for the most part, the Wildcats have had the better teams. However, with the recent struggles, the Wildcats have faced, the question of who has the better team is up for debate once more. Last season, the Wildcats suffered a heartbreaking 35-48 loss. Senior Reed Odell thinks that the team can defy the odds and win.

“The team is feeling very confident for the game,” Reed stated. “We know that we can start a winning streak if we win this game.”

As everyone should know, the games between Tomball Memorial and Tomball High are not just about football, they are also about celebrating the veterans within our community. It is called the Patriotic Show for a reason. Another nice and less-known tidbit about the game is the school’s colors. With the Cougars donning red and the Wildcats wearing blue, they come together in a mix-up that represents the U.S. flag’s very own colors.

The battle for Tomball will take place at the recently built TISD Stadium on October 14, 2022, at 7:30 PM. Following the tradition of flipping between home and away, the Wildcats will technically be the away team for this matchup, and therefore, will be closer to the road when entering the stadium. Because of the long and storied history of matchups between the two schools, the game is expected to be a great one. Will the Cougars continue to close the gap of games won? Or will the Wildcats take their throne of best TISD team back?