This is the 17th of The Athlete’s Connection’s 30 football previews in 30 days leading up to the season-opening games beginning Thursday, Aug. 28. Today, Chad Washington takes a look at District 15-5A playoff contender Cypress Falls.

In the last four years, Cypress Falls has developed into one of the elite high school football teams in the Houston area. The Golden Eagles have used high-powered offenses to make deep runs in the playoffs, including a 5A-Division I state championship game berth in 2006.

Head coach David Raffield has built a strong program by installing lofty goals and creating an atmosphere of winning. And that has the Eagles excited about a chance of going further than its shocking second-round loss to Stratford last year.

“We’re real pleased in how things are going right now. We had a great three days of practice, great carry-over from the spring,” Raffield said. “You can tell the consistency of the players and schemes and coaches is really helping our program and hopefully allowing us to get back into the playoffs this year.”

The offense is strong again, especially with returning quarterback Kolby Gray at the helm. The senior quarterback threw for 3,350 yards and 32 passing touchdowns while running for eight touchdowns last year for the Golden Eagles as a junior, and is expecting another strong season in the pass-happy offense.

“I’m feeling faster this year,” Gray said. “I was at a 4.8 last year and I shaved it down to a 4.5, so it’s going to be a good season. We’re expecting a lot of electricity out of us.”

Gray has a strong assortment of weapons in wide receivers Zac Gilmore, Jordan Henry and Eric Williams. Also, junior running back Christian Norris is expected to the lone back in the spread offense.

The offensive line will have experience with returning starters Matt Eureste and Michael Mathis, but Raffield feels the core of the team is how Gray works with his teammates and how they work together on the field.

“Kolby is a special quarterback. He gets lots of press, but the best thing about Kolby is that he’s one of the guys,” Raffield said. “The guys love him and he want his teammates and the team to be successful. And that’s the characteristics of a successful person.”

On defense, Cy Falls can effectively stop the run and hurt the passing game. Linebackers Chase Parker and Derron Clebourn are very quick and can get to the ball. Junior defensive back Anthony Brown will lead the secondary, while defensive linemen Rashard Miller and Joe Robertson could make up a good front four.

“We’re a little faster, a little more athletic than in the past two years,” Raffield said. “We’ve had good defenses in the past, but we think we have a special group and we’re excited to watch them play.”

That defense will be tested early. Cy Falls faces a tough non-district schedule with games against Westfield on Sept. 4 and North Shore on Sept. 12, the latter at the Berry Center.

“It’s always good to play teams like that before district play,” Gray said.

That will get the Eagles ready for a grueling District 15-5A schedule, including an ESPN U-televised game against Cypress Ridge on Oct. 16 that could decide the district championship. But teams like Cy-Fair and Langham Creek could also give Cy Falls a run for its money.

“Every year at Cy Falls, I ask the seniors to do something that has never been done (in the team’s history),” Raffield said. “And for five straight years, they’ve done it. We’ve had different goals for each group to do something special. We’re in the middle of a four-year run in the playoffs, and now it’s about keeping that tradition alive. And the seniors are stepping up to the plate. I’m excited about the way they’re playing football.”

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