Canyon Lake’s Midterm Grades
The Grades have come in for the Canyon Lake Hawks first half of the season.
The overall Grade? A+
This grade did not take long to assess. The 5-0 record would be the first reason for this lofty grade. That record will also help the Hawks acquire another grade later in the season called Playoffs.
Canyon Lake came out of the blocks slower than the coaches and team would of wanted. It took CL two quarters to get their wings flapping.
Since those two quarters, the Hawks have devoured every morsel of hope opposing teams were wanting to accomplish.
Break Down:
Offense A+
Special Teams A+
Defense B+
Intangibles A+
The Hawks have finished a very successful first half of the season. This time last year, CL was looking at a 2-3 record and wondering what they would be able to do in district play.
You know how that story ended…the team started with two losses to Navarro and Wimberley and finished with a four game winning streak after the loss to Somerset by the slimmest of margins and yard.
This year’s version has taken each game played on the schedule and have executed a victory.
The five game winning streak has upped the team’s record from last year and CL seem to have loftier goals in that department.
Starting with the second half of the Blanco game, the Hawks offense has averaged 280 yards per half for the year.
Last season for the first half of the season the Hawks had the following Full Game offensive numbers.
Stats: Total Yardage
Blanco: 189
LaVernia: 286
Sealy: 51
Austin-Travis: 307
Luling: 423
Canyon Lake has averaged 280 yards per half this season. Besides the Luling game the offensive full game numbers above would only reflect half a game for this years squad.
A punt return for a touchdown last season has been the only score other than the offense running or passing for points in the history for Canyon Lake.
This year, the Doug Hubnik hour produced an interception and kick-off return for touchdowns.
Last year the CL defense had given up several touchdowns from outside the 20 yard line.
The first half of the season had a total of eight touchdowns over 24 yards given up for last year’s club.
Last Season This Season
Run Pass Run Pass
97yds 56yds 40yds 35yds
67 50 20
48 34
33 24
What the numbers above, represent is Speed. The Hawks have improved their speed on the defensive side of the line and have cut the long runs and passes down greatly.
Yes, you saw Sealy with some long runs in the game, but those plays had the Hawks catching the player and giving the defense another chance to stop the team from scoring. Last year’s team would of been lining up for receiving a kick-off from the opponent.
The Hawks have three interceptions and only one lost fumble. Last year? Six interceptions and nine fumbles and the team lost five of those miscues.
Turnovers gives the opposition momentum and sometimes an easy path to the goal line. It will also result in fewer punts.
Even with that ‘help’, last year Matt Magness lined up for a punt 25 times by the start of district play. This year? The Coaches have to remind Magness where he is suppose to line up for the punt: Seven times the Hawks have been in punt formation.
Canyon Lake has plugged holes on both sides of the ball all season with countless injuries, but the depth has steadied the boat, giving the Hawks consistency.
This will only accentuate the team’s success as the season progresses as the players have had experience plugging the leaks and have looked good in doing it.
District 26-3A looms right around the corner and the Hawks have a couple of monsters underneath their bed that need to be taken care of.
Navarro gave Canyon Lake nightmares rushing for over 500 yards last year and Wimberley has received nine interceptions and one fumble from the Hawks over the last two seasons.
Wimberley’s offense is tough enough without turning the ball over. The monsters for this team might also be in the closet too.
Boerne will be another tough out, especially playing away from the friendly confines of Hawk stadium. The Greyhounds will bring a salty passing attack to the game which will pose another hurdle for the Hawks to knock down.
Fredericksburg and Bandera are still a work in progress. The two teams have two more wins than they had at this time last year, but I get the feeling that this team will not allow those barriers to impede their progress through the district.
The first half of the season is in the books and Canyon Lake has ascended to heights that have not been reached in the short history of the program.
The good news? The Coaches have seen the view before and hopefully the team will remember to bring their camera for the second half of the season.
Enjoy!!
