The Woodlands shut out Willis 54-0 on Friday, Oct. 9, at Woodforest Bank Stadium in a District 13-6A game that snapped a multi-year losing streak in the rivalry.
Senior wide receiver Bryson Bourn drove the offense, catching five passes for 110 yards and three of the Highlanders' six touchdowns. The performance earned him Woodlands Church Athlete of the Week honors, according to Woodlands Online.
Bourn's first score came on a 40-plus-yard reception. He hauled in a contested catch over his helmet, pulled it in and took it to the end zone. His second touchdown came on a strike from junior quarterback Kaden Kopelin across the middle, where Bourn beat his defender cleanly. The third was a 20-plus-yard run after a shovel pass behind the line of scrimmage.
Bourn now leads the Highlanders with 383 receiving yards on the season, averaging 63.8 per game. He has six touchdowns, two behind fellow receiver Carter Cass.
Kicker Franco Heinze set a school record with four field goals against the Wildkats. Heinze had already shown his range earlier this season, connecting on a 44-yard kick in the opener against Bridgeland on Aug. 28.
The Highlanders totaled 311 yards of offense in the shutout.
Willis had won every meeting between the two programs since 2022. The 54-0 win was the first for a Woodlands squad ranked in the state's top 20.
Kopelin entered the Willis game with 1,215 passing yards, a 78% completion rate, 19 touchdowns and zero interceptions through five starts. He has not thrown a pick all year.
The Woodlands sat at 4-1 overall and 2-0 in district play heading into the Willis game. The Highlanders are chasing their first district title since 2021 while extending a 31-season playoff streak.
Up next: The Woodlands hosts Cleveland on Thursday, Oct. 15. The remaining district schedule includes a trip to Conroe on Oct. 23, a home game against Grand Oaks on Oct. 30 and a road game at Oak Ridge on Nov. 6.
