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The Columbus Cardinal varsity football team has had just one goal on their minds for the past few seasons: win the school’s first state championship. With their talent and success in the district as well as the postseason, they have had every reason to believe that they are ranked up with the best teams in the state. With many of the same goals this season as well as several returning varsity players, Columbus is back to business as usual, vying to be the best 3A football team in Texas.
The Cards benefit from several examples of strong leadership from Head Coach Matt Schobel and the coaching staff to the upperclassmen that have been with the team throughout their dominant runs and deep postseason appearances. Despite losing a few All-District players to graduation, Columbus is confident the current Cards have enough experience and talent to match and surpass some of the heights they have reached in recent years.
“We have a really good group of returning upperclassmen that have played a lot of football games,” Coach Schobel said, “These kids have experienced success and are hungry to build on what we have done in the past.”
Past successes only lead to future success when the experience combines with hard work and a natural ambition to reach new heights. The Cardinals believe they have all the ingredients for a strong season after putting plenty of emphasis on the hard work aspect this summer. While their ambition has led to their lofty goals for a state title, there is an understanding in the locker room that focusing on day-to-day improvement will lead to the results they seek.
“We have to go through the process of the season and keep getting better and better to give ourselves a chance in the playoffs,” Schobel said.
Part of their continued improvement will rely on building upon the improvement they achieved during last season’s run. The defensive unit as well as special teams showed progress each week as they helped Columbus develop into a well-rounded team. For some insight on how much the defense improved in particular, just look at their jump from their district-championship winning year in 2021. Despite finishing with by far the best offense and the top spot in the district standings, the Cards allowed almost 27 points per game for a season total of 347 points by their opponents, the second- highest total in the district. In 2022, the Cards may have just fallen short in the district title race, but they dropped their points allowed per game to just below 13 as they allowed only 180 points throughout the regular season and playoffs. Another jump this season and the Cards could be working with a top defense in the state.
The offensive attack will also continue to be a big focus as Columbus manages some losses in the receiver room after graduation season. Last season’s main targets Colton Pitchford and Jordan Woods have moved on to the next level, leaving room for this season’s receivers to step up and provide quality targets for Baylor-committed quarterback Adam Schobel. Every phase of the game for the Cards has the potential to be successful this season.
“We are excited, our kids are excited,” Coach Matt Schobel said, “They have a goal and have worked hard towards it. It’s time to get to work and start this journey together.”
While the Cards put their final practices on the field before the season’s first kickoff on Aug. 25, they will be working toward creating a product that will potentially bring home the school’s first UIL State Championship trophy.
