Stephens Runs for Four Touchdowns and 240 yards as College Park Defeats Grand Oaks 48–24

The Cavaliers pull away in the second half behind Duke Stephens' 240 rushing yards, taking control of a key District 13-6A matchup.

FINAL: College Park 48, Grand Oaks 24

Friday, October 23, 2026

Game: Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 7 p.m.Location: Woodforest Bank Stadium, Shenandoah, Texas

SHENANDOAH, Texas — College Park senior running back Duke Stephens rushed for 240 yards and four touchdowns Thursday night, leading the Cavaliers to a 48–24 victory over Grand Oaks in a District 13-6A football matchup at Woodforest Bank Stadium.

The victory moved College Park into sole possession of second place in the district standings with a 4-1 conference record. The Cavaliers improved to 5-3 overall, while Grand Oaks fell to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in district play. With just two district games remaining, the outcome was an important step in College Park's pursuit of a playoff berth.

A large crowd was on hand for the 7 p.m. kickoff, with clear skies and temperatures in the mid-70s providing comfortable conditions for Thursday night football.

Stephens Leads a Dominant Ground Game

Stephens was the difference in a game that remained competitive throughout the first half before College Park took control after halftime.

The senior carried the football 24 times, averaging 10 yards per attempt, and scored on runs of 6, 40, 57 and 31 yards.

College Park finished with 311 rushing yards and 421 total offensive yards, with Stephens accounting for more than three-quarters of the team's rushing production.

But following the game, Stephens was more interested in talking about his teammates than his individual performance.

"It's not just me; it's a team effort, so it felt great," Stephens said during a postgame interview with The Woodlands Student Center.

He credited the Cavaliers' offensive line for creating opportunities throughout the game and explained that his running style relies on patience rather than simply attacking the line at full speed.

"You wait, you see the hole, you burst out," Stephens said.

His performance demonstrated that approach. With Grand Oaks increasingly focused on stopping him, Stephens continued producing significant gains, including two fourth-quarter touchdowns that put the game out of reach.

Grand Oaks Makes Its Presence Felt Early

Grand Oaks entered Thursday's game looking to strengthen its own postseason position, and the Grizzlies gave College Park plenty of problems during the opening half.

The Grizzlies struck first with 6:23 remaining in the opening quarter when quarterback Harley Adams connected with Kaden Carter for a 37-yard touchdown pass, giving Grand Oaks a 7–0 lead.

College Park answered early in the second quarter when Stephens scored on a 6-yard run to tie the game at 7.

Less than two minutes later, College Park defensive back Tank Campbell intercepted a Grand Oaks pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cavaliers their first lead at 14–7.

Grand Oaks responded when Carter broke through the middle for a 24-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 14 with 6:57 remaining in the half.

Stephens put College Park back in front with a 40-yard touchdown run at the 3:24 mark.

The Grizzlies refused to go quietly. With just four seconds remaining before halftime, Grand Oaks kicker Mack Grab connected on a 24-yard field goal to cut the College Park advantage to 21–17.

For a game with significant playoff implications, the first half delivered the competitive matchup many had expected.

College Park Takes Control After Halftime

The second half belonged to College Park.

The Cavaliers outscored Grand Oaks 27–7 over the final two quarters, scoring 27 consecutive points after halftime before the Grizzlies added a late touchdown.

Quarterback Camden Hughes connected with James Skaer for a touchdown less than a minute into the third quarter, extending College Park's lead to 28–17.

Later in the quarter, senior Brian Snodgrass lined up at quarterback and scored on a 3-yard keeper up the middle, pushing the advantage to 35–17.

Then Stephens took over.

With 10:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, Stephens broke free along the right sideline for a 57-yard touchdown run. The missed extra point left College Park ahead 41–17.

Just over a minute later, Stephens scored again, this time on a 31-yard run, extending the lead to 48–17.

Grand Oaks added the game's final touchdown when Isaias Moreno scored on a 55-yard run with 8:15 remaining.

College Park had done its damage, turning a four-point halftime lead into a convincing 24-point victory.

Coach Buro: No Halftime Changes Necessary

Following the game, College Park head coach Michael Buro explained that the Cavaliers' improvement after halftime was not the result of changing their offensive or defensive schemes.

Instead, he wanted his players to eliminate mistakes and concentrate on their individual responsibilities.

Buro acknowledged that College Park had repeatedly hurt itself during the first half with penalties and an inability to get off the field on third down.

His halftime message was straightforward: "just do your job within the whistles, and let everything else take care of itself."

According to Buro, the Cavaliers were already doing many things correctly. The problem was that their mistakes prevented them from taking advantage of their opportunities.

That assessment was reflected in the final statistics.

College Park finished with 19 first downs and 421 yards of offense but was penalized nine times for 100 yards. Despite those setbacks, the Cavaliers continued moving the football and found success with their running game.

Buro said the offense's ability to adjust to what opposing defenses provide is one of the team's strengths.

After relying more heavily on the passing game in the previous week, College Park leaned on its offensive line and running backs against Grand Oaks.

The results spoke for themselves.

More Than a Four-Touchdown Performance

Stephens, who has committed to play college football at the Air Force Academy, was quick to put his individual accomplishments into perspective.

"It's not really about the touchdowns. It's not really about the yards. But whatever I could do to help my team score, help my team win, I'll do that," he said.

The senior also spoke about the importance of having his father and younger brother on the sidelines, along with the encouragement he receives from his family and girlfriend.

For Stephens, the four touchdowns were rewarding, but winning football games remains the priority.

Asked about his goals for the final two district games, he identified two: winning and securing a playoff spot.

Cavaliers Still Have Work Ahead

Thursday's victory gives College Park considerable momentum entering the final stretch of the regular season.

But despite the 24-point margin, Buro knows his team cannot afford to overlook the mistakes that complicated the first half.

"Clean up the mistakes. That's number one," Buro said when asked what College Park must improve.

The coach believes the Cavaliers' ability to respond to adversity reflects the culture the program has developed, particularly its emphasis on pride, preparation and resilience.

Grand Oaks, meanwhile, demonstrated its offensive capabilities in the opening half but struggled to contain College Park's running attack as the game progressed. The Grizzlies must now regroup with two district games remaining.

For College Park, Thursday's win was more than another victory in the standings.

The Cavaliers defeated a district opponent that entered the night with an identical conference record, established their running game against a competitive defense and took an important step toward the postseason.

And while Stephens supplied the biggest numbers on the stat sheet, his postgame comments made clear where he believes the credit belongs.

With the entire team.

By The Woodlands Student Center Staff

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