By LONNIE KING  |  © 2025, Big Daddy’s Texas Sports

Friday night at Pridgeon Stadium, Cypress Lakes didn’t just beat Cypress Park—they overwhelmed them. The 57–0 final score will be remembered for its sheer dominance. But for me, it was about more than the scoreboard.

It was about a program still searching for its first-ever playoff berth, and a kicker who might just help them get there.

The Bigger Picture: Cy Lakes Chasing History

In an email before the game, head coach Tyrone Carter told me exactly what his team is chasing: a UIL playoff appearance for the first time in school history. Since the Spartans began varsity play in 2010, they’ve never won more than five games in a season and have never reached the postseason.

Furthermore, Friday night wasn’t just about another game—it was Senior Night for Cy Lakes. In his message to the outgoing class, Carter specifically thanked them for enduring three different head coaches over the past four years.

That kind of churn and inconsistency usually cripples a program, but Carter’s first-year impression already feels stabilizing. He led the Spartans to four wins last season, and now, at 2–2 to start this year, his influence might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Still, the irony of what seemed to hang over the Spartans’ heads going into their game against this specific opponent wasn’t lost on me.

Even Cy Park, who only began playing varsity football in 2018 and are now mired in a 35-game losing streak after Friday’s loss, qualified for the Class 6A playoffs in 2020 and 2021. That 2021 first-round exit marked the beginning of their long slide.

Still, in spite of the current famine, the Tigers have at least feasted at the playoff table in their brief history.

Cy Lakes has never been that fortunate. For Carter and his group, this season is about proving they can be the best squad the school has ever produced. And for that vision to become reality, he’ll need reliable performers on the field who can deliver in the biggest moments. On Friday night, no one embodied that more than kicker Sirron Norris.

A Kicker Who Changes the Game

To be honest, Norris’s night caught me off guard. I hadn’t gotten a heads-up about his leg strength or accuracy before the game, and there wasn’t much buzz about it that I had heard in general.

In fact, after Norris knocked through the extra point following Cy Lakes’ first touchdown early in the first quarter, the Spartans immediately shifted gears and went for two-point conversions on every other first-half touchdown.

That led me to assume the kicking game might actually be a weakness.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Norris’s first field goal came midway through the second quarter—a 33-yarder that would have been good from at least 45 yards—and it pushed the Spartans’ lead out to 26–0.

That would have been enough to erase any doubts. But the second half is when he truly put on a show: first drilling a 50-yarder, then a 53-yarder that caromed off the crossbar and through. He capped it off late with a 32-yarder and added a couple of extra points on second-half touchdowns for good measure.

Those aren’t just points in a rout. They’re proof that Cy Lakes has a weapon most teams don’t. In District 16-6A, where so many games are decided by a single score, having a kicker with that kind of range and composure could be the separator.

Not Just a Kicker’s Chance

Norris may have stolen the spotlight Friday night, but he’s hardly the only weapon at Carter’s disposal. The Spartans have talent across the field, including four seniors already committed to Division I programs.

• CJ Lewis, wide receiver, committed to Tulsa, caught a couple of touchdown passes in the win.
• Amiri Barnes, a wide receiver/defensive back combo, is headed to Texas State.
• Corbin Phillips, senior defensive tackle, and Nate Davis, a cover corner, are both committed to play at Houston Christian.

Put together, it’s more than just a kicker’s chance that this team could finally make the playoffs. Carter has playmakers on both sides of the ball and a special-teams ace who can tilt the field.

After the game, I mentioned to someone that I had just watched a high school kicker nail two field goals of 50-plus yards in the same game. Their response: “That’s a kid who’s already got a four-year scholarship somewhere.”

The irony, of course, is that I don’t think that Norris does—at least not yet. But after Friday night, it wouldn’t surprise me if that changes soon.

What Does It Mean?

Blowouts can blur together over the course of a season. But special performances stand out. And on Friday night, Norris gave Cy Lakes exactly that. Every long attempt carried the weight of possibility, and every make carried the sound of a crowd realizing they were watching something rare.

Interestingly, of the senior players for the Spartans who were honored before the game, many of them mentioned a come-from-behind victory against Langham Creek as a favorite on-field memory of their playing days. If you had asked them again afterward, I’d be shocked if at least some of them didn’t change their choice to that game.

And, for a program chasing history, having that edge in the kicking game—and the supporting cast to complement it—could be the key to finally breaking through.

The Takeaway

Cy Lakes doesn’t just want to win games—they want to shed the label of never-been. They want to carve out their place in the Cy-Fair ISD football landscape with a playoff run.

If they get there, people will look back on Friday night at Pridgeon and remember that their kicker, of all people, showed them how far this team could go.

I’m just glad I got to see it up close and personal, with my own eyes.  And I look forward to keeping tabs on them the rest of the season.