The best way to learn where you are at is to test yourself against strong competition.

That was the message across the Cinco Ranch locker room after the teams first scrimmage Friday, as the Cougars were tested by a very talented Cy-Ranch team.

The performance was up and down from Cinco, but that was to be expected for a squad full of players stepping into new roles, and the experience will help the team moving forward with two weeks to go until the season begins.

“This is exactly what we needed to go through,” said junior tight end Kellen LeCronier. “It’s good for us because we get to learn from this, get better and then see if we’ve figured some things out next week. Last year in our first scrimmage we had a similar type of day, but we came out and we fixed what we needed to and last season ended up being great for us going to the third round of the playoffs. We just need to bring that same mentality.”

While there were struggles, there were also some bright moments for the Cinco squad. Offensively, the Cougars moved the ball well early on in the game, getting big gains in both the pass game and the run game, but struggles came later on with some turnovers and inability to keep drives going once the timed period began.

But both quarterbacks vying for the starting job, Charlie Adamoli and Connor Brock, showed good flashes throughout the game, and another bright spot was Taytum Johnson, who caught two touchdown passes and looked every bit a part of a No. 1 receiver. Domenic Ramirez and Tessiah Young also combined to make a good duo in the Cinco Ranch backfield.

“Both Charlie and Connor are really good quarterbacks,” Johnson said. “They can both throw the deep ball, they can both find open receivers and they’re smart with the football. They both can be starting quarterbacks and then I really liked how our run game did today as well.”

Defensively, Cinco shad trouble dealing with some of what a talented Cy-Ranch offense through at them, but when the timed period game the group showed its grit, shutting the Mustangs down in the red zone and forcing field goal attempts and helping out the offense of the Cougars.

“Really, we just knew the job that we had to do and that was we had to get off the field,” Johnson said. “It was good to see the guys step up and force them into kicking a field goal. Then even after a turnover we were able to get our minds right again even with our backs to the end zone. We just stepped up.”

The job now for the team is to continue to improve with the regular season on the horizon. Cinco continues their march towards the season with a scrimmage next week before they open the season.

“It’s all about focusing in and knowing that we can build off this,” LeCronier said. “We have to go in, give 100% at practice, watch film and fix some stuff. Fixing some of our weaknesses and building on our strengths is what we have to focus on and I think it will look a lot better next Friday.”