Mayde Creek is calling this season its “Revenge Tour.” The intent is to make up for games the Rams felt got away from them last season, wins players and coaches say were left on the field.

So far, they are doing that. Mayde Creek is taking care of business against everyone and anyone so far. The Rams are also making program history along the way.

Mayde Creek is 5-0 for the first time after routing Cinco Ranch 40-14 on Sept. 28 in each team’s District 19-6A opener at Legacy Stadium. It was the Rams’ first win over the Cougars since 2005 and their first district win since Oct. 12, 2017, over Tompkins. It’s their first five-win season since 2008, which also happens to be the last time they made the playoffs.

“This feels amazing. Great,” said senior JaCoby Wilson, who had 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. “Right now, we’re playing physical every play. We’re looked at as underdogs, so we take that and play hard every drive, every play. It doesn’t matter who we go against. We know if we just play hard, good things will happen.”

The Rams put up 496 total yards against the Cougars, who dropped to 0-5 overall. They had 19 first downs and only punted twice. For the season, Mayde Creek is averaging 35.6 points on 440.8 yards per game.

But the Rams have always typically had good offenses. It’s defense that had been their Achilles’ heel.

Until this season.

Mayde Creek held Cinco Ranch to 245 total yards as the Cougars got little going on the ground (3.6 yards per carry) or through the air (6-for-19 passing). The Rams forced two turnovers, building their season total to eight takeaways, compared to three giveaways.

Under second-year defensive coordinator Kaeron Johnson, Mayde Creek has adjusted schematically, playing two safeties as part of the personnel after last season playing with one.

It’s worked. Mayde Creek is surrendering a stingy 15.6 points on 213.2 yards per game.

“Everybody’s doing their job, no matter if they’re in the play or not,” said junior defensive back Joseph Kinyock, who had an interception against the Cougars. “Everything is fitting like a pattern. We flow. We get to the ball fast. Last year, we weren’t very disciplined. This year, it’s different.”

Mayde Creek is among the district leaders in fumbles caused (11) and recovered (seven). The Rams are also getting to the quarterback more often; against Cinco Ranch, Tremaine Armour, Trejuan Holmes, Gabriel Quezada and Gequan Faucette all had sacks.

“As the season progressed last year, Coach Johnson got a good feel for what our kids could do and what they could be successful at,” coach Mike Rabe said. “The last three or four games last year, we kind of molded into this defense and we just built on that during the spring. It’s carried on. Our guys are executing really well right now.”

People are noticing. Kinyock said he gets a lot of “thank yous” from teachers and classmates at school.

Rabe credited the familial, all-inclusive environment perpetrated by principal Ronnie Edwards and embraced by the athletics department.

Senior running back/receiver Daniel Huery, who had 114 rushing yards and a touchdown and 58 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Cougars, said the team is finally playing as one. Gone is the division that plagued previous years.

“It’s a good atmosphere on our campus right now,” Rabe said. “It’s fun. A lot of fun.”

Kinyock used “fun,” too. As in, it’s fun to know that the team hasn’t even reached its ceiling yet.

Rabe said that’s evident during weeks of practices. He said his players have accepted the “one day at a time” mantra, never looking back or ahead.

“Staying in the present, right in the moment,” Rabe said. “You’re just so focused on trying to get better that there’s really no time to appreciate it. Hopefully we can keep doing it and we can look back on this season when it’s done and be really happy with it.”

While 5-0 is nice, it’s not the end game.

“It’s history in the making. But we’re still going to keep going,” Huery said. “We’re not satisfied. We have huge expectations. We want more, we want the playoffs. We’re just taking it day by day.”