For two of the best players in Texas for the class of 2009, the family reunion didn't end with Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, for Rivals.com 100 to watch member Craig Loston, the family reunion didn't even begin until he hit the football field on Saturday to face fellow Rivals.com 100 to watch member and cousin, Russell Shepard.

The two didn't meet at Thanksgiving because Loston had his Thanksgiving dinner with his team. The two didn't talk during the week leading up to the game. But after the first snap, the silent treatment was over.

"I didn't talk to [Shepard] at all the week before the game," Loston said. "I was trying to get my mind right. We were talking during the game though. Even on the internet before the game it was playing like Russell vs. Loston. So I was talking to him in a good way and then when I hit him I'd talk to him then too"

Houston (Texas) Cy-Ridge pulled out the 35-28 win over Loston's Aldine (Texas) Eisenhower squad but Loston wasn't disappointed in defeat.

"I guess they underestimated us coming into the game," Loston said. "Their own coach said it was a hard fought game. Before the game they were talking about running through us and look how good we did. It was a good game."

The game wasn't decided until the final seconds when Cy-Ridge's defense turned back Eisenhower on a second-and-goal play from the two-yardline as time expired.

Russell Shepard ended the night with 194 yards rushing on 29 carries with two touchdowns while Loston finished with nine tackles and a bundle of return yardage along with a 50-yard run off of a fake punt.

Loston, who runs a 10.4 in the 100 meters in track also plays basketball in the winter but this year has decided to take a month off and start track early to get ready for his senior season on the gridiron.

Early in the recruiting process for the highly-touted prospect he has three clear favorites in Oklahoma, California and Florida. However, at this stage in the recruiting process a lot could change and Loston plans on allowing plenty of time for the process to play out. He intends to wait until signing day to make a decision.