By George Slaughter
Mayde Creek coach Mike Rabe.
Mayde Creek continues its impressive season Friday when it faces Katy. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Rhodes Stadium.
Coach Mike Rabe’s Rams are 7-1 overall and 3-1 in District 19-6A after defeating Seven Lakes, 41-31, last week. The seven wins are the most by a Rams team since 1997, when it finished with a 10-2 record.
Katy, meanwhile, remains the district juggernaut. The Tigers are 8-0 overall and 4-0 in district after defeating Cinco Ranch, 42-0.
Both teams are playing with confidence. Mayde Creek comes in with the top rushing attack in the district, averaging 287.5 yards rushing per game. Junior Julius Loughridge is the team’s top rusher, with 18 carries for 173 yards in last week’s win.
Senior quarterback John Zalocha leads the Rams passing attack. Last week against Seven Lakes, Zalocha completed 11 of 17 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Katy has a strong rushing attack of its own. Last week, against Cinco Ranch, the Tigers rushed 46 times for 325 yards for about seven years per carry. As for the passing game, senior quarterback Bronson McClelland completed three of 10 passes for 28 yards.
Taylor, at 5-4 overall and 3-2 in district, has an open date this week. Here’s a preview of the other football games involving Katy-area teams.
Cinco Ranch Cougars vs. Tompkins Falcons
The Cougars play the Falcons at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Legacy Stadium.
Cinco Ranch is 0-8 overall and 0-4 in district after losing to Katy. Tompkins is 8-1 overall and 4-1 in district after defeating Taylor, 38-12.
Paetow Panthers vs. Montgomery Bears
The Panthers play the Bears at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Montgomery Independent School District Athletic Complex.
Paetow is 7-1 overall and 4-1 in District 10-5A after defeating Huntsville, 25-14, last week. The win clinched the first-ever playoff berth in Paetow history. Montgomery is 2-6 overall and 1-4 in district after losing to Lamar Consolidated, 55-14.
Morton Ranch Mavericks vs. Seven Lakes Spartans
The Mavericks play the Spartans at 11 a.m. Saturday at Legacy Stadium.
Morton Ranch, 4-4 overall and 1-3 in District 19-6A, is coming off its open date. Seven Lakes is 3-5 overall and 0-4 in district after losing to Mayde Creek.