By George Slaughter
WACO—The Katy Tigers earned a berth in next week’s state title game after defeating Hays Buda, 63-7, Saturday at McLane Stadium.
Katy, now 12-1, will face Cedar Hill at 1 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the Class 6A, Division II state championship. The Longhorns, also 12-1, defeated Guyen, 27-17, Saturday afternoon at McKinney ISD Stadium. Cedar Hill is south of Dallas and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Katy is returning to the state title game for the first time since 2015, when it defeated Austin Lake Travis for its eighth championship.
As for the upcoming game, the Tigers and Longhorns faced each other in three previous state title games. In 2012, Katy defeated Cedar Hill, but Cedar Hill won the 2013 and 2014 matchups.
Katy’s matchup against Hays proved a one-sided affair, as the Tigers scored on each of their six first-half possessions to build a 42-0 halftime lead.
The Tigers began their onslaught with a 39-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jalen Davis. The next two Katy touchdowns came following Hays fumbles.
Katy senior linebacker Ty Kana recovered the first Hays fumble at the Rebel 28. Davis threw an 11-yard pass to junior wide receiver Nic Anderson for the score.
On the ensuing Hays possession, senior defensive lineman Cal Varner recovered at the Rebel 25. Three plays later, sophomore running back Seth Davis scored from one yard out.
In the second quarter, Seth Davis scored his second touchdown, this one also from one yard out, and the rout was on.
Sophomore quarterback Caleb Koger threw a five-yard touchdown pass to junior running back Isaiah Smith with four minutes remaining in the first half, and Seth Davis scored on a 25-yard run with 1:19 remaining to close the first half scoring.
Davis added another touchdown run, this one from 29 yards out, on Katy’s first drive of the second half. At this point, up 49-0, coach Gary Joseph began putting in his reserves, and people looked forward—in Katy’s case, to next week’s title game, and in Hays’s case, to next season.
Hays ends its season at 10-4.