By: Terry Carter
Key games involving Katy ISD teams include:
- Tompkins, which won a tough opener against District 16-6A preseason favorite Cy Ranch, 31-23, will host Bridgeland on Friday at 7 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium. This game features two quality, playoff veteran teams expected to again make deep postseason runs. Both teams posted impressive 11-win seasons in 2021, and both are 1-0 this season.
Tompkins needed to hold on in the fourth quarter to secure its win against Cy Ranch after Falcon RB Caleb Blocker scored twice in the final period. Blocker’s final TD was a 44-yard TD run giving Tompkins a 31-16 lead. Cy Ranch rallied before the Falcon defense locked down the victory.
Tompkins takes on the District 16-6A expected runnerup for this fall in Bridgeland. This should be a second quality test for Tompkins as they prep for a Katy District 19-6A opener on Sept. 10 at Legacy, 6 p.m. - After a strong defensive performance to beat Conroe 14-3 last weekend, Paetow gets a gift in playing Cy Ranch, the team Tompkins beat 31-23 last week. This game will be a quality measuring stick for the Panthers as they check their quality of play before running into District 19-6A action next weekend.
Paetow will likely need to ignite the offense a bit more to outlast Cy Ranch. Both competitors are expected to make the postseason, but No. 24 Paetow is preseason ranked higher than the No. 44 Mustangs. The Panthers are powerful, physical and talented. Head coach Lonnie Teagle knows the offense is a work in progress, and the Panther secondary will be tested as Cy Ranch QB Blake Baker threw for 2,417 yards and 25 TDs in 2021. - Preseason-ranked No. 5 Katy will host No. 11 Atascosita on Friday at Legacy Stadium in a 6 p.m. kickoff of state-ranked 6A teams. The Tigers finished as Division II state semifinalists with a 14-1 record in 2021 while the 11-3 Eagles reached the Division I regional finals before falling to District 21-6A rival and eventual state champion North Shore.
Both Katy and Atascosita are expected by Texas Football Magazine to reach their respective Region III final playoff games — and play familiar foes. The Eagles in Division I are picked to meet North Shore after the pair square-off in District 21-6A play. Katy is again led by RB Seth Davis, now a Mississippi State commit. After rushing for 2,460 yards (10.21 yard average) and 28 TDs, - Mayde Creek is 1-0 and will have to prove their case this season. After shutting out Westside, 30-0, the hungry and stronger Rams could easily go to 2-0 as they travel to Waller for a 7 p.m. Friday contest at Bulldog Stadium.
Waller returns nine offensive starters from a 4-5 5A team in 2021. The Bulldogs have size and talent, so the Mayde Creek Rams will have to battle in this non-district tune-up. Mayde Creek QB Carldell Beard set the pace to victory last weekend when he completed 12-of-15 passes for 105 yards, one TD. Backed by RB Jeremiah Hill’s 117 rushing yards, two rushing and one receiving scores, the Ram offense looked solid. - Cinco Ranch won convincingly 41-13 last weekend behind the arm of QB Gavin Rutherford against College Park. Rutherford threw for five TDs and nearly 400 yards with WR Noah Abboud hauling in 12 catches for 213 yards and three scores.
On Thursday at 7 p.m., the Cougars travel to Klein Memorial Stadium to face Klein Oak, a quick team with talent and a hunger to win after posting a 6-6 playoff season in 2-21. Rutherford can throw for more than 300 yards each weekend, and he has at least six receivers with good hands and speed. This could be a high-scoring race. - Jordan opened with a dominant 64-14 win over Davis. Now they take on 1-0 Kingwood on Saturday, 7 p.m., in Kingwood. The Warriors know Kingwood defeated Clear Creek, 28-6, on a 3-TD passing performance by Mustang QB Trey Reese (7-of-15, for 117 yards, three TDs, one interception).
Jordan QB Colin Willet threw for four scores and 174 yards against Davis as the Warriors rolled to a 49-7 halftime advantage. Willett’s 9-of-16 passing performance gave him a 133.9 QB rating. WR/DB Zechariah Sample ran for 113 yards, scoring four times. Teammate Braden Andrew Marsh scored three TDs on receptions. - Seven Lakes dropped its opener, 17-13, to Spring Branch Memorial. On Saturday the 0-1 Spartans will tackle the 0-1 Klein Bearkats at 7 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium. Seven Lakes’ QB Tanner Perez, who completed 8-of-15 passes for 91 yards last weekend, will be looking for his first TD pass.
Seven Lakes RB Barrett Hudson ran for a team-high 92 yards on 22 carries, and he gained another 56 yards as the Spartans’ top receiver. Spartan RB Marcel Davis scored the game’s first touchdown on a 3-yard run early in the second quarter. Jake Farris gave Seven Lakes the lead in the fourth quarter 13-10 before Memorial scored the game winner. After a 4-6 season last fall, Klein is expected to rely on a stubborn defense to limit teams until the Bearkat offense takes shape. - Taylor is rebounding after an opening defeat to Cy Woods. The Mustangs expect to give 0-1 George Ranch a good game when the teams meet at Traylor Stadium on Thursday at 7 p.m.
After a 5-5 season that just missed the postseason in 2021, George Ranch Longhorns are on the bubble for a possible playoff berth in District 20-6A this fall. QB Deion Drinkard will lead the Longhorns, and he is protected by a veteran offensive line. Coming off a 2-8 season, the Mustangs have size and talent that head coach Chad Simmons is fine-tuning before District 19-6A play begins on Sept. 10 as Taylor opens league play with high-octane Cinco Ranch.
Games this week include:
- Katy vs. Atascosita, Friday, 6 p.m. at Legacy
- Tompkins vs. Bridgeland, Friday, 7 p.m. at Rhodes
- Paetow vs. Cy Ranch, Saturday, 6 p.m. at C-F-FCU Stadium
- Cinco Ranch vs. Klein Oak, Thursday, 7 p.m. at Klein Memorial Stadium
- Morton Ranch vs. Kingwood Park, Saturday, 6 p.m. at Legacy
- Mayde Creek vs. Waller, Friday, 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium
- Jordan vs. Kingwood, Saturday, 6 p.m. at Turner Stadium
- Seven Lakes vs. Klein, Saturday, 7 p.m. at Rhodes
- Taylor vs. George Ranch, Thursday, 7 p.m. at Traylor Stadium
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- Katy senior RB Dallas Glass was 1-of-4 rushers to exceed 1,000 yards in 2021. Glass provided the Katy Tigers a power 1-2 punch with their ground game. (Photo by Terry Carter/UDPhotos)
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- Morton Ranch RB Santana Scott will power the Maverick scoring machine this fall. He rushed for 1,247 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Only Katy’s Seth Davis and Dallas Glass had more rushing yardage. (Photo by Terry Carter/UDPhotos)
