Football Playoff District Race

By Terry Carter

Katy wrapped up the District 19-6A championship with a convincing win over Cinco Ranch on Friday. Now it’s a race to grab one of the remaining playoff berths in 6A football.

Mayde Creek (2-7, 0-7), Seven Lakes (1-7, 1-5) and Taylor (3-5, 2-4) are no longer able to climb into the playoff race, which includes four teams from 19-6A. The two with the largest enrollment will play in the 6A Division I playoffs while the two smaller enrollment schools will play in Division II.

With Katy once again winning the district race, the three teams with only two district losses currently are listed below. No one has an easy route to the postseason. Here are the top 19-6A contenders:

• Jordan (5-3, 4-2) The Warriors face Tompkins in a crucial contest on Friday at 7 p.m. This game will provide the winner with the inside track to a playoff spot. Jordan finishes the regular season on Nov. 3 with Morton Ranch, a powerful rushing, fast team that can upset the playoff cart. Of the three teams tied with two losses, Jordan may have the hardest closing schedule. By enrollment numbers, Jordan is the smallest of the top five teams racing for four playoffs spots currently. If the Warriors reach the postseason, they are guaranteed a Division II spot.
• Tompkins (6-2, 4-2) goes head-to-head with Jordan this Friday at Rhodes Stadium. Jordan has the tools to steal a win here against favored Falcons, but the Tompkins defense held Katy to only 14 points. They are tenacious as must-win games arrive. A win on Friday leaves Tompkins’ final opponent, Paetow, which has struggled this fall to stay focused for several reasons. If the Falcons stayed focused in both games, they could control their destiny. Again, no guarantees in this high-caliber district.
• Cinco Ranch (6-3, 5-2) has played like the second-best team in the district to this point. But that means nothing when they play take the field on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Legacy Stadium against Seven Lakes. The Cougars conclude their regular season this week and take their bye week next week. Their route to the postseason is most favorable behind undefeated and state-ranked Katy (8-0, 6-0). A win guarantees Cinco Ranch a second-place finish and a favorable draw in the playoffs. The Cougars will be the largest enrollment 19-6A high school to reach the playoffs, so they will play in Division I. Tompkins or Katy are likely to grab the second Division I playoff spot.

At 3-3 in district play, Paetow (4-4, 3-3) and Morton Ranch (5-3, 3-3) are long shots as this weekend’s games begin. Both can play inspired football and have demonstrated that.

• Morton Ranch has a strong rushing attack and an attacking defense. Besides Katy, the Mavs were the only league team to defeat Cinco Ranch in a record-setting 77-63 horse race recently. Morton Ranch RB Santana Scott has now rushed for 1,042 yards (130.3 yards per game), 10 TDs to lead District 19-6A rushers, and QB Josh Johnson has lit up the gridiron on the ground with 512 rushing yards, 10 TDs and through the air with 1,275 passing yards on 70-of-121 attempts with a 10:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Junior Ryan Hall has also contributed 640 rushing yards and eight scores for the explosive Mav offense.
• Paetow packs outstanding talent on defense, and it only takes one turnover or sack to change the momentum in their games. DE David Hicks Jr. is the nation’s top defensive line recruit before her verbally committed to Texas A&M. LB Alex Kilgore and S CJ Johnson are is the top tacklers for the Panthers. DT Jarra Anderson, LB Daymion Sanford, S Christian Hurd and CB/S Deyjhon Pettaway are all making plays and getting collegiate attention.