It’s a different season for the Katy Tigers, but their run to the 6A state finals presents a familiar scenario.
The Tigers (14-0) will have to beat undefeated Cibolo Steele in the 6A Division II state semifinals for the chance to play for their eight state championship. When the two clash on Saturday at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio it will be the third time in the last four seasons they have met in the state semifinals with Katy escaping with wins the previous two times.
But this time Katy could be in for the upset with the Knights (14-0) returning virtually everyone from the team that had the Tigers on the ropes in the semifinals before losing 27-20 in overtime.
“So they match up real well with us,” Katy coach Gary Joseph. “This team, they’ve got a lot of speed. They are pretty comparable to what we saw speed wise last week with Manvel.”
But unlike the Manvel team, Cibolo Steele has the experience to go along with the outstanding athletic ability. Like Katy, the Knights have a dominant defense and have made a habit of blowing out opponents this season.
Everything about Cibolo says formidable opponent.
The Knights have a big and bruising offensive line and then a set of skill players the present an explosive combination. They are led by quarterback Xavier Martin, who has passed for 2,048 yards, 21 touchdowns and just three interceptions this season while rushing for 673 yards and eight touchdowns.
Martin, a Texas Tech recruit, has a couple big-time receiving targets in CJ Williams and fellow Texas Tech recruit 6-foot-5 Antoine Cox-Wesley. Then there are the two 1,000-yard rushing running backs in Travell Lumpkin and Bryson Denley.
The Knights will certainly test a Katy defense that has delivered nine shutouts this season, and have allowed 55 total points and just 3.9 points per game this season.
For the first time this season, Katy’s offense may be the best defense by limiting the time Cibolo Steele’s offense is on the field. That means they will need even bigger performances from running backs Kyle Porter and freshman Deondrick Glass.
“We have to do a really good job of keeping them in front of us and they throw the ball up to No.7 so much and we have to do a good job of contesting with him,” Joseph said. “I think the key is trying to get the quarterback out of his rhythm. He throws the ball so well. And we are going to have to move the football, get first downs and do a great job of taking care of the ball.”
Until last week, the Tigers had been dominant against every opponent it has faced in the playoffs. But after a strong first half they seemed to love focus in the second half in the 35-17 win over Manvel in the 6A regional finals. They committed a couple of turnovers and had some costly penalties.
It wasn’t the type of play Joseph was expecting for a team hoping to win it all this season.
“We definitely have some things to get cleaned up,” he said. “We didn’t play a clean game last week like I was hoping we were going to, but we played well enough to win and that’s what was important.”
Joseph downplayed any notion that his team may have been distracted by off the field issues last week. The team had to go before the UIL last week with the chance of being eliminated from the playoffs because an ineligible player contributed on special teams during the regional semifinals against Friendswood. But instead of forcing the Tigers to forfeit the UIL reprimanded Katy put the team on probation for a year.
“Our kids handled it well,” Joseph said. “We talked to them and I talk to them all of the time. Things are distractions if you let them be distractions. There was going to be no excuse one way or the way.
“It was no distraction other than it was an inconvenience. The kids handled it well. I think they understood it was something out of their control and that the people in our district were pulling for the same thing. It was just a misinterpretation. It wasn’t anything done maliciously.”
But now the focus is on Cibolo Steele and the Tigers making a fourth straight appearance in the state finals. They last won a state title in 2012.
“It will be a big challenge, but of course all of them are from here on out,” Joseph said. “Everybody you play at this point is good. There is no fooling these people here. These are all good football teams.”
In other area state semifinals action:
Who: North Shore vs. Converse Judson
Class: 6A Division II
Where: NRG Stadium (Houston)
Bottom line: North Shore has been probably one of the biggest surprise teams this season. Judson was here last year and may be the best in Division I.
Who: George Ranch vs. CP Vista Ridge
Class: 5A Division I
Where: NRG Stadium
Bottom line: This is a tough matchup for George Ranch but if the team can continue doing what got them to this point, which is running the ball and playing great defense, the state finals will be waiting.
Who: Fort Bend Ridge Point vs. Cedar Park
Class: 5A Division II
Where: NRG Stadium
Bottom line: Cedar Park is undefeated and the No.1 team in 5A and played for the state title last year and won it in 2013. Ridge Point has ventured into uncharted territory and needed a failed two-point conversion by Angleton to advance to the state semifinals. Ridge Point’s luck may have run out.
