LSG » Focus » Katy Tigers: Back-to-back champs!

Katy Tigers: Back-to-back champs!

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The Katy Tigers (13-3)  won their 6th overall and 2nd consecutive state championship Saturday with a 17-3 victory over the Wylie Pirates (13-3) at Reliant Stadium in the 5A Division II Championship game.   This was Wylies 3rd overall championship appearance while this was the 9th trip to the finals for Katy.   Katy also won championships in 1959, 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2007. 

The Tigers join an elite group that have won 6 or more state titles.   Abilene, Breckenridge, Converse Judson, Odessa Permian, Waco and Wichita Falls have all won 6.  Brownwood, Plano and Southlake Carroll have won 7 and Celina has the most with 8.

Wylie's first possession was stopped after a big sack by Katy LB Sebi Carbajal (won the Defensive MVP of the game).   Katy took over from their 20 and drove the ball to the Wylie 3 yard line but they could not punch it in.  Raul Balbuena was good on a  21 yard kick to give Katy the lead 3-0.  The scoring drive was 11 plays for 76 yards.     Wylies next drives made it to the Tiger 21.   They have to settle for a 38 yard field goal attempt but it is short and the score remains 3-0.    The Pirate defense steps on big and moves Katy back 9 yards on their next possession.   The 1st quarter ends with Wylie on the Katy 29 yard line. 

1st quarter stats

Rushing           Katy -- 33     Wylie -- 34
Passing            Katy --   44    Wylie --  33
Total                Katy --   77    Wylie -- 67
1st Downs       Katy -- 4        Wylie -- 3
Score               Katy -- 3        Wylie -- 0
The Pirates advance to the Tiger 4 yard line before DB Caleb Chandler steps in front of a pass, picks it off and returns it all the way out to the Katy 31.   Wylies defense once again plays tough and forces Katy to a 3 and out.   The teams trade possessions and the Pirates punt to the Tigers on their next set of downs and Katy takes over at their 48 with 3:16 remaining.   The Tigers drive into Pirate territory and then things got ugly.  Two personal fouls resulted in two players getting ejected, one from each team.  Things are very intense.  These teams are going at each other.  The Tigers capitalize when Michael Webber runs it in from 5 yards out with 1:08 left until halftime.   The XP is good and the Tigers lead 10-0.   The drive was 7 plays  52 yards  and it took 2:08.    After stopping the Pirates, the Tigers were able to get the ball back with 31 seconds left but they were unable to do anything with it.  The half ends with the Tigers leading the Pirates 10-0.

Stats

First Downs       K--9                  W--5
Rushes-Yards    K--18-95          W--12-50
Passing              K -- 6 of 12       W--7 of 17   1 INT
Total Yards       K -- 154            W --   92
Penalties           K--5-41             W--3-30
3rd Downs        K  2 of 6            W-- 1 of 8

Katy Stats
RB Will Jeffery     8 carries   67 yards
RB  Chris Roberson   1 carry   23 yards     3 catches for 14 yards
RB   Michael Webber   6 carries   16 yards 1 TD
QB Parker Ray     6 of 12 passing for 59 yards
WR Taylor Brandt   2 catches for 35 yards
Sam Holl 5 tackles     1 TFL
Grant Clifton     4 tackles
Jonathan Fisher   3 tackles     1 TFL
Elvin Tapong   2 tackles

Wylie Stats
RB Nick Knott     6 carries   22 yards
QB Jerod Monk     7 of 17   1 INT 42 yards   42 rushing yards
WR Colby Harper     4 catches   28 yards
Nikita Whitlock 4 tackles   1 TFL
Alan Menchaca   4 tackles   1 TFL
Corey Smith   4 tackles
Toby Ball   3 tackles   1 sack

The Tigers have the ball first in then 2nd half and this is when RB Will Jeffery (won the Offensive MVP of the game)  really started to shine.  After a big kickoff return by Jeffery out to the Tiger 42, he ran 4 consecutive times to the Pirate 39 but an incomplete pass forced Katy to punt.   The Pirates were able to pick up 1 first down before punting.  Katy took over at their 14 after runs of 18, 13 and 14 yards, the Tigers extended the lead to 17-0 on a 34 yard run by Michael Webber  (his 2nd TD of the game).   The offensive line opened up a huge hole and the final block by FB Chris Roberson sprung Webber for the score.  The drive was 8  plays 86 yards and took  2:24.   After that score, there was 6:35 left in the 3rd quarter.   The Pirates are able to drive inside the Katy 10 for the 2nd time in the game but after two sacks are forced to try a 31 yard field goal and it is good to make the score, Katy 17 and Wylie 3.  The scoring drive was 9 plays 49  yards and it took  4:42.   There is now 1:53 left in the 3rd quarter.    The Pirates stop on 3 plays to force a punt and take it to their 47 before DB Van Atwood picks off a Wylie pass and returns it 23 yards to the Wylie 42.  The 3rd quarter ends with Katy driving. 

Stats

Rushing           K--183         W--72
Passing            K--89           W--91
Total                K--272         W--163
1st Downs       K--15           W--10
The Tigers attempt a 42 yard field goal almost 3 minutes into the 4th quarter but it was partially blocked.  Wylie made a mistake on the play though.   One of the Wylie players picks up the ball and gets tackled at the 6 instead of just taking the ball over at their 25.   With a little over 7 minutes left in the game,  DB Zac Griffin intercepts a pass at the Katy 42.   With 4 and half minutes remaining, the Pirates returned the favor when DB Alan Menchaca intercepted a pass at the Wylie 27.    Wylie drives but turn the ball over on downs at their 39 with 2:31 remaining.     The Pirates stop the Tigers on 4 plays and take over at their 35 with 0:57 left in the game.  Sebi Carbajal comes up with another sack and time runs out on Wylie.  Katy wins 17-3. 

Final Stats
1st Downs             K               17                     W         15
Rushing                 K             40-215               W       26-67
Passing                  K             9 of 21               W     17 of 39
Total Yards           K              304                    W     233
Turnovers              K               1                       W       3
Penalties                K            8-76                    W     4-35

Katy Stats
RB Will Jeffery     22 carries     148 yards
RB Michael Webber     13 carries     64 yards     2 TDs
QB Parker Ray     9 of 21   1 INT       89 yards
WR Kyle Hirschfelder     4 catches 40 yards
FB   Chris Roberson     23 rushing yards     3 catches   14 yards
WR Taylor Brandt   2 catches   35 yards
Sebi Carbajal       10 tackles   2 sacks     3 tackles for loss
Grant Clifton  9 tackles   2 sacks     2 tackles for loss
Jonathan Fisher     9 tackles     0.5 sacks     2 tackles for loss
Sam Holl   6 tackles     2 tackles for loss

Wylie Stats

QB Jerod Monk   76 rushing yards     17 of 38 passing 3 INTs   166 yards
RB Nick Knott     36 rushing yards     5 catches   30 yards
WR Colby Harper     7 catches     84 yards
WR Logan Lambert     3 catches     37 yards
Alan Menchaca     11 tackles     1 tackles for loss
Nikita Whitlock     9 tackles   4 tackles for loss
Tyler Mathers     6 tackles   1 tackle for loss
Izzy Eziakor     6 tackles  

Photos by Diana Porter

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