North Shore Wins Historic Slugfest
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Updated: November 25, 2016
"The Call" Decides a Battle for the Ages
NRG Stadium - The defending Class 6A Division II State Champion Katy Tigers met up against the defending Class 6A Division I State Champions Galena Park North Shore Mustangs at the site where both teams won their titles last year. Katy entered the game without superstar running back Deondrick Glass and would rely on Josh Oglesby.
In recent years, the Tigers are 4-1 including a playoff victory against Galena Park North Shore:
- 2008 North Shore 10, Katy 6
- 2009 Katy 9, North Shore 7
- 2010 Katy 44, North Shore 6
- 2010 Katy 32, North Shore 27 Regional Playoffs
- 2011 Katy 34, North Shore Mustangs 6
The two squads swapped three and out to begin, but the action started quickly thereafter. The Katy Tigers got the ball back on the North Shore 41 and just 3 plays later, junior RB Josh Oglesby outran pursuers 38 yards for the opening score to make it 7-0 Katy. On the following drive, the Mustangs again went three and out but got it right back when Katy's QB Rocky Emery tossed an interception to junior DB Michael Boult at the Katy 15. North Shore was stalled quickly and opted for the 33 yard field goal. The kick was good, but a roughing the kicker call left to a then-controversial decision. Does North Shore take the points off the board and try for a TD or take what Katy has already given them?
The Mustangs erased their score and opted for the first down. It was looking like a poor decision after two runs totaled only 2 yards, but on 3rd and 8 senior QB Bryant Badie ran up the middle for the score. After the missed PAT, Katy still led 7-6.
Katy's next drive included being sacked (by junior LB #44 Jeremiah Walter) who stripped the ball so that Galena Park North Shore's senior DL K'Lavon Chaisson recovered it. The turnover was overturned by an offside call on the 'Stangs. In all the Katy drive lasted 15 plays but was ultimately stalled forcing a punt.
North Shore took over at their own 10. Seeing what was open from the TD run, they again ran Bryant Badie up the middle - this time for 39 yards. North Shore continued to drive the ball as the second quarter wound down capitalizing on Katy mistakes and Badie runs. The Katy D stiffened once the Mustangs were inside the 10 as North Shore went away from their up-the-middle runs to stringing it to the outside. North Shore settled for the 30 yd field goal attempt but junior DL Michale Matus' outstretched hand blocked it as Katy took over at their own 20. The squads went into the half separated by 1 point in a defensive battle.
The halftime adjustments by Katy appeared to work as the QB run up the middle was no longer available for Badie. North Shore began the half with another three and out which included a couple of runs for loss. The Katy running game responded on the legs of Oblesby and Kadarius Page as they were finally able to grind out some gains. Driving from their own 34 down to the North Shore 19. But it was Abril Harrison who sacked Katy's Emery back to the 30 that forced the Tigers to try for a field goal. The kick attempt was blocked but once again a penalty erased the kick. Five yards closer, Seth Small knocked in a 43 yard field goal to extend Katy's edge 10-6 with 6:44 to go in the third.
Kerrion Hadnot sparked the North Shore in response to the score by returning the kickoff to the Katy 37. Shortly after, Kaytreyvion Smith caught a 29 yd Badie pass over the middle to give Galena Park North Shore their first TD and first lead 13-10.
Katy too showed some offensive spark when they responded with a series of Oglesby and Page runs. Oglesby finished the drive from 3rd and 3 on the 22 when he escaped some close calls to scamper into the endzone and the 17-13 lead with 1:49 left in the third quarter. For Oglesby, he had already moved past 100 yards rushing on the game. What started as a defensive struggle had just exploded into offensive fireworks by both teams as these two heavyweights continued to trade blows.
After a block in the back on the return pinned the Mustangs to their own 4, they fought hard to get out of the shadow of their own endzone as the final quarter began. The first downs began to pile up for North Shore, but a few dropped passes later, they once again punted to Katy. The Tigers took over with a four point lead on their own 40 with 10:19 remaining in the game. Katy hitched their wagon once again to Oglesby and Page but the Mustangs held them to 6 yards and a punt.
For the second straight punt return, Galena Park North Shore shot themselves in the foot when a block in the back pinned them to their own 8 to start the drive. The Mustangs fought out once again before Kerrion Hadnot eluded a host of Katy tacklers and sprinted 48 yards for the go-ahead score 20-17. Galena Park North Shore left Katy with 5:03 in the game and a 3 point deficit.
Starting at their own 38, it was up to Katy to respond. It looked like Katy would get the job done after a 42 yard pass to JC Angulo setup the Tigers at 1st and goal on the 2 yard line. On first down, Coach Joseph called a run up the middle that get them one yard closer. On second down, another run up the gut - this time for no gain. Third down say the Tiger once again attack the middle and once again be held back from the promised land.
"The Call"
In what will become on of the most questioned calls, the Tigers chose to go for the win rather than the tie and possible overtime. On fourth down, Coach Joseph again chose to attack on the ground and Galena Park North Shore forced the turnover on downs with an amazing defensive stand that saw Katy run four plays for 0 total yards and endure just the first second round loss since 2001 against a Vince Young led Houston Madison team.
Galena Park North Shore will advance to take on Humble Atascocita who knocked off Houston Lamar 28-27 in the second game of the triple-header at NRG.
by Chris Doelle
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Katy | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | - | 17 |
Galena Park NS | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | - | 20 |
Scoring
1st
08:48 KATY - OGLESBY, Josh 38 yd run (SMALL, Seth kick), 7 - 0
04:01 NSHORE - BADIE, Bryant 6 yd run (RODRIGUEZ, Jonathan kick blocked), 7 - 6
3rd
06:44 KATY - SMALL, Seth 42 yd field goal, 10 - 6
05:43 NSHORE - SMITH, Katreyvion 29 yd pass from BADIE, Bryant (RODRIGUEZ, Jonathan kick), 10 - 13
01:49 KATY - OGLESBY, Josh 22 yd run (SMALL, Seth kick), 17 - 13
4th
05:03 NSHORE - HADNOT, Kerrion 48 yd run (RODRIGUEZ, Jonathan kick), 17 - 20