Tigers surge in second half, down Eagles
KATY — The Katy football team appeared adrift during the first half Saturday night at Legacy Stadium, trailing Atascocita by three touchdowns one week after an opening loss to North Shore.
But once the Tigers got going, they were difficult to stop. Katy rallied and scored three times in the final quarter, the last a 40yard field goal on a wet field by senior Kaleb Cue for a 31-28 victory.
“That’s who we are,” Katy quarterback Bronson McClelland said. “We’re fighters. We’re never going to quit, no matter what happens. There are a whole lot of things to fix tonight, especially myself. But that’s why they call it a team game. Defense stepped up, O-line blocked their (tails) off tonight, they did awesome.”
Deondrick Glass sparked the Tigers’ rally with a 75-yard touchdown in the second quarter and finished with 397 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. He added a 72-yard run in the third quarter to bring the Tigers briefly within seven.
Atascocita answered with junior Dylan Robinson, who finished with 159 yards and two scores on eight catches. He turned a third-down slant pattern into a 39-yard touchdown and a 28-14 Eagles lead going into the fourth quarter.
But the Tigers saved their best quarter for last.
“The kids didn’t give up,” Katy coach Gary Joseph said. “They told me at halftime ‘Coach, we’ve got this.’ They believe. They know now that if they keep fighting they’ll have a chance.”
Katy scored on fourth down early in the fourth quarter as McClelland found Sam Dunn from 8 yards away to close within 28-21. The Tigers received a spectacular, diving catch by Jordan Patrick for 47 yards on their next drive, setting up McClelland’s game-tying sneak into the end zone with 5:01 remaining.
Glass reeled off another long run before fumbling deep in Atascocita territory. The bright side for the Tigers was field position, which set up Katy at the Eagles’ 26 after a three-and-out.
After minimal gains, Katy sent out Cue for the clutch kick and he delivered with 1:18 remaining in the game.
“Coach (J.D.) Williams, our kicking coach, does an outstanding job coaching those kids and preparing them for situations like that,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t just the kick. Our snapper put the ball on the tee and our holder got it down. It’s a wet ball for those guys, too. We had to have great protection. It’s a team game.”
Atascocita controlled the first half, with Katy rarely showing signs of life until the final three minutes.
The Eagles covered 65 yards in six plays on their second drive, highlighted by a leaping 35-yard catch from Robinson. He hauled in an 8-yard touchdown two plays later, winning a one-on-one matchup.
Glass gave Katy a 22-yard run on its next drive, but it was cut short by two plays from Myron Morrison, including a sack.
T.J. Thomas made the lead 14-0 on the next play from scrimmage, weaving for a 67-yard touchdown with 3:05 left in the first quarter.
Katy’s next two possessions ended in turnovers, with Taylen Blaylock intercepting and Eric Willis recovering a fumble. The Tigers forced the Eagles into a third-and-19, but Robinson kept the drive alive with a 24-yard catch and Thomas finished it for a 21-0 lead.
Glass revived the Tigers with an electrifying 75-yard touchdown on a third-down draw play.
Katy gained momentum with Cohen Dearman’s fumble recovery, but D.J. Murchinson’s endzone interception preserved the Eagles’ 21-6 lead.
Atascocita, which fell 44-0 in the playoffs to Katy last year, showed an ability to go toe-to-toe with the best early in the season. Including a 16-0 shutout of Katy Taylor, the Eagles take a 1-1 mark into their District 22-6A opener Saturday against Kingwood.
Katy welcomes Aguilas Blancas IPN to Legacy Stadium on Sept. 14. The Tigers take a 1-1 mark and improved confidence into their third of four non-district games.
Katy amassed 529 yards and averaged 9 per carry, an improvement from the previous week.
“The offensive line really bonded tonight,” Katy offensive tackle Cole Birmingham said. “Coming out of the first half, we weren’t really all together.
“But the second half, we dug deep and did what we’ve been practicing for all these months. It was a big win for us. We’re going to keep it going.”