McClelland leads Tigers in drubbing of Chargers

Katy’s right on schedule. Up next: another dominant run through district, where the Tigers are riding a 61-game winning streak.

That’s the way it looked Saturday from Challenger Columbia Stadium anyway.

After starting slow against North Shore and Atascocita the first two weeks of the season, the Tigers continued their tradition of inexorable improvement, rolling over a quality Clear Springs team, 59-7.

“Coach Joseph told us, we need to start taking those steps to show everybody that we are a great team, and we had to start that (Friday), and we did that,” Katy quarterback Bronson McClelland said.

Katy improved to 3-1 heading into District 19-6A, where it’s claimed nine consecutive undefeated district titles since its only loss to Cinco Ranch in 2008 — and the Cougars are 0-4 so far this year.

Clear Springs, which seemed to turn a corner last week, stumbled to 1-3.

The Tigers wasted no time taking control, notching three touchdowns on their first nine plays. Running back Deondrick Glass capped their opening drive with a 2-yard scoring run, and then, after they blocked a punt and took over at Clear Springs’ 1, McClelland kept for a 1-yard touchdown.

That two-play scoring drive took only 2 seconds, giving Katy a 14-0 lead less than 3 minutes in.

After a Chargers threeand-out, Glass notched another short touchdown — and the rout was on.

“The coaches’ play-calling was awesome,” McClelland said. “Coach (Jeryl) Brixey and coach (Scott) Rich were up there really working on them … (and the) offensive line was blocking amazing for Deondrick.”

Clear Springs finally scored on a tough 38-yard grab by Terrance Woodson with 3:58 left in the second quarter, cutting Katy’s lead to 28-7, but then the Tigers notched two more scores before halftime.

McClelland, only a sophomore, supplied both.

His second rushing TD, from 8 yards out, made it 35-7, and then he hit Steve Stiles in stride for a 50-yard score. Both plays came after he shook off a first-quarter fumble recovered by the Chargers.

They fell on two Katy fumbles, but that’s the only thing that went their way.

After forcing Clear Springs to go three-and-out to start the third, Glass scored his fourth touchdown on a 14-yard run — and the Tigers’ key starters watched the rest of this soggy game from the sideline.

“I love to see other people get in there,” McClelland said.

Glass finished with 19 carries for 84 yards and four scores in 2 ½ quarters.

McClelland completed 8of-9 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown and ran five times for 47 yards and two scores.

Backup Katy running back Sherman Smith added 104 yards and one score on 12 rushes.

The Tigers amassed 455 yards and 21 first downs.

Clear Springs managed only 141 yards and seven first downs, with running back Todd Hudson limited to 32 yards on 19 carries.

“The North Shore game didn’t go how we wanted it to,” McClelland said. “We didn’t play well. But we’ve come together and bonded a lot since then, (and) we’ve played well as a team.”