San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Katy leaves no doubt on way to ninth title
ARLINGTON — Katy finally has state title No. 9.
The Tigers dominated the Class 6A Division II title game, defeating Cedar Hill 51-14 on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
The nine titles are the secondmost in UIL history, trailing only Aledo, which won No. 10 by beating Crosby in Friday’s 5A-II title game.
Katy coach Gary Joseph’s legacy continues to grow. It’s his fifth title as head coach, after he won three as an assistant under Mike Johnston.
It’s shades of 2008 for Katy, too. The Tigers lost the district title to Cinco Ranch but went on to win the 5A-DII title over Wylie that season. This time, Katy’s 75-game win streak in district play ended at hands of Tompkins only for the Tigers to end the season as state champions again.
“I had told them after the district loss, the last time it happened we turned around and won a state championship,” Joseph said. “Because of the resolve and the drive these kids have, they refused to lose. I’m extremely proud of them and what they’ve done.”
The 51 points are the most Katy has scored in a state championship game.
Katy’s defense set the tone, forcing four punts and an interception in the first half. The Tigers scored two defensive touchdowns Saturday — Hamilton McMartin scooped up a fumble and took it 55 yards, and Cal Varner jumped in front of a screen pass in the fourth quarter and raced 15 yards for another score.
“If I would’ve dropped it, I knew everybody was going to make fun of me,” Varner said. “So I knew I had to take that back.”
Katy led 24-0 at intermission, marking the first time Cedar Hill had been shut out in the first half all season. Cedar Hill only had 76 yards of offense in the first half to Katy’s 246; it was averaging 20.3 first-half points and 412.6 yards per game heading into Saturday.
The Tigers’ offense was dominant as well, mixing expertly executed wrap-around draw and power run plays and a dose of play-action passes, including quarterback Caleb Koger’s 37-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Taylor Saulsberry for Katy’s opening score.
After Katy senior Shepherd Bowling stretched out for an
interception, Nic Anderson’s 30-yard catch set up Jalen Davis’ 3-yard touchdown run.
Tigers senior Nemanja Lazic had his own highlight with a 48yard field goal, tying Katy’s Kris Perez (against Lake Travis in 2015) for the state record for the longest
kick in a title game regardless of class.
Isaiah Smith’s 55-yard touchdown run in the second quarter made it 24-0 Katy. It came off another draw play as Smith hid behind his offensive line before emerging with nothing but open space in front of him. The Tigers likewise had smooth sailing the rest of the way as they collected a ninth title.
AUSTIN WESTLAKE 52 SOUTHLAKE CARROLL 34
Father bested son as Austin Westlake defeated Southlake Carroll in Saturday’s Class 6A Division I title game at AT&T Stadium.
Westlake, coached by Todd Dodge, won its second straight championship and third overall. Southlake Carroll, coached by Riley Dodge, was searching for its ninth state championship and first since 2011.
Todd won four state titles coaching Carroll from 2000 to 2006. He won three of those titles with Riley, who played quarterback for the Dragons.
The game’s offensive MVP was Westlake junior quarterback Cade Klubnik, and defensive MVP honors went to senior defensive back Michael Taaffe.
Klubnik was 18 of 20 through the air for 220 yards and a touchdown. He also tallied 17 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns.