This is the district game most of us had double underlined and circled for many reasons since the off-season, and the game’s importance was enhanced by the expected strong starts by both Katy and Jordan this season. With Tompkins falling off a bit, these looked like the best two teams in 19-6A squaring off and Katy survives a confident Jordan team.
Katy deferred the opening toss and went on defense first. The Tiger defense came very close to an interception on the Knights’ opening drive, and ended up paying for that missed opportunity after Jordan hit two big plays via a screen to the RB #5 (sophomore, Tanner West). West is a big-time player. He tore Katy up in this game. The opening touchdown was generated from an Iso run right down the middle with junior RB #2 Gasper. Gasper was untouched after Jordan got Katy’s mike backer Hall blocked clean. 7-0 Jordan.
Katy took its opening drive into Jordan territory before a dropped pass led to a stalled out drive. Katy punted back to Jordan. The Tiger defense appeared to have Jordan stopped, but roughed the passer to extend the drive. Jordan got into scoring position thanks to an explosive pass off of playaction to #5 West. He popped out of the backside up the sidelines catching Katy out of position. Former Tiger Jeremy Alo-Perry punched in the TD. 14-0 Jordan.
The start of this game felt quite similar to Vandegrift where Katy ceded the early advantage to a football team that was hungry to beat them. I thought Jordan’s motivation translated early, and Katy was a level or two below what it needed to be physicality wise. Flat.
Katy got a bit of fortune on its second drive after recovering a fumbled snap. Nelson hit Izzy on a nice strike on a post from trips. Nelson made two more excellent plays to Johnsey before capping off the Tigers’ opening score on an outstanding ball to McCall. 14-7 score. Katy had to do something there.
On Jordan’s next drive, #1 Sample made a crazy catch going to ground. He appeared to keep the ball off the grass. Not sure it would have counted in the NFL, but fair play here. Katy defense held bigly with Jordan on our 13 yard line. Turnover on downs.
Katy had another pass dropped that would have moved the chains and had to punt it away. Next Jordan possession, Smith made the huge pick six for the defensive play of the game. Katy dropped into coverage perfectly here, and Smith got underneath an out route for the INT. Great cover skills shown here. 14 all. Katy recovers from the early hole.
Jordan started its fifth drive of the half from its own 6, and broke a huge run on a sweep from #5 West around the left side out to midfield. Knights then found #1 Sample on a post. Jordan was using a curious looking shift where the RB would move up to the H-back spot, and they’d snap it immediately after he got there. I was under the impression players had to be set for at least a second after a shift, but could be wrong. Regardless, Katy got beat by the talent. 21-14 Jordan.
Katy went three and out and punted back to Jordan right as half was about to expire. 21-14 half. Katy was outgained by 200 total yards in the first half, and, again similar to Vandegrift, was probably fortunate to only be down by 7 so far.
The Tigers got the ball first in the third, and Zambe had a good return out near midfield. Katy finished this drive by hitting a wide open Sanders in the end zone to tie it up at 21. Very promising start. Katy’s blocking showed notable improvement throughout the second half. I’m willing to bet the Hawgs were challenged to be more physical in the locker room, and perhaps not politely challenged.
Noah Coughran made a nice center field interception on Jordan’s first drive. Katy got pressure on the QB, and had the intended WR double covered.
Hill started to get into some huge holes on Katy’s next drive following the pick. When he learns to hit the holes more aggressively, he will be an extremely good back. Katy topped this drive off with a nice razzle dazzle playaction to find Carter in the back of the endzone. 28-21 Katy. Bright second half start.
Katy held Jordan to a three-and-out next. The Tiger offense took the field with its first chance to create a two score lead of the night. Katy had a deep ball open to McCall on the first play and overthrew it. Big missed opportunity. Katy ended up punting.
After two empty drives to start the second half, Jordan exploited a busted coverage by Katy to tie it up at 28. Jordan pumped hard on a hitch to Sample or Marsh, and both Katy DBs to that side bit hard on the hitch leaving #5 West wide open. He scored easily. 28 up.
Katy again generated a great return from Zambe out to near midfield. The Tigers scored here through a second TD pass from Nelson to McCall on another throwback type pass against the grain. Excellent response. 35-28.
On Jordan’s next ball, Hilton had a nice PBU before the most flukey play of the night. Jordan QB had a screen attempted batted straight up in the air by Smith. QB catches his own batted pass, and runs around the right for a first down on 3rd and 10. Very lucky. Once again, #5 came up big for Jordan on a screen to set them up for another game tying touchdown at 35 apiece.
McCall responded for Katy with an excellent effort return out to the 35. This drive was pure physicality from Katy. Hill got into all kinds of space here, and this was just a pounding submission from Katy’s Hawgs to Jordan’s defensive front. Gunner capped it off with a run in from close. 42-35. KATY drive in the purest sense.
Jordan had a last possession, and yelled for a pass interference on their first pass up the sideline. Didn’t get it, and found Marsh on a pass out near midfield. Hilton made an enormous play next in one on one coverage versus Sample. It’s a touchdown if he doesn’t make the play. Next, Coughran made an equally grown man play versus a screen to Marsh with a picture perfect tackle. Jordan QB air mailed his 4th down throw with Katy taking over on downs to seal it.
This turned into one heck of a high school football game. Jordan put everything it had into getting one over Katy. The Tigers came out flat and had to overcome the early hole. Katy’s track record is not great when ceding that kind of advantage early. The biggest difference I saw in Katy from half 1 to 2 was the physicality of the OL. I am sure strategic adjustments played a big part as well, but the visible part was an obvious increase in physicality. Katy allowed Jordan to be the superior physical team in half 1.
Everyone knows Katy is vulnerable down the field against speed in recent seasons. The key is whether or not you can block Katy well enough to get the football downfield and attack those match-ups. This Katy defense has low pressure numbers so far, and that’s a big issue. I’d like North Shore DBs as much as the next person, but you work wit what you have. When you are at a physical disadvantage anywhere, the mental side takes on greater importance which is why you can’t blow coverage like what happened on the one TD. The plays Katy managed to make against the pass saved the game (Smith INT in addition to Hilton PBUs and Coughran plays). Credit sophomores Hill and McCall for growing up a lot last night.
Take the lessons learned and try to apply as best you can moving forward. Katy’s vulnerabilities have been fully exposed in the first half of the season, so we’ll see what it looks like in the playoffs the next time Katy is challenged by a similar level of talent. The #5 kid Tanner West has my full respect after that performance. He is a war daddy, and will be a problem in 19-6A next two seasons, I am thankful Jordan does not have a Jet series installed in their offense with the talent they possess. They actually don’t do a great job of getting touches to Sample and Marsh. Excellent win by Katy after a serious challenge.
Photos provided by Slone Photography.
