Morton Ranch call’s out Katy and falls short in a 62-24 disapointment
Just like the real life battles between sibling boys a Katy ISD team challenges the Katy “Dynasty” and 9 times out of ten they fall victim to the perennial powerhouse. Mayde Creek found out in 2010 and 2007 that when you call out the Katy football program you will wake the sleeping giant and will leave the stadium with your tail between your legs. Cinco found this out in 2010 when they said publically that the 2009 loss was considered a win because it was just a one point game. The ensuing game ended in a 56-3 beatdown by the Tigers. Mayde Creek and Taylor have all spoke too soon and fallen to the "Wrath of Katy". Its ok to be confident but speak softly and carry a big stick if you want to try and take down the giant that is Katy.
“A sports dynasty is a team that dominates their sport or league for multipleseasons or years.” by Wikipedia
It could be argued weather not the Katy football program should be considered a Dynasty. If you look at just four of the programs statistics I think you will not have a problem defineing them as a Dynasty.
First of all Katy has won their district 26 times since the school started playing six man football in 1939. The Tigers have been bi-district finalist 27 times and area finalist 23 times since 1959. Not only that Katy has been State quarter finalist 13 out of the last 15 years.
Every upcoming football program needs their “right of passage” their own “coming of age” season. This very well could be Morton Ranches season and this upset by Katy could help them learn what they need to take on the rest of the district. This is how the district opener game went down between Katy and Morton Ranch.
It was 7:00 PM at Rhodes stadium on Thursday September 27, 2012 and Morton Ranch won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
The Mavericks first possession was energetic but stopped short after one first down rush by quarterback Quandre Washington after faking the handoff to senior running back Deion Williams and bunch of pressure by Tiger defensive end Matt Dimon.
Morton punts the ball and sophomore running back Rodney Anderson fields it on the Katy 23 and zig zags his way to the 42 for a 20 yard return. On the first play from scrimmage junior qb Kiley Huddelston fakes the pass and rushes up the middle for 16 yard gain. A flag on the Mavericks puts the ball on the 37. Huddelston calls his own number again for a gain of three. On second down and the ball on the 33 Huddelston drops the ball into senior receiver and Baylor commit Kyle Fulks hands for a 27 yard pass. Next play is from the six yard line and is handed to senior running back and LSU commit Adam Taylor for the first score of the game. Manny Mendoza with the successful PAT with 6:57 left in the 1st. makes the score 7-0.
On the ensuing kickoff Morton Ranch fumbled the ball but somehow recovers it on their own 16. The first play from scrimmage was a textbook example of a triple options scheme. Washington fakes the up the middle run to Williams then pitches out to junior running back and known speedster E.J. Achelus who got around the edge for a nice 36 yard gain. The largest gain of the game so far. The Mavericks then were forced into a three and out and had to punt.
Anderson received the punt on the 19 yard line and had another nice return for 14 yards placing the ball on their own 33 yard line. The first play saw senior fullback Alex Fisher go straight up the middle for a 60 yard rush now the longest of the game between the two teams. After Taylor was stuck hard for a one yard loss Fisher again got the call. Fisher walked into the endzone for a seven yard touchdown with a red cast on his left hand and pig skin in his left. Mendoza was good again for the PAT making the score 14-0 with 3:34 left in the first.
Fisher who is a second year starter broke his hand in a preseason scrimmage and had a huge first game against the Woodlands rushed for 107 yard and two touchdowns in this game.
The ensuing kickoff by Katy was fielded on the eight yard line and brought back to the 28 by the Mavericks. A holding penalty moves the ball back to the 18 yard line on the first play. The second play was only a two yard rush but the third play was a rush up the middle by Williams for a 63 yard gain brought down by senior db Isaiah Brown who has verbally committed to Tulsa.
After moving the ball to the eight yard line (the deepest Maverick push so far) Morton was forced to kick a field goal on fourth down. The score now 14-3 Katy with :36 left in the quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff Anderson calls for a fair catch on the 37 yard line. THe first play showcased the world class speed of Fulks as he took the end around hand off for a 56 yard rush down to the eight of Morton Ranch.
On the second play of the fifth series Anderson loses his grip on the ball and Morton recovered on their own ten yard line.
After two plays of no gain Dimon wasn’t fooled by the Maverick’s own end around reverse as he “stayed at home” and drilled the senior running back Eli Hall for a four yard loss in the Maverick back field forcing them to punt.
On Katy’s next possession the Tigers just couldn’t get it together with two missed completions by Huddelston to Fulks and a failed rush by Anderson forcing Katy to Punt.
The ensuing punt was blocked the Mavericks and picked up by Katy’s own Anderson who made his way to the Maverick 45 before being forced out of bounds.
On the eight possession of the game Morton Ranch again calls Washington’s number who bobs and weaves his way to a 55 yard touchdown run making the score 14-10 Katy with 8:29 left in the half.
Katy’s next possession was all Katy as Fisher and Taylor went to work moving the ball 71 yards in six plays. Taylor got his second td of the night from four yards out. Mendoza missed the PAT making the score 20-10 with 5:57 left in the half.
Morton Ranch went three and out on the next possession giving the ball back to Katy on their own 41 yard line after another Anderson fair catch. Again it was the combo of Taylor and Fisher making quick work of the Maverick defense.
Taylor took the pitch around the right side for a gain of 12. Taylor again up the middle to the 20 yard line. Fischer got the call with a half back fake and for the score stealing his way into the corner of the endzone cast and all. Its now 27-10 with another good Mendoza PAT with ust 3:03 left in the half.
The Mavericks started running out of steam and were forced to punt again as Dimon and his powerful defense shut down Morton Ranch yet again.
Anderson received the Maverick punt and took it to the house for a 60 yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Mendoza capped it off with another good PAT making the score 34-10 with just 1:56 remaining in the half.
Morton let the clock run down after not being able to make any yardage on three attempts in their last possession of the first half.
It was all Katy after coming out of the field house for the second half. The Tigers started on their own 31 and Huddleston hit junior tight end Sloan Spiller in the middle for an unexpected 20 yard gain. Taylor and Anderson next up both with short gains. Katy got lucky when Anderson had the ball knocked out of his hands again but was recovered by the Tiger offense. Huddleston then lofted a fluke lateral pass while falling under Maverick pressure to Anderson who caught the ball low but scooped it up 21 yard gain. Taylor then took the ball up the gut to the 11 yard line and then again to the one yard line smashing it down the Mavericks throats. Taylor on a mission down the middle again as he strolled into the endzone for another score. Now its 41-10 with 8:16 left in the third.
On Mortons next possession they were headed for another three and out when they fumbled the ball and Katy’s Chris Harper recovered.
Junior quarter back Josh Williams comes in the came to call the plays and with the ball on the 16 of the Mavericks he drops the snap but picked it up and gained 10 yards by heading straight up the middle with a great block by senior center Aaron Sowell. With the ball on the six yard line Williams pitches it to Anderson for his seventh touchdown of the season. Mendoza with another good PAT for a score of 48-10 with 5:28 in the third.
As more of Katy’s second and third stringers took the field Morton had another pair of three and out as Katy was also forced to punt after a couple of false starts.
On the 21st possession of the game Katy closed out the third quarter with an incomplete pass to senior receiver Andrew Eglett that looked like a good catch.
As the referee’s turned the teams around to start the fourth quarter Williams hands the ball off to senior running back Ricky Bickham who darts to the right side of the offensive line for a nice 51 yard rush just one yard short of the endzone.
Bickham gets the call again after his hard work in the previous play and goes one yard for another score with 11:43 in the fourth. Mendoza connects his foot to the pigskin for another PAT making the score now 55 to 10.
On Morton’s next possession Achelus wowed the Maverick fans with a first down 69 yard rush against Katy’s replacements for their third score of the game.
With 11:20 left in the game the score is now 55-17.
Katy turned the ball over on downs in the next possession giving the Mavericks the ball back on their own 30 yard line.
On third and two Morton fumbles the ball but Achelus scoops it up and eludes the Katy defense for another huge run this time for 68 yards and the Mavericks final score of the game.
The score now 55-24 with 7:33 left in the game Katy coaches scheme a 13 play six minute eight second drive where senior running back Demonte Davenport racked up six rushes and 30 yards and the final touchdown of the game. Mendoza had his seventh and final PAT of the game making the final score 62-24.
Mendoza has gone 18 of 20 on the season and has done a great job securing the extra point each game.
The Tigers have outscored their opponents 196 to 50 and look to roll through district 19-5A with ease. Their next victim will be Mayde Creek next Saturday at 6 PM at Rhodes Stadium where the Rams will be the home team.
The Mavericks learned the hard lesson that most of the other schools in Katy’s district have been forced to learn. That is beating The Katy Tigers is a right of passage and that respect is to be earned not demanded. Good luck to all the teams that face Katy this year but save your talking for the field but not before the game starts. It hurts less the next day.
