Katy named VYPE High School Football National Champions

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By Tim Polzer

National Editor

A perfect 16-0 season that included decisive wins over nationally ranked teams and a Texas state championship has lifted Katy to the 2012 VYPE National High School Football Championship.

The Tigers capped off their seventh state championship season with a 35-24 win over Cedar Hill in the Texas Class 5A Division II state final Saturday. Running back Adam Taylor, a Nebraska commit, rushed for 277 yards and five touchdowns in the state championship game.

Katy dominated teams on both sides of the ball in 2012, using a power running game and swarming defense to outscore opponents 829-206.

The Katy offense led by Taylor’s punishing runs, averaged 51.8 points per game including three games of 70 or more points, six games of 60 or more points and eight games of 50 or more points. The Tigers scored 70 or more points twice in the playoffs.

The Katy defense, led by Oklahoma commit Matt Dimon, allowed 206 total points – an average of 12.8 per game, holding opponents to a single touchdown or fewer points in seven of 16 games.

VYPE Houston Editor-In-Chief Matt Malatesta called the 2012 Katy team "possibly Coach Gary Joseph's best yet."

In the state championship game, Katy wore down a Cedar Hill team that had competed well against one of the nation’s toughest schedules, including nationally ranked Allen, DeSoto, Miami Washington, and wins over Texas Class 4A state champion Denton Guyer and undefeated Texas power Waco Midway.

No. 2 John Curtis also boasted an impressive year with some eye-popping numbers, outscoring opponents 677-60 as coach J.T. Curtis reached 520 career victories.

The final 2012 VYPE National Top 25 High School Football Rankings include 17 state champions and 12 undefeated teams from among 14 states.

VYPE NATIONAL TOP 25 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RANKINGS

 (Final 2012 Rankings)

1. Katy (Texas)             16-0

Previous Ranking: 1

Last Game: Beat Cedar Hill (Texas), 35-24, in 5A Div. II state final.

Class 5A Div. II state champion

2. John Curtis (River Ridge, La.)            14-0

Previous Ranking: 3

Class 2A state champion

3. Bellevue (Wash.)            14-0

Previous Ranking: 4

Class 3A state champion

4. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)            15-0

Previous Ranking: 5

CIF Open Division state champion.

5. Allen (Texas)            15-1

Previous Ranking: 5

Last Game: Beat Lamar (Houston, Texas), 35-21,. in 5A Div. I state final.

Class 5A Div. I state champion

6. Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.)            13-0

Previous Ranking: 6

Division II-AA state champion.

7. Butler (Matthews, NC)                        15-0

Previous Ranking: 7

Class 4A state champion

8. DeSoto (Texas)            14-1

Previous Ranking: 8

Season completed

9. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)             13-1

Previous Ranking: 9

Class 6A state champion

10. Hoover (Ala.)            16-0

Previous Ranking: 10

Class 6A state champion

11. Norcross (Ga.)            15-0

Previous Ranking: 11

Class 6A state champion

12. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)            13-1

Previous Ranking: 12

Division I champion

13. Steele (Cibolo, Texas)            14-1

Previous Ranking: 13

Season completed

14. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)             11-1

Previous Ranking: 14

Season completed

15. Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 14-2

Previous Ranking: 15

Season completed

16. University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)            13-0

Previous Ranking: 16

Class 3A state champion

17. Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.)            14-1

Previous Ranking: 17

Season completed

18. Bowling Green (Ky.)                        15-0

Previous Ranking: 18

Class 5A state champion

19. Washington (Miami, Fla.)            13-1

Previous Ranking: 19

Class 4A state champion

20. Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.)            13-1

Previous Ranking: 20

Season completed

21. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 12-2

Previous Ranking: 21

Class 7A state champion

22. North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.)            15-0

Previous Ranking: 22

PIAA Class 4A state champion

23. Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.)            13-1

Previous Ranking: 23

Season completed

24. Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)            15-0

Previous Ranking: 24

Season completed

25. Central (Miami, Fla.) 12-2

Previous Ranking: 24

Class 6A state champion