Players of the Game: Katy vs. The Woodlands
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Thursday night presented another competitive matchup between the Katy Tigers and The Woodlands Highlanders. It was back and forth, with defensives making big stops, and the game ultimately came down to who could make the most plays. In the end,…
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Continue ReadingThursday night presented another competitive matchup between the Katy Tigers and The Woodlands Highlanders. It was back and forth, with defensives making big stops, and the game ultimately came down to who could make the most plays. In the end, the defending state champs edged out the Highlanders by a score of 21-14, where their defense held the Highlanders in their final possession. It was excitement throughout the night and both teams gave it their all. The Katy Tigers remain undefeated on the year at 4-0, entering district play next week. The Woodland Highlanders move to 2-2 after some hard fought battles these past two weeks, and will look to bounce back as they enter district play as well. Below we have the key players from both teams who stood out and kept their teams in the game with their play.
Katy Tigers
RB Seth Davis Seth Davis 5'7" | 165 lbs | RB Katy | 2023 State TX (2023)
It should come at no surprise that Davis is on this list. Every week he brings his all, and never wants to let his team down. Davis is a straight baller, and when you watch him you see it first hand. The speed, the vision, the toughness. It is all there and the scary part about it is he is only getting better. Davis carried the ball 30 times for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns, including big runs of 48 yards and an incredible 49 yard touchdown run where he put his shiftiness and vision on display. This young man just balls week in and week out. Expect to see his all over for not only this week, but for the rest of the season as well.
FB/RB Isaiah Smith (2022)
Smith does so many great things that do not show up in the box score, but just know he is a player you want on your team. Smith is a valuable key in the run games success for the Katy offense. He is kicking the edge defender out of the picture and creates daylight for his backs on the regular. Smith brings a physical aspect to the game and shows to be an incredible leader on the field as well. For the night Smith had a few carries for good yards, but really showed off some great hands and pass catching ability. He hauled in 3 receptions for 38 yards including a 21 yard touchdown catch and run.
Katy’s Offensive Line
The big guys upfront without a doubt deserve tremendous praise after their performance. Isaiah Ybarra Isaiah Ybarra 6'3" | 275 lbs | TE Katy | 2023 State TX , Caleb Webb, Dylan Erickson, Jacob Egg, Terrance Ochai, and tight end Luke Carter worked as an absolute unit Thursday night. Pushing their opponents back on almost every play and creating running lanes, the oline helped the offense reach 250 rushing yards and honestly just wore out the Highlander defense in the end. This solid group of players got stronger as the game progressed and just showed their strength in the end. Hopefully this group gets some extra praise after last nights big win.
DB Brady Englett (2023)
Englett had a very strong game against the Highlanders. He was playing fast and did a very good job in coverage, which included an impressive tip drill interception. Englett was also the defender on the fourth down pass breakup that ended the game and sealed the Katy victory. We will definitely keep eyes on Englett and see how he progresses through the season with a talented Katy secondary.
The Woodlands Highlanders
QB Mabrey Mettauer Mabrey Mettauer 6'5" | 215 lbs | QB The Woodlands | 2024 State TX (2024)
Mettauer tried his best to lead his team to victory and showed much promise. For a quarterback that young, he showed tremendous poise, confidence, and skill. Mettauer went 20 for 31 for 165 yards and a passing touchdown and 1 INT. He also led the way in rushing for his team with 7 rushes for 50 yards and a rushing touchdown. Mettauer was delivering early in the game, finding the soft spots in the Katy zone. He has great arm talent and is already a top prospect for programs.
LB Jacob Pondant (2023)
As said before, it is a tough task for any defense to try and stop the Katy offense. Pondant was in on many stops and gave it his all to limit the big plays. Pondant was flying sideline to sideline, taking on blocks from Isaiah Smith, and making plays when it mattered. He was the defender on the tackle to stop Katy on a huge fourth down to give his team a chance to tie the game. Pondant’s play is not going unnoticed.
WR Ben Ferguson (2022)
Ferguson was the player to draw first blood in the game, catching a tunnel screen from Mettauer and taking it 21 yards to the house to put the Highlanders up early on Katy. Throughout the game he showed to be a reliable target for Mettauer and looked good after the catch. Ferguson finished the game with 6 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown. Cannot wait to see how not only he, but the offense bounces back heading into district play and how their chemistry continues to grow.