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High School Football: Katy defeats Cinco Ranch to win district 17-5A, bi-district playoff schedule set

Posted on 08 November 2009. Tags: 2009 District 17-5A Champions, 5A Division I playoffs, 5A Division II state title, Alief-Taylor High School, Austin Goswick, bi-district game, bi-district playoff schedule, Christian Duda, chron.com, Cinco Ranch Cougars, Cinco Ranch High School, defensive back Robbie Wienerski, defensive lineman John Sampa, District 17-5A, district title, Dominic Rose, Elix Rome, Elsik High School, field goal, high school football, Houston Chronicle, Houston Lamar, Jacob Farmen, Joe Norrell, Josh Thompson, Katy, Katy coach Gary Joseph, Katy High School, Katy ISD, Katy Tigers, Katy Times, Kendall Stacks, KISD, Leekus Green, linebacker James Radcliffe, linebacker Max Guarniere, Manny Alexander, Mayde Creek High School, Mayde Creek Rams, Memorial High School, Mike Hinks, Morton Ranch High School, quarterback Kenneth Miller, quarterback Lee Rodgers, Quentin Garrison, Rhodes Stadium, Running back Bright Ashaka, running back Donovonn Young, Ryan Jones, Seven Lakes High School, Seven Lakes Spartans, Stratford High School, Taylor High School, Taylor Mustangs, Taylor Rathgeber, Tully Stadium, Will Jeffery, Zach Myers

It was pandemonium for Katy players #45 Mike Hinks and #87 Manny Alexander, along with the Tiger crowd, and heartbreak for Cinco Ranch holder Austin Goswick after the Cougars’ 36-yard field goal attempt went wide left to end Saturday’s game. (Times photo/Nick Georgandis)

(Photo/caption via Katy Times)

Tigers get a kick out of district title

Jeffery’s late TD run helps avenge ’08 loss

By JENNY DIAL Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

Nov. 7, 2009, 10:20PM

KATY — Katy players stood shoulder pad to shoulder pad on the sidelines at Rhodes Stadium with seven seconds on the clock, each holding his breath while Cinco Ranch kicker Jacob Farmen lined up to kick a 37-yard field goal.

Farmen took a deep breath of his own, knowing this kick could make up for an earlier missed extra point and make his team district champions for a second straight season.

But Farmen’s chance at redemption went wide left, allowing Katy to claim a 21-20 victory.

And the Tigers reclaimed what most of their fans consider a birthright — the District 17-5A title.

“It’s a good win for us, and I know the kids really wanted this one since they lost this game last year,” Katy coach Gary Joseph said. “Last year it was a touchdown in overtime, and this year was one point. These two teams are obviously not too different.”

Last season, Cinco Ranch (9-1, 4-1) won the district title with a 27-21 decision in overtime, but Katy went on to win the Class 5A, Division II state title.

“There was respect on the line for us today,” Katy running back Donovonn Young said. “We won a state title last year, but we haven’t stopped hearing all season about how we couldn’t win a district title last year.”

Katy begins its quest for another 5A Division II state title when it plays Stratford at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rhodes Stadium. Cinco Ranch plays Elsik on Friday at Rhodes in the 5A Division I playoffs.

Katy was the aggressor early, taking a 14-0 lead after Stojkovic hit Ryan Jones for a 13-yard touchdown and Will Jeffery ran for an 8-yard score.

But once behind, Cinco Ranch started throwing. The Cougars got on the board late in the second quarter when Zach Myers found Joe Norrell for a 33-yard touchdown.

Midway through the third, Cinco Ranch tied it at 14 with an 11-yard catch from Myers.

Cinco Ranch took the lead late in the fourth quarter when Myers kept from 6 yards out to cap a 99-yard drive. Farmen missed the extra point, though, and the Cougars led 20-14.

“They threw a lot more than we expected them to today,” Joseph said. “But I am proud of our kids. They never gave up when they got down in this one.”

Cinco Ranch averages 106 yards in the air, but Myers threw for 216 on Saturday.

The Tigers, however, rallied quickly. Jeffery scored on a 20-yard run with 1:30 left. The Tigers took a 21-20 lead after Quentin Garrison’s successful extra point.

Cinco Ranch drove to the Katy 19, and Farmen lined up to kick on second down with 10 seconds left. The snap was bad, but holder Austin Goswick acted quickly and threw the ball away. Cinco Ranch, however, couldn’t convert its second chance.

“It was an exciting finish,” Katy defensive lineman John Sampa said. “I think this experience was good for us before the playoffs too.”

WIDE LEFT: Missed kicks bring district crown back to Katy

Tigers edge Cougars 21-20 for 17-5A title

By Nick Georgandis
Sports Editor

Published:

Saturday, November 7, 2009 4:36 PM CST

Katy’s Ryan Jones, who has been in plenty of big games, even a state title, admitted that he couldn’t quite watch Cinco Ranch’s last-second field goal attempt Saturday at Rhodes Stadium.

“I looked away, then I peeked a little, then I looked away again,” Jones said.

It’s hard to say how many fervent football fans among the 12,5000 at Rhodes could stand to watch Jacob Farmen’s 36-yard attempt with seven seconds left, but those who did saw it sail wide left, giving Katy a 21-20 win over Cinco Ranch and the outright district title.

The Tigers finish the regular season 9-1 overall and 5-0 in district. Cinco Ranch lost for the first time in 10 games and finishes second in 17-5A at 4-1.

Trailing 14-0 at one point, the Cougars stormed back with 20 straight points, taking their first lead with 3:43 left in the game on a 7-yard quarterback keeper by Zach Myers.

Myers had his best game in three seasons with the Cougars, accounting for all three Cinco Ranch touchdowns as he rushed 9 times for 40 yards and completed 13-of-20 passes for 215 yards and two scores.

Just as his touchdown run quieted the Katy crowd, the red nation roared back to life when Cougar sophomore Jacob Farmen’s extra point clanged off the right upright, leaving the Cougars ahead by only six.

“It was a definite momentum changer,” Katy head coach Gary Joseph said. “I was hoping to have a chance to score and go into overtime again, but that gave us a chance to win it.”

Katy took over at its own 38 with 3:38 to play. Cougar linebacker James Radcliffe stuffed Donovonn Young for a four-yard loss to bring up a third-and-long.

On the next snap, Katy quarterback Michael Stojkovic hit Jones for a 14-yard gain to the Cougar 33.

Katy running back Will Jeffery carried the next three times, the final a 20-yard sweep to the home side for a 20-yard touchdown, leaving Cinco Ranch 90 seconds to try and mount a comeback.

“I wasn’t worried about scoring too soon,” said Jeffery who finished with 151 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. “Our defense was able to come through and hold them to where it was a long kick.”

Quentin Garrison nailed the extra point to make it 21-20 Katy.

A 28-yard kickoff return by Joe Norrell set Cinco Ranch up at its own 43 with 1:24 to play in the game.

Myers was sacked for an eight-yard loss, then hit K.C. Nlemchi for an 18-yard gain on a screen pass to make it fourth-and-one at the Katy 48.

Myers gained two yards for a first down, but the Cougars faced another third and long, only to convert when Katy was called for defensive holding.

With 29 seconds to play, Myers hit #80 for 16 yards to the 20, and one yard later, the Cougars called a time out with 10 seconds remaining to set up the field goal.

What followed could have been the most controversial ending in district history had Farmen gone on to make the field goal. The snap was bad on the attempt, and Cougar holder Austin Goswick picked the ball up and lobbed a pass to the Cinco Ranch sideline in desperation to keep it away from Katy.

With Goswick in the middle of the field and no Cougar receiver anywhere near where the pass was thrown, intentional grounding should have been called on Cinco Ranch, a spot foul that keeps the clock running

Instead, the play was ruled an incomplete pass and the Cougars had another chance, with Farmen’s kick long enough, but pushed wide left.

Even after his Tigers has run the final two seconds off the clock and rushed the field to celebrate, Katy head coach Gary Joseph was so livid with the non-call he was barking in the head official’s face even as his players doused him with Gatorade to celebrate the title.

Joseph confirmed later that a side judge had approached him after the game and confirmed the wrong call was made.

Joseph was happy the Tigers regained their district title, but penalties and shortcomings drew his ire.

“You have to look at the bigger picture here,” Joseph said. “If we don’t start playing a little better, we’re not going to win state again.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Katy drew first blood with 11:52 to play in the second on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Michael Stojkovic to Jones. The drive had been all Donnovon Young to that point. The junior tailback rushed eight straight times for 44 yards.

Katy doubled its lead to 14-0 with 5:47 to play in the half when Stojkovic’s 24-yard scramble set up Jeffery’s eight-yard maneuver around the left side.

The Cougars stormed back by opening up their offense. Myers hit Brett Pennington for 35 yards to the Tiger 36, then found Joe Norrell in stride for a 34-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7 with 2:43 left in the half.

“They keyed on the run and shut us down,” Myers said. “We had to throw to move the ball on them. The receivers made big plays, and our offensive line gave me time to throw.”

Cinco Ranch took that momentum and opened the third quarter by marching 85 yards in 10 plays before Myers hit Alex Ludowig on a quick slant for an 11-yard touchdown to even the score 14 with 7:44 to play in the third.

Neither team would score again until Myers run with under four minutes to play.

Myers, once a sophomore with a lot on his shoulders much like Farmen, said he went straight to the young kicker after the miss.

“You tell him, we support you, you’re our kicker,” Myers said. “This isn’t an individual game, it’s a team game. We’ll all go on together.”

Clayton said his team, which takes on Elsik Friday in the bi-district playoffs, has to shake off the disappointing defeat.

“The last thing I told them was to look over at Katy’s side and see them celebrating, they know exactly how we feel, because they felt that way this time last year,” Clayton said.

“After they lost to us, they went out and achieved something bigger. They didn’t let this game dictate them. That’s what we have to do. We can’t let Katy beat us twice.”

Mustangs break scoring record, trounce Spartans 56-7

It was another banner night for Taylor quarterback Lee Rodgers. The senior completed 19-of-30 passes for 247 yards and 3 TDs, and also ran for a score. (Times photo/Nick Georgandis)

Seven Lakes needs Morton Ranch win tonight for playoff berth

By R. Dana Roark
Special to The Times

Published:

Saturday, November 7, 2009 8:01 AM CST

Since dropping a 28-0 non-district game at Houston Lamar way back in game three, the Taylor Mustangs have rebounded sharply both offensively and defensively. That was very evident Friday night at Rhodes Stadium as the Mustangs finished the regular season on a roll with a 56-7 thrashing of Seven Lakes.

The Mustangs ended their district slate with a 3-2 record and are 6-3 overall. Seven Lakes, which started 3-1, skidded to its third loss in four games, and is 4-6 overall and 1-4 in district. The Spartans can still possibly qualify for the playoffs if Morton Ranch defeats Mayde Creek Saturday night.

Taylor will now begin preparations for its bi-district game next weekend with Alief-Taylor.

In the meantime, it was a banner night for the Mustangs offense as quarterback Lee Rodgers guided Taylor to a school record for its most points ever since a 54-6 win over Magnolia in 1983 when the Mustangs were a 4-A school. Rodgers, who just last week set another school record with 281 yards passing in a 49-12 win over Morton Ranch, added another 247 yards against the Spartans, going 19-30-0 with three touchdowns. Rodgers also scored on a 10-yard touchdown run in the third period.

Running back Bright Ashaka got Taylor going on the Mustangs first possession when he took the ball on his first carry and bolted 38 yards through the left side virtually untouched to cap a six-play, 79-yard drive.

“I just squeezed through the hole, made myself little because I’m already so little, and then I went outside and made one guy miss,” Ashaka said. “And then it was just a touchdown from there.”

Ashaka led the Mustangs 186-yard rushing night with 65 yards on just four carries and added four receptions for 26 yards. Taylor Rathgeber, the leading receiver in Dist. 17-5A, had another big night with eight receptions for 59 yards and a pair of scores.

The Ashaka score sparked Taylor and the Mustangs never were threatened. Minutes later Taylor defensive back Robbie Wienerski recovered a fumble by Leekus Green and dashed 14 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead after the opening quarter.

The Spartans scored what proved to be their only points with 3:45 left before the half when Christian Duda found Kendall Stacks for a 26-yard scoring pass to complete a short 45-yard drive.

But Rodgers and the Mustangs responded just three plays later when Josh Thompson hauled in a 60-yard bomb and Taylor held a 21-7 lead at the break.

Seven Lakes was dealt a blow just before halftime when Duda, dropping back for a third down pass attempt, was blind-sided by linebacker Max Guarniere for a seven-yard loss, and staggered off the field never to return in the second half.

Rodgers and Rathgeber completely took over in the third quarter and put the game out of reach of Seven Lakes. Rodgers scored his touchdown run on the fifth play of the half and later would complete scoring passes of 14 and 12 yards to Rathgeber as Taylor led 42-7 heading into the final quarter.

Seven Lakes suffered another pair of fumble losses and a pass from backup quarterback Kenneth Miller was picked off by Guarniere in the second half to stifle the Spartans scoring efforts and twice give Taylor possession of the ball inside the Seven Lakes 25.

Dominic Rose was the games leading rusher for Seven Lakes with 82 yards while Elix Rome added 38. Duda passed for 79 yards before leaving the game while Miller went only two-for-10 and 25 yards in the second half.

Bi-district playoff schedule

Ticket info will be available Monday

Published:

Saturday, November 7, 2009 10:36 PM CST

The bi-district playoff schedule for KISD’s four foootball entries is set.

Seven Lakes (4-6) will make its post-season debut Friday night at Rhodes against Memorial (7-3) at 7 p.m.

At the same date and time, Cinco Ranch (9-1) will take on Elsik (6-4) at Tully Stadium.

Saturday will feature a double-header at Rhodes Stadium. Katy (9-1) takes on Stratford (8-2) in a rematch of last year’s bi-district game at 1 p.m.

Taylor (6-3) hosts Alief Taylor (7-3) at 6 p.m.

The Katy Times print edition will have a complete KISD playoff preview in the Nov. 11 edition.

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