High School Football

Katy defense reaching dominant heights in district play

By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor
Posted 10/19/24

“We wanted to send the message that we are the best defense in this district. We are going to come out and play our style of football every single game. Our goal every game is to not give anything up. We want to come out and completely shut down teams.”

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High School Football

Katy defense reaching dominant heights in district play

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Katy has been a team and program that has always prided itself on defensive play.

The Tigers state winning teams have always included a dominant defense that could get off the field and set the team’s offense up for success.

The Tigers coaches had hope that this defense could become a unit that could dominate in that way. Even with some early season struggles against strong teams, that confidence remained that a young group would continue to improve and start to show dominance once district play hit.

That faith in the players, preparation each week and early season tests paid off in a big way for Katy, as the Tigers defense has excelled since District 19-6A play began, shutting down every opponent they faced. Katy put together their best performance of the season at the biggest time this week, shutting down a Jordan team that had been strong offensively all year and not allowing a single offensive point in a 17-7 win.

“We wanted to send the message that we are the best defense in this district tonight,” said senior defensive lineman Adam Carter. “We know what we are about, and we are going to come out and play our style of football every single game. Our goal every game is to not give anything up. We want to come out and completely shut down teams.”

Shut down is exactly what the Tigers defense did. Jordan came into the matchup averaging over 40 points per game and Katy completely flipped that script. The Warriors only points came from their defense on an interception returned for a touchdown. Offensively, Katy limited the Warriors to under 150 yards of offense, didn’t allow the Jordan offense to even cross midfield in the first half and even when Jordan was able to move the ball at times in the second half, the Katy defense bent but didn’t break. The biggest example came in the fourth quarter when Jordan drove the ball all the way down to the 1-yard line and had the chance to trim Katy’s lead to 10 points, but the Tiger defense stepped up on four straight plays, not allowing anything and forced a turnover on downs that that kept all of the momentum going Katy’s way.

“They’ve gotten better and they continue to get better,” said Katy head coach Gary Joseph. “What you love to see is they haven’t been satisfied. They aren’t worrying about how many points, they’re focusing on getting better. Even tonight, they would have loved to have a shutout, but it didn’t matter to them, they knew the type of performance they had and were excited to celebrate a win.”

A defensive line led by Carter and two sophomores and an improving linebacker core have a lot to do with the team’s success, but so does a young secondary that is finding its stride, including junior cornerback Isaiah McMillan, who went head to head with one of the best receivers in the state and country in Andrew Marsh and held the Michigan commit to just three catches for 23 yards and without any explosive plays through four quarters, while also making an interception in the third quarter.

“I wanted to prove the type of player I am and the type of defense we are,” McMillan said. “No matter who is on the other side of me, my goal is to lock them down, it doesn’t matter who they are or anything else. It’s about whoever is going to fight for every yard on that play and who is better that specific day.”

Katy’s defense has reached an elite level over its past five games. Since district began, the Tigers have allowed just 21 total points and 14 points given up by the defense. They gave up seven points to both Morton Ranch and Cinco Ranch, but over the past three weeks the Tigers have been even better, not giving up a single point on the defensive end, with two straight shutouts against Seven Lakes and Taylor before Friday’s performance against Jordan.

The Tigers will need that defense to continue improving as they face the only other remaining unbeaten team in district against Paetow and then prepare for the playoff push, and while the team has loved the improvements, every player and coach knows this defense hasn’t haven’t reached its peak.

“This game is a confidence booster, but we aren’t cocky,” Carter said. “Next week we play anther really good team and we have to come out and give everything that we gave tonight. We have to be better and continue improving.”

Katy ISD, sports, football, Katy, District 19-6A, Jordan, Tigers