No. 6 Katy allowed to continue in UIL playoffs

Video: Katy was one of the country's top-ranked teams in the preseason
Katy (Texas) has been allowed to continue in the Texas UIL Class 6A-II playoffs, avoiding disqualification for using an ineligible player in last week's 66-0 victory over Friendswood (Texas).

"There's no ill intent here. That's not the accusation. There's been a violation of a rule," UIL executive Mike Motheral said at an emergency meeting today.

Katy received a public reprimand and will be placed on probation for one year.

According to Katy's team Twitter account, the ineligible player participated in the last extra point attempt in the game.

Katy self-reported the violation. The fact that it did sufficient--though not perfect--diligence seemed to work in its favor. That it was an adult error, not a student error, also drew consideration.

"I'm extremely remorseful and sorry for making this mistake," Katy ISD athletic director Debbie Decker said at the meeting.

"This is a teachable moment."

With Katy staying in the 6A-II playoffs, it will face Manvel this weekend, a quarterfinal game that Houston-area fans have been anticipating the entire season. See bracket

Katy won a state title in 2012 and played in the title game in each of the last two seasons.

It experienced a similar situation in 1998, when as the defending Class 5A state champion, it was charged with using an ineligible player. In that case, it was disqualified from the playoffs on the eve of the state title game.