Video: Garrett Madison's highlights vs. The WoodlandsSee the Katy middle linebacker in action last week.
Eight seasons have passed since the Katy Tigers lost a district football game. Cinco Ranch (Katy) was the last to do it, 27-21, in overtime in the final regular-season game of 2008.
In the interim, Katy has fashioned a streak of 54 consecutive district wins. On Friday, standing between Katy and No. 55 is Cinco Ranch. The rivals will face off in a District 19-6A opener at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the new $72.1 million Legacy Stadium in Katy.
Here is a preview of that game as well as nine other headliners:
Katy 1-0 at Cinco Ranch (Katy) 1-0, 6:30 p.m. Friday
Katy has long ruled the roost but last season Cinco Ranch actually made a deeper playoff run — to the 6A-DII state semifinals. Senior Brant Kuithe, a Rice pledge, rushed for over 200 yards in the Cougars' 47-10 thrashing of Memorial (Houston) in last week's hurricane-delayed season opener. Katy, which shares the state record for most state titles with eight, managed to squeeze past The Woodlands 24-21 in its opener with senior Joshua Oglesby rushing for 162 yards and two scores. Katy has eight straight wins over its rival, the last four by a decisive point total of 160-14 including 45-7 in 2016.
Boerne 3-0 at Somerset 3-0, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Senior Brooks Klutts keeps Boerne on the move with 719 passing yards thus far and 160 on the ground. Somerset advanced to the regional semifinal playoff round in 4A DI last season and returns prolific quarterback Zadock Dinkelmann, the nephew of former Hesiman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. The 6-5, 215-pound Dinkelmann committed to LSU as an eighth-grader but switched to BYU in May.
Carthage 3-0 at Gilmer 3-0, 7 p.m. Saturday
These East Texas Class powers are well-versed in what it takes to win big games. Carthage, the defending 4A DI state champion, has a 13-game winning streak and outscored Gilmer last year 55-37 in a 13-2 campaign. Running back Keaontay Ingram, a Texas pledge, rushed for 2.045 yards last season. Balancing the attack is quarterback Gunner Capps, coming off a 325-yard passing performance in a 42-20 victory over Class 5A Whitehouse. Gilmer, a state semifinalist last year, is led by the passing of Aaron Brown (865 yards, 10 touchdowns) mixed with a 9.6 rushing average for junior Brannon Webb (232 yards, four touchdowns). Brown threw for over 5,000 yards and 48 touchdowns in 2016.
Ryan (Denton) 3-0 at Lone Star (Frisco) 3-0, 7 p.m. Thursday
Ryan quarterback Spencer Sanders, an Oklahoma State pledge, has already accumulated 993 yards (783 passing) and 14 touchdowns. Until he was injured in a 5A-DI state semifinal loss, Ryan was 14-0. With the graduation of quarterback Jason Shelley (Utah), Lone Star is depending more on the rush this season. Kirby Bennett III leads with 421 yards and seven touchdowns. M.J. Rivers has thrown for 420 yards and three scores.
Emani Bailey, Ryan
Photo by Rob Nerpel
The Waco defense has come up with 12 turnovers in three games as it seeks improvement over last year's 5-5 record. Offensively, Terrance Hamilton has been the chief threat with 337 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Despite a testing schedule, Midway is gliding along thanks to James Fullbright's 150-yard per game rushing average and 993 combined yards from quarterback Tanner Mordecai, verbally committed to Oklahoma.
Iraan 3-0 at Mason 3-0, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Iraan made an undefeated run to the Class 2A DII state title game before coming up short at AT&T Stadium. Eight starters return including two-way contributor Kyle O'Bannon, a 1,000-yard rusher who also had six interceptions a year ago. The Punchers of Mason won 11 games last year on the way to a regional final berth. Quarterback Otto Wofford heads the list of 13 returning starters.
Wylie (Abilene) 2-1 at Argyle 3-0, 7:30 p.m. Friday
These two Class 4A powers seem to square off at least once a year and in 2015 played a second time in the playoffs. Wylie ended Argyle's season in the third playoff round last year, ending a streak of four consecutive losses to Argyle. Jon Copeland has passed for 887 yards thus far for Argyle and fellow senior Don Williams has averaged over 100 rushing yards per game. Cason Grant is a dual-threat rusher and receiver for Wylie, which suffered a one-point road loss in Week 3 to Denison.
Miller (Corpus Christi) 2-0 at Moody (Corpus Christi) 3-0, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Both teams are off to great starts compared to 2016 when they combined for only four wins. Moody is 3-0 for the first time since 2004 and Miller, idle last week, is 2-0 for the first time since 2002. Moody beat Ray (Corpus Christi) 21-14 for the first time since 2004 on a 73-yard fumble return by Daniel Garcia with 3:39 remaining. Miller returns eight defensive starters, a list headed by linebacker Justice Watson.
Wall 3-0 at Eastland 3-0, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Nothing tricky about Wall, a Class 3A DI state semifinalist in 2016. Of its 19 offensive touchdowns so far, 17 have come via a rushing attack that averages 348 yards per game. Brock Rosenquist leads the way with 370 yards and seven touchdowns. Eastland is allowing 11 points per game with seven defensive starters returning from an area playoff qualifying club. Linebackers Sam Barker and Morgan Barker spearhead the defense.
Canadian 3-0 at Stratford 2-0, 7 p.m. Friday
Canadian won consecutive Class 2A-DI state titles in 2014-15. Now in its second year in Class 3A, junior quarterback Casen Cavalier has already thrown for 1,363 yards and 13 touchdowns. Class 2A Stratford's quarterback Kade McBryde has attempted only 13 passes so far, but four have gone for touchdowns.
