Paetow is 0-3 against Katy since October of 2022 but things could change on Friday. The Panthers will head out on the road to take on the Tigers at 6:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Friday.
On Thursday, Paetow got the win against Seven Lakes by a conclusive 28-3. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Spartans recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Curtis Zeno was a one-man wrecking crew as he rushed for 65 yards and two TDs. He showed off some serious burst, cutting through the defense on one rush that went for 52 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Paetow was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 200 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 200 rushing yards in five consecutive contests.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Paetow's defense and their six sacks. Klenam Attipoe refused to say out of the backfield, picking up three sacks all by himself. Another thorn in Seven Lakes' side was Attipoe, who picked up three sacks and made three total tackles.
Meanwhile, Katy's matchup on Thursday was close up to the half, but then they kicked things up a notch. They blew past Jordan 38-17. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by 21 points or more this season.
Paetow better keep an eye on Tremayne Hill. He was instrumental in Katy's win, rushing for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 7.7 yards per carry. Hill has been hot, having also posted two or more rushing touchdowns the last six times he's played. Cade McCall was in the mix too, providing Katy with two scores.
Katy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Caleb Ritter and David Oluto-Judah. Ritter got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Paetow now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Katy, their record now sits at 5-2.
| Rushing Yards | 932 |
| Rushing Touchdowns | 10 |
Friday's contest will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Jovan Rodriguez and Hill. Rodriguez just won't slow down this season and has run in 10 touchdowns while averaging 133.1 rushing yards per game. Hill has been a dominant force too and has run in 17 touchdowns while averaging 167.3 rushing yards per game.
Paetow was dealt a bruising 37-3 defeat at the hands of Katy in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Panthers, Gunner Nelson (who threw for 184 yards and two TDs while completing 81.2% of his passes) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.