Other than the titans of Class 6A football in Greater Houston, Katy Taylor and Fort Bend Elkins can hang with just about anyone. That's what makes their evenly-matched 1st-round (bi-district) playoff game against each other on Saturday so intriguing, and you can listen to what transpires inside Hall Stadium at vypefortbend.com starting at 12:45PM.
The Mustangs (5-5) and Knights (8-2) are in the UIL's 6A Division II playoff bracket, based on overall student enrollment. In District 19-6A, Katy and Katy Tompkins also qualified for the playoffs, and they have more students than Taylor; and the same is true for 20-6A's Fort Bend Travis and Ridge Point, whose enrollment numbers exceed Elkins.
Therefore, Taylor and Elkins should be more than happy in 6A's Division II. In Taylor's five wins, they outscored their opponents by an average of nearly 27 points (45.2 to 18.4). Their five losses were to a quartet of teams state-ranked by MaxPreps (Atascocita, #26; Dickinson, #23; Katy, #1; and Tompkins, #20) and a district rival, Mayde Creek – which went 8-2, losing only to Katy and Tompkins.
The Knights had an easier schedule. Their only losses were to Travis (ranked #28) and a Ridge Point team that is 27-1 in district games vs. Fort Bend ISD foes over the last four seasons. In all other games, Elkins dominated, outscoring the opposition 46.9-12.4.
Elkins is looking for its first playoff win since the Knights beat Madison 28-20 in the 2016 bi-district round. In the last 10 seasons, they are 3-8 in playoff games including two wins in 2013 when Jonathan Giles was their quarterback.
Taylor has broken even (7-7) in playoff games over the last 13 seasons, including three straight 1st-round wins over Fort Bend opponents: Kempner (2016), Bush ('17) and Dulles ('18).
THE FULL LINEUP IS BELOW THE AD
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The Seven Lakes Spartans claim an undefeated tournament championship with their 74-62 win over Klein Oak
Per usual, Brazuca baller Isaiah Santos put on a master class in the Spartans’ four-game sweep in Aldine. The junior earned Tournament MVP honors for his steady, multi-faceted impact across every phase of the game, scoring and rebounding at will.
Tournament MVP Isaiah Santos, being presented the award by VYPE CEO Derek DusekMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
He wasn’t alone in raising the bar. UTSA-bound senior Nasir Price provided his signature blend of swagger and scoring punch, while Sean Mwesigwa (Sr. G) and Dean Spencer (Jr. G) supplied timely precision on both ends.
Add in Jose Martins, whose defensive disruption and downhill pressure have turned him into one of the tournament’s most relentless presences, and Seven Lakes’ rotation felt less like a lineup and more like a puzzle snapping together.
Yet for all the mounting attention, the Spartans have shown a refusal to be steered by it.
“We really preach this mindset to our guys: Did we get better today? They take it on themselves to fix what needs to be addressed. We’re focused on the process,” Heston said. “If we’re a better team than the day before all the way through, hopefully, March, I like our chances at the end of the year.”
Now, Seven Lakes shifts from statement wins to the next test: the district slate.
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TOURNAMENT AWARDS
MVP
Isaiah Santos, Seven Lakes
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS
FIRST-TEAM
TroyNelle Belle, Dickinson
Marcus Epps, Klein Oak
JJ Price, Trinity Christian Academy (TCA)
Nasir Price, Seven Lakes
Fola Sodipo, Tompkins
TroyNelle Belle -- Dickinson
SECOND-TEAM
Jaron Couture, CC Veterans Memorial
Valin Idusuyi, Dickinson
Jose Martins, Seven Lakes
Alim Olajuwon, Episcopal
Ramsey Sato, The Woodlands Christian Academy (TWCA)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Rakin Ali, Klein Oak
Xavier Cooper, Aldine Davis
Nyle Harrison, Episcopal
Kenrik Kabano, Klein
Marley Maxwell, St. Francis Episcopal
Jeremiah Moore, CC Veterans Memorial
David Mosby, Nimitz
Carter Shipman, Tompkins
Chancellor Simpson, Klein
Drake Smith, Trinity Christian Academy (TCA)
Dean Spencer, Seven Lakes
Daryus Tasby, Klein
Sean Mwesigwa, Seven Lakes
Tyrie Wooten Jr., Klein Oak
...
The 2nd-place finisher of the VYPE Holiday Invitational -- the Klein Oak PanthersMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
GAMES
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