GALENA PARK – For the first 24 minutes, it looked like North Shore of 2018.
Powerful defense, big-play offense and taking a two-touchdown lead into halftime along with the momentum of being up on Katy.
For the final 24 minutes, Katy looked like the state-championship-caliber program that the state of Texas and the country has come to know – pound the rock and play lights out defense.
Katy came back from a 21-7 halftime deficit, fueled by Ronald Hoff Jr.'s 206 yards and a touchdown to upend No. 1 North Shore 24-21 in the season opener on Thursday at Galena Park ISD Stadium.
"They've heard all year long how poor they were," Katy coach Gary Joseph said about this being an emotional win for the Tigers. "How our reign was over and stuff. North Shore's still a great football team, we're going to have to beat them to advance in the playoffs. I know that.
"This was just the first round of a heavy-weight fight."
POSTGAME: @FootballKaty coach Gary Joseph speaks to the media after the Tigers' 24-21 victory. #txhsfb. pic.twitter.com/ryOlr5KOQb
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) August 30, 2019
Heading into this game, North Shore of recent had owned the series against Katy, going 3-1 against the Tigers since 2016. That mark included going 2-0 against Katy in 2018.
North Shore scored 21 points in the first half, including an 81-yard touchdown pass from Dematrius Davis to John Gentry and a 25-yard run by Zach Evans. Texas A&M-commit Shadrach Banks did not play due to a leg injury.
Davis finished the night 9-for-16 for 183 yards, 1 interception.
The second half was a whole different story.
Katy's defense played lights out. After allowing 222 total yards in the first half, the Tigers' defense held North Shore to just six yards on 15 total plays and zero points.
"Our defensive kids fought their butts off and stuff," Joseph said. "Really proud of the linebackers. It was great, we got a little pressure on the quarterback too."
While the defense was rolling, Hoff was doing the same.
The senior rushed for an impressive 95 more yards on 17 more carries to eclipse the 200-yard mark for the Tigers on the night, including converting three first downs in the second half.
"This is awesome," Hoff said. "Me coming here, they said North Shore was the team to beat. That's the team they lost to two times, so just being a part of this greatness is awesome."
This marks the first win for Katy against North Shore since the Tigers defeated them in the 2017 playoffs.
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