KATY, Texas — Thursday night’s game between the Katy Cinco Ranch and Richmond Foster High Schools was not the matchup most people had thought it was going to be — especially after the Cougars dealt a deafening 36-6 loss to the Falcons Thursday night at Legacy Stadium.
Albeit an unexpected outcome, the potential elephant in the room grew larger as the game progressed. UIL 6A Cinco Ranch and 5A Richmond Foster were both semi-finalists last year in their respective classifications and divisions. It was to be expected to be more of a competition Thursday night, especially after the lone Falcons score of the night which came from a 22-yard needle-threading pass thrown by Collin Williams and caught by go-to receiver Shadeed Ahmed.
The Falcons score seemed to be momentum changing, evident by the sound — or lack thereof — of the Cougars side of the stadium. A blocked point-after attempt seconds later that was returned 100 yards for a two-point score made it a nine-point lead rather than a 13-7 score.
“Our goal this week was to play four solid quarters and that’s what we did,” said Cinco Ranch Head Coach Don Clayton.
Cinco Ranch Head Coach Don Clayton has led the Cougars to back-to-back wins over Strake Jesuit and Richmond Foster High Schools (File photo by John Glaser/Texas HS Football).
Cinco Ranch’s win over Foster may have given the Cougars momentum after suffering a 30-0 finish against Associated Press No. 3 and Texas HS Football No. 1 ranked Katy High School two weeks earlier — a loss that may have raised eyebrows as to the potency of last year’s semi-final run. Clayton said his “Boys of Fall,” rallied in a defeat of Strake Jesuit 21-13 last week and then showcased dominance on both sides of the ball Thursday night.
“We were [solid] tonight on defense,” Clayton stated poignantly about the play of his defense, noting the Cougars’ forced three-and-outs on the Falcons for most of the game and how they limited them to a single score in the first quarter.
Thursday night was a memorable one for running-back Brant Kuithe after the star senior and Rice commit scored five red-zone touchdowns. His longest score of the night came after an 18-yard rush just before the end of the first half and that gave the Cougars a 22-7 lead. Cinco Ranch scored once in the third quarter and add another touchdown in the fourth and shut Richmond out after the first— Clayton’s aspiration of playing four solid quarters and much more than the “Cinderella Story” moniker Kuithe denied.
“Anything is possible,” Kuithe said. “We’re just back to prove it wasn’t a fluke. We’re capable of doing anything.”
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