I know it is week one, but if you were not in Dickinson Friday night, you missed out on one of the games of the year, as the Katy Tigers and Dickinson Gators started their 2024 football seasons.
Katy, coming off a 10-2 2023 season and their earliest playoff exit since 2001, looked to start the season strong with their sights set on winning their 10th state title and first since 2020.
Dickinson, coming off a 9-2 2023 season and a 24-6A district title, was looking for a big win over a perennial power to start the season, with hopes of another district title and a deep playoff run in 2024.
Game Recap
After a Katy three-and-out to start the game, Dickinson got the scoring started with a 9-play drive, ending with a Josh Arthur 4-yard touchdown run to put the Gators up 7-0. Not much got going for either offense the next couple of drives, until Katy used a 15-play drive, capped off with a three-yard touchdown pass from Gunner Nelson to Joshua Smith, to tie the game up at 7.
A Dickinson three-and-out and a short punt set Katy up with excellent field position at the Gator 34-yard line. It took the Tigers only four plays to find the endzone, as Tremayne Hill took the handoff left for 11 yards, to give Katy a 14-7 lead, and that is where it would stand at halftime.
It did not take long to get the fireworks started in the second half. On the second play of the half, Dickinson’s Jamal Mason spun out of a tackle and took the ball 70 yards down the left sideline for a Gator touchdown. The PAT would be blocked, so the score would stand at 14-13 Katy. On the ensuing kickoff, a squib kick dribbled around, was mishandled, fumbled, and finally picked up in the Katy end zone, but the Dickinson special teams were there to make the stop and get the safety. The Gators would now lead 15-14 just 43 seconds into the half.
After punts by each team, the Gators would go three-and-out and line up for another punt, but it would be muffed and recovered by Dickinson’s Marzellus Hunter at the Katy 25-yard line. Three plays later, Lorenzo Aguirre connected with Kaileb Peterson in the corner of the endzone for a 19-yard touchdown to make it 22-14 Dickinson.
A miscue on the kickoff, leading to an illegal touching penalty, gave Katy the ball at the Dickinson 40-yard line. It took one play for the Tigers to take advantage, as Gunner Nelson would find Israel Olotu-Judah over the middle for a 40-yard touchdown pass. The two-point attempt failed, so the score would stand at 22-20 Dickinson.
After a Dickinson three-and-out, Katy’s Isaiah McMillian would take the punt and return it all the way down to the Gator nine-yard line. Tremayne Hill would then take a toss left for nine yards, reach for the pylon, and find the end zone for a Katy touchdown. The Tigers would take a 27-22 lead into the 4th quarter.
On the next drive, Katy would force another Dickinson punt, but once again, the punt would be muffed, this time recovered by Dickinson’s Kaison Mangum at the Tiger’s nine-yard line. On the next play, Josh Arthur would find the end zone again for a nine-yard touchdown run. Arthur would then run straight up the gut for a successful two-point conversion, giving Dickinson a 30-27 lead with 11:05 remaining.
The Tigers would quickly strike back. A 43-yard pass from Gunner Nelson to Israel Olotu-Judah would set Katy up at the Dickinson five-yard line, leading to a Tremayne Hill five-yard touchdown run to give Katy a 34-30 lead, but that lead would not last long. After a flea flicker from Lorenzo Aguirre to Jamal Mason to Kaileb Peterson would net a gain of 24 yards, Lorenzo Aguirre would find Bowling Green commit Jeremiah Scoby for a 51-yard touchdown just 24 seconds after the Tiger score. The Gators led 37-34 with 7:06 left in the game.
The Tigers were not phased. They used a well-balanced offense to get down to the Dickinson one-yard line. On the 11th play of the drive, Tremayne Hill took it in from one yard out for his fourth touchdown run of the game, putting the Tigers up 41-37 with 1:40 remaining.
With the game on the line, the Gators would get the ball at their own 27-yard line. On the drive’s first play, Lorenzo Aguirre hit Kaileb Peterson on a deep post route for 56 yards. After another 11-yard completion from Aguirre to Mason Peterson, Dickinson was down to the Katy five-yard line. A couple of great defensive plays by Mason Dismuke set up a 4th down and goal from the five with 16 seconds left. Aguirre’s pass to the corner of the end zone to Jeremiah Scoby was knocked away by Isaiah McMillian.
Katy escapes Dickinson with a 41-37 win.
Player Stats
Katy Stats
QB Gunner Nelson (SR): 12/17, 194 yards, 2 TDs, 3 carries, 17 yards
RB Tremayne Hill (JR): 29 carries, 123 yards, 4 TDs
WR Israel Olotu-Judah (SR): 5 catches, 111 yards, TD
TE Ricky Fox (JR): 2 catches, 51 yards
DL Brady Kimpton (SR): 2 sacks
DB Mason Dismuke (JR): TFL, 2 deflections
DB Isaiah McMillen (JR): TFL, deflection
Dickinson Stats
QB Lorenzo Aguirre (SO): 8/16, 155 yards, 2 TDs
QB Josh Arthur (SR): 6/9, 94 yards, 7 carries, 30 yards, 2 TDs
RB Jamal Mason (JR): 11 carries, 91 yards, TD, 1/1, 24 yards
WR Kaileb Peterson (JR): 4 catches, 142 yards, TD, 1 carry, 18 yards
TE Jeremiah Scoby (SR) (Bowling Green commit): 6 catches, 97 yards, TD
TE Mason Peterson (SR) (TCU commit): 2 catches, 17 yards
DL Chase Lewis (SO): 2 TFLs
Next week, Katy will welcome fellow 6A power Atascocita to Legacy Stadium, looking to redeem their 2023 week two loss to the Eagles. Dickinson will go on the road, facing a C.E. King squad that made the regional round of the playoffs last year.
