One of the bright spots of a talented, deep receiving corps for Katy has been senior Steven Stiles.

Coach Gary Joseph said Stiles would be a No. 1 receiver on almost any other team. But the 5-foot-10, 160-pounder has emerged to be a dangerous, consistent threat alongside senior Jordan Patrick.

This season, Stiles has 128 yards and a touchdown on nine catches, averaging 14.2 yards per reception. Stiles has almost bested his numbers from last season, when he had 297 yards and four touchdowns on 11 catches in 13 games.

“He was a good player last year, and he just wasn’t targeted because we had more people,” Joseph said. “He’s become one of our leaders at receiver. The biggest thing is the maturity and leadership he’s shown.”

Stiles’ speed and route-running have been ideal complements to Patrick’s explosiveness and athleticism.

“My main thing is getting leverage and getting off (defensive backs) as quick as I can to get open,” Stiles said. “There’s a lot I can still improve on, and I’m excited.”

Stiles is a key component of a deep group that makes up for a lack of height with competitiveness and “top-end speed,” as Stiles says.

“He’s very much like Jordan in that he competes for the football,” Joseph said. “He’ll go try for the ball, and that’s a really good thing.”

A POINT OF GOOD RETURN

The Tigers have used four players as punt returner this season: receiver Jordan Patrick and defensive backs Bryan Massey, Bobby Taylor and Dalton Johnson.

Taylor, a sophomore, and Patrick each have two returns, averaging 29 and 17.5 yards per return, respectively. Massey, a senior, and Johnson, a junior, have one return apiece; Massey’s for 38 yards and Johnson’s for 17.

“We’ve got kids who can return punts, but it’s a fine line trying to make sure I don’t grind one of them too hard,” Joseph said. “I’m trying to spread it around to see who needs touches and how much they can handle. It’s about being smart about what you’re doing.”

Patrick is the primary punt returner but is also a critical piece of the offense because of his receiving ability. Joseph wants a decent number of returners in case one gets tired.

For instance, he mentioned Johnson as perhaps the smartest returner, but if Johnson is on the field for a long defensive series, then someone else has to return.

For Joseph, the objective is to make a first down on punt return. Ideally, he wants 7 ½ yards per return and an opponent’s net average around 30 yards.

The Tigers are a little bit surer in their kick return game with Massey and senior Matt Heichel, arguably the two fastest players on the team.

Joseph said punt returners need to be able to handle the ball, have a feel for where and when the opponent is downfield, and know when to fair catch. Kick returners, he said, need to never slow down and be able to identify the creases and go.

The only real similarity between his punt and kick returners, Joseph said, is that both need to take care of the football.

WANTED: OVERALL GAME

Katy hosts Clear Springs, defending District 24-6A champion, for its non-district finale on Saturday.

So far, Joseph likes what he sees from his 3-0 Tigers, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A in the state and No. 10 nationally. He is pleased with the defensive front and the consistent pass-rush it has generated. He named players like junior Shepherd Bowling, who has helped replace the loss of CJ Baskerville but is currently dealing with injury, and sophomore Ty Kana and senior Hagen Losa as pleasant surprises. Joseph said Kana plays beyond his years and is a good football player in general, not just for a sophomore.

Bowling, Kana and Losa have helped provide playmaking at linebacker alongside stalwart and senior captain Jaylen Phillips.

Offensively, Joseph said senior Jake Severin stepped in admirably in place of veteran Dakota White on the line last week, though there is still a need to create depth there. He also praised the play of tight ends Fernando Garza III, a junior, and senior Samuel Dunn, calling the 6-6, 245-pound Garza “a force who can create movement up front.”

“As much as anything else, I want to see an overall game,” Joseph said about what he wants out of the Clear Springs game. “We’ve played really good in spurts on both sides of the ball. Our kicking game has been decent. But I want to see a clean game where we don’t turn the ball over, and we create some turnovers. That’s what we have to be able to do in district and the playoffs.”

After this week’s game, Katy has a bye next week before starting district play Oct. 3 against Tompkins.