Every player and coach on Katy knows they will have to play their best game of the season this week.

The Tigers have been able to overwhelm opponents ever since district play started, but each of the past two weeks things have gotten closer as they have faced tougher tests in the playoffs.

“These teams we’ve been facing they’ve been really good,” said senior defensive end Malick Sylla. “But we have to be ready to go against teams like these. There’s always going to be more athletic kids, but you cannot let them work you. You can’t let them get the best of you.”

The Tigers have let their last two opponents hang in games but responded when things got close each time.

Against C.E. King, the Panthers made things a game until midway through the fourth quarter and against Summer Creek it took a last second stand from the Tigers defense to win. The Katy players believe those tests have prepared them for whatever they will face the rest of the way.

“We know how to respond, we know how to respond to adversity. That’s what we practice all the time,” said senior linebacker Ty Kana. “It starts in the offseason, when things get hard, we don’t put our head down and we go to work. successful things happen when you put your head down and go to work.”

Katy jumped out to big leads in both games just like they have against every opponent since district play started, but in both games they allowed the teams to come back in the second half.

C.E. King scored 21 points in the second half against Katy while Summer Creek scored 24. Katy allowed 35 points combined in the third quarters to those teams.

“Summer Creek played well, but we made them look better than what they probably were,” said Katy head coach Gary Joseph. “That’s a credit to coach (Kenny) Harrison, he’s done a great job of turning that program around and that’s hard to do. They play in a tough district. This is the type of game we were supposed to play in the quarterfinals and that’s a credit to them.”

Katy will have to improve in their second half performances this week, as they play the No. 1 ranked team in Texas in Austin Westlake.

The Chaparrals are in the midst of a 38 game winning streak and like the Tigers, won a state championship last season.

They’re led by the No. 1 prospect in the nation in senior quarterback Cade Klubnik. The Clemson recruit has already thrown for 2619 yards and 34 touchdowns to just two interceptions so far this year. His favorite target is Jaden Greathouse, a six foot-three inch junior wide receiver, Greahouse has 952 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns so far this season.

But Westlake can run the ball too, the team has totaled 3477 yards on the ground so far this season and are led by Jack Kayser, who has rushed for 936 yards and 19 touchdowns, Hunter Henault and Christian Edgar both have over 500 yards rushing and Klubnik has 405 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns so far this year.

The Chaparrals have yet to allow an opponent to reach double digit scoring in the playoffs and are on average giving up under six points per game.

“We have to get our fitting on point,” Sylla said. “We just have to get to practice and deal with that and once we do we’ll be good. “It was just little mistakes that we had against Sumer Creek and we have to correct those.”

Katy finished the season as the No. 2 ranked team in the state in Class 6A, leading to a matchup between the two top ranked teams in the state.

While both teams are feeling the pressure, the Tigers are excited for the challenge and the opportunity to prove themselves.

“I’m looking forward to competition,” Kana said. “It’s going to be No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Texas, so I’m just looking forward to it.”