Katy kept battling to find ways back into the game on Friday.

The Tigers would rebound from every mistake they made, staying in things and fighting back against a strong Atascocita team but in the end, the mistakes piled on too high, as Katy lost a one-possession game to the Eagles 42-34.

“We played a really good football team tonight and we had an opportunity to win the game,” said Katy head coach Gary Joseph. “Atascocita played really well, converted three turnovers into touchdowns and when you’re playing a good football team like that you can’t turn the ball over. But our kids fought hard and you can’t fault their effort. They’ll grow from this, We have a young football team and they’ve grown up quite a bit in the past two weeks. They’ve had to and they know now they can play with really good teams.”

Katy started the game in strong fashion, stopping Atascocita on its first drive and getting the first score of the game late in the first quarter on a play action pass from 38-yards out from Gunner Nelson to Oliver Ginn.

Atascocita turned things around in the second quarter though, getting a touchdown to tie things on a pass from Zion Brown to Jalani Walker before taking the lead on a Cardae Mack run. Katy briefly tied the game when Jon Artis made a huge play, intercepting a pass and returning it 30-yards for a score, but Atascocita went back down the field and scored a touchdown late in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead into halftime.

“We have to come in with a better mindset today is the biggest thing I think,” said senior offensive lineman and captain Coen Echols. “They beat us mentally and physically and we have to learn from that. We made a lot of mistakes that need to be fixed and that’s what we have to focus on.”

The second half is where mistakes started to mount for Katy. The Tigers defense made a big stand early in the third quarter, but the offense gifted the Eagles a touchdown just after when Atasocita forced a fumble, which Hunter Sewell returned from 15 yards out. Katy trimmed the deficit to one score when Nelson completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Luke Carter, as Katy trailed 27-21 heading into the final quarter.

The Katy defense again came up with a big stop early in the fourth, but The Nelson threw a costly interception that was returned to the Tiger’s four yard line, which the Eagles got another touchdown from. Katy again made it a one-score game when Tremayne Hill took his first carry of the game 54-yards for a touchdown, but Atascocita answered one again with a touchdown of their own. Hill scored once more with just over three minutes left in the game and it looked like Katy would have a chance at a final drive to tie things, but the nail in the coffin was a fumble on a punt return by the Tigers, which let Atascocita get the ball back and run out the clock.

“We have to be able to covercome this and continue to get better,” Joseph said. “Some of our young kids have to step up, we have to do a better job of tackling consistently and we have to continue to get better conditioned. It will happen, it’s just all part of what you go through at the beginning of the year.”

The loss was the Tigers first ever to Atascocita as the all-time record now sits in favor of Katy five to one, but the important game is the one ahead of the Tigers. Katy will open district next week against Tompkins. It will be a matchup that could decide a lot in the district even with it happening in the first week of District 19-6A play.

“They’ve grown up and the important thing is we can’t get down on ourselves about the loss,” Joseph said. “It should sting and hurt, but it’s not something you can’t overcome. That’s what the message was in there. They competed and you can’t fault their effort, we just have to continue to get better with the execution. But we’re going to keep getting better and be ready.”

Atascocita 42, Katy 34

First quarter

K: Gunner Nelson 38 pass to Oliver Ginn (Hunter Ondrush kick) 0:07

Second quarter

A: Zion Brown 28 pass to Jelani Walkins (Parker Cushing kick) 8:01

A: Cardae mack 18 run (Cushing kick) 4:58

K: Jon Artis 30 interception return (Ondrush kick)

A: Brown 1 run (Cushing kick) 0:55

Third quarter

A: Hunter Sewell 15 fumble return (Ondrush kick) 5:07

K: Nelson 4 pass to Luke Carter (Ondrush kick) 0:19

Fourth quarter

A: Mack 4 run (Brown pass to Brodrick Malone) 8:17

K: Tremayne Hill 54 run, 7:22

A: Mack 24 run (Cushing kick) 5:30

K: Tremayne Hill 2 run (Ondrush kick) 3:34

Team stats

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Katy: Romel Jordan, 20-82; Tremayne Hill, 4-60-2; Chase Johnsey, 2-4; Gunner Nelson, 4-(-1); Atascocita: Cardae Mack, 14-167-3; Tory Blaylock, 14-81; Zion Brown, 7-1;

Passing – Katy: Gunner Nelson, 10-19-143-2-1; Israel Olotu-Judah, 1-1-45; Atascocita: Zion Brown, 12-24-1-1;

Receiving – Katy: Chase Johnsey, 3-71; Oliver Ginn, 3-60-1; Israel Olotu-Judah, 2-30; Luke Carter, 2-19-1; Cade McCall, 1-8; Atascocita: Cameron Glenn, 3-83; Jelani Walkins, 2-38-1; Kyran Lee, 4-25; Justin Montgomery, 2-25; Tory Blaylock, 1-9;