Katy has had to battle adversity the past two weeks.

The Tigers have had teams give them everything they could over the first two weeks of the playoffs and have had to respond to every punch to stay alive.

Last week it was a resilient Alief Elsik team that tried to do everything it could to slow Katy down and this week it was a gritty Cy-Falls team that had found success this year much the same way Katy always does, with a run game that is capable of breaking any play and a defense that always manages to slow down what another team does best.

That formula managed to slow Katy down for two quarters, but just like last week, the Tigers came alive in the second half and put on a dominant display, beating Cy-Falls 49-20 in the Class 6A-Division I area round and clinching a spot in the regional semifinals.

“We just are playing as a team and we know that we are playing for something bigger than ourselves,” said senior defensive lineman Adam Carter. “We are playing for a whole community behind us, we’re playing for every player and coach in the locker room because we know if we lose, it’s over. We have to fix some stuff with the first half, but I know everyone in there is going to give everything they have to help this team win, and that’s what we did tonight.”

Katy was given all it could handle in the first half before pulling away in the second half. The Eagles pulled ahead in the first minute of the game, taking just three plays to score on a 67-yard run from Eric Manuel. Katy responded on its first drive of the game driving down the field in 12 plays before scoring on a 10-yard run by Tremayne Hill. And both teams scored once more in the second quarter. Cy-Falls on a 23-yard run from Chase Ferrell and Katy on a 24-yard pass form Gunner Nelson to Israel Olotu-Judah that kept things tied at 14 heading into the half.

“We just know we have to come out faster, but that we also have that other gear in us and we can beat anyone when we are playing the way we know we can,” Hill said. “It’s just up to us to lock in and find that extra gear for the whole game.”

Katy came right down the field and scored to start the second half on a 35-yard run from Joshua Smith. Cy-Falls got within one point on their next drive when the Eagles got a touchdown off a tipped pass that ended up going for a 76-yard touchdown from Brandon Derbigny Jr. to Ferrell, but Carter blocked the extra point to keep Katy ahead and from then on the Tigers had all the momentum.

“That’s the first one we’ve had like that on an extra point this year and I think it just gave everyone some extra confidence and boosted us,” Carter said. “We just kept on going after that and everyone just fed off of each other.”

Smith added another touchdown on a 2-yard run before Hill ran in a 4-yard score, Gunner Nelson threw a 2-yard touchdown to Ricky Fox and Qualis Jordan scored on a 4-yard run to put the game away in the second half while Katy’s defense stepped up as well with Reid Garrelts and Isaiah McMillan both intercepting passes and getting the ball back for the offense down the stretch.

Katy’s offense had a strong day and a big part of that was getting Hill back to full strength as the playoffs go on. The junior had his most yards of the season and the second most yards of his entire career in the matchup, carrying the ball 23 times for 191 yards and two scores, while in total Katy had 357 yards on the ground and 119 through the air.

“It’s huge to get him back fully healthy and carrying the ball the way he is able to,” said Katy head coach Gary Joseph. “We have two really good running backs, and they’re much better when they are able to compliment each other and have the other one to come in for a spell when they need it. I’m just thankful that we’re starting to see both of them at their best at the right time because this is when it is needed most.”

The Tigers return to the regional semifinals after a one year absence and will face what is arguably their hardest test of the year in an undefeated North Shore team. It is a team that the coaches and fans know well, but less so the players since the two haven’t played since 2019. Katy leads the all-time series six games to five but knows they will have their hands full when the two play 2 p.m. Friday at NRG Stadium. But Katy is also excited for the opportunity and for another chance to prove themselves.

But most of all, the Tigers are glad to be back practicing and playing on Thanksgiving week. After a year where they didn’t get to do that in 2023, they are going to make sure they savor it and do everything they can to keep their season going.

“I missed it last year, I can tell you that much,” Joseph said. “I was lucky enough to go watch my sons practices, but man it hurt that we weren’t out there practicing ourselves. It’s very special for all of us to be able to do this. It’s the best time of the year for football and it’s something you can’t ever take for granted.”

Katy 49, Cy-Falls 20

First quarter

CF: Eric Manuel 67 run (Julian Cardenas kick) 11:13

K: Tremayne Hill 10 run (Giovanni Moreno kick) 6:03

Second quarter

CF: Chase Ferrell 23 run (Cardenas kick) 11:53

K: Gunner Nelson 24 pass to Israel Olotu-Judah

Third quarter

K: Joshua Smith 35 run (Moreno kick) 10:57

CF: Brandon Derbigny Jr. 76 pass to Ferrell, 10:00

K: Joshua Smith 2 run (Moreno kick) 8:03

K: Hill 4 run (Moreno kick) 4:12

K: Nelson 2 pass to Ricky Fox (Moreno kick) 0:50

Fourth quarter

K: Aqualis Jordan 4 run (Moreno kick) 9:02

Team Statistics

Individual Statistics

Rushing – Katy: Tremyne Hill, 23-191-2; Aqualis Jordan, 16-93-1; Joshua Smith, 5-55-2; Tony Manuel, 1-9; Gunner Nelson, 2-8; Cade McCall, 1-1; Cy-Falls: Eric Manuel, 11-100-1; Chase Ferrell, 5-40-1; Brandon Derbigny Jr., 6-4; Gabriel Wilson, 2-3;

Passing – Katy: Gunner Nelson, 8-16-119-2-0; Cy-Falls: Brandon Derbigny Jr., 4-15-133-1-2;

Receiving – Katy: Israel Olotu-Judah, 5-91; Jon Stephen,s 1-20; Ryan Carbone, 1-6; Ricky Fox, 1-2; Receiving: Chase Ferrell, 2-85-1; Eric Manuel, 2-48;