High School Football

Katy’s Katsigiannis earns program pancake record

By Dennis Silva II, Sports Editor
Posted 1/5/21

In football lexicon, a “pancake” is defined as a block by an offensive lineman that leaves a defensive player flat on his back as the running back goes through the established hole. The stat is the pride and joy of any offensive line.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in
High School Football

Katy’s Katsigiannis earns program pancake record

Posted

In football lexicon, a “pancake” is defined as a block by an offensive lineman that leaves a defensive player flat on his back as the running back goes through the established hole. The stat is the pride and joy of any offensive line.

Katy High senior center Vasileios “Bill” Katsigiannis had 14 pancakes during the Tigers’ 51-14 Class 6A-Division II regional final win over Clear Falls on Jan. 2. No other Tiger lineman, even with all of the greats that have manned the offensive front during the last three championship-filled decades, has accomplished that.

“We were watching film (on Monday), and I was getting pretty close to the record, which was 13,” Katsigiannis said. “It was actually the last play of the game where I got the record. I had a pancake on the last play. It just felt like any other game when I was playing. I never realized I was even that close to it, to be honest.”

Katsigiannis beat the previous record set by offensive tackle Connor Galvin in 2017. Galvin, now a left tackle at Baylor, is 6-foot-7, 310 pounds. Katsigiannis stands 6-feet, 250 pounds.

“It’s pretty significant,” Katsigiannis said. “Since the beginning of the season, I had a feeling I could at least get close to it, so I’m not as surprised. But I know it’s a big deal.”

This season has been a revelation of sorts for Katsigiannis. He is in his second year on varsity, but it’s his first as a starter.

“I should’ve been a starter (last year), but I didn’t take football seriously last year,” Katsigiannis said. “But I worked hard during the offseason and I was determined to prove everybody wrong.”

Katsigiannis put on 30 pounds of weight. He spent more time in the film room. He heeded every ounce of teaching offered by position coach Jeryl Brixey, whose M.O. is a “mentality of physicality.”

The Tigers’ offensive line is not the program’s biggest or strongest ever, but it’s arguably the most disciplined and fundamentally sound. Along with Katsigiannis, senior left tackle Jacob Norman, senior left guard Omar Aigbedion, junior right guard Caleb Webb and senior right tackle C.J. Marsh have been dominant.

The line has only surrendered five sacks in 12 games this season. Katsigiannis has not given up any. Over the last eight games, the Tigers have rushed for an average of 293.1 yards per game to go with 31 touchdowns.

“We’re all hard workers,” Katsigiannis said of the O-line. “We play with a lot of aggression, a lot of technique. We’re very disciplined, and I think that’s what keeps an offensive line on top compared to others.”

That devotion to technique is what awarded Katsigiannis the record.

“You have to keep your hips low, keep your hands inside and drive your feet,” Katsigiannis said. “You keep going until they get on their heels and it’s over with.”

Katy High School, Katy Tigers, football, Vasileios Katsigiannis, high school playoffs, Katy ISD, sports, Katy, Texas, record