Paetow prepared for biggest game in schools history

By Tyler Tyre, Sports Editor
Posted 12/9/21

“Being so close with a lot of the seniors from last year. People like Damon (Bankston), Jamin (Goodwin) and Agumba (Otuonye) just to name a few,” said senior quarterback CJ Dumas. “it’s great to go out there and prove to everyone what we could have done last year. We’re doing it for those guys too.”

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Paetow prepared for biggest game in schools history

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Paetow’s players are playing for more than for just themselves this year.

This season has been about not just leaving a legacy for themselves, but for leaving a legacy for last year’s seniors as well.

“Being so close with a lot of the seniors from last year. People like Damon (Bankston), Jamin (Goodwin) and Agumba (Otuonye) just to name a few,” said senior quarterback CJ Dumas. “it’s great to go out there and prove to everyone what we could have done last year. We’re doing it for those guys too.”

Paetow’s season was cut short last season when they were told the day before their area round matchup that they wouldn’t be able to play due to a number of positive COVID-19 tests within the school.

That has motivated the team all year and this group wants to leave their own legacy.

“It was a deal where we got told we couldn’t play about 45 minutes after a practice that Thursday and most of the kids had already gone home or were sent home because of COVID-19 tests. So I stood in the team room and told about a third of the team that we couldn’t play anymore,” said Paetow head coach BJ Gotte. “It was kind of a picture of the whole year. It was broken up and inconsistent and just rough.
“It was pretty cool because when we played Cedar Park, a lot of those seniors from last year came back and watched our kids play. It was a really cool moment. They’re motivated by those seniors from last year but they want to leave a legacy too.”

That motivation has led Paetow into the state semifinals for the first time in school history, where they’ll be faced with a matchup against Flour Bluff at 7 p.m. Friday at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio. Flour Bluff will also be making its first ever state semifinal appearance.

Paetow has dominated on defense all season and will look to continue that on Friday. The group has allowed just one opponent to score over 20 points and has beat every playoff opponent by over 20 points.

“I think what’s made us so successful is our tenacity,” said senior linebacker Luke Fitch. “We’re not afraid of anyone or anything in front of us. It doesn’t matter who you put in front of us, we’re going to ball out. We’re an aggressive and fast defense and it makes us special.”

That defense will need to continue to be on top of their game against the Hornets.

Flour Bluff comes off a 13-12 win over Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial last week in their regional final.

It was a defensive battle on both sides. The Hornets had 255 yards of total offense and only 85 passing yards, but they held Veterans Memorial to 211 total yards and under 100 rushing yards.

Flour Bluff goes as quarterback Nash Villegas goes. The senior led Flour Bluff to a regional final last season and has gone a step further this year, getting to the state semifinals and passing for over 2000 yards and 20 touchdowns so far this season.

“We have to get pressure on him, Gotte said. “That’s one of the things I’ve noticed watching video is that the offensive line does a really good job of giving him time to throw the ball. So we have to pressure him and then also we have to stop the run game and put them in down and distances where they have to drop back. They do a really good job and have a solid RPO game. They block well and their quarterback has an extremely quick release and is accurate. If we allow them to stay on schedule it’s going to be hard.”

Flour Bluff is big up front on the offensive line with two division I commits, and they also use Virginia Tech offensive line commit Johnny Dickson as a very big wildcat. They are a team that uses the run and play action and despite a number of injuries in the backfield, the Hornets will still try to establish the ground game against Paetow.

The Flour Bluff defense has been a huge factor in their success this year. Over their four playoff games they are giving up an average of 18 points and have held teams to two scores or less in three of their four playoff games.

The Hornets are riding an 8-game winning streak heading into the matchup, with their last loss coming in October to Gregory-Portland.

“We’ve played against big lines before, it will be a challenge with them having a Virginia Tech commit, but I have faith in our offensive line,” Dumas said. “I think our offensive line is the best in the state. They’re well prepared for the challenge and then we have a back who can make plays when you don’t think plays are going to be there. I feel like we’re going to be good as long as we play as one.”

Paetow, football, sports, Katy ISD, Flour Bluff, high school, Texas