Taylor confident despite loss to Klein Cain

By Tyler Tyre, Times Sports Editor
Posted 9/18/21

“No matter who we go against we give it 100% and we try and wear them down and win,” Hay said. “Sadly we weren’t able to do that tonight, but it’s alright, in order to win games you have to lose and learn from those mistakes as well.”

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Taylor confident despite loss to Klein Cain

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Taylor is ready to move on to district play.

The Mustangs faced a tough district schedule, but they are confident that the early season tests will help the team in the long run.

“We’ve played some really good teams,” said senior running back Michael Whitaker. “Doing that and having playing these guys is going to prepare us for the district season and for the playoffs down the line.”

Taylor had lost two straight games heading into this week and was looking for a bounce back performance. But while the Mustangs fought, they came up short to a strong Klein Cain team 63-28 on Friday at Rhodes Stadium.

“We did some good things tonight,” said senior offensive lineman Nolan Hay. “We just need to keep coming together as a team and that’s going to continue happening this week I can promise that. We just know that we can compete against anyone.”

Klein Cain jumped out to a very early lead, on the first play from scrimmage Carson Roper threw a screen pass to Matthew Golden, who juked multiple defenders and ran in a 75-yard touchdown. After a Taylor 3-and-out, the Hurricanes drove down the field again and scored on a Roper 1-yard run. Ramir McCray added another touchdown late in the first quarter and it wasn’t until the second when Taylor finally responded on a 7-yard run by Joe Jefferson.

Whitaker also ran in a run in the second quarter as Taylor traded scores with the Hurricanes but two scores by Klein Cain late in the half made it a very tough hill to climb as the Mustangs were down 42-14 at halftime.

“No matter who we go against we give it 100% and we try and wear them down and win,” Hay said. “Sadly we weren’t able to do that tonight, but it’s alright, in order to win games you have to lose and learn from those mistakes as well.”

Klein Cain scored three more times in the third quarter before Dante Archie ran in two touchdowns in the fourth once backups were in.

Taylor finished the night with 357 yards on the ground, a positive the team is taking from the game.

“We really wanted to be the first team this season that pounded the ball on them every play,” Hay said. “I think we were able to do that most of the game, it just wasn’t enough. But hopefully it can set the tone for district. We’re determined and I would be scared if I was any other team that we are about to go against.”

The question mark for the Mustangs will be how can they respond on defense, the Hurricanes put up over 500 yards of offense in the win and Taylor suffered injuries on that side of the ball in the game as well.

Taylor also had three fumbles in the game, although the Mustangs only turned it over once, and the team knows that is something that will need to improve.

“We have to make sure we hold on to the ball and focus on ball security,” Whitaker said. “I know that’s something we’re going to focus on.”

Taylor will go up against Morton Ranch to open District 19-6A play next Friday, and the team knows how important it will be to start district on the right foot.

“It starts with film tomorrow,” We’re gonna wake up early and get here at nine, I think we should wake up at six personally,” Hay said. “We’re going to bounce back, I know that we will. I can’t wait, especially with how things went last year. I’m so hyped up and so ready.”

Klein Cain 63, Taylor 28

Klein Cain

21 

21

21  

0

 --

 63 

Taylor

 0 

14 

0

14 

 --

 28 

First quarter

Cain: Carson Roper 75 pass to Matthew Golden (Rowdy McGuire kick), 11:46

Cain: Roper 1 run (McGuire kick), 8:40

Cain: Ramir McCray 11 run (McGuire kick), 2:48

Second quarter

Taylor: Joe Jefferson 7 run (Alei Sabek kick), 11:11

Cain: Jonathan Rosette 38 run (McGuire kick), 8:11

Taylor: Michael Whitaker 2 run (Sabek kick) 2:50

Cain: Roper 9 run (McGuire kick), 1:53

Cain: Drew Stokes 11 run (McGuire kick), 1:08

Third quarter

Cain: Roper 37 pass to Golden (McGuire kick), 9:02

Cain: McCray 56 run (McGuire kick), 4:43

Cain: Rosette 2 run (McGuire kick), 0:55

Fourth quarter

Taylor: Dante Archie 8 run (Sabek kick), 8:30

Taylor: Archie 3 run (Sabek kick), 2:45

Team stats

Klein Cain

 Taylor  

  First downs

 17

 21

  Yards rushing

 34-299

  56-357

  Yards passing

 265

  51

  Passes

 10-14-2-0

 7-11-0-0

  Punts

  1.50

 5.33

  Fumbles-lost

  2-0

  3-1

  Penalty-yards

  6-36

 4-21

Individual Statistics

Rushing -- Taylor: Michael Whitaker 16-109-1; Dante Archie, 10-110-2; Joe Jefferson, 16-49-1; Andrew Meza, 4-41; Keith Muse, 5-26; Jackson Ingram, 3-18; Tyler Irving, 2-4;  Klein Cain: Ramir McCray, 14-126-2; Jonathan Rosette, 7-95-2; Drew Stokes, 4-41-1; Jaelen Smith, 1-10; Carson Roper, 6-16-2;

Passing -- Taylor: Joe Jefferson, 7-10-51-0-0; Jackson Ingram, 0-1-0-0-0 Klein Cain: Carson Roper, 10-14-265-2-0;

Receiving – Taylor: Tyler Irving, 4-34; Wyatt Fahey, 1-13; Jamon Hines, 1-4; Michael Whitaker, 2-0; Klein Cain: Matthew Golden, 8-198-2; Jaelen Smith, 1-59; Carter Schultz, 1-8;

Katy ISD, Taylor, Klein Cain, Texas, high school football, Michael Whitaker, Joe Jefferson