The understudy turned out to be the star.
When Katy running back Deondrick Glass exited the Class 6A Division I Region III quarterfinal game against unbeaten Cypress Ranch in the first quarter with a leg injury, there could have been cause for panic.
That’s when backup Josh Oglesby came to the rescue.
The junior tailback overcame two first-half fumbles with a pair of seven-yard touchdown runs in the second half as Katy advanced to the regional semifinals with a 31-14 victory at NRG Stadium. Oglesby finished with 149 yards on 27 carries and the two TDs.
“The kids never got down, they never dropped their heads because they knew that Josh has been running well for us the past month,” said Katy head coach Gary Joseph. “He’s gotten some opportunities lately and he’s gotten a lot better.”
Cy-Ranch (11-1) closed to within 17-14 with one minute, 44 seconds left in the third quarter on a 63-yard TD run by rotating quarterback Austin Goffney.
However, Katy answered with a nearly seven minute drive that was culminated by the second of Oglesby’s two seven-yard TD runs with 5:57 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Two late Katy interceptions by Gavin Spangler and Matt Kissamis surrounding a 12-yard TD pass from quarterback Rocky Emery to Jaxon Borowski guaranteed the defending state champion Tigers (6A Division II) a berth against defending state champion North Shore (6A Division I) Nov. 25 with a noon kickoff at NRG Stadium.
“I had to stay positive after the turnovers. The holes were there and I knew I had to hit them full speed because they (Cypress Ranch) are a good football team and they were filling the holes really fast,” Oglesby said. “I knew if I hit the holes faster than them, I’d be open.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning, but my team was behind me and they helped me push through this. I wanted to do this especially for the seniors,” Oglesby said. “I have to give a lot of credit to my o-line, my fullback and the receivers for blocking for me.”