CyFair HS logged a relative upset in Rugby Texas league action with a 17-7 win over Katy this weekend.

Katy was without team captain and HS All American Josh Schnell, who was playing for the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy team that won the HS Elite 7s in Las Vegas. And the loss of prhaps Katy's best player certainly didn't help.

The Barbarians did not have an error-free game, and mistakes and penalties put them on the back foot, as did two yellow cards in the second half. CyFair took advantage. Keoni Francis continues to play well for CyFair and scored a key try. For Katy they had some good performances from scrumhalf Lewis Hopkins, and try-scorer Caleb Ray in the backs.

Paul Bourgogne and Nick Marsico were dangerous in the backs, but the CyFair defense bottled up the Katy runners effectively most of the evening.

"The CyFair Warriors respect the Katy Barbarians," said CyFair Head Coach Kenneth Hepburn. "Because of this respect, the Warriors came out physical and stayed physical to the final whistle. Katy’s backline proved able and willing to move the ball wide, but CyFair’s backline defense operated a bend-don’t-break mentality that allowed Katy’s wings space to break the gainline, then quickly isolate themselves inside a group of CyFair defenders."

With the CyFair forwards powering ahead and asking questions of the Katy defense, the Warriors started to gain territory. 

CyFair opened the scoring early with a Grayson Slagle try six minutes in. CyFair had been held up in-goal, and then knocked-on in-goal. Finally Slagle went over. Unfortunately for Katy, their powerful No. 8, Max Cordua, was injured on the play and had to be helped off the field before Slagle could convert his try with a dropkick. Cy Fair was in the lead 7-0

Three minutes later, CyFair would again camp on the Katy goalline. Katy was penalized for a dangerous tackle, and CyFair flanker Hunter Wilhelm tappd quickly and offloaded to Francis, who would not be stopped. That made it 12-0, and that's how the first half ended.

Katy’s set-piece defense proved to be their strongest play as the Barbarians’ front row combined to take several CyFair put-ins against the head and their jumpers stole numerous CyFair lineout throw-ins. That gave the Barbarians some good attacking opportunities. Katy would use the strong scrum and great hands by the backline to set-up a converted try by Ray ten minutes into the second half. That made it 12-7, but a few moments later Katy would get two yellow cards in quick succession. Down to 13 met, th Barbarians had to work extra hard to hold out the CyFair forwards.

The Warriors immediately set a maul from a lineout and drove it 15 meters in-goal for the final try. Slagle converted and that ended the scoring.

“That was a hard-fought match," said Hepburn. "CyFair came out hard from the kickoff against a noticeably larger team. Good phase play by our forwards with strong defensive structure held by everyone made that a game I am proud to coach.”

CyFair and Katy travel up to Dallas next weekend to face Dallas Jesuit and the surging Timber Creek next week.