The Woodlands cae back from a 13-0 deficit to defeat Katy 15-13 in a crucial matchup between the two Rugby Texas South Region teams.

With the victory, Woodlands improved to 4-0 and started off a tough string of games with a win, while Katy dropped to 5-1-1, but got a close-loss bonus point and remains in the playoff hunt in the conference.

Playing with the wind, Katy opened the scoring when wing Caleb Ray burst onto a pass and scampered in for a try and a 5-0 lead for his side. Junior flyhalf Lewis Hopkins then slotted a penalty kick from 30 meters to make it 8-0. Katy continued the pressure, and Hopkins ran in a try at 29 minutes to make it 13-0.

 Both sides battled hard with Katy controlling the ball throughout the majority of the first half, but there was no further scoring.

In the second half, junior flyhalf Kieren Farmer set the tone early for the Woodlands by poaching the ball and running in from ten meters out. That made it 13-5, and then at 12 minutes, massive prop Sipi Save followed with a bruising run. Farmer made the conversion to cut Katy's lead to 13-12.

Katy sets the maul.

"Katy is a tough team and they are really good at poaching the ball," said Woodlands Coach Doug Mooneyham. "They pushed us to the brink. But scoring early in the second half was big for us. We were down a man because of a yellow card, and the guys dug deep and kept playing hard. That said a ot about our team, and it got the guys on the front foot."

With ten minutes remaining, The Woodlands marched into Katy territory and got a penalty, which Farmer slotted to put his side in front for the first time all day. The Woodlands held off a furious Katy effort to retake the lead, and held on for the win 15-13.

The match was played on a windy pitch which had a dramatic effect on both teams' ability to kick. Farmer's kicking from the hand was critical.

Katy's forward pack worked hard, led by all-state prop Thomas Waghorne, junior flanker Max Cordua, senior HS All American flanker Bronson Teles, who is about to go to Zimbabwe with the USA U20 team, and junior HS All American No. 8 Josh Schnell. 

Equally impressive up front for The Woodlands were prop Sipi Save and junior HS All America flanker Alex Rayton, who has emerged as a massive presence on defense and in the breakdown. Junior all-state scrumhalf Ian Martinez was masterful with expert passing, efficient running, and directing the attack, but the key player in the Woodlands comeback was Farmer, with timely big impact plays that changed the momentum of the game for his squad.