REGIONAL SEMIFINAL PREVIEW: Breaking down the biggest Texas high school football playoff games

Katy (12-0) vs Galena Park North Shore (11-1), 4 p.m. Friday at Houston’s NRG Stadium: For the fourth time in two years and the sixth time in the past four years, Katy and North Shore meet up in the playoffs. North Shore has a 3-2 edge in the recent series, but Katy made a statement in the last meeting to open the season as it went to Galena Park and took down the Mustangs. That was then and this is now, though. Katy comes into this game banged up (most notably at running back), while North Shore comes in banged up as well. But the Mustangs have dealt with injuries all year and have had other playmakers emerge. Katy escaped with a hard fought 27-14 win over Cy-Fair last week as QB Bronson McClellan tossed a pair of touchdowns and a key Pick Six in the fourth quarter sealed the win. The running game struggled without Ronald Hoff, who sat out the game with an apparent ankle injury; his status for this week is unknown. North Shore had no trouble last week rolling past Pearland Dawson, 58-35, in a game that wasn’t near as close as the score indicates. GPNS led 38-7 at halftime and put things on cruise control in the second half. Zach Evans led the charge with 354 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns, while Dematrius Davis ran for 73 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 208 yards and a touchdown. In the last meeting, North Shore’s defense struggled to get off the field in the second half and Katy wore them down. Can Katy do that again? I’m not sure they do with all the injuries and this North Shore offense looks more like the dynamic attack we saw most of last season when they won a state title.

Stepp’s Pick: Galena Park North Shore by 6