Princeton Snaps Cats’ 18-Game District Streak

On the eve of Friday’s District 7-4A-1 showdown with Princeton at Wildcat Stadium, a Paris assistant coach said bluntly, “They can’t stop us.”

He was right.

However, 75 miles southwest, a Princeton assistant coach was probably having the same thought.  If so, he would be proven correct, too.  In a 3½-hour statistician’s nightmare, the Princeton Panthers halted the 18-game district win streak of the Paris Wildcats with an incredible 65-64 final that more resembled a basketball score instead of a football game.

The Cats scored more points in one night than some teams in the school’s proud history scored in a full season.  They also gave up more points than a handful of previous Paris teams allowed some years.

They broke so many school records that it might take days of solid research to discover them all, if, indeed, that’s possible.  They outgained the Panthers in total yardage, 677-535, but the visitors had the edge in one vital category that usually decides close games between equally-matched teams: Turnovers, which they won, 3-2.

Ironically, it was a mistake by Princeton on special teams which ultimately turned this offensive slugfest.  The Cats had just taken their final lead of the game, 64-58, when they kicked off to start the final two minutes of the exhaustive night.  The Panthers, who had trouble fielding kickoffs all night, dropped the ball.

As the first wave of the Wildcat coverage team converged for perhaps the killing blow, senior Zac Torres picked up his teammate’s fumble at the 18 and veered to the left sidelines.  The Cats lost initial containment, but Torres was pinned against the sidelines near midfield.

He avoided one tackler who took a bad angle and missed, then he slipped the grasp of two more Cats and cut diagonally across field into wide open spaces for an 82-yard return that stunned and quieted the home bleachers.  In a matter of just 23 seconds, Paris fans had gone from sheer ectasy to stunned agony.

The kickoff return tied the game, 64-64, with 1:40 remaining.  Sophomore Julio Vasquez, who bounced one extra point off the uprights earlier in the game, was true on the point-after that proved to be the difference-maker.

Still, hope was not completely lost for Paris, as the Cats sent their prolific offense back on the field.  Again, ironic justice ruled the night.  The beleaguered Panther defense, which had forced just one punt all game, stopped the unstoppable Paris offense 6 plays later on a fourth-down sack at the Paris 35.

It was over.

With three weeks remaining in the district chase, Princeton is the lone unbeaten team at 2-0 with Paris, Liberty-Eylau, Pittsburg, and North Lamar all bunched in second place at 1-1.  The Cats, now 4-3 for the season, will attempt to start a new win streak next Friday, Oct. 24, at Pittsburg’s Pirate Stadium.  Princeton (6-1) hosts NL (5-2).

On a night that demanded offensive perfection, it was the few flaws that proved fatal:

• With Paris leading, 28-21, the Wildcat defense forced and recovered a fumble at the Princeton 24, but the Cats immediately fumbled the ball back on the next snap.
• The Paris defense then forced the first of two Princeton punts, and the offense quickly moved past midfield when Bailey Muchemwa picked off a first-down pass.
• With 1:02 left in the first half and Princeton holding a 34-28 lead, Paris drove from its own 25 to the Princeton 18, but a 35-yard field goal attempt was wide left.
• Princeton closed out the third quarter by re-taking the lead, 44-42, when a long kickoff return by Tre Barry set the Paris offense at the Princeton 43.  On 4th-and-3, Muchemwa collected his second interception to end the threat.

Still, it would seem to be nitpicking to focus on those few imperfections on a night filled with offensive stalwarts, most notably:

• Paris junior quarterback Quez Allen, who completed 19 of 30 throws for 400 yards and 5 TDs.  Allen also rushed 24 times for 183 yards and another score and had a combined total offense of 583 yards.
• Paris junior running back Dren Rollerson, who rushed 16 times for 94 yards and 3 TDs and caught 3 passes for 52 yards and another TD.  Rollerson saw extended duty after sophomore Ja’Kerion Brown left the game with a first-half leg injury.
• Paris senior receiver KD Scott, who had 5 receptions for 209 yards and 2 TDs.
• Paris senior kicker Leonel Gutierrez, who was a perfect 8-for-8 on extra point attempts.
• Princeton junior quarterback Colt Collins completed 23 of 33 attempts for 376 yards and 3 TDs with no INTs.  Collins rushed 8 times for 33 yards and a score.
• Princeton junior runner George Flores scored 4 TDs on 12 carries for 78 yards and 3 receptions for 30.
• Princeton 6-4 junior tight end Brandon Talley, who shredded the Paris secondary and had 12 catches for 199 yards.
• Princeton senior Zac Torres, who caught 2 passes for 41 yards and a score and rushed 3 times for 14 yards and another score.  And, oh yeah, picked up a teammate’s fumble and 23 seconds later broke the Wildcat’s collective hearts.

Scoring summary:

• Princeton 7, Paris 0.  George Flores 4 run (Julia Vasquez kick), 9:59, 1q.  Panthers go 61 yards with opening kickoff to score in 6 plays.  Flores scores out of the Wildcat format on a 4th-and-3.
• Paris 7, Princeton 7.  Jordan Williams 18 pass from Quez Allen (Leo Gutierrez kick), 8:36, 1q.  It takes the Cats just 4 plays to answer with a 58-yard drive.
• Paris 14, Princeton 7.  Phillip Sikes 12 pass from Allen (Gutierrez kick), 7:50, 1q.  Cats recover a Panther fumble on the kickoff at the Princeton 13.  They score in 3 plays.
• Princeton 14, Paris 14. Zac Torres 19 pass from Colt Collins (Vasquez kick), 4:33, 1q.  Panthers travel 71 yards in 9 plays, including the first of 4 pass interference calls on Paris.  They score on a 4th-and-8 when Collins finds 1 of 2 open Panther receivers at the goalline.
• Paris 21, Princeton 14.  KD Scott 73 pass from Allen (Gutierrez kick), 4:11, 1q.  Cats go 73 yards in 2 plays.  Allen hits Scott on a post pattern, and Scott shakes the initial tackle to go the distance.
• Princeton 21, Paris 21.  Flores 10 pass from Collins (Vasquez kick), 11:02, 2q.  This drive covers 63 yards in 11 plays.
• Paris 28, Princeton 21.  Allen 26 run (Gutierrez kick), 9:48, 2q.  Allen carries 3 times on this 78-yard, 4-play drive that’s aided by a Princeton horse-collar tackle.
• Princeton 27, Paris 28.  Flores 29 run (kick failed), 4:51, 2q.  An interception by Bailey Muchemwa starts the Panthers at the Paris 43.  They score in 4 plays, but the extra point kick hits the right upright.
• Princeton 34, Paris 28.  Flores 21 run (Vasquez kick), 1:08, 2q.  Following the Cats’ only punt of the game, the Panthers drive 57 yards in 7 plays to take the halftime lead.
• Paris 35, Princeton 34.  Dren Rollerson 3 run (Gutierrez kick), 8:22, 3q.  Cats drive 68 yards in 11 plays to regain lead.  Rollerson carries 6 times in the drive.
• Princeton 41, Paris 35.  Torres 20 run (Vasquez kick), 6:58, 3q.  Panthers take just 5 plays to go 69 yards.
• Paris 42, Princeton 41.  Rollerson 3 run (Gutierrez kick), 3:54, 3q.  Cats go 73 yards in  9 plays, all on the ground and aided by Princeton personal foul.
• Princeton 44, Paris 42.  Vasquez 26 FG, 1:03, 3q.  Panthers’ drive covers 58 yards in 10 plays.  Cats hold Panthers to field goal after 1st down at the Paris 14.
• Princeton 51, Paris 42.  Collins 6 run (Vasquez kick), 9:36, 4q.  The second interception of the night by Muchemwa stops a promising Paris drive which had been kick-started by a long kickoff return by Tre Barry.  Panthers take advantage with a 49-yard drive in 5 plays, including another pass interference and unsportsmanlike conduct call on the Cats.
• Paris 49, Princeton 51.  Rollerson 20 pass from Allen (Gutierrez kick), 8:49, 4q.  Cats cover 78 yards in 4 pass plays and Allen finds Rollerson wide open on the wheel route.
• Princeton 58, Paris 49.  Sadvion Matthews 26 pass from Collins (Vasquez kick), 7:36, 4q.  The fourth pass interference call on Paris starts this 74-yard, 5-play drive.
• Paris 56, Princeton 58.  Scott 75 pass from Allen (Gutierrez kick), 6:45, 4q.  Cats start at their own 31, but soon face a 3rd-and-16 when Scott catches the out route and turns upfield for his second long TD reception of the night.
• Paris 64, Princeton 58.  Rollerson 10 run (Williams pass from Allen), 2:03, 4q.  Paris defense gets a desperately needed 3-and-out to force a punt, and Cats counter with a 71-yard, 7-play drive.  A 4th-and-12 completion to Scott at midfield keeps the drive alive.  Allen rolls right to find Williams open for the 2-point conversion.
• Princeton 65, Paris 64.  Torres 82 kickoff return (Vasquez kick), 1:40, 4q.  The Panthers fumble the kickoff, but Torres picks it up and gets outside initial containment to the home left sidelines.  The Cats are guilty of a poor pursuit angle and a missed tackle at midfield, which allows Torres to cut diagonally across the field and sprint to the end zone.

How Wildcat Opponents Fared:

• Mount Pleasant (0-6) lost to Pine Tree, 31-29
• Melissa (2-5) beat Emory Rains, 61-60
• Tyler Chapel Hill (4-3) beat Palestine, 76-36
• Palestine (0-7) lost to Tyler Chapel Hill, 76-36
• Argyle (7-0) beat Hutchins, 65-7
• Liberty-Eylau (2-5) beat Pittsburg, 28-20
• Princeton (6-1) beat Paris, 65-64
• Pittsburg (2-5) lost to Liberty-Eylau, 28-20
• Quinlan Ford (0-7) lost to North Lamar, 26-18
• North Lamar (5-2) beat Quinlan Ford, 26-18

By: Tim Taylor, eParisExtra
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