Strong Finish to Non Conference with Win over Hector

Andrew Wells

Paris Alumni and Current ATU Student

Paris was able to finish its non-conference schedule with a 27-26 win over 2A Hector last week. The victory moves the Eagles to 2-2 heading into conference play this Friday.

Both teams started the game with strong defensive performances, as Paris came away with two stops to help keep the first quarter scoreless. Early in the second quarter, the Eagles converted a huge fourth down with a catch from Brock Barnhill. The conversion set up a walk-in touchdown for quarterback Josh Honea, giving Paris a 7-0 lead. Hector moved the ball down the field on its next drive, but a fumble at the goal line halted the Wildcats' scoring opportunity. After another solid drive by Paris, Honea found the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the night to extend the lead to 14-0. Hector responded with a rushing touchdown of its own and converted the two-point attempt to cut the deficit to 14-8 heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, Aiden Hull came up with an interception to stall another Hector drive in the red zone. The teams continued trading touchdowns throughout the quarter, with Paris holding a narrow 21-20 lead heading into the fourth. Hector then recovered an onside kick and scored another touchdown, but failed to convert the two-point attempt, giving the Wildcats a 26-21 lead with 8:42 remaining. With the game on the

line, Honea converted another crucial fourth down with a pass to Nick Perry. The drive ended with Honea's fourth rushing touchdown of the game, putting Paris back in front 27-26. The Eagles held on from there to secure the one-point victory.

Honea finished the night with more than 100 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. The quarterback run game was particularly effective for Paris, which also converted multiple key fourth downs to keep drives alive. Defensively, the Eagles came up with several important red-zone turnovers to help secure the win.

This Friday, the Eagles will open conference play on the road against the Cedarville Pirates. Cedarville finished its non-conference schedule with a 3-1 record, defeating 3A Two Rivers, 2A Mountainburg, and 2A Hackett by a combined score of 105-21. The Pirates most recently fell to 4A Berryville in a one-score game. Paris will face a challenging test on the road as it looks to carry the momentum from last week's win into conference play. Kickoff is scheduled for Friday, September 25.