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Wildcats turn out lights on Bonham
By Van Hilburn
Published November 1, 2009
In the final varsity game at Noyes Stadium, the Paris Wildcats made it a memorable one, as they cruised past Bonham, 50-6, Friday night in District 10-3A competition.
With hundreds of former players, coaches and fans on hand paying tribute to the 68-year-old stadium, it was business as usual on the football field, as the Wildcats jumped ahead 14-0 in the first quarter and carried a 35-0 advantage into halftime en route to their ninth consecutive district victory.
“They got after them and played well. I’m just proud for the kids, proud for Paris High and Noyes Stadium. It was just a great night,” said Wildcat third-year coach Travis Smith said.
The game was never in doubt as the winless Warriors (0-9, 0-4) struggled to find the end zone until the final minute of the game.
Paris (6-3, 4-0) scored on all three of its possessions in the first half, and also scored on two of Bonham’s when Cory Battle intercepted a pass by Warrior quarterback Kyle Washington and returned it 85-yards for a touchdown, and Equettis Jenkins picked off another pass and returned it 35 yards for a score.
The win sets a showdown for the District 10-3A championship this week in Van Alstyne (9-0, 4-0) against the undefeated Panthers. Van Alstyne escaped North Lamar with a 27-21 victory on Friday.
The game was close only on paper as Paris had outgained Bonham 134 total yards to 115 during the first half. That’s because the Wildcats were afforded a short field for most of the first two quarters.
Aaron Ethridge put his team on the scoreboard with 9:14 left in the first quarter when he scored from 37 yards out to cap a two-play drive. Gabriel Vera booted his first of six extra points and that would be all the scoring Paris needed in this one.
The Wildcats, however, were just getting warmed up.
Paris’ Cedarius Hill blocked a Bonham punt on the next possession and the Wildcats got the ball on the Bonham 23. Five plays later, Wildcat quarterback Corban Taylor scored on a one-yard keeper with 5:32 left in the opening stanza. Vera’s PAT left Paris ahead 14-0.
Taylor completed 10 of 14 attempts for 191 yards and two touchdowns. His main target was junior Tevin Gray, who turned a five-yard catch into an 80-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, Gray finished with three catches for 114 yards.
Ethridge rushed for 73 yards on seven carries, as the Wildcats outgained Bonham 309 to 191 in total yards.
Bonham attempted to get back into the game by driving down to the Paris 16 behind the running of Josh Price, Washington and Braylon Mitchell. But Paris’ defense came up big when Battle stepped in front of a Washington pass and sprinted 85 yards untouched for a touchdown. Paris scored on a 73-yard drive on its next possession with Tyrell Smith going end from a yard out with 4:30 left in the second quarter. With 2:08 left, Jenkins made a leaping interception of a Washington pass and returned it 35 yards for the final touchdown in the first half, helping Paris take a 35-0 advantage into intermission.
Gray’s 80-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter and Tavarius Williams’ 16-yard touchdown catch in the fourth capped the scoring for Paris. The Wildcats had a shutout going until Bonham scored with 47 seconds left in the game when Chase Gregory rumbled 30 yards for a touchdown.
Sophomore linebacker Daniel Ortega recorded 11 tackles, including seven solos, while Jerred Guerra had 11 tackles with three solos.
PARIS 50, BONHAM 6 Bonham 0 0 0 6 - 6 Paris 14 21 8 7 - 50
First quarter Paris - Aaron Ethridge 33 run, 9:14 (Gabriel Vera kick) Paris - Corban Taylor 1 run, 5:32 (Vera kick) Second quarter Paris - Cory Battle 85 interception return, 9:27 (Vera kick) Paris - Tyrell Smith 1 run, 4:30 (Vera kick) Paris - Equettis Jenkins 35 interception return, 2:08 (Vera kick) Third quarter Paris - Tevin Gray 80 pass from Corban Taylor, 9:06 (Tyrell Smith run) Fourth quarter Paris - Tavarius Williams 16 pass from Taylor, 9:25 (Vera kick) Bonham - Chase Gregory 30 run, :47 (run failed)
BONHAM PARIS First downs 9 10 By run 8 6 By pass 0 4 By penalty 1 0 Rushing-yards 41-188 21-118 Passing yards 2 191 C-A-I 1-8-2 10-14-0 Total Yards 191 309 Penalties-yards 5-55 8-45 Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1 Punts-yards 3-35 1-17
INDIVIDUAL STATS RUSHING: Bonham - Braylon Mitchell 11-57, Levi Haggard 6-48, Chase Gregory 4-49, Josh Price 6-16, Jeremy Smith 1-9, Kyle Washington 11-13, Blaine Dunlap 1-(-1), Team 1-(-3). Paris - Aaron Ethridge 7-73, Tyrell Smith 7-36, Tevin Gray 2-(-5), Corban Taylor 5-14 PASSING: Bonham: Washington 1-7-1 2, Blaine Dunlap 0-1-1 0, Paris - Taylor 10-14-0 191 RECEIVING: Bonham: Daine Dunlap 1-2. Paris - Gray 3-114, Daran Jones 1-9, Ethridge 1-31, Equettis Jenkins 3-14, Tavarius Williams 1-14, Smith 1-9 INTERCEPTIONS: Paris- Cory Battle and Equettis Jenkins. RECORDS: Paris 6-3, 4-0. Bonham 0-9, 0-4
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