PARIS, Mo. - Paris wasted little time getting its offense going Friday night, scoring on the opening play from scrimmage and building a 54-0 halftime lead on the way to a 54-14 victory over Schuyler County. The Rams put together a sustained touchdown drive to open the second half and later added a long scoring pass, but the Coyotes’ seven first-half touchdowns had already put the game out of reach.
The victory moved Paris to 5-2 on the season, while Schuyler County fell to 3-5. The matchup came on the Coyotes’ Senior Night and featured two teams that entered the evening holding the third and fourth positions in their district standings.
Paris opened with a hook-and-ladder that covered 56 yards just 14 seconds into the game. Sophomore quarterback Spencer Minks completed a short pass to Logan Mitchell, who lateraled to Sawyer Clements for the remaining 50 yards and the touchdown. Minks then connected with Mitchell for the two-point conversion, giving the Coyotes an immediate 8-0 advantage.
Schuyler County’s first possession gave Paris another opportunity when a high shotgun snap ended with Landon Kendrick recovering the loose ball deep in Rams territory. A holding penalty initially backed the Coyotes up, but Clements gained 15 yards on the next play and Minks followed with a run that set up first-and-goal. Minks finished the possession with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Lehenbaur, and another successful conversion made it 16-0 with 9:14 remaining in the opening quarter.
Mitchell accounted for the next three Paris touchdowns as the Coyotes continued to find opportunities on the ground and through the air. He scored on a 10-yard run midway through the quarter, then added a 19-yard touchdown run with 1:41 remaining. After Kaden Graupman recovered another Schuyler County fumble, Minks found Mitchell for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds left, extending the Paris lead to 38-0 heading into the second quarter.
The Coyotes also kept Schuyler County from establishing much offense during that stretch. Pressure in the backfield, including a fourth-down sack by Bryce Wade, helped end Rams possessions, while the two fumble recoveries gave Paris short fields that its offense turned into touchdowns.
Paris added two more scores early in the second quarter. A 25-yard run by Minks helped set up an 8-yard touchdown run by Clements with 11:03 left before halftime. Later, pressure from Marshall DeOrnellas contributed to a short Schuyler County punt, and Minks eventually finished the ensuing possession with a 6-yard touchdown run. The conversion pushed the lead to 54-0 with 7:16 remaining in the half, and Paris began working more reserve players into the game.
Schuyler County found more success after the break, taking the opening possession of the third quarter down the field against the Paris reserves. Freshman Drake Macomber handled much of the rushing work, while quarterback Gage Pauley kept the drive alive with a fourth-down scramble into Coyotes territory. The Rams continued moving toward the goal line before Pauley connected with freshman Rylan Cook for a 3-yard touchdown with 3:56 remaining in the quarter. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 54-6.
The Rams added another touchdown in the fourth quarter when Pauley found Mason Oliver behind the defense for a 54-yard scoring pass. Pauley ran in the two-point conversion with 4:45 remaining, bringing the score to its final margin. Paris used the remaining time to work through its offense and finish the game with the running clock in effect.
Pauley finished with an unofficial 64 passing yards and two touchdowns on 7-of-10 passing. Oliver caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, while Cook added two receptions for 3 yards and a score. Cash Cunningham caught two passes for 8 yards, Macomber led the Rams’ rushing effort with 34 yards on 11 carries, and Dominic Toledano added 16 yards on two attempts.
Minks completed three of four passes for 72 yards and three touchdowns for Paris, with each completion contributing to a scoring play. He also rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Mitchell finished with 38 rushing yards and two touchdowns, along with two catches for 19 yards and another score, while Clements added 42 rushing yards and a touchdown to his part in the opening hook-and-ladder.
Paris finished with an unofficial 271 yards of total offense, including 137 passing and 134 rushing. Schuyler County totaled 80 yards, with its second-half scoring possessions providing most of its offensive production.
(This game recap is presented based upon the coverage of the Hometown Radio Sports Network. Any statistics given should be deemed as unofficial.)
Click here to listen to the broadcast of this game.
