By Zach Duncan

WICHITA FALLS – Palo Duro had the ball with a chance at the end.

That’s all Dons coach Eric Mims Sr. could ask for Friday night in a Region I-5A Division II area round game in which the Dons trailed Anna by 17 points late in the third quarter.

Thanks in part to Kyron Brown’s 40-yard touchdown catch and a defensive effort that forced three consecutive Coyote punts, the Dons got the ball back with 1:47 remaining with one chance to keep a historic season alive.

Unlike a few weeks ago against Lubbock-Cooper, there would be no fairytale ending as Anna held on for a 38-35 victory at Memorial Stadium after Julius Reese II’s fourth-down pass at the Don 46-yard line fell incomplete.

[tds_partial_locker tds_locker_id=”26894″]

The Coyotes (10-2) could finally celebrate after leading for the final 42 minutes, while Palo Duro’s special campaign ends with a 10-2 mark that included the program’s first outright district title since 2004.

“We cleared some hurdles this year being able to win on the road and winning outside of Amarillo, but now we’ve got to beat Metroplex teams,” Mims said. “That’s the only way we’re going to get to the rounds that we want to play in.

“We can’t just be West Texas good. We play in a big, strong state. If we want to compete with the best in the state, we’ve got to win these type of games.”

Reese II did his part by throwing for 404 yards and scoring three times on the ground against an Anna defense that was allowing only 20 points per game. Playing in his final game, Darien Lewis caught 14 receptions for 149 yards.

When Anna went up 38-21 on quarterback Ziondre Williams’ 2-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds left in the third quarter, it looked bleak for Palo Duro. But Reese threw a 40-yard dart to Brown in the end zone on the final play of the third to keep the Dons within striking distance.

Anna had success running the ball with Ace Traylor (195 rushing yards) in the first half, but the Coyotes couldn’t get anything going in the final stanza. Palo Duro’s defense forced a punt with 5:55 remaining near midfield, leading to an 87-yard touchdown drive.

“Our defensive staff came up with some great adjustments and the kids tackled well,” Mims said. “I saw us doing some things that we hadn’t done all year – making great tackles, containing that quarterback. He’s an elite player. I’m really proud of how they finished the game.”  

After Raymond Johnson V’s 1-yard touchdown made it 38-35 with 3:27 left, Palo Duro forced a three-and-out, taking over on its own 29 with 1:47 remaining. Reese led the visitors to the 46-yard line before a fourth-and-5 rollout throw fell incomplete.

“We want the ball down three with a 1:40 left,” Mims said. “We want to be in that situation all the time. We’ve won in the situation twice this year, but today we fell short.”

Traylor was the story of the first half as the senior scored on a 20-yard touchdown catch and a 30-yard run, helping Anna to a 21-7 advantage. But every time it looked like the game was getting away from the Dons, they’d fight their way back.

Anna – which will face district foe Melissa in the third round – took a two-score lead into halftime thanks to a 20-yard field goal at the gun that came after Roaen Nylander’s 52-yard catch and run.

Considering Palo Duro had cut the Coyotes’ lead to 21-14 with Reese’s short TD run 26 seconds before halftime, it was a blow giving up points before intermission.

“I think that field goal at the end of the half ends up being the tell-all,” Mims said. “It’s 35-35 without that field goal possibly, and we needed to make a play in that two-minute drill. A lot of what-ifs.”

There may be a few what-ifs from the Dons’ final game, but what’s concrete is that Palo Duro won its first playoff game since 2014 and recorded 10 victories for the first time since 2001. A foundation has been established that Palo Duro hopes to build off next season.

“Our kids played with a lot of determination and a lot of grit and great effort,” Mims said. “I can’t be more proud of them. A three-point game to an elite team who’s won a state championship – I’m proud of my guys. I just wish we were on the other side of that score.”