A fast start with a strong closing fourth quarter was what it took for Palo Duro to knock No. 10 Amarillo High from the ranks of the unbeaten in a very impressive 35-14 victory during a crosstown showdown in front of an estimated 7,000 fans at Dick Bivins Stadium on Friday night.
The Dons, who have only one three games against the Sandies in the past 30 years, have now won back-to-back games against rival AHS for the first time since the 2001-2002 season.
“Our goal is to always play well against the in-town rivals,” Palo Duro head coach Eric Mims said. “These games are big. My dad (the late Pastor James Mims) is a 1974 Palo Duro graduate, God rest his soul. The Amarillo High game was his favorite. We haven’t won back-to-back games in this rivalry in over 20 years. AHS posted on its Facebook that they were 27-3 over the past 30 years and our players were determined.”
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The Dons close out the non-district portion at 3-1 winning three straight games following a season-opening 10-0 loss to Tascosa. Palo Duro now gets a bye next week before opening District 2-5A Division II play at Wichita Falls Memorial (4-0) on Oct. 3.
“We haven’t been on the road yet,” Mims said. “We’ve been comfortable playing in Amarillo and now it’s time to go on the road to Wichita Falls in two weeks. This is where we were last year when we finished district and then we didn’t finish well. We got to go play better in district this time around.”
Palo Duro jumped on the Sandies with an impressive 94-yard drive on the first possession capped off by a Amariyea James two-yard plunge into the end zone giving the Dons a 7-0 advantage with 2:42 left in the first. AHS responded on the ensuing possession thanks to an Oliver Parsons three-yard snag from Jett Lopez early in the second quarter tying the game up, 7-7.
On the only other possession for the Dons in the second quarter, Palo Duro chewed up the Sandie defense with their speed and balance marching down the field to go up 14-7 when Raymond Johnson V scored on a 14-yard scamper at the 8:44 mark.
However, AHS didn’t go away using a very methodical drive on the back of running back Jude Dunivan to eat the rest of the first half clock to tie the game on the final play of the half with a quarterback Jett Lopez sneak tying the contest up 14-14 at half.
During that first half, an explosive Sandie offense took a toll as Lopez lost both his main outside weapons. Parsons left with an ankle injury in the second quarter and then Austin Sluder was out the entire second half.
Regardless of the injuries, this night belonged to the Palo Duro offense. Opening the third quarter, Palo Duro kept its foot on the gas going seven plays in 62 yards highlighted by a quarterback Julian Reese II six-yard scramble giving the Dons the lead for good 21-14 at the 9:45 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Dons defense then clamped down holding AHS to 67 total yards and four first downs in the second half then brought the dagger in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. On a third and 15 with the ball at the Sandies 35-yard line, Palo Duro pulled a trick play with Reese II pitching it back to North Carolina commit Darien Lewis who loaded up and threw a deep ball to Kyron Brown for a 20-yard gain and moving the sticks with a huge first down. That led to Lewis out of the Wildcat formation calling his own number from 10-yards putting Palo Duro up 28-14 with just under four minutes to go and serving a gut punch to the Sandies.
“Palo Duro had us chasing our tail the entire game,” AHS head coach Chad Dunnam said. “They had a great offensive scheme put in and they executed very well. They were well coached on both sides of the ball and they whipped us. They made plays in the second half when they needed to and in the first half we couldn’t get them in a tough situation. My hats off to Palo Duro for what they did.”
Palo Duro ended the game with 314 yards of offense.
Reese II finished his night going 9-of-13 for 89 yards with a rushing touchdown. He also added a key interception on defense in the third quarter. Lewis rushed for 68 yards on nine carries and caught five passes for 69 yards and threw for a touchdown late in the fourth. James added 68 yards rushing on top of his first quarter score.
Dunivan led AHS and all rushers in the game with 131 yards on 29 totes.
“That first half we only had two drives but we were rolling and were able to score on both of them,” Mims said. “Amarillo High kept converting big third downs and were right there with us. Give our defensive coordinator Danny Snyder a lot of credit. He had a game plan and at halftime he had an idea of what to do to slow their run game down and we got it fixed. Then our offense got it done in the second half.”
AHS (3-1) has no time to rest. The Sandies are now getting set for District 2-5A Division I play hosting Lubbock Monterey (2-2) on Thursday night.
“Here’s the deal, we got beat against Palo Duro,” Dunnam said. “We went 3-1 in the non-district and now it’s time to go play district. We need to see what we’re made of. It’s a short week and we have to regroup and win a big ball game.”