Two Late Touchdown Lifts Paris to 16-8 Win Over Liberty-Eylau

PARIS — Paris scored twice midway in the fourth quarter after the Wildcats and Liberty-Eylau's defenses controlled the game, and the host team held on for a 16-8 win Friday at WIldcat Stadium in the District 7-4A Division I opener.

Ja'Kerion Brown threw a touchdown to Montavius McCarty after scrambling around for extra time, and after an interception, Brown broke free on a 28-yard TD run just 2:16 after the initial touchdown, making it a two-score game.

The Leopards came right back with Decorian Phillips connecting with Darian Walker on a touchdown from 10 yards out and Mahleik Darty for the 2-point conversion to make it a one-score game.

Paris recovered the onside kick, however, and was able to run out the clock.

The Leopards forced six punts in the first half but fumbled the ball away three times and trailed at halftime, 3-0. L-E went for it on fourth down four times—three after haltime—but failed to convert any of them.

Both teams had the majority of their yardage on the ground—the Leopards with 216 and Paris 246—but the Wildcats had just one lost fumble.

Donovan Williams' 54-yard jaunt on the fourth possession for Paris set up Zachery Lamb's 23-yard field goal with 1:36 left in the first quarter.

Williams had nine rushes for 103 yards before halftime.

The Leopards' second drive ended on a fumble in Paris territory, as did the third and fourth possessions in the second quarter, thwarting any scoring opportunity just before the half.

Cedric Dickerson recovered a fumble for Liberty-Eylau, and Dre McKinney, Jordan Furtch and Jawun Sims each had a recovery for the Wildcats.