Donovan Williams + Paris Hold Off Liberty-Eylau, 28-24

[By JOSH RICHERT, Special to ETSN.fm]

TEXARKANA — Paris took a page out of the Liberty-Eylau playbook by answering its first deficit of the game with a quick score, toppling the Leopards, 28-24, in the District 7-4A, Division I opener Friday at Harris Field.

Demetric Glover hauled in a 23-yard strike from Kobe Savage for the Wildcats with 2:05 left in the game, and Paris finally stopped L-E on a fourth-down attempt to preserve the lead and victory.

The Wildcats finished with 346 yards of total offense with 232 coming on the ground—thanks in a large part to running back Donovan Williams and Savage. Williams ran for three touchdowns and 143 yards on 24 carries, and Savage added 90 yards and threw for another 114.

Steven Goben kicked a 34-yard field goal with 4:09 left to give Liberty-Eylau its first lead of the night. Kelston Joseph bulled his way in front he 2 to answer Williams’ third TD, Joseph finishing off a 13-play drive that covered 75 yards and ate up 3:55.

The next Paris drove ended on a fumbled snap, which Isaiah Cross recovered for the Leopards, leading to Goben’s field goal.

Liberty-Eylau, which was limited to just 70 yards in the first half, finished with 261 yards of offense.

Decorian Phillips ran for 27 yards and threw for 111 and a 12-yard touchdown to Dazawion Cooper, Cedric Dickerson got the Leopards on the board with a 4-yard TD run just before half to cut into a 14-0 deficit, and Phillips made a diving fingertip catch on a 2-point conversion of a halfback pass from Ralph Crabtree.

Crabtree led the L-E rushing attack with 54 yards on 14 totes.