With a quick-strike offense and a stingy defense, the Parkview Panthers upset eighth-ranked Grayson 28-21 Friday in Region 4-7A and gained a lot of steam heading into the state playoffs.
Running back Khyair Spain tallied 215 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and quarterback Colin Houck amassed 253 yards and three scores through the air to help the Panthers avoid closing the season on a three-game losing streak.
Instead, Friday’s road victory was the exactly the game Parkview needed heading into the playoffs next week.
“We needed the momentum after dropping two that we shouldn’t have,” Parkview head coach Eric Godfree said. “Our kids prepared phenomenally this week. They came to work every day and held themselves accountable on the field and off the field. It paid off.”
Parkview staved off a late comeback attempt by the Rams, but the Panthers controlled the game throughout, especially in the first half.
Parkview outgained Grayson 260 yards to 53 in the first half, with 188 of those yards coming on three plays, all of which resulted in touchdowns.
After defensive back Antonio White came up with an interception at the Grayson 26-yard line, it only took two plays before Panthers quarterback Colin Houck hit receiver Carson Wilson underneath for a 25-yard touchdown.
Early in the second quarter, Spain knifed his way up the middle and broke free and cut to the left for a 78-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0.
The Rams answered with a 4-yard touchdown run by Michael Daugherty that was set up by a 55-yard kickoff return.
But it took the Panthers just one play on their next possession to make it a two-touchdown lead again.
Houck connected with receiver Bryce Coulson on a delayed crossing route as the rest of the Parkview receivers ran go routes. No one covered Coulson, who took the ball and turned up the sidelines as the other receivers blocked for him downfield. Coulson took it to the end zone for an 85-yard score to make it 21-7 at halftime.
The Panthers kept the pressure on with another long touchdown pass — a 64-yarder from Houck to Mike Matthews after the defender covering Matthews fell to the ground.
“We know we can make big plays, but obviously against Grayson, a great defense, not necessarily expecting that many big plays,” Godfree said. “The pass protection was phenomenal. It’s hard to cover anybody for that long.”
Spain also had a demoralizing 56-yard run in the second half, though the drive ended in a missed field goal.
“Khyair Spain continues to run extremely hard, and those big boys in front of him continue to push,” Godfree said.
Trailing 28-14, Grayson running back Dylan Elder ripped off runs of 14, 10, and 8 yards before plunging in for a 1-yard score to make it 28-21 with 3:33 remaining in the game. Elder finished with 13 carries for 84 yards and the TD.
The Rams elected to not try the onside kick. The Panthers gained a first down to force Grayson to exhaust its timeouts, but the Rams looked like they were going to get the ball back with 1:24 remaining. But as the Panthers tried to punt the ball away, the Rams were called for an illegal substitution, giving Parkview a first down and the opportunity to run out the clock.
The Rams had already clinched the region title coming into the game and remain the top seed from the region headed into the playoffs.
PHS|7|14|7|0|--|28
GHS|0|7|7|7|--|21
First Quarter
PHS — Carson Wilson 25 pass from Colin Houck (Carlos Munoz kick)
Second Quarter
PHS — Khyair Spain 78 run (Munoz kick)
GHS — Michael Daugherty 4 run (Jimmy Gonzalez kick)
PHS — Bryce Coulson 85 pass from Houck (Munoz kick)
Third Quarter
PHS — Mike Matthews 64 pass from Houck (Tre Barker kick)
GHS — John Cineas 19 pass from Jeff Davis (Paul Duncan kick)
Fourth Quarter
GHS — Dylan Elder 1 run (Gonzalez kick)
Records—Parkview 7-3, 3-2; Grayson 8-2, 4-1
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