Paetow shook off adversity, delivered in the clutch for program’s first title
ARLINGTON — All Paetow had to get was 1 yard.
The Panthers were facing fourth down from the 3-yard line in overtime, trailing 24-21 after College Station booted a field goal on the opening possession. Coach B.J. Gotte decided to roll the dice with the game and season on the line.
Why?
“Those guys up front,” Gotte said. “Confidence in those linemen.”
That confidence paid off as quarterback C.J. Dumas took the snap and lunged forward on a sneak. The senior signal-caller and team captain reached the line to gain, and the mark was upheld by a measurement and video review.
One play later, senior running back Jacob Brown bruised into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
Paetow made history with its 27-24 victory in the UIL Class 5A Division I state title game Friday at AT&T Stadium.
“It really is great knowing that our hard work up front is able to produce great results with touchdowns and huge plays,” said lineman James Bailey, one of nine senior starters for the Panthers’ offense. “Up front, we all knew what we needed to do, and I’m pretty sure that (College Station) did, too. … We wanted it more, pretty much.”
On Dec. 17, 2020, Paetow saw its third varsity season come to an abrupt end after COVID-19 issues forced it to forfeit a second-round playoff game against New Braunfels Canyon.
One year later — again, on Dec. 17 — the Panthers were hoisting their first-ever state championship trophy.
“After last season, anybody could have been defeated and went down and been down on (themselves),” said senior defensive back Kentrell Webb, the game’s defensive MVP. “But we took it as an opportunity to capitalize and make plays. We were bringing a lot of guys back, and we had some younger guys who were developing. We really felt strong and confident.”
Paetow looked poised to close out the victory in regulation before College Station star running back Marquise Collins ripped off a 71-yard touchdown run with about four minutes remaining.
The Panthers did not let that momentum shift faze them, however, and the defense delivered in overtime. Paetow forced the Cougars into a field goal, which set the stage for the late-game heroics from Dumas, Brown and the offensive line.
With so much riding on each play, the Panthers felt prepared for the moment.
“After practice, we do this thing called situational,” said junior linebacker Alex Kilgore, who recorded seven tackles and delivered a huge fumble return late in the third quarter. “And we changed it up (this week), and it was overtime. (Gotte) put us through this scenario, and it clearly paid off today.”
It certainly did.
The Paetow victory encapsulated a lot of things. The Panthers made big plays on both sides of the ball. They fought through early adversity after College Station scored on the first play from scrimmage. They maintained their composure in the clutch with the game on the line. But for Gotte, another key factor was the heart they showed.
“These kids, they feed off each other,” he said. “We’ve talked to them from the very beginning about doing your best every day. They’ve been trained for these type of moments. … They’ve always done their best, whether it’s August or December. Every day they come out and do their absolute best and train to be a champion. They have confidence in each other. We’ve already prepared for this, and they believe in each other, and that’s why you got the result you got tonight.”