Panthers pounce in nondistrict matchup
KATY — There’s never been a football season quite like 2020, when schedules mean little and schools may be looking to find replacement games on short notice at any given time.
That situation faced Paetow and Deer Park, teams that have clinched playoff spots in their respective classifications. Both coaches wanted to play football this week, as opposed to sitting out the weekend and waiting for the playoffs to begin next week.
“We’ve already had two open weeks this year ,” Paetow coach B. J. Gotte said .“I felt a third open week was a little bit much, and finding an opponent that was going to give us a good game, I felt like is going to make us better.
otte talked with Deer Park coach Austin Flynn last week in an effort tomake it a possibility to play each other. On Thursday night at Rhodes Stadium, the teams faced off in a nondistrict game.
Paetow came to play. The Panthers stormed out to a 17point lead, then rallied for a 40-21 victory in the regularseason finale for both teams.
Damon Bankston rushed for 242 yards and three touchdowns on only 16 carries for the Panthers (8-1), who are playing only their third season of varsity football.
The Panthers jumped out to a 17-0 lead on two long Bankston touch downs and a 44-yard field goal from Anthony Fuentes. But the Deer responded behind the passing of Matthew Potts in the second quarter to get within 17-14 at the break. The Deer took a 21-17 third-quarter lead on Potts’ 5-yard scoring pass to Gavin Howard, but the Panthers scored the final 23 points to win going away.
“They were a huge challenge for us,” Gotte said. “The opportunity to get to play a competitive football game against a good program was something we couldn’t pass up.”
Regardless of Thursday’s outcome, Deer Park was locked in to play two-time reigning state champion North Shore in the first round of the playoffs. Paetow’s Class 5A Division I playoff opponent is yet to be determined.
Panthers quarter back C. J. Dumas directed the win. Potts threw for 185 yards, and Deer running back Alex Argueta gained 117 yards.
Originally Paetow, in 10-5 A Division I, was scheduled to play a zone crossover game this week. Based on seeding, Paetow was supposed to play Milby. Deer Park (5-5) of District 22-6A was scheduled to play Seven Lakes.
“When we figured we were going to have an open date with this, and it was all contingent on the district too, tomake sure we got our games inat that time,” Flynn said. “It was always a buffer week, but I also wanted to play a game if we able to at this point.”
Decisions, decisions. Both coaches weighed the pros and cons of playing a game this week.
“Yougo back and forth on do you take an extra week to rest up and get healthy and the risk of being rusty and not being at your full strength in terms of your execution? Or do you play and possibly go to the playoffs as polished as you can be, but risk injury?” Gotte said. “I don’t know if there’s a good answer or perfect solution.
“If you don’t win (your previous game), do you really want to sit aweek without playing, just off a loss? My deal is if you lose a game, one of the best things you can do is get back out the next week and play. But if you win that game, you’re going into that (playoff) week feeling good about yourself.”
Flynn felt it was best for his players to get rewarded for their hardwork to get on the field Thursday and play a full schedule in a tiring year.
“It’s what’s best for the kids, the kids just want to play and to have a full season,” Flynn said. “I don’t think there’s a right answer to this. But I’d rather play, especially our seniors, it allows them to play as many games as they possibly can, especially all the things they’ve had to go through the last six, seven months.
“There’s a little risk-reward with that too. I think just playing a full slate and keeping your edge is more of an advantage than not playing.”
Paetow has looked impressive all season and did again on Thursday. Sophomore linebacker Alex Kilgore had a monster game, and his fumble recovery late in the third quarter led to the go-ahead score — a 30yard Bankston touchdown run that followed his touchdown runs of 31 and 55 yards.
Deer Park struggled in its first three games, going 0-3 in nondistrict action. They’ve closed out the season strong. Entering Thursday’s game, the Deer were coming off 55-0 and 56-6 victories over Pasadena and South Houston respectively.
“We’ve improved every week,” Flynn said. “That’s all you can ask for.”
Even though both teams were playoff bound, both played to win on Thursday, leaving everything they had on the field.
“We compete to win,” Gotte said. “I’m not going to have my coaches spending time away from their families and invest the amountof time and energy we do for a game, to go out and just go through the emotions. We approach edit like every other game.”
Added Flynn: “Both teams went in there like it’s another big district game.”