Chico rallies in 2nd half to beat rival Paradise
Coleman’s third TD makes the difference for Panthers
PARADISE >> Dion Coleman couldn’t help but rush to the bench, lay down and catch his breath.
After the freshman running back for the Chico High football team bounced to the outside and broke off for a 79-yard touchdown run that gave the Panthers the lead, Coleman needed the breather.
“I was gassed,” Coleman said. “But it was still an amazing feeling.”
After trailing 14- 0 early on, the Panthers shut out host Paradise in the second half to win 29-22 Friday night at Om Wraith Field.
“Our first half was a little shaky,” Chico head coach Jason Alvistur said. “We came back in the second half and we played with a lot of energy and a lot of heart.”
The Bobcats opened the game quick after running back Tyler Harrison ran in for an 18-yard
touchdown on the Bobcats’ opening drive to lead 7- 0. Then following a quick three-and- out from the Panthers, Paradise strung together another touchdown drive.
One second down near midfield, Harrison burst through for a 51-yard score to push Paradise’s lead to 14- 0.
In the second quarter, it was the freshman Coleman who found his way to the end zone on a 68yard run to trim the deficit to 14-7.
But Paradise extended its cushion when quarterback Braden Gonzales picked up a gain of 11 yards on a keeper to set up a 2-yard touchdown run from Stetson Morgan. After a blocked PAT, Paradise led 20-7.
The next Panthers’ drive was highlighted by a 23-yard pass from quarterback Jake Hamman to Joe Lor. Coleman capped the drive with his second touchdown of the night, this time a short 2-yard carry to get the Panthers within 20-14.
Paradise’s defense backed up the Panthers to their own 1-yard line and forced a safety to take a 22-14 lead into halftime.
The Panthers tied the game in the third quarter as Hamman connected with Tad Hervey, who made an 8-yard touchdown catch. Hamman would then roll out and run in for a successful 2-point conversion to make it 22-all with 7 minutes, 59 seconds left.
Following a quick three-and- out, Chico took over. On second down at the Panthers 21, Coleman broke off for a full-blown sprint down the field for a 79-yard touchdown — his third of the night — to take the lead 29-22.
“He’s a special kid. He’s very talented and he works hard,” Alvistur said of Coleman. “It’s hard to bring up a freshman because you don’t know how they’re going to react. He’s tough mentally and mature.”
In the final quarter, Paradise’s Tommy Davis hauled in an interception to give the Bobcats a chance to tie. At Chico’s 5-yard line and on fourth down, the Bobcats’ pass fell incomplete with 1:33 to go, sealing the win for Chico.
“We were two or three plays away from winning this thing,” said Bobcats’ coach Rick Prinz. “We got wore down.”
Friday’s game may have served as the final matchup between two former Eastern Athletic League foes. Since the Camp Fire in 2018, enrollment at Paradise High has declined, leading the Bobcats into a smaller league against smaller schools.
It’s long been a rivalry that’s led to close games. The two coaches, Prinz and Alvistur, brief ly reminisced of the many games the two teams have had.
“Paradise and Chico the last 10 years we’ve had some barnburners. It was another one of those games where you go back and forth and trade,” Alvistur said. “Unfortunately, I don’t know if we’ll be playing Paradise again for a while.”