By Robert Thomas / Contributor
WACO — Parish Episcopal is no stranger to playing in the TAPPS Division I title game and certainly was more than familiar with Friday’s opponent, district rival Plano Prestonwood.
What wasn’t familiar was the defensive showdown that led to Parish earning its sixth state championship in seven years with a 14-7 victory at Waco ISD Stadium.
The Panthers (12-1) came up with several big plays on both sides of the ball during a decisive fourth quarter to secure the win, including two big defensive stops in the last two minutes that proved to be the difference.
“Our defense has done such a great job this season and it’s only fitting that they came through with the game on the line,” Parish Episcopal head coach Daniel Novakov said. “After losing in last year’s title game, I wanted to win this game so much for our seniors and our guys came through when it mattered most.”
Parish claimed a 38-35 win over Prestonwood during the regular season. However, through three quarters in Friday’s rematch, the Panthers held just a 7-0 lead.
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But that lead didn’t stay intact, as the Lions marched on a 19-play, 80-yard drive to tie the game with 7:53 left on a short run by A.J. Morreale.
Needing an answer, the Parish offense drive into Prestonwood territory with four minutes to play, only to bog down and face fourth-and-16 from the Prestonwood 34.
That’s when senior receiver Jaylen Pile pile stepped up, hauling in a 26-yard strike from freshman quarterback Logan Lucero (141 total yards) to set up first-and-goal from the Prestonwood 6. It was Pile’s only catch of the game.
“Jaylen came up big and came through for us when we had to have a big play,” Novakov said of the Michigan signee. “But that’s something he’s done for us all year long.”
Three plays later, Johnathon Phillips scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run for a 14-7 Parish advantage.
Prestonwood didn’t go quietly, driving inside the Parish 30 with just under a minute to play. But the Panthers turned away the drive in big fashion, thanks to Kingston Thornton’s leaping interception in the end zone with 44 seconds to play.
“When the ball went up, I knew I couldn’t let it get past me,” Thornton said. “I just fought to stay on top of the receiver in the end zone and made sure to hold on to the ball.”
The Panthers punted the ball back to Prestonwood with 25 seconds remaining. The Lions moved to the Parish 21-yard line and unleashed one final throw to the end zone on fourth down. Thornton knocked it down as time expired.
Earlier, Phillips scored on a 1-yard run to cap a 12-play, 60-yard drive in the second quarter. The Lions attempted a 46-yard field goal shortly afterward, but Parish’s Benjamin Rich and Brooks Lloyd blocked the kick to keep Prestonwood off the scoreboard.
