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Geoff's Week Eight Recap October 28, 2009
Geoff Campbell
Special to Panther Football
At 10:05 p.m. Thursday, we stood and clapped.
There was nothing left to say and even if there had been, our throats were shredded by four quarters of shouting as Panther Nation gave voice to inchoate longings, vocalizing soundless emotions and the deepest of desires, minds racing with possibilities and anchored by the moment, the sweet, sweet moment, of Eden regained.
We hugged. We cried. And we didn’t want to let go of the night, the night that saw our Panthers grow into manhood and seize what was rightfully theirs, what’s been rightfully theirs all along, what they should have enjoyed weeks ago, what was stolen from them Sept. 24 in the hugest swindle since Texas was taken from Mexico.
It was Senior Night, and the seniors delivered. It was their time, and no one – and nothing – would deny them.
The seniors, so much a part of the present, will leave such a huge hole when they’re gone. But on this night they roared, leaving nothing to chance, taking destiny by the throat and making their own way. Panther Nation went along for the ride, a deliriously bittersweet ride that saw the team overcome adversity before the game even started and coalesce around the idea that, through its accumulated shared sacrifice, it could find the key to victory.
The result was a total team win that saw major contributions from seniors and juniors alike, a rollicking, convincing, no-room-for-doubt 40-21 victory. In so doing, they kept playoff hopes very much alive. Moreover, the win broke a 30-game streak of district futility that began after the Panthers beat the Granbury Pirates 46-30 – in 2005.
It’s difficult to single out any particular play, or player, in what amounted to a one-heartbeat, one-team victory. At the same time, it’s hard to ignore RB Emmanuel Smith’s 242-yard, five-touchdown performance, the spark provided by the return from injury of QB Brian Gallagher or the pure, gutsy moxie of Doug Parkhurst, who normally plays tight end on offense but moved to tackle when DL Alex Deeds suffered a freak pre-game injury.
Geoff Campbell
Special to Panther Football
It was a beautiful night at a beautiful facility. Pity the outcome was less than beautiful, but even still there was much to like when the Paschal Panthers battled the Richland Rebels Friday night.
WR Chris Smith and QB Robert Dennis teamed up for two beautiful touchdowns. Indeed, Dennis was 9-for-17 passing for 196 yards. Smith hauled in three of those passes for 94 yards. RB Demarcus Kindles broke loose for a thrilling 29-yard run. Patrick Alland split the uprights with a pretty-as-you-please PAT. The final score aside, the defense had some brilliant plays of its own, whether it was a linebacker making a sack or a defensive back breaking up a pass or countless Panther defenders shedding solid blocks to make stops.
Geoff Campbell
Special to Panther Football
As the Paschal Panthers prepare for their much anticipated contest against the Richland Rebels, we find ourselves mulling the concept of respect.
Just a few short years ago, the Panthers received none outside of Panther Nation. Team after team scheduled Paschal for homecoming, essentially using the Panthers as a scout team for whoever they were playing next. Those days are done. Each team on the schedule knows it takes the Panthers lightly at its own peril. Just ask the Weatherford Roos, who for two years running have benefited from third-party chicanery to escape with tainted victories. Paschal has gained the district’s respect.
Geoff Campbell
Special to Panther Football
We’ve heard it time and time again. For that matter, we’ve said it time and time again. Eat your broccoli. Eat your spinach. It’s good for you.
Friday’s contest between the Paschal Panthers and the Abilene Eagles was definitely a broccoli-spinach mélange. It would be difficult to call it fun or even faintly enjoyable if you’re a Panther partisan, but deep inside we all know that it was good for the team. From time-to-time you just need to strap on the pads and go up against the best.
And that’s precisely what Abilene High is – at least in football. The Eagles aren’t ranked among the tops in the state for no reason, and they showed at least 66 reasons why they are Friday night. They’re strong, they’re fast, they’re disciplined. Honestly, if someone were to tell you they are a junior college team, you wouldn’t have any trouble believing it. They’re good.
To say we were disappointed is like saying that boxer Mike Tyson is a bit off or that Cap’n Crunch tastes OK or that it’s probably impolite to belch at the dinner table.
C’mon. Tyson is certifiable, Cap’n Crunch is awesome and belching is never polite.
That having been said, we were disappointed.
One can’t help but be put in mind of Deana Carter’s “Did I Shave My Legs for This?” There we were, Panther Nation assembled, full of bonhomie after tailgating, brimming with camaraderie for our fellow man, fresh off a major victory in getting the game selected as the Star-Telegram’s “Game of the Week,” ready for the Throwdown on University Drive, eager to wash away memories of the Nimitz massacre...
Read Geoff's complete recap of Week Two action
Week One Players of the Week September 10, 2009
Geoff's Week One Recap September 9, 2009
An evening that began with great promise ended in sorrow and concern – not because of what happened on the field but because of what happened to a citizen of Panther Nation.
And perhaps this is the big takeaway from Friday night’s lopsided loss to Irving Nimitz. No matter how much we invest in each block, each tackle, each score, the outcomes of these contests matter less than the relationships forged each season. We are Paschal, yes. But more importantly, we are family.
Read Geoff's complete recap of Week One action
Panthers Stumble Against Vikings
Week Zero Players of the Week September 5, 2009
Smith helps Paschal prevail in high-powered opener
From the STAR-TELEGRAM
Fort Worth Paschal’s Emmanuel Smith and Arlington Sam Houston’s Jamal Turner were almost as electrifying Saturday night as the lightning that initially postponed their teams’ game last week.
