Parish Episcopal held off a furious Aledo rally to hold on to a 24-17 victory Friday at home in the 2022 season opening game for each team.
The Panthers looked to have the game in hand when they scored on a 71-yard pass from quarterback Sawyer Anderson Bryson Fields on the second play of the third quarter. Sawyer finished with 216 passing yards and three touchdowns on 17-29 passing.
But the third TD pass play only seemed to wake up the Aledo defense.
The Bearcats came up with interceptions on three consecutive Panther possessions to turn the momentum. Aven Lawrence, Chris Johnson and Ky Howington came up with the interceptions for Aledo.
Jalen Pope, who finished with six receptions for 111 yards pulled Aledo to within 24-9 with his 39-yard TD catch of a Hauss Hejny pass with 4:09 left in the third quarter.
Johnson returned his interception all the way back to the Parish Episcopal 1-yard line and Davhon Keys got the 1-yard TD run to make it 24-17 with 1:58 left in the third quarter.
Aledo had the ball with a chance to tie the game several times in the fourth quarter. Aledo’s final drive ended with a turnover on downs at the Parish Episcopal 29 with less that two minutes to play. Aledo also turned the ball over on downs at the Panther 29 on their first possession of the game.
After the Panthers scored on their first possession, Aledo moved to the fourth-and-goal from the 3 but failed to convert on their second possession of the game.
Aledo finished with 311 yards of offense in the game to 319 for Parish Episcopal.
Hejny completed 7 of 14 passes for 130 yards and he led the Aledo rushing attack with 68 yards on 11 carries. Cap Mooney had 61 yards on 18 carries.
Things don’t get any easier for Aledo as they host Denton Guyer next Friday in their home opener.
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