Paradise Honors football hung on by its fingernails for most of the first three quarters of its season opener.
Visiting Goodyear Trivium Prep had the run of play for most of this sloppy first game, but only led 20-12 early in the fourth and faced a punt out of its end zone. The Panthers pounced on opportunities in the final 10 minutes.
Paradise Honors (1-0) took advantage of a short field and a high punt snap for a 14-point fourth quarter. Senior tailback/safety Dylan Hoyt punctuated a 21-carry, 113-yard performance with a pair of one-yard plunges to cap a 26-20 Panthers win.
While the offseason narrative focused on the large crop of transfers from Willow Canyon, that group is sitting out the first five games. Hoyt transferred in for Valley Vista, which did not contest his eligibility, and became a Paradise Honors captain - and in many ways this young team's heartbeat.
"He took over a leadership role and got these kids to rally around him from the moment he transferred in. He kind of put the team on his back this summer," Paradise Honors coach Josh Goodloe said.
It was a quick turnaround in a game that started like a slow, painful loss for the 3A home team against its 2A opponent. The Crimson' Kights' misdirection-heavy ground attack steadily converted difficult third downs in the first half behind senior running back Dylan Spencer and senior quarterback Luke Willingham.
It added up to a 13-6 Trivium Prep advantage on the back of holding the ball about 17 of the opening 19 minutes. Spencer's 10-yard scoring run and Willingham's 1-yard stretch built the early lead.
"They tested us in the first half and punched us in the mouth. They're physical and are a tough team to face in the opening week," Goodloe said.
That was the halftime score, then both teams picked up the pace in the second half, scoring in the first four minutes.
Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Thomas brought the Panthers within one on the opening drive, scrambling and finding fellow sophomore receiver Jaiden Lailson on a seven-yard touchdown pass.
In less than two minutes the Crimson Knights fortified its lead, thanks to a 30-yard run by Spencer, a Panthers personal foul and Spencer's seven-yard scoring finish.
Paradise Honors scored on three of its five second half drives - and the fifth was a pair of kneel downs. Yet the one sustained drive that did not end in points may have keyed the comeback.
Thomas, a natural slot receiver/cornerback playing quarterback, led a drive of more than eight minutes to give a gassed Panthers defense a break. He converted two long fourth downs with a 21-yard pass to Lailson and a 21-yard scramble.
"I thought he played a great game. He's a sophomore coming up on varsity and took a quarterback role," Goodloe said. "He's naturally a slot and a corner, but we decided to put our best athlete there. Those two fourth down plays were huge."
The drive pinned Trivium Prep (0-1) back and the Paradise Honors defense got its first of two key fourth quarter stops.
"Ian Sjolander, I'm really proud of that kid. He really put in that work today. He plays safety and came down and ran the alley as best he could. Outside backer Noah Locke did the same thing. And I couldn't be more proud of my d-line," Hoyt said.
The Panthers only needed to drive 25 yards to tie, as Thomas hit sophomore Logan Pruett for two. After another quick stop at the Crimson Knights 28 they took advantage of a high punt snap that bounced all the way to the one before being downed.
Hoyt said he is proud of the way Thomas stepped in and confident he can hold down the fort until sophomore Willow Canyon transfer Gage Baker is eligible.
The win against a solid 2A team should help next week when tough 4A foe Estrella Foothills visits. Goodloe said this team's resilient attitude started at Holbrook, as the kids made a comeback in a 7-on-7 tournament against River Valley.
"This comeback win is a big ego booster and confidence booster. I think we can come out the next week and do the same thing. We got to prepare better this week and see what happens," Hoyt said.
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.
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