Paris, TX — Van Alstyne battled stride for stride with Paris in the first half, but the Wildcats’ ground game overwhelmed the Panthers after halftime in a 52–24 defeat on Friday night.

First Half Battle

The Panthers kept pace early thanks to quarterback Brayden Miller, who connected with Tanner Powers on a long pass to set up a scoring drive. Kicker Ayden Mowry added a 31-yard field goal, and Van Alstyne entered the break trailing just 26–21.

Turning Point

Van Alstyne briefly closed the gap to 26–24 midway through the third quarter, but Paris seized control from that point on. Hudson Harper powered in two short touchdown runs, Keshawn Roberts broke away for a 20-yard score, and quarterback Tyler Heath gashed the Panther defense with multiple long runs.

By the end of the fourth quarter, Paris had strung together 26 unanswered points, putting the game away with a late 13-yard touchdown.

Missed Opportunities

Despite late sparks — including a long run from Xavier Vidaurri and a big kickoff return — turnovers proved costly for Van Alstyne. A fumble recovery and an interception near the goal line by Paris’ defense killed potential scoring drives.

Key Performers

Note: MaxPreps only recorded official stats for the second half.

Van Alstyne (1–1):

– Brayden Miller: long completion to Tanner Powers in third-quarter drive

– Tanner Powers: multiple catches, including deep reception into Paris territory

– Ayden Mowry: 31-yard FG Xavier Vidaurri: long second-half run

Paris (2–1):

– Hudson Harper: 2 rushing TDs

– Keshawn Roberts: 20-yard rushing TD

– Tyler Heath: multiple long runs, extended drives

Looking Ahead

Van Alstyne (1–1) will look to regroup quickly as they prepare for their home opener against Aubrey on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers had their matchup with Alvarado washed out by heavy rain in Week 1 but opened the season strong with a 27–14 win over Waxahachie Life. With district play approaching, Van Alstyne’s early non-district tests against Paris and Aubrey will provide a clearer picture of how far the Panthers can push in 2025.

Special thanks to Kaysen Williams for providing photography from the game.

📸 Follow more of their work on Instagram: @kaysenwilliamsphotography