With just three weeks remaining in the high school regular season, the Paris Eagles (7-0, 4-0) will host the Perryville Mustangs tonight at Eagles Stadium, Perryville (6-1, 4-0) will come to Paris to not only seek revenge for last year’s loss at Perryville, but to remain in at least a tie for first place in the 3A-4. Currently, setting at the top of the conference standings are Booneville, Paris, and Perryville. Fourth place Atkins is now 2-2 on the conference season. A win by either team tonight potentially sets-up a showdown with Booneville for the conference championship. It is a three team race with Paris traveling to Booneville next week, and Perryville hosting the Bearcats on November 8 in Week 10.
Add all of this up, and it is obviously a huge game tonight for both schools. But for the Paris Eagles, it will be also be a special night that will see the program honor an outstanding senior class that has brought Paris back to prominence in 3A football. The class highlighted by such standouts as Duke Walker, Chase Watts, and Mequell Ellingberg, to name a few, endured their first two years with winless seasons. The class perservered through the tough years, and now, a casual observer would have a hard time believing the program had been down four years ago. They are the example of how hard work and sticking to a goal, even when you are not immediately having success, ultimately pays off. This is a team that could go a long way this year in the state playoffs, but this year’s senior class has kept the Eagles focused each week, and that will be tested once again tonight when they play a very good Perryville Mustangs team.
Perryville’s only loss on the season was a home non-conference loss to Bigelow. The Mustangs are led on offense by junior quarterback Tyler Givens. Givens, according to Max Preps, has passed 76 times for 1034 yards and averages 147 yards per game. Givens per pass completion averages a little more than 13 yards per pass. He will face a face Paris secondary that will attempt to limit his success in the air tonight for the Mustangs.
For Paris fans, I would recommend that you arrive at the stadium early to watch the Senior Night ceremony. In fact, I would arrive around 6 p.m. to be in place to watch the ceremony that should begin at approximately 6:20 p.m. This class of Paris seniors deserve a big crowd to come out and pay tribute to their accomplishments and for being perhaps the most successful class of players in Paris football history.
Photos from tonight’s game will be posted on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports no later than Monday. Watch for a recap on this game next week in Resident Press!
So, grab your jacket and head out to Eagles Stadium early tonight to honor Paris seniors and to get ready to watch what should be a great football game between two good teams!
See you at the stadium!
