MAGNET COVE- On an unseasonably warm and humid night in southwest Arkansas, the Paris Eagles fought valiantly all night for its fourth win of the season and a state playoff berth. But after a long game that seemingly had everything, and a herculean effort by senior quarterback Maddox Watts, it was the Magnet Cove Panthers surviving on a last-minute field goal to defeat Paris, 45-43.
But in true Eagles form that has been indicative of the hard play and determination the team has shown all year, Paris mounted one last drive on a final long scamper by Maddox Watts who had torched the Panthers’ defense all night. The Panthers’ defense simply did not have an answer for Watts who beat them all night with both his arm and his legs.
With less than two seconds remaining in the game, the Eagles attempted a 41-yard field goal to win the game. The kick was blocked, and the game came to an end; a heartbreaking loss for an Eagles team that left everything on the field in Magnet Cove on Friday night.
As a result of Friday’s loss, the Paris Eagles are eliminated from state playoff contention. Paris will conclude its season next Friday in their final home game of the season when they host the Danville Little Johns. Paris will have the opportunity to win its fourth game of the season and will also have the opportunity to add freshmen players to the roster to begin the process of looking forward to next season.
After the conclusion of games around the conference on Friday, the standings in 3A-4 at the end of week nine are:
Glen Rose 6-0
Bismarck 5-1
Centerpoint 5-1
Magnet Cove 3-3
Jessieville 3-3
Paris 1-5
Danville 1-5
Two Rivers 0-7
If Jessieville and Magnet Cove remain tied in the conference standings at the end of next week, Jessieville will be the four seed in the state playoffs by virtue of their 30-28 win over Magnet Cove on October 20. In week ten, Jessieville hosts Two Rivers, and Magnet Cove travels to Glen Rose.
RNN Sports will have a preview of the Eagles’ final game with Danville in next week’s RNN Logan / Franklin County Edition weekly newspaper. Photos from tonight’s game will be posted on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports on Tuesday.
Congratulations to the Eagles on a great effort tonight at Magnet Cove, and all season. The team showed substantial improvement this year, and the future is bright for the Paris football program. Paris fans need to come out in big numbers to honor this year’s seniors and all of the players who fought so hard and represented the community so well all season long.
And, as always, we will see you at the stadium next Friday!
