Double overtime classic: Alvarado surges from behind to defeat Frisco Panther Creek
Before a Texas high school football area round matchup at The Ford Center, Alvarado’s coaching staff told junior kicker Isaiah Sanchez, “Anything is achievable when you believe.”
Alvarado, ranked No. 3 in Class 4A Division One, faced a 10-point deficit against Frisco Panther Creek with 2:45 remaining in the fourth quarter on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Ford Center.
A quick touchdown, an onside kick recovery, and a field goal made it a tie game as regulation concluded. In double overtime, Sanchez was the hero with a 31-yard game-winning field goal to give Alvarado a 44-41 victory over the Panthers.
“I believed in myself,” Sanchez said. “I believed in my teammates. That’s how we did it.”
Alvarado head coach Casey Walraven said he “can’t be any prouder” of his team.
Alvarado led 24-13 at the half, but Panther Creek (10-2) scored 21 unanswered points. It seemed Alvarado lost all momentum, yet when it mattered most, the Indians found success.
“It’s the resiliency, and we continue to work,” Walraven said. “In the weight room and in the offseason. We talk about whistle to whistle and play to play.”
Alvarado (12-0) will face Springtown or Sulphur Springs next, depending on the outcome of their area round game on Friday, Nov. 22.
Quarterback Cardea Collier led the way, passing for 253 yards and completing 20 of 29 passes. He also notched 81 yards rushing en route to accounting for four total touchdowns.
“Find a way to be successful,” Walraven said of the game. “When you got playmakers like ours, they can do it, and that’s what happened.”
Running back Demarcus Belton recorded 216 total yards, while wide receiver Lance Sansom tallied 131 yards and a touchdown.
“We gave him a challenge,” Walraven said of Sansom. “He had to play both ways and special teams. ... I couldn’t be more proud. So proud of that kid. He hurt his knee last year and didn’t finish. What a great thing to happen for a kid like him.”
Walraven said his team was fortunate to make so many mistakes. He credited his team for overcoming them, adding they’ll have to play with more discipline moving forward.
After a first quarter that saw two turnovers and a field goal from Panther Creek, Alvarado’s offense found the end zone with a 29-yard reception from Sansom, and Collier followed it up with a three-yard rushing score.
The Indians added to their lead with a casual 50-yard touchdown from Belton, who had a wide-open lane. The Panthers rapidly responded as Eylon White returned the kickoff 83 yards to the end zone.
“We had a lot of mistakes on special teams,” Walraven said. “But ironically, special teams won us the game.”
Alvarado’s offense took over and thrived, getting to the one-yard line on a Sansom reception. At this point, chaos ensued; Collier tried to stuff it in but was stripped by Donovan Webb, and Jalen Lott recovered and returned to midfield.
However, Alvarado held Panther Creek to a field goal. The Indians, while racing the second quarter clock, then manufactured an efficient touchdown drive that ended with an 11-yard strike from Collier to Sansom.
Next, it seemed the half would end, but a fumble recovered from Aden Harris set up a successful buzzer-beating 45-yard field goal from Sanchez.
Despite the poor end to the half, Panther Creek regained momentum in the third with elite play from wide receiver Cristian Trickett. He first recorded a 35-yard touchdown reception and, after a Alvarado punt, gave his team the lead with a 6-yard slant.
After both teams traded punts, Alvarado rolled the dice on fourth down and couldn’t convert. That set up a Panther Creek drive culminating with a 29-yard touchdown reception from receiver Parker Ord.
It seemed a turnover on downs would be the final blow to Alvarado, but then the Indians started their comeback.
The Alvarado defense did its job by holding the Panthers on downs as well at the Indians’ 28. Two passes from Collier to Sansom set up a 33-yard scoring strike to Belton across the middle to make it 34-31 with 2:41 remaining.
With only one time-out left, everyone in the Ford Center knew an onside kick was coming, and it did. The ball bounded around, but Alvarado’s D.J. Clampitt pounced on it at the Panther Creek 40.
Collier ran it twice down to the four, but on third and goal, Panther Creek’s Daniel Conway darted through and dropped Collier for a seven-yard loss, forcing a 27-yard field goal by Sanchez that tied the game 34-34 with 35 seconds left in regulation.
Alvarado capitalized in overtime with a two-yard rushing touchdown from Collier, but Panther Creek evened things up with Trickett’s third touchdown of the game, a 28-yarder.
Walraven and his staff then challenged the team on the sideline, saying, “If you get a stop, we’ll go win this thing.”
The defense stepped up, halting Alvarado’s offense as Alvarado Defensive back Schyler Dethorne notched an interception that set up Sanchez’ game-winner.
“Hats off to (Panther Creek),” Walraven said. “They are a phenomenal football team. But we were the better team tonight.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 10:32 PM.
.jpg)