Nolan Catholic’s season comes to surprising end vs. Plano John Paul II in playoffs

The Nolan Catholic Vikings’ best season in more than a handful of years came to a surprising end Friday night, while Plano John Paul II continued its best season in team history with a 49-15 victory at Mustang-Panther Stadium.

Cardinals quarterback Grayson James accounted for six touchdowns, including five in the first half, as John Paul built a 35-15 halftime advantage. James threw for four scores and ran for another in the first two quarters, adding a fifth TD pass in the second half.

John Paul (9-3) is enjoying its first winning season ever. Since first fielding a team in 2006, the Cardinals were 20-112 before this season. Their win total this season matches that of the previous seven seasons combined.

The Cardinals advance to meet either Plano Prestonwood (9-2) or San Antonio Antonian (8-3) in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Division I state semifinals next weekend. Prestonwood handed John Paul a 22-10 loss earlier in the season.

The Vikings end the season with an 11-1 mark, the most victories they’ve had since going 10-4 in 2013 and winning a third consecutive state championship (and fifth in six years).

The Cardinals also ended a 12-game losing streak to the Vikings, posting their first win ever against Nolan Catholic. The Vikings had won each of the previous dozen meetings by an average score of 51-8.

Nolan took two early leads of 6-0 on a 6-yard run by Emeka Megwa and 13-7 on a 46-yard run by Sergio Snider, sandwiched around James’ first TD pass of 3 yards to Myles Parker.

From that point, John Paul outscored Nolan 42-2.

The Cardinals scored twice in the span of 14 seconds in the first quarter to take a 20-13 lead. After James connected with Jerand Bradley for a 41-yard touchdown pass, the Cardinals recovered a fumbled kickoff by the Vikings. On the first play of the next possession, James found Parker for a 32-yard scoring pass.

Nolan blocked the PAT kick, and Jackson Reed picked up the ball and raced 85 yards for two points to pull the Vikings to within 20-15 after the opening quarter, but they would get no closer.

James ended the night 23 of 36 for 402 yards. Parker caught four passes for 121 yards and three touchdowns, adding a 73-yard TD catch early in the second half. Bradley hauled in seven catches for 176 yards, including another TD of 43 yards.

Following a 66-yard interception return by Cam Peters, James scored on a 9-yard run to give the Cardinals a three-score halftime advantage.

Carson Collins ended the night’s scoring for John Paul with a 2-yard run.

Snider led all rushers on the night with 99 yards on 11 carries, 18 more yards than the Cardinals had as a team.

The Cardinals had a commanding time of possession advantage. They held the ball for almost 34 minutes, compared to around 14 for the Vikings.