DENISON, Texas — A fast, physical run game and a tide-turning defensive play lifted Decatur to a decisive 49–21 win over Paris in Saturday’s Class 4A Division I area round playoff at Munson Stadium. The victory advances the Eagles (8–3) to the regional quarterfinals against top-ranked Celina next Friday.

The game, originally set for Thursday night, was delayed to Saturday afternoon due to weather, but the schedule shift did nothing to slow Decatur’s momentum. Coming off the emotional high of the school’s volleyball state championship the day before, head coach and athletic director Steve Huff said the team handled the unusual week with maturity.

“I’m proud of the kids,” Huff said. “To move the game back, tell them to go support volleyball, get home, then turn around for a 1 p.m. kickoff..  the kids handled things really well this week.”

Decatur led 28–7 at halftime, but Paris struck quickly to open the third quarter. Wildcats quarterback Tyler Heath led an efficient eight-play, 80-yard drive, capping it with a short touchdown run to cut the lead to 28–14 with 9:39 left in the third.

Huff said the Eagles expected Paris to push out of the locker room.

“We told the kids at halftime, ‘Get a stop right here, this is crucial,’” Huff said. “They responded and never batted an eye.”

The response came from the Eagles’ backfield.

Senior running backs Jake Milligan and Jamari Fletcher tore through the Paris front, combining for 275 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Milligan finished with 152 yards on just 12 carries, while Fletcher added 123 yards and two scores on 16 touches.

Milligan said Paris’ scheme opened lanes all afternoon.

“They run a five-man front and bring the outside linebackers down,” Milligan said. “So there’s not a lot of people in the second level. If you can break through that first wave, you’re gone.”

Milligan did exactly that on several early second-half runs, helping flip field position and set up Decatur’s scoring opportunities.

Then came the first big blow: Fletcher’s electrifying 53-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter, turning a 14-point game into a 21-point lead. He credited the offensive line for the runway.

“We were running that play, and Paris was in a five-man front,” Fletcher said. “You’ve got to be patient and trust your linemen. Hit that gap, make one man miss, and go score.”

Quarterback Rhys Ragan, who rushed for 87 yards and threw for 59 more, said his running backs changed the entire identity of the game.

“If I could pick two players who stood out today, it’s my running backs, Jamari and Jake, #0 and #2,” Ragan said.

Fletcher laughed when told of the praise.

“Even though he always talks trash to me in person, he’s my biggest supporter,” Fletcher said. “If you know Sonic and Knuckles… I’m Knuckles, he’s Sonic. That’s how we balance each other.”

But the play that sealed the game came from the other side of the ball.

With Paris driving after a string of penalties, Heath dropped back on 4th-and-17 from the Decatur 21 and fired toward the end zone. Senior defensive back Casen Cooper intercepted the pass and returned it 105 yards for a touchdown, flipping the stadium and the scoreboard.

“I thought he had stepped out two or three times,” Huff said. “He had a great pass breakup earlier, but that one was huge.”

The pick-six made it 42–14 late in the third and extinguished the Wildcats’ momentum. Paris added a fourth-quarter touchdown, a one-yard run after completions to Marquis Shelton and Jeremiah Humphrey, but never threatened again.

Decatur punched in its final score on another Fletcher burst, this time a 40-yard touchdown run with 10 minutes left, extending the lead to 49–21.

The Eagles finished with 458 total yards, including 399 rushing yards. Sophomore receiver Wyatt Dunn caught four passes for 48 yards, while senior Chase Berg added an 11-yard grab.

Paris totaled 293 yards, with Heath throwing for 198 and adding a rushing score. Running back Aldren Gill led the Wildcats with 68 rushing yards.

Ragan said the win represented growth from last season’s early exit.

“It feels really good knowing we can get out there and do our thing,” he said. “Just doing better than last year and getting better every year.”

Milligan echoed that confidence heading into the showdown with Celina.

“We’ve got a tough opponent next week, but we’re ready to take them on,” he said.

Fletcher said he’s eager for Thanksgiving week football.

“I’m ready for next week’s practice and this Thanksgiving game,” he said. “This year we just get to prove we’re a great team.”

Decatur advances to face the Celina Bobcats at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 at Pennington Field in Bedford (1501 Central Dr.). Paris ends its season at 7–5.

BOX SCORE

TEAM STATS

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Paris
Passing: Heath 17–30, 198 yards, TD, INT; Brown 0–1.
Rushing: Gill 12–68; Dawson 8–16, TD; Brown 5–8; Heath 8–6, TD; Allen 1–1, TD.
Receiving: F. Brown 2–62; Shelton 2–52; Roberts 5–39; Dawson 3–23; Record 1–8; Gill 1–5; Finch 1–9.

Decatur
Passing: Ragan 5–9, 59 yards.
Rushing: Milligan 12–152, TD; Fletcher 16–123, TD; Ragan 3–87; Boner 1–28; Rivera 2–10.
Receiving: Dunn 4–48; Berg 1–11.

Stats and play-by-play are based on live in-game estimates.