SPRINGTOWN, Texas — December 5, 2025 — Peaster’s defense had been tested before, but never with a season on the line. With Paradise driving in the final minutes and momentum swinging toward the Panthers, the Greyhounds needed one more stop. They got it.
Peaster forced its third interception of the night on a deep shot with under a minute remaining, sealing a gritty 17–14 win in the 3A Division I state quarterfinals Friday at Porcupine Stadium. The victory advances the Greyhounds (13–1) to next week’s state semifinal matchup against Grandview.
Junior quarterback Luke Gray led Peaster with an efficient night through the air, completing 11 of 18 passes for 179 yards with a long strike of 62 yards to senior receiver Cade McCollough. Senior running back Mark Tullous powered the ground game with 35 rushing yards and both Peaster touchdowns, including a pair of short scoring runs that anchored the Greyhounds’ first-half momentum.
Greyhounds strike early with balanced offense
Peaster opened with one of its cleanest offensive halves of the postseason, mixing Gray’s downfield accuracy with Tullous’ physical running style. The Greyhounds finished the night with 288 total yards, 179 through the air and 109 on the ground, averaging 5.3 yards per play and controlling tempo against a Paradise defense that had allowed just 14 points per game entering the quarterfinal round.
Gray found multiple receivers early, connecting with McCollough (82 yards), Kaden Albert (27 yards), and Colt Turner (28 yards) as Peaster stretched the field. McCollough’s 62-yard catch-and-run late in the first quarter set up Tullous’ first touchdown run, giving Peaster an early lead.
Meanwhile, junior running back Hudson Salyers added 40 rushing yards, and junior back Walker Lacy chipped in 30 yards on six carries, keeping Paradise off balance with effective changes of pace.
Paradise offense flashes big-play potential
Paradise (10–4) leaned heavily on junior quarterback Ayden Olalde, who completed 14 of 31 passes for 132 yards, including one touchdown but also three costly interceptions. The Panthers found rhythm in the second quarter as Olalde connected with freshman receiver Casen Meyers, who hauled in three receptions for 41 yards, including Paradise’s lone receiving touchdown.
Senior receiver Logan Lampley posted a strong outing with five catches for 61 yards, while senior running back Luke Brown anchored the ground attack with 52 rushing yards and another 11 receiving, totaling 63 all-purpose yards.
Paradise finished with 244 total yards, 112 rushing and 132 passing, and outgained Peaster 112–109 on the ground. Junior back Cooper Romines added 43 rushing yards, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, providing needed spark between the tackles.
Peaster defense sets the tone
The Greyhounds’ defense delivered one of its most complete playoff performances of the season, stacking 61 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. Senior linebacker Hagen Hadley led the unit with nine tackles, while junior linebacker Slayte Robertson added eight stops, including a key third-down tackle late in the third quarter.
Senior defensive back Cade McCollough not only contributed offensively but snagged one of Peaster’s three interceptions. Junior defensive back Layton Kennedy and senior athlete Kaden Albert each added a pick as well, repeatedly halting Paradise drives just as they crossed midfield.
Junior linebacker Walker Lacy had seven tackles, and senior lineman Derek Zubiate contributed four stops inside, helping Peaster stiffen in the red zone.
The Panthers struggled to finish drives, despite moving the ball consistently between the 20s. Olalde accounted for 150 total yards, but Peaster’s pressure and disciplined safety play closed windows quickly.
Second-half grind favors Peaster
Leading 14–7 at halftime, Peaster added a third-quarter field goal to extend the advantage to 17–7. Paradise answered with a late touchdown run by Olalde, trimming the deficit to 17–14 with just over five minutes to play.
The Panthers forced a punt and had one final possession with under two minutes remaining, but on a second-down deep attempt, Albert stepped in front of a pass for his interception, Peaster’s third takeaway of the game, sealing the win.
With the victory, Peaster advances to the state semifinal round for one of the deepest playoff runs in school history. The Greyhounds will face Grandview on Friday, December 12 at 7 p.m. with a spot in the state championship game on the line.
BOX SCORE
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Peaster 17, Paradise 14
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1Q: Peaster 7, Paradise 0
2Q: Peaster 7, Paradise 7
3Q: Peaster 3, Paradise 0
4Q: Peaster 0, Paradise 7
FINAL: Peaster 17, Paradise 14
SCORING SUMMARY
• Peaster — Tullous 3 run (PAT)
• Peaster — Tullous 2 run (PAT)
• Paradise — Meyers 18 pass from Olalde (PAT)
• Peaster — FG
• Paradise — Olalde 4 run (PAT)
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TOTAL GAME STATISTICS
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TEAM TOTALS
Peaster: 288 total yards (179 pass, 109 rush) • 3 INT • 61 tackles
Paradise: 244 total yards (132 pass, 112 rush) • 2 TD • 2 PAT
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PEASTER INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Passing: Luke Gray — 11/18, 179 yds
Rushing: Mark Tullous — 9 car, 35 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Hudson Salyers — 15 car, 40 yds
Receiving: Cade McCollough — 2 rec, 82 yds
Receiving: Kaden Albert — 3 rec, 27 yds
Defense: Hagen Hadley — 9 tackles
Defense: Slayte Robertson — 8 tackles, 1 TFL
Defense: McCollough, Albert, Kennedy — 1 INT each
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PARADISE INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Passing: Ayden Olalde — 14/31, 132 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Luke Brown — 13 car, 52 yds
Rushing: Cooper Romines — 8 car, 43 yds
Receiving: Logan Lampley — 5 rec, 61 yds
Receiving: Casen Meyers — 3 rec, 41 yds, 1 TD
Total Offense: Olalde — 150 total yards
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All statistics and play-by-play information are live, in-game estimates.