Pregame show at 6:45 p.m., kickoff at 7 p.m. from Panther Stadium
It’s Homecoming night in Paradise, and the No. 5 Panthers welcome the Krum Bobcats to a packed Panther Stadium looking to move to 3-1 against Class 4A competition this season. Follow every snap live right here.
The pregame show, presented by Barefoot Pools, starts at 6:45 p.m., with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Thomas Brown has the play-by-play call tonight, with Brody Gates on production. Prefer to listen on the go? The full broadcast is also available on the NTX Varsity Sports app. Download it free and take Panther football with you wherever Friday night finds you.
Homecoming in Paradise
The mums, the court, the crowd: tonight has all of it, plus a football game with real teeth. And the Panthers have a point to prove at home. Paradise is unbeaten away from Panther Stadium this season, but its lone loss came in front of the home fans against Graham three weeks ago. A Homecoming crowd deserves a statement, and this team is built to deliver one.
The Panthers Are Humming
Paradise made its trip to Fort Worth Christian look easy last Friday, leading 49-21 through three quarters of a 49-28 win. Ayden Olalde accounted for six touchdowns, throwing for four and running for two more, and Elijah Jennings turned in the receiving performance of the season so far with eight catches for 132 yards and three touchdown grabs. Chase Harmon added 125 rushing yards and two scores of his own.
The season numbers keep climbing. Through four games, Paradise is averaging 40.5 points, Olalde has piled up 13 passing touchdowns and five rushing scores, Harmon has 461 rushing yards with eight total touchdowns, and Jennings leads the receiving corps with 31 catches for 466 yards. Sophomore Sawyer Murphy has added three touchdown catches of his own. Pick your poison.
Scouting the Bobcats
Don’t let Krum’s 2-2 record fool you. This is a program one year removed from the first undefeated regular season in school history, a 10-0 run under head coach Chris Taber that included a district championship and a playoff win before Athens ended the ride in a 48-42 shootout.
This year’s Bobcats opened 2-0 with comfortable wins over Kennedale and Burkburnett before dropping back-to-back games to Lake Dallas and Eagle Mountain. Their engine is junior running back Carter Hollingshead, one of the region’s leading rushers with 797 yards at a staggering 199.3 per game and 10 total touchdowns. Junior receiver Aaron Criss stretches defenses at 82.5 receiving yards a game, and senior linebacker Conor Griffin, the reigning defensive MVP of Krum’s district, averages 10 tackles a night with two interceptions.
What to Watch
This one is strength against strength in the trenches. Graham showed three weeks ago that a powerful run game can trouble Paradise, and Hollingshead is exactly the kind of back who will test whether the Panthers fixed it. On the other side, Krum’s defense hasn’t seen an offense with this many weapons. If Paradise bottles up Hollingshead early and forces Krum to throw, the Panthers’ takeaway-hungry defense can turn Homecoming into a party by the fourth quarter.
Game Information
Who: Krum Bobcats (2-2) at Paradise Panthers (3-1) When: Tonight. Pregame at 6:45 p.m., kickoff at 7 p.m. Where:Panther Stadium, Paradise, Texas
How to listen: Live right here on NTXVarsitySports.com, on the NTX Varsity Sports YouTube channel, or on the NTX Varsity Sports app, with Thomas Brown on the call and Brody Gates on production, presented by Barefoot Pools
Tune In Tonight
A Homecoming crowd, a top-five team at home, and a visitor with a 200-yard rusher. Friday nights in Paradise don’t get much better. Join us at 6:45 p.m. for the pregame show presented by Barefoot Pools, stick around for kickoff at 7, and follow the Panthers all season long right here on NTXVarsitySports.com and the NTX Varsity Sports app.