GAMES
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PREVIEW: Parish Episcopal working toward fifth consecutive title
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022... count them. Four consecutive state titles adorn this decorated team. Dominance is just one word that can be used to describe the Parish Episcopal Panthers' football program. The team sits at the top of the VYPE DFW Private School Preseason Football Rankings with good reason as they begin their run for a fifth-straight TAPPS State Title. What can fans expect from the Panthers this fall?
REWIND
Plano John Paul II (36-0, 2019), Fort Worth Nolan Catholic (42-28, 2020), Midland Christian (56-17, 2021), and Prestonwood Christian (38-14, 2022) have all fallen victim to Parish's TAPPS State Championship victories. Last season, the team was coming off of a then three-peat with the goal of securing a fourth consecutive state title. Opening non-district play against tough opponents, the team impressively downed Aledo (24-17), Bellaire Episcopal (24-17), and Austin LBJ (44-21) before putting up a strong battle against eventual back-to-back UIL 5A State Champions South Oak Cliff falling 31-28.
Learning from their time on the field during non-district play and continuing non-district with strong advances against their opponents, the Panthers finished out the rest of their season undefeated. Topping Nolan Catholic (42-7), Trinity Christian Academy - Addison (42-6), Prestonwood Christian Academy (42-14), and more, Parish Episcopal finished district play undefeated and headed into playoffs ready to get the job done. Taking out Bishop Lynch (56-14), Houston's St. Thomas Catholic (42-7), and Prestonwood Christian, the Panthers secured their fourth state title in four seasons.
LOOKING AHEAD
A roster full of seasoned athletes ready to secure a fifth title, the Panthers are returning strong, familiar faces. Recent Purdue commit quarterback Sawyer Anderson is prepared to help lead the squad consisting of other returners like D.C. Crane, Jaylen Pile, Hutch Crow, Bryson Fields, Taylor Pettit, Adam Roth, Caleb Bowers, Landry Sattler, and more.
This season, the Parish Panthers open non-district play on the road against Aledo on August 25th. From there, the team will go head-to-head against many of the same non-district opponents from last year before entering district play against Bishop Lynch on the Friars' turf. Looking for a strong start and the ability to prove that they are going to remain dominant for seasons to come, the Panthers' fans can expect big things from this crew. With another deep playoff run possibly resulting in a fifth-straight state title, Parish has high expectations for their football program this season.
SEMIFINALS: Parish Panthers look toward battle against Ursuline
The Parish Panthers are headed into the TAPPS State Semifinal matchup on Thursday against a strong Ursuline squad. With an incredible season under their belts, the Panthers look toward a strong game in Round Rock. VYPE DFW breaks down the season so far and exactly what fans should expect in the semifinal game!
So Far
So far this season, the Panthers have been able to post strong victories against their opponents. Opening their season with a 7-0 victory over Southwest Christian, the team really set the tone and the bar for the rest of the year. This season they have defeated the likes of Trinity Christian Academy, Prestonwood Christian Academy, Fort Worth Nolan Catholic, Bishop Lynch, and more to include Ursuline in an earlier meeting.
Semifinals
Playing strong through the playoffs already- defeating Houston's The Village School and Prestonwood, the Panthers are more than ready to continue on their mission as they face Ursuline again. With a fast-paced offense ready to set the tone and keep the tone for the entire game, the Panthers already know how to score against a tough Ursuline defense. The defense can also be expected to play aggressive from start to finish. Ursuline has an incredible team and it won't be an easy showdown, but if the Panthers remain focused they just might find themselves in the TAPPS State Championship game!
The game is set for Thursday, March 2 with a start time of 3:00 p.m.