Palo Duro dominates Canyon with statement win

At Dick Bivins Stadium on Friday night, it wasn’t about style points for the Palo Duro Dons. It was about sending a message. And in their 35-7 dismantling of the Canyon Eagles, the Dons made it loud and clear: this is a team built to play tough, physical football on both sides of the ball.

The defense once again showed why it’s quickly becoming one of the best in the region, and the offense unveiled a balanced rushing attack that may change how opponents game-plan against them. The final score told the story of a team that is starting to figure out its identity—2-1, with momentum building.

The only blemish on an otherwise near-perfect night came midway through the fourth quarter, when Canyon finally broke through with a touchdown run by Rudy Flores. Up to that point, Palo Duro had strung together an 11-quarter streak of keeping opponents out of the end zone. That level of consistency speaks volumes about the group’s discipline and effort.

Still, the most impressive part of the night might have been the way Palo Duro set the tone early. Both teams fumbled away promising opening drives, but the Dons regrouped quicker. After Canyon coughed up the ball, running back Darien Lewis finished off a short field with a 1-yard touchdown run. That gave Palo Duro a 7-0 lead and all the momentum they needed.

Lewis was a difference-maker on both sides of the ball. He intercepted Canyon quarterback Brox Hacker inside the 20 on the opening drive, and later became part of one of the night’s most memorable plays. Facing third-and-eight, he caught a screen pass and looked bottled up. Instead of going down, Lewis scrambled back toward the middle and lateraled the ball to quarterback Julian Reese II, who turned the improvisation into a first down. Moments later, Reese finished the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run.

Palo Duro kept rolling from there. Wide receiver Kyron Brown electrified the crowd with a 63-yard reverse touchdown run in the second quarter, and just minutes later, the Dons dipped into the bag of tricks again. On a flea-flicker, Reese found a wide-open Lewis down the sideline for a 43-yard score. By halftime, Palo Duro led 28-0, having racked up 268 total yards while holding Canyon to just 91.

The second half was about control. The Dons leaned heavily on the run game, finishing with 273 rushing yards overall. Four different backs topped 40 yards, led by Raymond Johnson IV’s 87 yards on 13 carries. For a team that had leaned on its passing game the week before, the ability to grind out yards on the ground showed a new layer of versatility.

Canyon didn’t help its own cause with four turnovers, including a costly fumble deep in Palo Duro territory. By the time Flores’ late touchdown got the Eagles on the board, the outcome was long decided.

For Palo Duro, the win wasn’t about flash—it was about sending a message. With a defense that refuses to give up easy points and an offense that can beat teams through the air or on the ground, the Dons are proving they’re more than just competitive. They’re dangerous.