For the first two weeks of the season, Palo Duro fans were waiting to see the explosive offense everyone expected from the Dons.
They didn’t have to wait long Friday night.
Palo Duro came out firing at Dick Bivins Stadium, scoring touchdowns on each of its first five possessions and overwhelming Tascosa in a 41-14 victory.
It was the kind of performance the Dons had been looking for since the season began.
Palo Duro improved to 2-1 and, perhaps more importantly, finally showed what an offense loaded with returning talent can look like when everything starts clicking. The Dons piled up 439 yards of offense, with an almost perfect balance between 222 yards through the air and 217 on the ground.
And it started immediately.
Quarterback Julian Reese connected with Tayv’on Cantly for a 33-yard touchdown just 91 seconds into the game. It was Palo Duro’s first opening-possession touchdown of the season, and it set the tone for everything that followed.
Tascosa’s first possession made matters worse for the Rebels. A botched pitch resulted in a 13-yard loss and a fumble recovered by Palo Duro’s Keenan Posey. Two plays later, Raymond Johnson broke loose for a 23-yard touchdown and a 13-0 Dons lead.
From there, the rout was on.
Reese scored on a 15-yard run late in the first quarter before producing one of the highlights of the night early in the second. The Palo Duro quarterback took off for an 18-yard touchdown and hurdled a defender on his way to the end zone.
That made it 26-0.
Reese then found Johnson for a 4-yard touchdown pass to send Palo Duro into halftime with a commanding 34-0 advantage.
After two weeks of wondering when the Dons offense might break loose, Palo Duro fans finally had their answer.
Reese Shows Why He's the Engine of the Dons
Everything seemed to run through Reese on Friday.
The Delaware commit completed 17 of 25 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns while adding a team-high 95 rushing yards and two more scores.
Palo Duro made a point of getting Reese more involved in the running game, and the decision paid off immediately. His ability to hurt Tascosa with his arm and his legs gave the Rebels problems throughout the first half.
Just as encouraging was how Palo Duro generated its offense.
The Dons certainly had their explosive moments, including three Reese completions of more than 30 yards, but they weren't relying on home-run plays every time they touched the football. Palo Duro repeatedly took what was available, moved the chains and finished drives.
That's the kind of offense that can travel.
Cantly continued to establish himself as one of Reese's biggest weapons, finishing with six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Johnson's return also provided a boost. After missing a game and a half with an ankle injury, he rushed six times for 62 yards and a touchdown while adding the touchdown reception. With Palo Duro comfortably ahead, Johnson didn't play in the second half as a precaution.
Palo Duro Defense Joins the Party
The offense will understandably grab most of the attention after scoring on five straight possessions, but Palo Duro's defense deserves plenty of credit.
Tascosa's flexbone rushing attack never got rolling.
The Rebels were held to only 75 yards on the ground and compounded their problems with two first-half fumbles. Palo Duro turned both turnovers into touchdowns.
By the time Tascosa found some offensive success, the outcome had essentially been decided.
The Rebels finally reached the end zone late in the third quarter after a 75-yard pass from Brayden Lineman to J'Kavien Moore set up Moore's 3-yard touchdown run.
Lineman later connected with David Gordon for a 67-yard touchdown with 57 seconds remaining.
Tascosa finished with 186 passing yards, an unusual number for a program known for its run-heavy flexbone attack. The Rebels may have found something they can use going forward, but much of that production came while trying to climb out of a massive deficit.
Dons Finally Have Some Offensive Momentum
Nobody at Palo Duro is going to declare the offense a finished product after one big night.
There were still things for the Dons to clean up, particularly after halftime. Palo Duro's coaching staff wants to see the same level of execution for four quarters rather than one dominant half.
But Friday was unquestionably a big step forward.
Palo Duro entered the season with expectations that its experienced offense could become one of its biggest strengths. Against Tascosa, fans finally got to see why.
Reese looked dangerous as both a passer and runner. Cantly continued making plays downfield. Johnson returned to the lineup. The offensive line helped the Dons produce more than 200 rushing yards, and the defense made sure Tascosa never had an opportunity to turn the game into a shootout.
That's a pretty good formula.
Tascosa drops to 1-2 and now gets an open week before beginning District 2-5A Division I play.
Palo Duro has one more nondistrict test, traveling to Dumas next Friday.
For the first time this season, the Dons will head into that game with their offense carrying some serious momentum.
