PANTHERS SEND BOBCATS TO DEFEAT
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(10/19/07 Chico, CA) The Chico varsity football team had their way with Paradise by taking a 24-0 win in an Eastern Athletic League game played Friday at University Stadium.
 
On the game's opening drive, Andrew Medearis caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Nate Anderson. Jason Peck failed to make the extra point, so the Panthers had a 6-0 lead. The Bobcats' first drive of the evening came to an end when Jon Hays was stopped a yard short of a first down on third and 5, leading to a punt back to Chico. On the next Panther drive Kayhan Karatekeli gained 15 yards to bring them to the Paradise 25-yard line. They added another score on Karatekeli's one-yard touchdown run with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, so Chico maintained a 12-0 lead.
 
Hays' four-yard gain gave the Bobcats a first down at the Panthers' 44-yard line. On the next play, Tanner Moyse ran for a long gain to the 15-yard line. The drive ended two plays later when Karatekeli intercepted Hays' pass. During Chico's next possession, Anderson took the ball 26 yards to reach midfield with 15 yards added on because of a late hit penalty against Paradise.
 
The drive continued into the second quarter with Karatekeli gaining 11 yards for a first down at the Bobcats' 21-yard line. Karatekeli completed the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Brett Scott was stopped short by Greg Kester on the conversion attempt, so the Panthers' lead stood at 18-0.
 
A fake punt by Karatekeli on fourth and 1 lead to a 20-yard gain as Chico maintained possession at the Paradise 36-yard line. After Scott couldn't get a handle on the ball and lost seven yards, the Panthers faced third and 13. Anderson then threw an incomplete pass intended for Scott. The Bobcats took over possession on Karatekeli's punt the next play.
 
A punt from the end zone gave Chico possession at the Paradise 38-yard line with three minutes left in the first half. Medearis helped the Panthers earn a first down by catching a seven-yard pass on third and 4. Two plays later, Karatekeli made his way to the end zone. The extra point attempt was no good, so the Panthers were up 24-0.
 
The Bobcats started the second half on their 40-yard line after Kester's kickoff return. On fourth and 2, Jacob Prinz gained the needed yardage for a first down. Moyse later gained enough yardage on fourth and 3 to keep the drive moving. The nearly 9 1/2 minute drive ended at the Chico 18-yard line when Matt Talamantes was stopped about a yard short of a first down, allowing the Panthers to take over on downs.
 
Paradise started its next drive at their 5-yard line. On the second play from scrimmage, Moyse gained 50 yards to reach the Chico 39-yard line. Two plays later, Talamantes gained 17 yards to bring the Bobcats to the 20-yard line. Joe Barrayo caught a pass on fourth and long, but he failed to get the first down by three yards.
 
Chico now has an overall record of 6-2 and a league mark of 3-2, while Paradise is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in league play. Both teams will head to Redding Friday, Oct. 26 with the Panthers facing Shasta and the Bobcats taking on Enterprise.