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Bearcats crush the Scorpions in home opener 

Bailey Gaither, PRHS, Bearcats football

Paso High senior Bailey Gaither runs the ball untouched down the sideline, scoring a touchdown on a 87 yard kickoff return. Gaither scored a total of four touchdowns for the Bearcats in their 41-35 win over the visiting Camarillo Scorpions. Photo by Meagan Friberg

Paso Robles 41, Camarillo 35

In their home-opener, the players on the Paso Robles High School varsity football team kept the crowd on its feet as they held on to the lead throughout four quarters of action against the visiting Camarillo Scorpions to finish with a 41-35 victory Friday night at War Memorial Stadium.

“To come out here and get the win on our opening-night in front of the home crowd – it was just a lot of fun,” said senior Bailey Gaither, who went on to finish the night with four touchdowns for the Bearcats. “We had a fast start, we came out strong and early, and we just kept the pace going.”

Indeed they did – the Bearcats didn’t take long to show the Scorpions that they had winning on their minds in this non-league battle. Not long after Bryce Pasky had the opening kick for Paso, fellow senior Josh Oliver scored the first touchdown of the night on a bubble screen with 5:52 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT from Paskey was good and the Bearcats took an early 7-0 lead.

The second touchdown of the night came with 2:03 remaining in the first quarter when Gaither scored on a 35-yard touchdown reception on a double screen. Pasky added the PAT to give the Bearcats a 14-0 lead. By the time Gaither finished the night, he would receive the ball nine times for 190 yards, complete three receiving touchdowns and have one kick-off return touchdown.

Camarillo fought back in the second quarter, with Colby Stevens scoring a 15-yard touchdown pass with 8:23 left in the first half. The PAT was good and the scoreboard had the Bearcats up 14-7. Paso Robles responded with the kickoff return from Erickson to the Camarillo 30-yard line. Erickson scored a 24-yard touchdown run with 7:06 left in the half; Pasky added the PAT and the Bearcats jumped out to a 21-7 lead.

Erickson followed up with a run to the 10-yard line on a pass from Davis, and gained another five yards on the following pass. A pass to Gaither just inside the goal line was good for the fourth touchdown of the night for the Bearcats with 1:15 left in the first half. Pasky’s PAT was good and the Paso boys led the Scorpions 28-7 going into halftime.

Davis completed 17 of 24 on the night, passing for a total of 281 yards and four touchdowns. Erickson finish with 110 yards on 20 carries.

The second half was another game altogether for Camarillo. The Scorpions came back fired up and scored the first touchdown of the third quarter on a 35-yard pass, the PAT was good and the scoreboard had the Bearcats leading 28-14.

Gaither followed with a crowd-pleasing 87-yard kickoff return down the left side of the field and ran untouched down the sideline for a Bearcat touchdown with 7:23 remaining in the third quarter. Pasky added the PAT and Paso Robles took a 35-14 lead. Camarillo responding with a touchdown pass and added the PAT, inching towards the Bearcats’ 35 points with 21 of their own.

The Camarillo defense started pressuring Paso Robles early in the fourth, forcing punts and enabling a punt return back to the Bearcats’ 20-yard line. The Scorpions added a 10-yard touchdown run with eight minutes remaining in the game, the PAT was good, and Paso Robles held a narrow 35-28 lead.

A 91-yard touchdown pass from Davis had Gaither making a one-handed catch and running untouched to score once again for the Bearcats with 6:31 remaining in the game. Although the touchdown was good, an unsportsmanlike penalty was called that forced Pasky’s PAT kick to the 25-yard line. The kick was Pasky’s only failed attempt of the night — he finished 5 for 6 — and Paso Robles led Camarillo, 41-28.

The Scorpions persisted, and managed a 16-yard touchdown pass with 2:03 remaining on the game clock. With the PAT added, the Scorpions inched closer to Paso, 41-35.

“Camarillo definitely fought back in the second half and they try to persevere, but we held on,” said Oliver.

The Bearcats did more than hold on – one of the biggest plays of the night came from a 20-yard sack courtesy of Oliver that ended the threat of another score from the Scorpions. Another big play – this one from junior Ty Jones – was an interception that ensured the Scorpions would no longer handle the ball and caused a mass celebration among Jones’ teammates.

“It was a dogfight all the way to the very end,” said Gaither, “but we came out on top.”

With their 41-35 win over Camarillo (1-1), the Paso Robles Bearcats are now 2-0. The Bearcats will travel to Lompoc on Friday night to face the Cabrillo Conquistadores (2-0). Game time is 7 p.m.

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About the author: Reporter Meagan Friberg

Meagan Friberg is a reporter for the Paso Robles Daily News and A-Town Daily News.