The multifaceted running attack of Palmer Ridge’s option offense churned up plenty of yardage. More importantly it allowed the Bears to control the clock, leading the Bears to a 28-21 victory over Pikes Peak No. 9 The Classical Academy on Friday night.

Chris Paffett took an option pitch 4 yards for the winning score, and Brock Dowling ran in the 2-point conversion for insurance with about 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Paffett, Howard Winn, Mike Hamlin and quarterback Hunter Warwick combined for 292 rushing yards and 48 carries. Hamlin and Warwick scored on 5- and 69-yard running plays, respectively, in the first half, as the Bears (3-1) took a 17-14 lead.

“We like to have a lot of guys carry the ball,” Paffett said. “ … We have a fast backfield and we have a strong backfield, too.”

That backfield kept the Bears driving in the fourth quarter after a 45-yard touchdown pass – the only pass of the drive – was called back on a holding penalty.

“I think we responded from it well,” Warwick said. “Just kept our cool and went down the field.”

Four plays later, Paffett plunged in to help the Bears take the lead back.

TCA (3-1) had stopped Palmer Ridge on fourth-and-1 at the TCA 49 with 4:24 remaining in the third quarter. From there, quarterback Brice Queener ran and passed the Titans down to the 5-yard line. He hit Taylor Cattolica for a touchdown pass that put TCA up 21-20 with 34.7 seconds left in the quarter.

Queener, who finished with 11 carries for 53 yards and was 12-for-29 passing for 133 yards, had a hand in every play of that Titans scoring drive.

“We just needed to put points on the board,” Queener said. “We weren’t getting our offensive possessions. We got two, three possessions in the first half.”

A 25-yard interception return by Matt Roche and an 85-yard kickoff return by Eric Wermuth had put the Titans up 14-7 in the first half. But their offense struggled and continued to get limited possessions in the second half.

Palmer Ridge kicker Chris Johnson connected on field goals of 22 and 23 yards.

Pine Creek’s Matt Mechtly score the game’s only touchdown. Photo by KEVIN KRECK/THE GAZETTE