Orange is the new awesome. Paris makes a statement with its colorful turf football field.

When Paris Independent Schools decided to upgrade historic Blanton Collier Stadium, it gave the community a choice:

▪ Make the new artificial turf gridiron look like nearly every other football field in America, or

▪ Make a statement.

The bright orange turf with Paris’ signature Hustlin’ Hound straddling the 50-yard line decidedly does the latter.

“It was a statement — a statement about ‘Paris Pride’ and what Paris is all about — tradition,” senior quarterback Kaden Frederick said Friday night after the Greyhounds’ 27-6 victory over Frankfort in the season-opening Paris Greyhound Hall of Fame Game.

Frederick and his teammates had only first stepped on the new turf Thursday night. The orange goal posts hadn’t been installed until this week. The white lettering of “PARIS” in one black turf end zone and “GREYHOUNDS” in the other wasn’t stitched in until the day before the game.

“It looked good. It felt good. We were ready to play on it,” said senior Elijah Webb, who was named Paris’ most valuable player in the win.

Still remaining to be installed before Paris’ next home game against Montgomery County on Sept. 13 are the new jumbotron scoreboard in the back right corner of the complex, a synthetic track that circles behind the grandstand, and finishing touches on the renovated concession stand/press box.

Paris schools superintendent Stephen McCauley admitted that getting enough of the $2.8 million project done in time for the home opener has been hectic.

“The excitement outweighs the stress,” McCauley said. “It’s all coming to fruition tonight.”

McCauley said the feedback he’s received on all the changes had been “resoundingly positive.”

“Alumni come to me and (say), ‘I can’t believe this is Paris. I can’t believe we have this here at Paris.’” McCauley said. “It just gives me goosebumps thinking about the impact it’s having for the alumni and our kids right now and the impact of them having facilities they can be very proud of.”

Paris’s Brandon Smith-Santiago runs downfield past the 50-yard-line under the lights on the Greyhounds’ bright, new orange football field during their game against Frankfort on Friday at Blanton Collier Stadium.

Turf a part of several Paris upgrades

Paris stat keeper and superfan Eugene “Puck” Puckett wholeheartedly approves of the new surface and not just because he doesn’t have to start painting numbers on the field each Wednesday anymore.

“I’ve been watching football here for a long time and the Greyhounds have played on rock, dirt, mud, grass, Bermuda and now to get this turf, maybe the only orange turf in the United States? … I’m excited about it,” Puckett said. “You don’t have to stripe it. You don’t have to mow it. You don’t have to water it. So, yes, I love it.”

The orange turf is just the latest, most visible example of approximately $18 million in projects Paris has undertaken in the last three years, which include a new preschool. Paris is also installing lights at its nearby baseball, softball and soccer fields for the first time.

“The board has had a vision for growing the district and our team has worked hard to fulfill that vision,” McCauley said. “We secured over half that $18 million of funding through state matching funds. … We’ve maximized those resources to provide these significant updates.”

Paris’ Elijah Webb (6) breaks the tackles of Frankfort defenders on Friday at Blanton Collier Stadium in Paris.

Football team on the rise

Paris coach Tyquan Rice has been on his own quest since 2021 to revitalize Paris football, a three-time state champion (1973, 1981, 1982) who had suffered four straight losing seasons when he arrived.

The Greyhounds won four games in his debut season, eight in 2022 and 10 last year. The rapid rise included a No. 8 ranking in this year’s Herald-Leader preseason poll.

“I want to leave it better than I found it,” said Rice, who has endured some criticism along the way. “We’ve silenced some people.”

Webb scored Paris’ first touchdown on the new surface after breaking wide-open for a 29-yard pass from Frederick with 38 seconds left in the first quarter. Brandon Smith-Santiago swept in for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.

Frankfort’s Dakyo Washington stunned Paris with a long TD run on the first play of the second half to cut the Panthers’ deficit to 8-6.

Paris responded by scoring the next 19 points unanswered.

Smith-Santiago scored on a short run in the third quarter and a 13-yard fourth down pass from Frederick early in the fourth quarter.

Webb capped the evening by juking at least two defenders in the backfield and bulldozing another Panther into the end zone from 9 yards out with 6:18 to play in the game.

TOUCHDOWN! Paris @PHS_FB_KY 8, Frankfort 0 0:38 1Q. Kaden Frederick finds Elijah Webb all alone in the end zone. Conversion run by Brandon Smith-Santiago also good. Greyhounds get the first score on their new field pic.twitter.com/Kb4ixEfnPL
— Jared Peck (@HLpreps) August 24, 2024

TOUCHDOWN! Paris @PHS_FB_KY 27, Frankfort 6. Elijah Webb with the juke-stick “get-off-me” score from 9 yards out. Hustlin’ Hounds in control. 6:18 4Q pic.twitter.com/ZAbzQo36Ph
— Jared Peck (@HLpreps) August 24, 2024

A work in progress

Despite the convincing win, Rice and his coaching staff tried to impress on their players that the mental miscues they had Friday, which included a fumble, an interception and 14 penalties, need to be “tightened up” if the Greyhounds are to achieve their goals.

“The atmosphere was great. Everybody, they came and they showed out,” Webb said. “But, for us, I feel like we could have done better — less penalties and a better all-around game.”

But it’s only the opener. The Greyhounds have plenty of time to polish for the playoffs.

Like their stadium, they should clean up pretty well.