‘One step at a time’: Trophy Club Byron Nelson cruises past Crowley in bi-district game
The Eagles were no match for the Bobcats are Northwest ISD Stadium on Friday.
Trophy Club Byron Nelson (11-0), the No. 1 class 6A team in the Fort Worth area, handled business against Crowley in a lopsided 52-28 affair. Quarterback Tom Von Grote threw for 338 yards and 4 touchdowns and rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Byron Nelson (11-0) will face Midland (9-2) next week in the area round of the Texas high school football playoffs.
“It’s one step at a time,” Byron Nelson head coach Travis Pride said. “So, we just got to continue. I think we can continue to get better. Kids understand we can get better, so we just got to keep plugging away and just get ready for the next one.”
Crowley (7-4) suffered its fourth consecutive loss after starting the season with seven wins. In head coach Carlos Lynn’s first season at the helm, the Eagles and showcased moments of dominance but couldn’t quite put it all together.
Crowley’s playoff appearance is an improvement from a 4-7 season one year ago.
“We’re family,” head coach Carlos Lynn said. “This game of football, you get ups and downs and we definitely weren’t at our best tonight. A lot of injuries. This team has overcome so much this season. … I’m proud of them.”
Lynn said the players that are coming back gained experience that will lead to future success.
“We played 11 games this year, and I still don’t believe we played our best football game in any of those 11 games,” Lynn said. “So, it’s a lot of room to grow. And we got to find a way to close the gap and make the plays that we didn’t make and learn.”
The Eagles showcased promise against Byron Nelson but untimely plays prevented them from getting over the hump and making the game more competitive. They barely missed out on scoring opportunities, struggling to convert facing fourth down.
“We just didn’t make the play that we normally make,” Lynn said. “We don’t drop balls. We haven’t dropped balls all season and we dropped four or five balls that will probably move the chains and be the difference in drives.”
Lynn mention one thing he’s excited about when it comes to the future of Crowley football: quarterback Caleb Williams. The junior signal caller, in 2023, passed for 3,090 yards and 36 touchdowns and rushed for 771 yards and 7 touchdowns.
“Everything is, probably, evolving around him,” Lynn said. “He’s a big piece. Having a quarterback that can make plays, it can be pretty special.”
Lynn said he is thankful to have had the opportunity to coach the young men in the senior class.
“One of the best senior classes I’ve ever encountered,” Lynn said. They just did an outstanding job of being leaders.”
Byron Nelson continues dominant run
Crowley’s defense had a strong start, forcing two field goals in the Bobcats’ first two drives. Von Grote, however, soon found a groove and Byron Nelson put up 38 first half points to Crowley’s zero.
“I think we started early and moved the ball well,” Pride said. “Defense did a great job keeping them out of the end zone for the first half. That’s discouraging to the opponents.”
Quarterback Caleb Williams put together two promising drives but a Byron Nelson defense scattered with division one recruits secured two fourth down stops.
Byron Nelson scored on four consecutive drives with scores from running back Tucker James, Von Grote, Joshua Engstrom and Pierce Dahlin.
Prior to the end of the first half, OKlahoma State commit David Kabongo stepped in front of a pass and intercepted it, proceeding to take it to the house to make an uphill battle for Crowley even more challenging.
“We felt their passing game on offense is dangerous,” Pride said. “They have a good quarterback, some really good receivers, they can run the ball well, so we knew we had to play solid defense.”
The lead proved to be insurmountable for the Eagles. Their offense came alive in the fourth quarter but it was too little too late.
Von Grote added two more touchdowns in the second half, finishing with 401 total yards and 5 touchdowns. Landon Farco led the Bobcat receivers with 123 yards and a touchdown.
Williams tallied 387 total yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception in the last game of his junior season.
This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 12:27 AM.
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