North Crowley football continues historic start with blowout win over Denton Guyer
After a program-defining win over defending Class 6A Division I state champion DeSoto, North Crowley head coach Ray Gates laid out a trap for his team to see.
Several messages, including “NORTH CROWLEY IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE STATE” and “DON’T TAKE THE BAIT,” were inside the trap.
“This week was the ultimate trap game,” Gates said. “You’re going into it – you beat one of the top teams in the state and the country. Normally, that sets you up for an opportunity to come out and not play your best. Trap games don’t exist if you know where the traps are.”
North Crowley stayed hungry and hyper-focused on the present moment on Friday at Crowley ISD Stadium, avoiding complacency to secure a dominant 49-28 victory over the Wildcats and stay undefeated.
At first, things were competitive. Guyer (2-1) scored a touchdown in its opening drive, and the game was tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. A massive second quarter for the Panthers gave North Crowley (3-0) a 35-7 lead at the halftime break.
Aggressiveness was a considerable factor. Quarterback Chris Jimerson Jr., a Preseason All-Area selection, consistently converted facing fourth down and did more than move the chains. On fourth-and-long, Jimerson found Jaiden Brooks and wide receiver Quentin Gibson for 32 and 50-yard touchdowns, respectively.
“It’s just being aggressive by nature,” Gates said. “Analytics are on our side, and so when we have the opportunity to move the ball on fourth down, I mean, that’s a total heartbreaker for a defense, especially when its a fourth-and-long.”
Gibson, after tallying 256 yards and seven touchdowns in the first two games, set the tone against Guyer with 253 yards and four touchdowns on seven receptions. His stock continues to rise, and he’s making a case to be one of the best pass catchers in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“You’re seeing someone who went through the process, and now he’s in a position where he can reap the benefits,” Gates said of Gibson. “As a junior, he didn’t play a lot for us at the wide receiver position. He had his moments, and every time we put him in, he came down in key situations with big plays. … The kid has been diligent in the way that he has approached his work. And because of that, man, you get an opportunity to see all the hard work come to fruition.”
Gates emphasized that it wasn’t all Gibson, and that several North Crowley skill players made big plays.
That includes running back Cornelius Warren, who totaled 75 yards and a touchdown. Jimerson was also a key contributor, passing for 360 yards and five touchdowns.
The offense reaped the benefits of impact plays from the defense. Four minutes into the second quarter, Ja’Brelle Asberry caused a fumble, and Xavier Coleman recovered.
A trick play on the first play of the offensive series resulted in a 38-yard touchdown from Jimerson to Jermaine Cooper.
North Crowley’s defense, for the most part, contained Guyer’s offense and quarterback Kevin Sperry, an Oklahoma commit. Wide receiver Mason White was the Wildcats’ player of the game with big play scores of 46, 31 and 24 yards, and Daniel Tong added another score with a 4-yard reception.
“Sometimes, you’ve just got to tip your hat to good players,” Gates said. “And they’ve got good players over there.”
With the historic start, North Crowley football and the Crowley ISD community are excited. The Panthers are the No. 1 ranked team in the Star-Telegram’s Class 6A rankings.
Gates credited strong fan support, and mentioned there was a great atmosphere at Crowley ISD Stadium.
“We’re gonna have the support of our community and our parents,” Gates said. “They are there every step of the way. And the cherry on top is an unbelievable administration. From our local administration on our high school campus to the central administration that governs our entire district.”
On September 19, North Crowley will travel to Rockwall to end an extremely challenging non-district slate against the Yellowjackets.
“We’ve got to watch the film and make the necessary corrections,” Gates said. “We will. I haven’t watched Rockwall yet. I know they are a really good offensive team with firepower.”
This story was originally published September 13, 2024 at 10:28 PM.
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