North Crowley football throttles rival Crowley to claim District 3-6A championship
For North Crowley and Crowley, it was a winner-take-all District 3-6A championship.
It seemed at first Crowley could stay competitive, but North Crowley righted the ship to capture a dominant 65-21 victory on Nov. 7 at Crowley ISD Stadium. The Panthers won their third consecutive undefeated district title.
North Crowley head coach Ray Gates said the team has been steadily building since 2022, the year he was hired.
“Year one was the foundation,” Gates said. “Year two we build the framing of the program. Year three -- it seems we’re finishing the structure, and we’re now ready to move in. This is move in season. We’ve got to continue to build, continue to get better.
“There are many things that we still have to fix, but our kids -- they’re willing to put in the work. They’ve done an unbelievable job of staying focused and staying humble.”
In the bi-district round, North Crowley (10-0) will stay in Class 6A division one while Crowley (6-4) will head down to division two. The Eagles will face Justin Northwest.
North Crowley will face Byron Nelson on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Crowley ISD Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Gates said they will start focusing on developing a game plan to defeat the Bobcats tomorrow and said they have a team that can make some problems.
“It’s going to be a good matchup,” Gates said. “They have a really good program. They’ve had some success the last couple of years. They have an expectation to play in the playoffs just like we have that same expectation.”
The Crowley Eagles, under the direction of head coach Carlos Lynn, started the season 1-4 but embarked on a five-game win streak to make the District 3-6A championship.
To start the first quarter, North Crowley running back Cornelius Warren, a UNLV commit, recorded all 55 yards in the drive and capped it with an eight-yard touchdown. He finished the game with 177 yards and two touchdowns.
At first, it seemed Crowley could go toe-to-toe with North Crowley’s efficient offense and star power. Quarterback Caleb Williams got the Eagles on the board, finding a hole up the middle and rushing for a 63-yard score.
It seemed North Crowley took back control with a 14-yard touchdown connection from quarterback Chris Jimerson Jr. to wide receiver Quentin Gibson and a defensive stop. However, a Warren fumble that Crowley linebacker Kameron Walker recovered for a touchdown kept the game tight with four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
At this point, the Panthers started to build a massive lead. North Crowley’s offense bounced back with a 23-yard scoring scamper from running back Kiante Ingram.
To follow it up, Gibson made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 36-yard touchdown, somersaulting and sliding out of the end zone to halt momentum after flashing his speed. After a Ja’Brelle Asberry fumble recovery, the Panthers added another Ingram touchdown.
“Not surprised,” Gates said of the highlight. “He does it every single day in practice. We get an opportunity to see it every day. ... There is not a ball that’s thrown that is out of reach. I’m done doubting his catch radius. He is superhuman.”
Warren then got back in the end zone, further cementing North Crowley’s ground game dominance despite missing star running back Daniel Bray, who recently committed to SMU. Gates said Bray will be active against Byron Nelson.
The Panthers played with relentless aggression, recovering an onside kick and extending the lead with a 34-yard reception from Moore. At the half, the Panthers led 49-13.
With backups playing most of the second half, the Panthers extended their massive lead with a touchdown from Ingram and a safety. Ingram finished with three touchdowns.
“He brings a lot of value to our program,” Gates said. “We’re really, really high on him. After this year, he is a guy that everything will roll through. He is a hard worker. He is going to be up to the challenge.”
Crowley cut the lead with a touchdown from wide receiver Derrick Tasby in the third quarter but needed a lot more to get back into the game.
After the game, North Crowley and Crowley shared a prayer. Although the Panthers and Eagles have a heated rivalry, many players are neighborhood friends. Also, Gates used to work for Crowley head coach Carlos Lynn at Cedar Hill.
“Our bond is really deep,” Gates said. “This is a game where once it’s over, I’m rooting for them. And they’re rooting for us.”
This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 10:00 PM.
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