Rockwall snaps North Crowley’s 19-game win streak in stunning upset
The reigning Class 6A Division I state champion North Crowley Panthers head coach Ray Gates said “Rockwall was prepared to play and we were not” after a stunning 37-35 upset defeat to the Yellowjackets Thursday night in a non-district matchup at Crowley ISD Multi-purpose Stadium.
It seemed North Crowley had pulled out another comeback win when G’Yrell Smith scored on a 37-yard TD run -- his fifth rushing score in the contest -- with 1:51 remaining to give North Crowley a 35-31 lead.
However, Rockwall marched 70 yards in eight plays with quarterback Brent Rickert connecting with Ryan Wiley on a 20-yard TD aerial with just 22 ticks remaining. Rockwall fumbled the PAT snap, which left the margin at 37-35.
North Crowley managed to reach the Rockwall 48-yard line, but a Hail Mary pass to the end zone was batted down, and left the Panthers with their first defeat after 19 consecutive wins, and 31 straight regular season victories.
The loss is Gates’ first regular-season defeat as North Crowley’s head coach.
“All on me,” said Gates afterwards. “I take full responsibility. Did not have my team ready to play. Give Rockwall the credit, though. They played a heckuva game.”
Smith was a one-man machine for North Crowley. After the Panthers spotted the Yellowjackets a field goal to open the contest, Smith answered with a six-yard TD run with 14 seconds left in the first period, a lead it held until just over three minutes remaining in the game.
Smith’s 19-yard second-quarter scoring burst opened a 14-3 lead; however, Rickert hit Wiley on a three-yard TD toss with 43 seconds left before halftime, as the Panthers held a 14-10 lead at intermission.
The teams traded third-quarter touchdowns. Smith’s 24-yard TD gallop opened a 21-10 North Crowley lead.
Kaydon Castro’s three-yard TD run narrowed the cushion to 21-16 as a two-point pass conversion attempt failed.
That set the stage for a wild fourth quarter. Smith’s 12-yard TD run stretched the North Crowley lead to 28-16. However, Castro notched consecutive TD runs -- 25 and seven yards -- that left the Panthers with a 31-28 deficit. Smith’s final TD -- the 37-yarder -- gave the Panthers a 35-31 lead.
But North Crowley could not hold the lead as Rockwall marched down for the deciding score.
“We just could not get a stop when we needed to,” said Gates. “Had our chances. But just could not make the key plays.”
“Tough loss,” added coach Gates. “But you always learn from games like this. And we will come back.”
Smith, a Forney transfer, registered 187 rushing yards on 21 carries and five TDs. Fellow running back Kiante Ingram added 115 rushing yards on 19 attempts, as North Crowley churned out 328 rushing yards on 45 carries.
“We felt this was a game we could get our running game going,” Gates noted. “And we did a great job of that. Tremendous game by G’Yrell.”
Panthers quarterback Demarcus Harris, making just his second start, completed six of 14 passes for 44 yards. For Rockwall, Rickert finished with 292 passing yards on 24 of 39 completions with no interceptions and the two TDs.
Castro totaled 82 rushing yards on 15 attempts and the three TDs. Wiley grabbed five passes for a game-high 87 yards receiving.
North Crowley (3-1, 0-0 District 3-6A) opens its league slate next Friday night at Mansfield Legacy with a 7 pm scheduled kickoff.
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 11:13 PM.