North Crowley remains undefeated after comeback win over Boswell
In a battle of unbeatens, short-handed North Crowley used a second-half surge to knock off Boswell 17-14 on Friday night in a Texas high school football game.
The Panthers, who were missing three players in the first half due to suspension, improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in district play.
“I’m elated,” North Crowley head coach Ray Gates said after the game. “This was the type of game I’ve been waiting on. Listen, I’ll take blowout wins, I’ll take uncontested wins anytime I get them. But in those games you don’t find out about your team.”
The game started back and forth defensively as both offenses struggled to get things going. On Boswell’s second drive, they were able to drive to the North Crowley 23-yard line to set up a 40-yard field goal by Eric Trejo to make the score 3-0 after one quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, Jack Fuller intercepted a pass and raced 25 yards for a touchdown. The Pioneers missed the two-point conversion and the score remained 9-0.
Midway through the second quarter, the Panthers got on the board when Cornelius Warren found a hole and raced 37 yards to the end zone. Quarterback Chris Jimerson scrambled in for the two-point conversion to make the score 9-8.
Warren finished with 16 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
For the rest of the half, neither team was able to cross midfield and the low score remained into the break.
The third quarter started off in similar fashion as the first two quarters, as both teams struggled offensively. Then with just over two minutes left in the frame, Jimerson connected with Ka’Morreun Pimpton over the middle. Pimpton evaded two defenders and was wrapped up by another, but stretched the ball over the goal line to give North Crowley a 14-9 lead.
Jimerson finished the game 6-of-15 for 100 yards and a touchdown, while Pimpton caught six passes for 105 yards and a score.
Before the third quarter came to a close, Boswell had driven well into Panther territory. And just two plays into the final frame, Ezra Carter took the handoff and got to the corner where he met three defenders head-on and bowled his way in for the touchdown.
The Pioneers successfully converted a two-point conversion to take a 17-14 lead.
On the ensuing drive, North Crowley went right back to work on offense. A long pass from Jimerson to Pimpton put the Panthers deep in Boswell territory and Warren finished off the drive by running up the middle to daylight and retaking the lead at 21-17.
The Pioneers were unable to move the ball on their next drive, but came up with a defensive stop to get one more shot at a touchdown.
Needing a touchdown and with time running out, Boswell drove down to the North Crowley four on fourth-and-goal.
They made one final pass attempt to the end zone, but it was broken up and the Panthers preserved the win and their perfect record.
“We just want to get better week by week,” Gates said. “That’s what’s most important. The team that we were this week, we need to be better next week.”
Carter had a big game for Boswell, rushing 28 times for 106 yards and a touchdown.
North Crowley (6-0, 3-0) will try to remain perfect against Weatherford (5-1, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 at Kangaroo Stadium in Weatherford.
Boswell (5-1, 2-1) will try to bounce back next week against L.D. Bell (5-1, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 at Pennington Field in Bedford.
