Total Domination: North Crowley Wins 59-11 Over Mansfield

Written By: Jay Pace

Mission Impossible??

North Crowley=Total domination.

That's about the best way to put it. North Crowley's powerful offensive machine was hitting on all cylinders again Friday night as the Panthers moved to within one game of a third straight undefeated regular season. A win next week against crosstown rival Crowley (6-3)(5-0) in the regular season finale would also secure a third straight 3-6A title.

If Friday night's showing at Crowley's spacious CISD Multi Plex Stadium is any indication of what's next, both Crowley and the rest of Class 6A Division I better take note. Third year head coach Ray Gates’ Panthers are on a mission.

Mansfield is certainly a believer. The Tigers (7-2)(3-2) entered Friday night's contest with an outside shot at a district championship assuming they were able to knock the Panthers from their recent perch high atop the 3-6A standings. They were not. In fact, they weren't really even close. This is less of an indictment on Mansfield and more a testament to the meteoric rise this program has experienced in three seasons under head coach Ray Gates.

“We've been really locked in” said Gates following his teams 29th consecutive regular season win. “Our coaches have done a phenomenal job of preparing this team". "We stretch our kids a lot of different ways. On the offensive side of the ball. On the defensive side of the ball. And on special teams. We do a lot. We are hard to prepare for.”

Hard? Perhaps the election season, has inspired a measure of diplomacy in the Panthers coach. With the arsenal of experienced weapons dotting the 2024 roster, this team isn't simply “hard” to prepare for". So far they’ve proved to be an impossible mission to complete.

If in fact, such a team exists, they've yet to reveal themselves through 10 weeks of regular season play. Crowley gets a chance to prove it's that team on Thursday night in the regular season finale. Easier said than done.