Many people thought that the Texas UIL 6A Division I title game was going to be another rematch between Duncanville and Galena Park North Shore.
However, North Crowley and Austin Westlake had other ideas, respectively knocking out the Panthers and Mustangs in last week’s semifinals. But the North Crowley Panthers and Westlake’s Chaparrals can’t be considered as upstarts or underdogs, as both have more than earned the right to be in Saturday night’s championship contest at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.
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NORTH CROWLEY 43, AUSTIN WESTLAKE 14 4Q
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FOURTH QUARTER
– North Crowley scored TDs on six of its first seven drives before just turning it over on downs with less than 10 minutes left. But the Panthers have amassed 574 yards of total offense at this juncture.
– North Crowley already inside Westlake’s 40 as the fourth quarter commences.
THIRD QUARTER
– TOUCHDOWN NORTH CROWLEY. On the very next play from scrimmage, Panther senior tailback Cornelius Warren III darts 75 yards to the house. Then the Panthers add two more points as Warren passes it to Cameron Boyd. (North Crowley, 43-14 | 5:33, 3rd)
– TOUCHDOWN AUSTIN WESTLAKE. Exactly one minute later, the Chaps break North Crowley’s 28-0 run as they drive 67 yards in 5 plays. QB Rees Wise went in from a yard out, and now it’s up to Westlake’s defense to make a stop and close the gap even more on the Panthers. (North Crowley, 35-14 | 5:49, 3rd)
– TOUCHDOWN NORTH CROWLEY. Panthers go 84 yards in 9 plays on their opening second-half series. Daniel Bray goes in from a yard out to finish off the drive, as he now has his second total TD on the night. (North Crowley, 35-7 | 6:49, 3rd)
– Three-and-out for Westlake starting the half and the Chaps will have to punt it back to North Crowley.
– Westlake will field the ball to begin the second half.
HALFTIME
– North Crowley had 367 yards of total offense in the first half. Panthers had 171 yards rushing and 196 more passing. North Crowley QB Chris Jimerson Jr. was 7-of-11 passing for 196 yards and three TDs and had 63 yards rushing and a TD.
SECOND QUARTER
– Deep pass near the end zone broken up by North Crowley’s Cameron Boyd and that will do it. An impressive opening half of football by the team that hails from the 817.
– One second left. Westlake has the ball at North Crowley’s 43.
– TOUCHDOWN NORTH CROWLEY. What a relentless display of offense by North Crowley tonight. Panthers drive 59 yards in just six plays, and once again, QB Chris Jimerson Jr. throws a pass that goes for a big gain and a TD, this a 44-yarder to Daniel Bray, who takes it over the middle and goes the final 38 yards into the end zone. The PAT from Diego Gonzalez makes it a 21-point Panther advantage. (North Crowley, 28-7 | :42, 2nd)
– Under a minute left until halftime, and North Crowley has just crossed midfield.
– North Crowley gets the ball back following a Westlake punt. Panthers at their own 41 with a little more than two minutes left until the break.
– North Crowley WR Quentin Gibson, a Colorado signee, already has five receptions for 148 yards and two TDs.
– TOUCHDOWN NORTH CROWLEY. Panthers drive 95 yards in 12 plays, taking 6:28 off the clock. For the second time tonight, Chris Jimerson Jr. hooks up with Quentin Gibson, this time from 44 yards on a third-and-18 play. Gibson actually caught the ball at midfield on a screen and did the rest, weaving through the Westlake defense and outracing the secondary on a highlight-reel play. Panthers now up by two TDs. (North Crowley, 21-7 | 3:14, 2nd)
– Starting at its own 5, North Crowley putting together a sustained drive and has just crossed midfield nearing the midway point of the second period.
– FUMBLE RECOVERY NORTH CROWLEY. Panthers get a huge takeaway inside their own 10-yard line as they force a fumble. Derrick Gleason forced the fumble and Draden Fullbright comes up with the ball at his 5 and North Crowley escapes trouble with less than 10 minutes to go in the half.
– Westlake down to the North Crowley 15 early in the quarter.
– Westlake’s ball beginning the second quarter of play. North Crowley finished the first quarter with 208 yards of offense.
FIRST QUARTER
– Westlake gets it out near its 40 before the quarter comes to an end. A very highly entertaining first quarter at that.
– North Crowley gets inside the Westlake 20 before the drive stalls. Panthers go for it on fourth down but Chaps defender Mason Lastor comes up with a sack. Westlake takes over late in the opening quarter.
– Westlake goes for it on fourth down near the 25, but a pass attempt is broken up by North Crowley’s Aaron Bradshaw. The Panthers hold.
– Westlake already inside the North Crowley 30, determined to tie this up for the second time.
– TOUCHDOWN NORTH CROWLEY. Panthers take the lead right back after going 75 yards in just five plays. QB Chris Jimerson Jr. runs a keeper 44 yards to the house, one play after hooking up with Quentin Gibson for 24 yards on third-and-14. Diego Gonzalez adds the PAT. What a start we have had thus far. (North Crowley, 14-7 | 7:25, 1st)
– TOUCHDOWN AUSTIN WESTLAKE. Chaps also score on their opening series, going 42 yards in just five plays, ending with a 2-yard run from Grady Bartlett. Nolan Bartley adds the PAT. Westlake QB Rees Wise had three runs for 37 yards on that drive. (7-7 | 9:52, 1st)
– And then North Crowley tries an onside kick. Westlake gets it, and they also gain an additional 15 yards as the Panthers were penalized for kick catch interference. Chaps get the ball near the North Crowley 40.
– TOUCHDOWN NORTH CROWLEY. WOW, WHAT A START. On the very first offensive play from scrimmage, the Panthers execute a flea flicker, and Chris Jimerson Jr. fires a 75-yard strike to Quentin Gibson, who races in for the score just 15 seconds in. (North Crowley, 7-0 | 11:45, 1st)
– North Crowley wins the toss and wants the ball to start the game.
PREGAME
– Coming to you from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, for the final game of the 2024 Texas high school football season. It will be North Crowley against Austin Westlake for the Texas UIL 6A Division I title.
ABOUT NORTH CROWLEY (15-0)
North Crowley has definitely been one of the biggest stories all season in both the state and country, as the Panthers possess an unstoppable offense, one that has averaged 54.2 points a game and 48.8 points in their five playoff wins.
The past three weeks, North Crowley has scored 35, 35 and 36 points in beating three teams that had come in with undefeated records (Coppell, Allen and Duncanville).
Leading the way for North Crowley’s offense is senior quarterback Chris Jimerson Jr., a North Texas signee who has thrown for 3,470 yards and 54 TDs, and senior receiver and Colorado signee Quentin Gibson, who has nearly 1,900 yards and 33 TDs.
But the Panthers also have senior tailback Cornelius Warren III, who has put together a strong postseason run, punctuated by a 178-yard performance in the semifinal win against Duncanville to go along with two total TDs.
North Crowley is making its first title-game appearance since 2003, when the Panthers won their only championship.
ABOUT AUSTIN WESTLAKE (14-1)
If there’s one team that might be able to slow down North Crowley, it very well may be Westlake. The Chaps possess one of the top defenses in the state, allowing 12.3 points per game.
Westlake’s defense is headed up by senior linebacker Elliott Schaper, a Duke signee who leads the Chaps in tackles (124), tackles for loss (28), sacks (12) and quarterback hurries (13). He even has picked off three passes.
But the Chaps have proven they can also move the ball as well as anyone. They have averaged 43.2 points on the season and 36.2 points in their five playoff wins, and have an emerging standout in junior quarterback Rees Wise, who has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and 23 TDs.
Westlake has won four championships, including three straight from 2019-21, and the Chaps are returning to the title game for the first time since winning that third consecutive crown in 2021.