Allen Outlasts Defending Champ North Crowley in Wild Quarterfinal Duel
DENTON — In a game loaded with history, playoff weight, and big-name stars on both sidelines, Allen finally broke through the ceiling that has stopped them since 2018. The Eagles stunned defending 6A Division I champion North Crowley 33 to 31 Friday night at DATCU Stadium, surviving a frantic finish and punching their ticket to the state semifinals.
This matchup has become a December tradition, and for the first time in years, Allen walked away victorious.
Early Statement: Eagles Strike First
North Crowley won the toss but kicked things off to Allen — and the Eagles wasted no time showing they came prepared for a heavyweight fight. Facing fourth and one, quarterback Jeremiah Daoud uncorked a deep shot to Carter Harris for a 37 yard touchdown and a 7 to 0 lead that immediately energized the Allen crowd.
After North Crowley answered with a grinding drive capped by a short G’yrell Smith touchdown, Daoud fired right back. A 61 yard bomb to Caleb Smith set up a 16 yard scoring connection moments later, pushing Allen back ahead 14 to 7.
The quarter ended with North Crowley punting out of its own end zone after escaping what could have been a safety. Allen entered the break with momentum — and great field position.
Scramble in the Second: Chaos in the End Zone
Early in the second quarter, the ball slipped loose in the North Crowley end zone. After a scramble, Allen’s Jackson Hoppe pounced on it for a touchdown, stretching the Eagles’ lead to 21 to 7.
Both teams rolled the dice on fourth down possessions, and neither converted. Defense ruled the final minutes before halftime, and the half ended with a Hail Mary from North Crowley picked off by Allen’s Jerry Outhouse.
Halftime Score: Allen 21, North Crowley 7
Third Quarter: Falcons Fight Back
North Crowley opened the third quarter with a quick three and out, and the defensive tenor continued until Elijajuan Houston snagged his first interception of the night to stop an Allen trick play inside the red zone.
Allen answered with a clean drive finished by Daoud finding freshman Jaden Davis for a 10 yard touchdown, stretching the advantage to 28 to 7.
But the Panthers refused to fold. Powered by a pair of punishing runs from Smith, North Crowley marched 79 yards on a 14 play drive that ended with another short scoring run, cutting the gap to 28 to 14.
Houston wasn’t done — he added a second interception late in the quarter to give the Panthers life heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: A Tug-of-War to the Finish
North Crowley’s offense stalled to open the final frame, and a costly kick catch interference penalty flipped field position. Allen capitalized with a clutch Daoud third down throw and a long burst from senior back Jaden Hambric. Preston Hurless drilled a 28 yard field goal with 7:45 remaining, making it 31 to 14.
But the defending champs had one more punch to throw.
Quarterback Hayes Cloutier kept the ball on a 14 yard touchdown dash, slicing the lead to 31 to 21 with just over five minutes to go.
Moments later, Allen’s defense delivered a backbreaking blow. Intentional grounding in the end zone handed the Eagles a safety, stretching the margin to 33 to 21 with under three minutes left.
North Crowley scrambled for one final desperation score, pulling within 33 to 31 in the closing seconds, but Allen’s defense stood tall on the final possession, turning the Panthers over on downs with three seconds left.
Final: Allen 33, North Crowley 31
A New December Power Play
North Crowley’s reign ends after a nine game winning streak, while Allen moves to 14 and 0, advancing past this round for the first time in six seasons. After years of running into walls built by Duncanville, DeSoto, and North Crowley, the Eagles have finally broken through.
Now comes the biggest question of all: how far can this undefeated team fly?
Allen just took down the defending champs. The rest of Texas is officially on notice.
