North Crowley Survives Weather Delay, Outlasts DeSoto in Thrilling 36-27 Showdown
FORT WORTH — Lightning flashed, the clock crept past midnight, and North Crowley still found a way to strike last. In a dramatic, weather-delayed clash that stretched nearly five and a half hours, the Panthers muscled past DeSoto 36-27 on Friday night, handing the Eagles their first 0-2 start in ten years.
North Crowley’s ground game set the tone all night. Kiante Ingram was the workhorse, piling up 176 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, while Jayden Shaw was the closer, scoring twice out of the Wildcat and tacking on a pair of two-point conversions.
But this wasn’t a wire-to-wire victory — it was a fight.
Fast Start, Back-and-Forth First Half
DeSoto wasted no time, taking just two plays to find the end zone after a big kickoff return. LeMarcus Summers kept it himself from six yards out to make it 7-0.
North Crowley answered right back, marching 62 yards before Ingram punched in a 3-yard score to tie it.
Both defenses traded big plays — including Thomas Cook’s blocked field goal for North Crowley — before DeSoto regained the lead on another Summers keeper midway through the second quarter.
With halftime approaching, Antron Edmundson hauled in a back-shoulder fade to stretch DeSoto’s advantage to 21-7. But North Crowley had the last word before the break, as backup QB DeMarcus Harris orchestrated a quick drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown to Kade Smith, cutting it to 21-14.
Lightning Delay, Momentum Shift
The real turning point came after the storm. When play finally resumed following a three-hour weather delay, North Crowley looked refreshed and ready to finish.
Shaw powered in from two yards on the first drive of the second half, then converted a two-point try to give the Panthers their first lead, 22-21.
Minutes later, Ingram broke loose again and scored from five yards out to extend the lead to 30-21.
DeSoto Fights Back — But Panthers Close the Door
DeSoto’s Sarod Baker kept the Eagles alive with a 33-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, but a missed PAT left them trailing 30-27.
From there, North Crowley’s defense tightened up, forcing a turnover on downs and chewing clock with a punishing rushing attack. Shaw’s final touchdown with under two minutes to play put the game out of reach.
DeSoto’s last gasp ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down in the red zone, sealing the Panthers’ win just before 12:30 a.m.
Stat Leaders
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North Crowley: Ingram (176 yds, 2 TD), Shaw (2 TD, 2 conversions), Smith (5 rec, 47 yds, TD)
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DeSoto: Baker (160 yds, TD), Edmundson (106 yds, TD), Feaster (47 yds receiving)
This was a statement win for North Crowley (2-0), which extended its unbeaten streak to 18 games and looks every bit like the top-ranked team in Texas. For DeSoto (0-2), the back-to-back state champs are now facing an uphill climb just two weeks into the season.
