‘We faced some adversity’: Crowley Eagles soar past relentless Weatherford Kangaroos

The undefeated Crowley Eagles are still soaring.

Crowley (4-0) defeated Weatherford (2-2) 50-29 on Friday at Kangaroo Stadium, pulling away in the fourth quarter of an eventful, back and forth affair. The Eagles have matched their 2022 win total in their first four games of play.

Crowley head coach Carlos Lynn said he was proud of the team battling adversity and coming out on top.

“We faced some adversity,” head coach Carlos Lynn said. “That’s just what we needed. We’ve been playing with some resistance for the first three games. ... We showed tonight that when adversity hits, we can still overcome.”

Weatherford’s offense, for the majority of the game, kept finding ways to stay in the ballgame. With every blow dealt, Crowley’s offense was prepared to fight back and keep producing results.

Lynn said football is all about consistency.

“It’s a chess match,” Lynn said. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to put it on the kids on the field and allow them to do what they’re supposed to do.”

Lynn called Crowley quarterback Caleb Williams, who passed for 383 yards yards and five touchdowns, a gutsy player.

“He takes some punishment, but he reallly, really, really, really pushed that bar,” Lynn said.

Williams credited his receiver room, specifically Curtis Johnson and Antayvious Ellis for strong performances.

“We’re not a team that only does well when it’s easy,” Williams said. “We can do it when it’s hard too.”

Kangaroos fight from behind

The Kangaroos had a strong showing in the opening series, stopping the Eagles in the red zone with two consecutive tackles for loss from the defensive line. Williams managed to extend the drive with a magnificent pass to Derrick Page facing third and 19; the Eagles couldn’t capitalize.

The Roos took over and secured a first down but soon found themselves facing fourth down. They tried to get fancy, faking the punt with a reverse to Bruin Wright, who was tackled for an 8-yard loss.

Crowley took over with excellent field position, and swiftly scored with an 34-yard, four play touchdown drive finished by Jordan Green’s 17-yard run.

The Roos’ offensive woes continued as the second quarter commenced. Will Jordan, a Texas Tech baseball commit, fumbled after fighting for extra yardage.

Williams ensured the Eagles would score, extending the lead to 14-0 with another four play scoring drive. He set up Crowley with a 17-yard pass to Page and followed it up with a 21-yard touchdown strike to Tasby.

Suddenly, the Kangaroo offense was sparked by a 79-yard kick return from Xavier Holder. Three plays later, quarterback Cutter Kennedy, a freshman, was in the end zone with a short 2-yard rush; after an offsides penalty, Weatherford went for two and converted.

The Eagle offense took over and refused to slow down. Facing third and long, Williams was facing pressure and unloaded at the last possible opportunity, finding Tasby in the endzone for a 37-yard touchdown.

With a newfound momentum, the Roos were facing a deficit and needed a response. In an instant, Kennedy delivered, connecting with Colton McClure on a quick slant. The Eagle secondary was nowhere to be found, and McClure took it 86-yards to the house.

Cheers and claps from the Kangaroo fans quickly turned to gasps as Crowley intercepted a two-point conversion attempt, taking it all the way for 2-points.

The Roos had one more shot to trim the lead prior to the half. In a 7-play, 80-yard scoring drive, Weatherford’s offense continued its elite play, cutting the lead to 23-21 with a minute left to go. Kennedy tossed a 24-yard touchdown to Holder, who reached out toward the end zone while being tackled.

“Going into halftime, our defense was slacking,” Williams said. “We knew we had to go score for score. ... When they’re scoring, we just need to keep scoring.”

The Eagles pull away

The Kangaroos received as the second half began and managed to move the chains once. Similar to the beginning of the first half, Weatherford got too aggressive and turned the ball over deep in their own territory facing fourth and short.

Crowley took over, and a few plays later the Eagles extended their lead. Williams tossed his third touchdown of the game, a 18-yarder to Curtis Johnson, who was flagged for excessive celebration; it cost the Eagles, who missed the PAT. Due to the blunder, the Kangaroos could tie in one possession.

That’s exactly what they did. The Roos jumped down the field in a 11 play, 55 yard drive. JoJo Polk rushed 2-yards for six points and Kennedy threw a short pass to Jordan to tie it up.

The game didn’t stay tied for long, as the Eagles started a 6 play, 68 yard scoring drive. It was completed by Caleb Pope, who rushed one yard for the touchdown; this time, kicker Arturo Yepiz made the PAT.

It seemed as if Weatherford would retaliate after every blow, but the Crowley defense finally got a much needed stop. Williams took advantage and led a 54-yard, 4-play scoring drive. Page took a pass 24-yards for six with the help of some excellent blocking.

With the Roos’ momentum fizzling, Crowley pulled away. In their next offensive drive, Williams and the Eagles put the nail in the coffin with a goal line fade facing fourth and nine.

Lynn said the Kangaroos did a great job, mentioning they were forced to make a lot of halftime adjustments.

Weatherford head coach Aubrey Sims said his team played well while down three starters.

“I thought our kids battled,” Weatherford head coach Aubrey Sims said. “We just kept losing field position. We kept giving them a short field, and that’s on me. ... It sucks to lose but we just have to grow from it and get better.”