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VYPE DFW Football Game of the Week Preview: North Crowley vs. DeSoto (Week 2)
Friday, September 5 – 7:00 PM // Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium -- Fort Worth, TX
Two of Texas high school football’s heavyweight programs collide this Friday night, as nationally ranked North Crowley welcomes perennial contender DeSoto for a marquee Week 2 matchup.
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NORTH CROWLEY
North Crowley enters the game riding high after a historic 2024 campaign.
Since head coach Ray Gates took over in 2022, the Panthers have steadily risen to national prominence — culminating in last season’s dominant run to the UIL 6A Division I state title. Currently ranked No. 20 in the country and third in Texas by MaxPreps, the Panthers are showing no signs of slowing down.
Despite graduating a talented core — including Chris Jimerson (North Texas), Quentin Gibson (Colorado), Cornelius Warren III (Arizona), and Ja’Brelle Asberry (Incarnate Word) — North Crowley opened the 2025 season with a gritty 22-18 win over Lancaster.
The victory wasn’t as flashy as last year’s 50-21 dismantling of Westlake in the title game, but it was a strong early test passed by a reloaded roster.
Junior QB Hayes Cloutier, a promising three-star prospect, looks poised to lead the offense. He’s quickly developing chemistry with sophomore wideout Damarion Mays — a four-star recruit with offers from blue-blood programs like Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas.
In the trenches, senior offensive lineman John Turntine III (Texas-commit) anchors a unit that should give Cloutier -- as well as tailbacks G'yrell Smith (Jr. RB) and Cam Russell (Sr. RB) -- the time and space they need to operate.
On the defensive side, Gates' squad remains stacked.
Junior DB Elijajuan “Fat” Houston is coming off a breakout season that earned him District 3-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year. He's joined the by 6-foot-4 three-star safety Aaron Bradshaw (Texas Tech), forming a scary duo in the NoCro secondary.
Up front, 6A-D1 State Defensive MVP Derrick “Big D” Gleason III headlines a punishing defensive line that also features senior standouts DeMorey Beasley and Jurwone Irvin.
Add in linebackers like Avery Dotson and Colorado State-bound cornerback Thomas Cook Jr., and it’s easy to see why the Panthers remain elite on both sides of the ball.
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DESOTO
DeSoto, meanwhile, is looking to rebound after a tough opening loss to Creekside (GA).
Under the leadership of head coach Claude Mathis, the Eagles captured back-to-back 6A-Division II State titles in 2022 and 2023 before falling to Longview in last year’s Region 1 Final.
Despite the early stumble, DeSoto remains a dangerous threat — and Friday’s clash offers a prime opportunity to reassert themselves.
Senior wideout Ethan “Boobie” Feaster will be central to that effort. The USC-commit and returning unanimous all-district selection is a dynamic playmaker capable of changing a game in an instant.
Up front, DeSoto boasts one of the state’s most coveted defensive linemen in junior K’Adrian “Big Juicy” Redmond, who holds offers from Notre Dame, Texas, USC, and more. Junior edge rusher DJ Rumph adds to the pressure, with programs like Michigan, Georgia, and Pittsburgh already showing heavy interest.
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Both teams have something to prove: North Crowley is looking to defend its crown against a familiar powerhouse, while DeSoto is aiming to bounce back and regain momentum. Expect intensity, physicality, and no shortage of big-time talent on display when these two collide.
THE MATHIS WAY: DeSoto fueled on discipline; competition inside the program
Claude Mathis is “that” dude and DeSoto High School has become “that” program.
The Eagles face Southlake Carroll in an epic matchup Saturday at 2 pm in Allen Stadium for the right to advance to the Class 6A DII State Final.
DeSoto “U” will be there with all their swagger, their star players and their State Title rings from a year ago.
DeSoto holds the title that the rest of Texas is chasing.
It has taken some time for Mathis to climb to the top of the Texas high school mountain -- after previous stints at Sommerville, Austin LBJ, DeSoto (previously), University of Houston (RB coach) and Marshall -- but he’s been back at DeSoto and isn’t taking the pedal off the gas.
“When they hired me here, they knew I was a disciplinarian,” Mathis said. “We are going to be a discipline football team, if not, you aren’t going to win a lot of ball games. The kids know the rules, because me and the staff remind them every day. We keep our players humble and we keep the pressure on them to be disciplined. We don’t let up, ever.”
After winning his first state title in 2022, Mathis has the Eagles and the community wanting more… including himself.
“In the world we are in today, people judge me on state championships,” he said. “I was the first African American coach to win a Class 6A State Championship. That was last year. A few hours later, Coach (Reginald) Samples did it at Duncanville. A lot of coaches can win one state championship, but not many have won two or certainly not back-to-back. Those are things that stick out to me. I don’t talk about it much, but I want that for myself. To show other African American coaches that they can do it too.
“It takes a lot for all this to happen. It’s about this team, this coaching staff and all the great people and administration that surround and support this program. Winning is about all of us.”
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South Dallas is loaded. DeSoto, Duncanville and South Oak Cliff have been dominating Texas football of late.
Why?
“I credit to some great coaching and great young men who are playing the game at a high level right now,” he said. “All of our goals are to win s State Championships. You can see the great classes coming through our junior highs, but you can also see when there may be a class that is not as talented. You just have to continue to adjust and we have in the I-20 corridor.”
This is one of those special classes.
QB Darius Bailey (Sam Houston-commit) has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 38 scores. He hands the ball to Marvin Duffey (1,370 yards) and Tiger Riden (National Recruit). WRs Daylon Singleton (SMU) and Antonio Pride are the big-play pass-catchers on the outside. The OL is led by Ronnel McLain (UH) and Byron Washington, among others.
“What’s good about our team is that we have dogs at every position,” he said. “Iron sharpens iron here. On offense, it’s DJ (Bailey), Tiger and our offensive line. On defense, Brandon Booker, Keylan Abrams and Marshall Kirvenare the alphas.”
They will have their hands full against one of the most decorated programs in the history of Texas – Southlake Carroll – which has won eight state titles.
“The keys for us will be to just continue the way we are playing,” he said. “We have to score on offense, keep the penalties down, know our alignments, stop their run and tackle well. The experience of winning state last year has helped us along the way this season.
“But I tell the team that they aren’t going to see any better and tougher competition than they see every day in practice,” he said.
Facts.