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North Crowley Panthers are red hot
THE WRAP: North Crowley rolls past Southlake Carroll behind dominant defense
FORT WORTH — North Crowley didn't just win Friday night.
The Panthers made a statement.
After falling behind early, North Crowley ripped off 40 unanswered points and dominated Southlake Carroll 40-10 in a Week 2 showdown between two of Texas' top-ranked 6A programs.
The Panthers improved to 2-0, while Southlake Carroll dropped to 1-1.
The star of the night was senior running back G’yrell Smith, who scored four rushing touchdowns and repeatedly found the end zone when North Crowley needed a spark.
“I had to show up for my team and do what I have to do,” said Smith, a North Texas pledge.
But this was far from a one-man show.
North Crowley's defense set the tone all night, forcing turnovers, shutting down Southlake's rushing attack and coming up with huge stops in the red zone.
The Dragons managed just 94 rushing yards on 28 carries, averaging 3.4 yards per carry.
Southlake actually led 7-6 after the first quarter, but everything changed early in the second.
After a bad snap sailed over the Southlake punter's head, North Crowley took over at the Dragons' 18-yard line. Smith quickly cashed in, scoring his first touchdown of the night and giving the Panthers the lead for good.
It was also the beginning of a major change in North Crowley's backfield.
With North Crowley trailing 7-6, head coach DeMarcus Harris made a switch at quarterback, bringing in Jazheel McCradic for starting quarterback Jacob Torres.
The move paid immediate dividends.
McCradic guided the Panthers through a 21-point second quarter, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to Pryce Demerson. Smith added another touchdown run late in the half, and North Crowley went into halftime with a 27-7 advantage.
The Panthers' defense delivered a massive moment before halftime, stopping Southlake Carroll at the 1-yard line with 2:39 remaining in the second quarter.
From there, North Crowley took control.
Southlake's turnovers continued to pile up.
A fumble inside the red zone was recovered by Jordan Herigon, while another Dragons possession ended with Elijajuan Houston stripping the ball and recovering it at the Southlake 1-yard line.
North Crowley then went 99 yards, capped by a 26-yard touchdown run from Smith with 4:33 remaining.
The Panthers weren't finished.
Southlake's next drive ended with the first of two interceptions by sophomore defensive back Braylen Cunningham.
North Crowley briefly gave Southlake another chance when McCradic threw an incomplete pass on fourth down from the Dragons' 19-yard line.
Then came a roughing-the-passer penalty.
The Panthers got a new set of downs, and two plays later Smith powered in from eight yards out with 1:10 remaining to make it 40-7.
Cunningham later added his second interception, once again ending a Southlake drive inside the North Crowley red zone.
The performance even caught the attention of former Cowboys star Dez Bryant, who watched Cunningham's second pick and turned to say:
“That No. 16 is a player.”
Southlake did find the end zone once more, but by then the Panthers had already turned the game into a statement victory.
The Dragons did have some success through the air. Blake Gunter hauled in six catches for 146 yards, while Illinois pledge Brody Knowles was held to just three catches for 44 yards with UCLA pledge Jerry Outhouse Jr. matched up against him for much of the night.
Southlake's Dez Bryant Jr. finished with one catch for 20 yards, but his lone reception put the Dragons inside the red zone before another turnover ended the threat.
For North Crowley, it was a complete performance. Smith provided the touchdowns. McCradic provided the spark and the defense made sure Southlake Carroll never found its way back into the game.
“Man, my defense is so strong,” Smith said. “I love my defense … they even hurt me at practice. Shoutout to my defense; shoutout to Coach Harris and all my defensive coaches.”
After two weeks, North Crowley isn't just undefeated. The Panthers are looking like a serious problem.
Senior Julian Caldwell is a Texas Tech pledge and gives the Eagles an established target on the outside
Argyle opens new stadium against California power Oak Ridge
The Argyle Eagles welcome the Oak Ridge Trojans from El Dorado Hills, California, in a matchup that pits two successful programs against one another after impressive 2025 campaigns.
Oak Ridge went 9-4 last season, while Argyle finished 12-2 and enters the 2026 season with plenty of firepower on both sides of the football.
Argyle: The Offense Has Plenty of Juice
Argyle doesn't have the many questions surrounding its offense.
The Eagles return one of the most productive quarterbacks in Texas in junior Hayes Hackney.
Hackney transferred from Prosper Walnut Grove and is one of the state's most intriguing players after putting together a monster 2025 campaign. He threw for 3,329 yards and 37 touchdowns last season and has offers from UTSA and Stephen F. Austin.
Hackney was also the Texas District 4-5A-II Overall MVP as a freshman, giving him an impressive résumé despite still being a junior.
And he has plenty of weapons.
Senior Julian Caldwell is a Texas Tech pledge and gives the Eagles an established target on the outside.
Then there's Ake O'Neal, ranked No. 1, who is committed to Oklahoma State. O'Neal caught 21 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown last season and gives Argyle another explosive option in the passing game.
The combination of Hackney, Caldwell and O'Neal gives Argyle a trio capable of putting pressure on Oak Ridge's secondary from the opening snap.
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The Defensive Difference
While Argyle's offense may get the headlines, Brody Bomar gives the Eagles a defensive centerpiece.
The No. 33 prospect and Georgetown commit was an all-state selection last season after piling up 146 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Bomar's ability to control the middle of the field could be critical against an Oak Ridge offense looking to establish a new identity after losing its top two running backs.
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Oak Ridge: New Faces, Same Expectations
Oak Ridge has some holes to fill after losing its top two running backs and its leading receiver in receiving yards from a year ago.
That puts added pressure on senior quarterback Nick Johnson, who returns after throwing for 1,197 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025.
Johnson will have a pair of proven targets to work with.
Braxton Martinez returns after catching 26 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns. The senior already has offers from Nevada and Texas Tech.
Fellow wide receiver Isaac Pierce also returns after producing 15 receptions for 325 yards and four touchdowns. Pierce holds offers from New Mexico and UNLV.
The Trojans' biggest question may be whether they can replace the production lost from last year's roster while maintaining the offensive balance that helped them win nine games.
Defensively, Oak Ridge also lost its top player to transfer, with that standout moving to St. John Bosco.
One player who returns is linebacker/defensive end Ben Rivas, who was a force in 2025. Rivas recorded 85 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and four fumble recoveries.
If Oak Ridge is going to slow Argyle's offense, Rivas will likely have to be at the center of the effort.
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The X-Factors
Oak Ridge — Ben Rivas: If the Trojans are going to pull the upset, Rivas has to be a problem. His 10 sacks last season show that he can change a game from the defensive front.
Argyle — Hayes Hackney: The junior quarterback has already demonstrated that he can put up enormous numbers. The question now is whether he can lead Argyle through another deep postseason-type season.
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The Bottom Line
This is more than another non-district game.
It's a meeting between two programs that won a combined 21 games last season, with Oak Ridge traveling from California to Texas for its first Texas opponent since 2004, according to MaxPreps.
Oak Ridge has the defensive playmaker in Rivas and enough returning production at receiver to make things interesting.
But Argyle enters with fewer questions offensively and one of the state's most productive quarterbacks in Hackney, surrounded by Power Four talent in Caldwell and O'Neal.
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The matchup to watch: Argyle's explosive passing attack vs. an Oak Ridge defense trying to replace its biggest star.
The question: Can the California Trojans slow down the Texas Eagles long enough to make this a fourth-quarter game?
That should tell us a lot about both teams heading into the heart of the 2026 season.