MANSFIELD
No. 1 North Crowley continued its stretch of dominance, taking down Mansfield 72-10 on Thursday at Newsom Stadium to clinch at least a share of the District 11-6A championship.
It’s the fifth straight district title for the Panthers (9-0, 6-0); the program hasn’t lost a district game since the 2021 season. The 2026 season was supposed to be North Crowley’s biggest regular-season challenge in years, as it faced some of the toughest teams in Texas in district and non-district play.
“[Winning district again] means everything,” North Crowley head coach DeMarcus Harris said. “Our vision is [district, playoffs, state], so we want to win district, play in the third round of the playoffs, and play in the state championship. … It feels real good to go into the District of Doom and win district.
“I’m so happy for our kids and our community. Our coaches do a great job, our kids do a great job, and I’m just I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
North Crowley head coach DeMarcus Harris stands on the sideline during the national anthem ahead of a district game against Mansfield at Newsom Stadium in Mansfield, Texas, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. Charles Baggarly Star-Telegram
The Panthers have won every game by 17 or more points and are outscoring opponents 454-139 on the season, an average score of 50.4 to 15.4. They’ve beaten 12-time state champion Aledo, perennial power Southlake Carroll, previously top-ranked Waxahachie and state power Duncanville, a 2025 Class 6A Division I state finalist.
North Crowley is likely to enter the Class 6A Division II bracket, and that could be made official Friday if Duncanville and Waxahachie both win their district games.
“It doesn’t matter. Whoever they put in front of us, we want to play,” Harris said. “But we feel good about whoever we’re playing right now. So, whatever happens, we’re going to have our guys ready. We’ll have them ready to go for whoever we’re playing.”
Harris said the quality of competition in the Division II bracket is more similar than some people think. He brought up several top teams, including Houston King, Southlake Carroll and Humble Atascocita as potential tough opponents.
“A lot of good ball being played on that side of the bracket,” Harris said. “I don’t think it matters.”
North Crowley held a 30-0 halftime lead Thursday led by quarterback Jacob Torres, who completed 14 of 15 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. He picked his moments to fire downfield, continuing a trend of accurate and efficient play.
“He’s bought into the team aspect,” Harris said. “He’s got a big job, and being the quarterback at North Crowley, you’ve got to have a clear head. You got a lot of tools. You got a lot of toys to play with, and you’ve just got to make sure you get it to those guys and don’t turn it over and take care of the football. And he’s doing it. He’s just taking control of the team, the huddle, and he comes ready to work every day. Great attitude.”
Wide receiver Damarion Mays, an uncommitted four-star recruit, tallied 219 yards on nine catches and two scores of 25 and 92 yards. He also set up a TD from running back G’yrell Smith with a fully extending diving catch for a 46-yard gain.
Add it to the Damarion Mays highlight reel. He makes the spectacular catch for North Crowley. #TXHSFB Panthers followed it up with a rushing TD from G’yrell Smith out of Wildcat. 2 pt conversion is good. NC leads Mansfield 16-0 (9:02 Q2). https://t.co/rIcJlMcJME
— Charles Baggarly (@swaggarly) October 30, 2026
With the lead secured, Torres and Mays did not play the second half.
North Crowley just toyed with the running game with 20 rushes for 114 yards, but the Panthers were dominant through the air. Torres’ 14 of 15 performance was followed by Jahzeel McCradic, who went 6 of 6 for 164 yards and touchdown tosses of 22, 95 and 18 yards in just over a quarter.
Joah Ricard followed, going 3 of 3 for 50 yards with a 13-yard scoring pass. North Crowley rolled up 596 total yards with 482 coming through the air.
Smith rushed for 65 yards on six carries with touchdowns of 3 and 2 yards. Smith also returned a kickoff 83 yards for a score. Tight end Jeramie Cooper finished with three catches for 120 yards, including a 95-yard TD.
After the game, the North Crowley football players created an uplifting moment for Errecka Holloway, who is set to undergo breast cancer treatment for the second time. Holloway, the mother of defensive lineman Derrick Gleason, was given a rose by every North Crowley player.
It took nearly four minutes, and by the end, Holloway was holding a massive bouquet.
“Seeing that, I became overwhelmed with emotions,” Holloway said.
Harris thanked her for being a supporter of the program, and the players and coaches presented her with a card.
“She’s been around our kids since they were little kids, like all of them,” Harris said. “She’s just like a mom to all of them.”
North Crowley can complete a perfect regular season on Thursday, Nov. 5, at home against Red Oak.
This story was originally published October 29, 2026 at 10:00 PM.
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Charles Baggarly is a high school sports editor and reporter for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He graduated from TCU in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and served as TCU 360’s sports editor. Connect with Charles on Twitter or via email.