During the first quarter of the first round playoff game against Haltom, senior wide receiver Dameon Crowe caught a pass from senior quarterback Lucas Sawyer and sprinted 53 yards for the first touchdown of the game. The crowd erupted in celebration. Scoring so early put all the momentum in the Eagle’s favor.
“They already defeated over there while our mindset [was to] keep our foot on the gas,” senior defensive tackle Jai’meon Winfield said.
The varsity football team won the game for the second year in a row after defeating Haltom 35-7, marking their first back-to-back Bi-District Championship titles since 1991. Round two will be against Coppell High School on Nov. 20.
Sophomore wide receiver Jacob Watson said it feels good to break the cycle and prove everybody wrong.
“Showing that we the underdogs, we’ve come to take it all,” Watson said.
Leading up to the game, Head coach Kendrick Holloway told the players that they needed be the most disciplined team on the field. He challenged the team throughout the week, telling them that the game is going to be won Monday through Thursday not just Friday.
“I’m proud of those guys and the work they put into the week to help us get this victory tonight,” Holloway said.
Crowe scored three touchdowns through the air, while Watson caught a touchdown pass in during the first quarter. Junior wide receiver Chris Thibodeaux chipped in with a 43-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Crowe said he would score multiple touchdowns because he felt that he hasn’t been himself all season. However, in this game, he felt a difference in his execution and was able to be himself.
“I feel like it’s one of my best games all season,” he said.
Watson said when Crowe scored the first touchdown, he knew they were going to win the game.
“When D-Crowe scored, I thought ‘oh yeah, this is our game,'” Watson said.
Sawyer said that because he and Crowe have been playing football together since elementary school, he always trusts him to score from his passes.
“I know that he can do what he could do,” Sawyer said.
Watson said it felt great to score a touchdown in front of so many fans.
“I feel great, showing my community love,” Watson said.
Despite leading Haltom early in the game, Sawyer said they tried to keep a level head because the game wasn’t over yet.
“I just knew that we had to finish the game,” Sawyer said.
Senior defensive back Michael Allen said when he intercepted Haltom on the goal line during the third quarter, he felt that killed them.
“I could see the life drain from their eyes,” Allen said.
Holloway said he utilized their team meetings throughout the game by coaching them when they came off the field and then putting them in successful positions when they got back on. During halftime, he said they made some adjustments from an offensive, defensive and special teams standpoint to help them in the second half.
Winfield said their team meetings with Holloway encouraged them a lot because he reminded them of how much work they put in this season.
“We owe it to ourselves to keep going out here and winning games,” Winfield said.
Sawyer said the team did a pretty good job for their first game of the playoffs and now, they’re going to keep stacking days and focusing on their consistency for next week.
“Going forward, this is the standard now so people got to really lock it in,” Sawyer said.
Winfield said since they have a seven game winning streak now, they’re looking to see how far they can take their momentum.
Holloway hopes this win will continue to build their confidence.
“It’s huge for our program and what we built over the years, and now we’re on to round two,” Holloway said.
