This game has been two years in the making. Since moving up to district 5A, Crandall has been waiting to play North Forney. Last year’s matchup was canceled due to COVID, so the Pirates waited patiently for this date to roll around.
Crandall’s opening ceremonies included the little Pirates running onto the field and the City of Crandall honoring America’s brave men and women who have laid down their lives in recent months. Current and former servicemen and women, gold star family members and city representatives walked onto the field. Each held an American flag and the name of a servicemember who lost their life in the Kabul Airport attack and fatal helicopter crash in California in recent months. A deafening silence fell over the crowd as taps and the National Anthem were played by the Pirate Regiment. It was a beautiful moment honoring those that sacrificed everything before these young men took the field.
Pirate kicker Philip Olivares would start the game off with a high kick forcing the Falcons to fair catch it at the twenty-five-yard line. The Pirate defense would face a faster paced style offense in the Falcons. This would not phase them on the first drive though coming up with a big stop on fourth and seven, forcing a turnover on downs. The Pirates would take over on their own thirty-one-yard line. Jamonte Gordon-West would connect with his number one target, receiver Luke Moffitt, on the third play of the drive placing the Pirates deep in Falcon territory. Seven plays later West would connect with Junior Samuel Omosigho in the corner of the end zone on a six-yard touchdown reception.
North Forney’s second drive was promising as they were moving down the field fairly decisively. This all changed on the seventh play of the drive when outside linebacker Samuel Omosigho came off the edge stripping the ball from the quarterback’s hands. All the Pirates needed was three plays to put it in the endzone. West pulled it back on a quarterback keeper and ran it in from three yards out. The score was 13-0 Crandall at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter would ignite a scoring frenzy by both teams. North Forney would strike first on a thirteen-yard rushing touchdown. The Pirates offense was driving down the field when running back Chris Abron had the ball stripped from his hands. The Falcons took over and didn’t hold possession of the ball for long. The first play of the drive Crandall tackle Cakarai Collins stripped the ball from the running backs hands giving the ball back to the Pirates with great field position. West and his crew would only need two plays to score on an Abron fifteen-yard rush to the endzone.
The Falcons would answer after gaining great field position off of an interception from West. It took North Forney a quick four play drive to put it in the endzone. This made the score 19-13 Crandall with four minutes left in the half. The Pirates would answer with a score of their own in one play! West connected with Moffitt on a sixty-one-yard touchdown reception. With a little over three minutes left in the half North Forney would take control and put up two more scores before halftime. The Falcons led at the half by a score of 27-26.
Crandall made some much-needed adjustments and came out swinging in the third quarter. The Pirates would score a whopping six times in the third quarter! Sophomore receiver Josh Smith would cap off a ten-play drive with a three-yard touchdown reception.
The Falcons first drive of the second half ended with a forced fumble and recovery by Samuel Omosigho. He took it to the house from fifty-one-yards out. The Falcons turnover woes would continue on the next drive. Junior defensive end Aidan Ross would come from behind and take the ball right out of the quarterback’s hands on the second play of the drive. This Pirate possession would end with Chris Abron rushing it in from five yards out.
After a big stop on fourth down the Pirates took possession of the ball. West only needed three plays to march his offense down the field, ending with another Chris Abron rushing touchdown. The Falcons came back on the field only to be stopped by a motivated Pirates defense in three plays. What happened next was something that you have to see to believe. Senior Elijah James came off the corner and jumped in the air to block the punt. The punt went straight into James’ stomach who then proceeded to run it back for the twenty-fiveyard touchdown.
You would think things couldn’t get any worse for the Falcon offense, but they would. Junior standout Samuel Omosigho would force his second fumble on the night with Aidan Ross recovering it. It took second string running back Andrew Anderson one play to take it to the house from seventy-four-yards out! The score was 64-27 Crandall at the end of three quarters of play.
The fourth quarter saw Crandall put in a lot of players to get gametime experience. North Forney put up two scores and Anderson ran in another touchdown from ten-yards-out. The final score was 71-43 Crandall!
The Pirate defense forced a whopping six fumbles and one punt block returned for a touchdown. Match this defense up with the quick scoring Pirate offense and you have a deadly combination!
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