Iowa slips past Crowley

CROWLEY – With injuries mounting and three Crowley High defensive starters out, CHS coach Josh Fontenot was not going to settle for a tie in the final minute Friday in the Gents’ season opener against Iowa at Gardiner Memorial Stadium.
So after watching his team mount a five-play 61-yard drive that resulted in a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Paul Dugar to Xavier Johnson to get within one (29-28) with just over a minute remaining, Fontenot elected to go for the two-point conversion and, hopefully, the win.
Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets sniffed out the play, taking Dugar down at the 2-yard line to seal the victory for Iowa.
“We were beat up and that was just a no-brainer,” said Fontenot of his decision to go for two after having Jardell Delco, Markel Domino and Logan Campbell out of action due to injuries in the first half.
“I would like to have a chance to call another play because that one didn’t work, but we liked that play call. We talked about it as a staff and I made the call. It just didn’t work.”
Iowa’s defense gave up 189 rushing yards on the night, but on the biggest play of the evening, the Jackets were ready.
“Our kids hung in there all night,” said Iowa coach Sean Richard. “Crowley has a great team and coach Fontenot and his staff do an excellent job.
“You know, sometimes in Week 1, it’s tough to get four quarters out of everyone. But we showed guts to finish the game strong and not give up. The defense really stepped up and made a great play (on the two-point conversion.”
The missed conversion was just the final blow for the Gents, who struggled with costly mistakes all night long.
Defensively, the Gents missed out on four potential interceptions that were dropped by defenders and they had eight penalties for 80 yards that extended Iowa drives.
Offensively, Crowley turned the ball over four times, twice on interceptions and twice on fumbles.
“Let’s be honest: We didn’t play well enough to win,” said Fontenot. “Interceptions off dropped balls, fumbles, personal fouls when we shouldn’t have had those things. We just didn’t play well enough to win at all.
“We just had a lot of missed opportunities.”
Crowley’s most costly mistake occurred midway through the fourth quarter with the scored tied at 22-all after a 22-yard field goal by Iowa’s Jaron Dugas.
With the Gents driving, Dugar was hit by a host of defenders and fumbled at the IHS 38-yard line.
After a 4-yard burst by Iowa running back Joseph Figueroa, quarterback Dyami Huntsberry hit a streaking Markail Nixon for a 58-yard touchdown strike to give the Yellow Jackets a 29-22 advantage.
The Yellow Jackets had all the momentum in the first half as they punched it in three times and took a 19-8 advantage at the break.
Figueroa gave Iowa a 6-0 advantage on a 19-yard touchdown run with just over six minutes to go in the first quarter.
The Gents answered right back, however, when Dugar connected with Johnson on a 23-yard scoring strike four minutes later. Following an offsides penalty on Iowa, the Gents went for two and Keith Wilson strutted in to complete the conversion and give Crowley an 8-6 advantage.
Unfortunately, Iowa had a counter punch.
Nixon took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 70 yards down to the Crowley 20-yard line. Iowa then converted on fourth down with pass to Terrance Tutson before Huntsberry called his own number on the next play and scored from 10 yards out. The snap on the PAT was botched and the Yellow Jackets led 12-8.
The Yellow Jackets posted their final score of the half, thanks mainly to another CHS turnover.
Darius Daniels picked off a Dugar pass at the CHS 35-yard line with 7:29 remaining in the half and the Yellow Jackets wasted no time in taking advantage of their opportunity.
On the first play, Huntsberry connected with Cole Fleming for a 35-yard touchdown.
Iowa also caused a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the CHS 33-yard line but a sack by Logan Campbell for minus 14 yards along with a run for a loss and an incompleteion forced the Yellow Jackets to punt.
Another interception, this one by Iowa’s Derek Dagile, thwarted any hopes of another Crowley score just before the half.
The Gents turned the tables on the Yellow Jackets in the second half, however.
Jalean Jenkins intercepted a pass early in the third quarter and returned it to the IHS 10-yard line to set up the Gents’ first score of the second half.
Wilson carried three straight times, the third resulting in a 1-yard touchdown. Casey Stewart’s PAT cut Iowa’s lead to 19-15 with 8:37 remaining in the frame.
The Gents regained the lead nearly four minutes later when Dugar scored on a 3-yard run. The scamper was set up by a pass to Chris lewis that went for 46 yards on third-and-14. Stewart was true once again on the PAT and Crowley led 22-19 with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter.
“We made a few less mistakes and the defense kind of cranked it up,” said Fontenot of his team’s rally in the second half. “With so many guys going down in the first half, we were kind of able to piece some things together. The first half was a gut check and the kids really showed some character by the way the responded.
“We lost to a good football team. When you play poorly against a really good team and you have a chance to win the game there at the end, that’s something to be said about your character. But bottom line: We have to just play better.”
The Gents actually outgained Iowa on the night, racking up 328 yards of total offense and 15 first downs.
The Yellow Jackets had 294 yards and 14 first downs.
Dugar completed 10 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson was the team’s leading receiver with four catches for 51 yards. He had both receiving touchdowns.
Wilson was the Gents’ leading rusher with 84 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Dugar also had 16 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown. Donald Francis added eight carries for 43 yards.
Huntsberry completed 10 passes for 243 yards, hitting Nixon three times for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Figuera led all rushers on the night with 22 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown.