Crandall’s Pirates clinched a playoff spot with a 46-21 football victory over Greenville in the Lions’ season finale on Thursday night at T.A. “Cotton” Ford Stadium.
The Pirates upped their season record to 7-3 and their District 6-5A-II mark to 4-3, giving Crandall fourth place in the district standings behind Terrell, Midlothian Heritage and Ennis. All four teams will advance to the playoffs in Class 5A.
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The Lions, who scored on three big pass plays, finished at 0-10 and 0-7.
Greenville quarterback Jeremiah Freeman was 10-of-24 passing for a career high 316 yards. Freeman connected with Chris Whytus on a 75-yard touchdown pass, Javien Bailey on a 57-yard score and Brayveon Colbert on a 75-yard TD connection. Whytus broke a tackle at the Crandall 45 before his dash to the end zone. Bailey beat the Pirates deep before hauling in his TD pass. Colbert caught a pass on a crossing route and then raced down the right sidelines for his score. Freeman also connected with Ethan Brand on a 69-yard completion early in the game.
“We’ve got some dynamic guys,” said Lions coach David Collins. “They played their hearts out.
“I’m proud of the energy level our guys played with,” he said. “They don’t stop playing.”
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However, the Lions lost five turnovers, including four interceptions and a fumble. Cayson Hardman returned one of the interceptions 34 yards for a Crandall touchdown.
Greenville forced three Crandall turnovers as Devyn Stroud took the ball away from Pirate ball carriers twice for fumble recoveries and Montana McEwen also recovered a Crandall fumble on an onside kick by the Lions.
Collins said Stroud is a “kid that has come a long way since I got here.”Crandall totaled 416 yards of offense, including 257 yards rushing. The Pirates, who were without their injured 1,207-yard rusher Darrik Ward Jr., picked up 94 yards on 15 carries from Micah Wright, including a 25-yard TD. Christian Ingram ran for 85 yards on 12 carries, with TD runs of 2 and 25 yards.
Crandall quarterback Luke Vanlandingham ran for 64 yards on six carries, including a 14-yard TD. Vanlandingham was also 9-of-12 passing for 142 yards, including a 74-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Douglas. Douglas led the Pirates and all receivers with six catches for 118 yards.
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Whytus led the Lions with three catches for 99 yards. Also catching passes for the Lions were Colbert (2-82), Brand (2-73), Bailey (2-61) and Zayden Armstrong-Teeters (1-1).
Armstrong-Teeters led the Lion rushers with 46 yards on 10 carries.
Crandall’s placekicker Alejandro Carreon booted a 40-yard field goal that would have been good from beyond 50 yards and also boomed some kickoffs either deep into the end zone or over it.
Before the game the Lions recognized their senior football players along with other seniors from the band and Flaming Flashes drill team.
