The football team defeated the Caprock Longhorns last Thursday at Dick Bivins with a final score of 42-7. They will face Randall Friday at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m.

The victory was dedicated to senior offensive lineman Ty Crenshaw and his family. During the game, students threw blue streamers in memory of Coach Guy Crenshaw, who died Oct. 26 after a long battle with cancer. Senior quarterback Cade McCallie said the team has really come together as a family and shown significant support for each other and the Crenshaws.

“We all knew who we were playing for,” McCallie said. “We were focused and ready to play because we really wanted to get the win for Ty and his family.”

Head coach Blake Bryant presented the game ball to Crenshaw in the locker room following the victory. The moment was captured by AGN TV.

“Ty was such a strong young man for his family,” Bryant said. “The Crenshaw family was just amazing in how they handled themselves.”

Bryant said the week of preparation was very emotional. The week offered many learning experiences for the team and coaches, which Bryant said is a beneficial aspect of being on any high school team.

“Throughout the school year, there are so many teachable moments and high school athletics is such a great vessel to try to do this,” Bryant said. “This week and game opened a lot of doors for us to talk about the importance of being strong in our faith and understanding Guy was in a better place and what our role should be.”

Bryant said the team talked a lot about facing adversity in the future. He said this game was a reflection of each man’s role as future fathers and husbands.

“Our role as leaders of our family is to get up, pray and keep fighting and walking in faith,” Bryant said. “We also wanted to bring honor to Guy and his competitive spirit by going out and playing in a way that would make him proud.”

Bryant said one thing which sets Canyon apart from other places is the family atmosphere and commitment to fellow teammates, coaches and community, and that this is evident in all programs at Canyon High School.

“I believe that our kids have something inside of them that makes them a little different,” Bryant said. “I don’t know how to explain it. It is just a Canyon Eagle spirit which lives in us that makes us try a little harder, work a little harder and find a way to get it done. The outpouring of love and help by our CHS family just reminds us all of how lucky we are to live in Canyon and be Eagles.”

For more about Coach Guy Crenshaw, read  Teachers, students recall laughs, love and life lessons of Coach Guy Crenshaw.