Anna Stays Perfect With 42–27 Win Over Panther Creek

Frisco, Texas — What started as a postseason rivalry became a district one Friday night, but the result remained the same.

Anna defeated Frisco Panther Creek 42–27 at Toyota Stadium, improving to 3–0 on the season and earning a win in the first district meeting between the two programs.

The Coyotes entered Friday 2–0 all-time against Panther Creek, with both previous meetings coming in the playoffs. Anna won 62–24 in 2022 before surviving a 42–38 regional semifinal in 2023 during its run to the state championship.

Three years later, the teams met again under different circumstances.

After a lightning delay pushed back the start of the game, Anna wasted little time taking control.

Quarterback Zephyr Kreye opened the scoring with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Juelz Carter, giving the Coyotes a 7–0 lead.

Anna’s defense then stopped Panther Creek on fourth down, giving the offense possession in Panther Creek territory. Kreye capitalized with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Tsutsumi, extending the lead to 14–0 before the end of the first quarter.

The Coyotes continued pulling away in the second.

A Panther Creek fumble recovered by Anna at the 6-yard line gave the Coyotes another short field, and Kreye scored on a 4-yard run two plays later.

Panther Creek finally answered with a 12-yard rushing touchdown to make it 21–7, but its opportunity to further cut into Anna’s lead was stopped on fourth down at the Coyotes’ 18-yard line.

On the very next play, Carter broke loose.

The senior took the ball 77 yards for a touchdown, turning a Panther Creek scoring opportunity into a 28–7 Anna advantage almost immediately.

Carter wasn’t finished.

After Panther Creek punted with less than two minutes remaining in the half, Anna moved from the Panther Creek 44 to the 11. Carter eventually finished the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run, sending the Coyotes into halftime ahead 35–7.

Panther Creek Pushes Back

Panther Creek emerged from halftime looking considerably different.

The Panthers drove 75 yards on the opening possession of the third quarter, scoring on a 6-yard run. A missed extra point left Anna ahead 35–13.

After forcing an Anna punt, Panther Creek struck again. Adding a 48-yard touchdown pass to cut the Coyotes’ lead to 35–20.

A game that had appeared close to decided at halftime suddenly wasn’t.

Anna answered before the quarter ended.

Kreye connected with Carter for their second touchdown of the night, a 29-yard score that restored a three-possession advantage at 42–20.

Panther Creek reached Anna territory again early in the fourth quarter, but the Coyotes forced another turnover on downs at their own 27-yard line.

Neither team scored again until the closing minute, when Panther Creek punched in a 1-yard touchdown to make it 42–27.

Anna recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the remaining time.

Carter Leads the Way

Carter accounted for four of Anna’s six touchdowns Friday, scoring twice through the air and twice on the ground.

His two touchdown receptions both came from Kreye and covered 29 yards, while his rushing scores went for 77 and 13 yards.

Kreye accounted for four touchdowns of his own, throwing three and rushing for another. Desmar Marroquin converted all six of Anna’s extra-point attempts.

The victory continues an unbeaten start for an Anna team that entered the season replacing several major pieces from a year ago.

After opening with a 49–31 road victory over Colleyville Heritage and following it with a win over Brock, the Coyotes now sit at 3–0.

And against Panther Creek, they’re still perfect, too.

Anna is now 3–0 all-time against the Panthers.

The first two helped define postseason runs.

The third counts toward something different: the district race.

An Anna Coyote runs downfield during the 2025 football season. (Anna Progress football archive / 2025 season)