Cron went on to win state titles at 2A Mart in 1999 and 3A Commerce in 2001, becoming the only coach in Texas high school football history to win championships in three different classifications. Cron and the late P.E. “Pete” Shotwell - who won state titles at Abilene in 1923, Breckenridge in 1929 and Longview in 1937 - are the only coaches to guide three different schools to a state championship.

Now at 4A Mansfield Timberview, in its fifth year of existence, 22-year head coaching veteran Cron is embarking on a new venture of trying to build the school into a state title contender.

“I feel very fortunate,” said Cron, who will lead the Timberwolves (0-2) against Belton (0-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at MISD Stadium. “To be a coach and through the years to get to coach all the young men I have . . . it’s been an honor.

“I’ve been blessed with numerous athletes, had some great coaches and was fortunate to be hired to some places that are rich in tradition. I’d look to places where football was really important. You put that combination with a little bit of luck, that’s how all that can happen.”

Added retired Temple coaching legend Bob McQueen, who was unbeaten in four meetings with Cron from 1980-83: “Terry is a wonderful coach and even better person. He’s certainly had a lot of success. I know him because he learned from one of my best friends, Bill Bryant.”

Bryant, a 1957 Temple graduate, got his first head coaching job at Tulia in 1972 and hired Cron as an assistant. Then he assisted Bryant at Round Rock before becoming the Dragons’ head coach in 1980.

Cron recalled that when Round Rock Westwood opened in 1981 he lost nearly half his roster, and he struggled to an 8-31-1 record in four seasons with Round Rock.

After assistant coaching stints at Liberty Hill and Leander, Cron tried his luck as head coach again, taking over a seasoned Bartlett squad that had just captured its first Class A state title in 1990.

His 11-2-1 Bulldogs, who featured all-state running back and current DeSoto coach Claude Mathis, came within a game of the state semifinals in 1991, but in ’92 Cron led Bartlett back to the top, defeating current Academy coach Royce McAdams and Sudan 33-26 for his first title.

“Finding out then how hard it was to win one (was what I learned),” said Cron, who is 169-90-3 in his career. “The belief the kids had . . . we beat Chilton in the last seconds and kicked a field goal to beat D’Hanis with 16 seconds left. The kids had that never-give-up attitude.”

Cron went 42-10-2 in four seasons at Bartlett, but he was just getting started.

In 1995, Cron took over Mart and went 70-13 in six seasons. His Panthers, led by outstanding quarterback/defensive back and current Texas receiver Quan Cosby, roared to the 1999 2A Division I title, with their closest game a 35-6 state semifinal win over Comfort.

Mart extended its winning streak to 30 in 2000 before losing to Celina in the 2A Division II state final, then in 2001 Cron moved to Commerce and led the Tigers to the 3A Division II title in his first season.

“The ingredient all three had was that they were football communities that supported more than most,” said Cron, who went 30-9 in three seasons at Commerce. “(Current Euless Trinity coach) Steve Lineweaver really got the program going and he won a title in 1999, the same year I won one at Mart. This was a similar situation like Mart where football is important and the kids know the importance of it. Commerce was similar (to Mart) but a little bigger school.”

And finally, Cron’s journey brought him to Timberview, which opened in 2004.

But this time, Cron wasn’t walking into a perennial power program. He was starting from scratch.

“I took it more as a challenge and sure enough we were 1-9 (in my first year),” said Cron, who is 19-29 in four seasons. “I remember making our first first down. I wanted to see if I could accept the challenge and make it work. I’ve used the same ingredients: good coaches and good players.”

Last season, the Timberwolves made a splash in the 5A Division II playoffs and advanced to the Region I semifinals before falling to Lewisville Hebron.

Timberview is 0-2, losing to Buford, Ga., in the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series and to rival Mansfield Summit last week. But with 14 starters returning to a team that made a 5A playoff run a year ago, a similar run in 4A this season is a definite possibility.

Given Cron’s résumé, a potential 4A title certainly isn’t out of the question, either. And if the University Interscholastic League realigns the Timberwolves back up to 5A, don’t rule Cron out from achieving a championship class sweep.

“I would love for that to happen,” said Cron, who will turn 60 this season. “I think when you’re competing your ultimate goal is to make the playoffs and advance as far as you possibly can. If you have the talent and things fall in place, people stay healthy and you cross your T’s and dot your I’s . . . I may not coach that long but that would be kind of cool to win a 4A and 5A title.

“Hopefully I’ve left something behind that’s been of value. I’ve gotten more rewards from kids than the communities. I’m going to write a book someday over these experiences. My whole career has been a joy.”

cmeister@temple-telegram.com