BEFORE THE KICKOFF: HP vs Midway

BEFORE THE KICKOFF: HP vs Midway

The Battle of Midway begins tonight and after the smoke clears, the victor will live to battle another week.

midway panther logoMidway is one of the strongest teams in the state this season. The Panthers are 11-0 and are ranked 13th in the AP state 6A rankings. MaxPreps ranks them 6th in Texas and 44th in the nation.

While the Panthers had only one challenge in their district race, their pre-district performance was impressive. In the first game, Midway knocked off Lake Travis, 38-30, then beat Mansfield (24-14), Mansfield Timberview (41-34) and Duncanville (42-36). Both Lake Travis and Timberview are now 10-1, are state ranked and are still alive in the playoffs.

“We’ll need to raise our level of play in order to compete with Midway,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “We expect this to be a tough game but we’ll be prepared.”

On offense, the Panthers return six starters from last year’s 9-3 area finalist. Quarterback Ben Hicks (#8, 6-2, 195) threw for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns as a junior last year. This season he has completed 182 of 261 passes for 2,816 yards and 25 TDs.

Midway’s top receiver, Devontre Stricklin (#2, 6-3, 160) has caught 51 passes for 1,074 yards and 10 touchdowns. He won’t have to go far to play college football. He has committed to Baylor. The Scots secondary will need to watch a couple other Panther wide receivers. Joseph Ward (#9, 5-10, 170) has caught 38 passes for 559 yards and eight TDs while R.J. Rangel (#11, 5-10, 200) has caught 22 passes for 364 yards and one touchdown.

Running back Eric Clayburn (#29, 6-0, 180) will be tough to bring down. He has already picked up 1,385 yards on 205 carries, scoring 17 touchdowns on the ground.

But the secret behind this prolific offense is the college-size offensive line that the Panthers have. They average just under 300 lbs. each and give Hicks plenty of time to find Stricklin.

Scoring? The Panthers average 47.5 points per game and hold opponents to 23.8.

midway football-headerLast week Midway faced Tyler Lee in the first round of the playoffs. Lee received the kickoff. On the first play from scrimmage, Marcus Johnson (#27, 5-10, 170) intercepted a Lee pass. On the second play, Hicks hit Stricklin with a touchdown pass. And it went downhill from there for Lee. Midway scored four times in the first 14 plays and led 41-7 at the end of the first quarter, then 62-14 at halftime. The Panthers scored on all of their possessions en route to a 76-47 win.

But perhaps the most impressive win for the Panthers was in the battle for the district 12-6A title. The only other team in the district with a winning record was Copperas Cove and the two teams lit up the scoreboard as Midway won, 66-54. The two teams combined for 1, 286 in total yards (591 yards rushing and 695 passing) and 65 first downs.

The good news is that the Scots should be able to move the ball on the Panthers. The bad news is that Midway has a very potent offense. The Panthers have many weapons and they are all lethal. But the Scots boast one of the most brutal defenses in the Dallas area, holding teams to an average of 12.8 points per game – the best 6A effort in the Greater Dallas area right now.

This major battle – the Midway offense against the HP defense – should determine who advances. “To win this game we’ll need to focus on limiting turnovers, making explosive plays, third-down conversions and field position in the kicking game,” said Allen.

The Scots eliminated 5-5 Irving Nimitz last Friday, 49-17, in a game that was close in the first half (21-17). The Vikings had the ball and the momentum at the beginning of the second half when HP’s own personal Pick-6-Machine, Mitchell Kaufman (#10, 6-3, 225) grabbed a Viking pass out of the sky and sprinted 38 yards for a touchdown that changed the momentum of the game.

“We never looked back after that play,” said Coach Allen. “Mitchell really has a knack for knowing where the ball is being thrown. He’s got good hands, good agility and can jump, but his ability to make plays like that comes from his reading the quarterback’s eyes and watching film to study offensive tendencies.”

Scots quarterback Brooks Burgin (#5, 6-2, 190) threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns in the Nimitz win, giving him 3,000 passing yards for the season.

The game tonight is being played in Midlothian, which is 32 miles from Highland Park and 85 miles from Waco. The winner of this match will advance to play the winner of Lake Travis and Spring. As many Texas high school coaches are fond of saying,

“There are no turkeys in the playoffs after Thanksgiving.”

HP vs Irving Nimitz: Before the Kickoff

Before the Kickoff

 

Highland Park vs. Irving Nimitz Don’t let Nimitz’s 5-5 record fool you. Any team in the playoffs can get hot and take down a 9-1 or 10-0 team. Every Texas high school team that makes the playoffs can be dangerous.

Nimitz_Viking

For the 9-1 Scots, the danger is looking past the Vikings. Out in the future lie challenges like Midway, Lake Travis, Rockwall, Cedar Hill and Southlake Carroll – if the Scots stay alive in the playoffs. Thinking about these 6A powerhouses now is a recipe for a 5-5 team to surprise the Scots and send them home early.

 

Highland Park is playing as good as one would hope at this juncture in the season. The Scots have dominated on both sides of the ball in their nine wins and they’ll need to continue that level of play if there’s going to be a 10th win.

 

Quarterback Brooks Burgin (#5, 6-2, 190) is coming off one of his most impressive performances as the Scots shut out the Richardson Eagles, 43-0, last Friday. He

completed 20 of 25 passes (80 percent) for 441 yards and six touchdowns.

 

It was also a banner night for the Scots wide receivers. Kevin Ken (#17, 6-0, 170) caught six passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns of 49 and nine yards. Andrew Frost (#3, 6-0, 180) caught four passes for 103 yards and two scores. Campbell Brooks (#2, 6-0, 175) hauled in six passes for 100 yards and one TD. Sam Welfelt (#9, 6-2, 180) had two catches for 64 yards, including a 52-yard TD reception on the final play of the third quarter. Running back Stephen Dieb (#34, 5-7, 145) caught two passes for 53 yards and picked up 40 yards on the ground.

 

The Scots offense rolled up 510 yards in total offense – 66 on the ground and 444 in the air. On the other side of the ball, the Scots defense pitched its fourth shutout of the season, limiting the Eagles to 161 yards – 117 on the ground and 44 in the air.

 

“It was Senior Night at Highlander Stadium and we were able to honor our seniors on a memorable night,” said Scots coach Randy Allen. “Our defense got another shutout and Brooks had one of his best nights. All of our seniors played in the game. With a 9-1 record we go into the playoffs with some momentum.”

 

The defense was led by Players of the Week Hayden Schnieders (#40, 5-10, 195), Michael Thornton (#95, 6-2, 215) and Nick Waterman (#44, 6-2, 217) – and Stephen Briggs (#4, 6-0, 175) who pulled down three interceptions. He looked like his uncle, John Briggs (former HP and SMU basketball star) rebounding a trio of Richardson passes out of the sky.

 

What should Scots fans look for tonight?

 

Highland Park needs to take away the Vikings’ biggest success, QB Jimmy Clark’s deep passes to wide receiver Sam Berry. Clark has passed for more than 2,000 yards and has a similar completion percentage to Burgin – 66.32 to 65.4 – and has tossed only three interceptions this season. He can also run. Clark has 577 yards on the ground, with four more TDs.

 

Clark’s most dangerous receiver is Berry, who has caught 22 passes for 640 yards, a 29.1 yards average. Eight of his 22 receptions have gone for touchdowns. He had two TD catches in the fourth quarter against MacArthur last Friday.

 

But if teams double up on Berry, then D’Angelo Allen and Michael Scott can burn them. They have combined for 872 yards and nine TDs. Last week D’Angelo scored on an 86-yard Clark bomb.

 

The leading Viking running threat is Mark Eugene, who has rushed for 873 yards on 123 carries for eight touchdowns.

 

The Nimitz defense is strong but inconsistent. They shut out Haltom, 45-0 but have given up more than 50 points to Keller Timber Creek, Skyline and Jesuit.

 

The Scots should be concerned with the Scotts.

 

The Vikings have two brothers, Michael and Delonte Scott, who are 6’5″ outside linebackers with speed, size and agility. Michael also plays wide receiver. If you run or throw away from one of them, you will heading right to the other. Together, they control much of the field. Linebacker Noah Spears is a strong player as is nose guard Joseph Mitchell.

 

“We think we’re still improving,” said Allen. “We’re not satisfied yet but we’re getting better. This will be our first chance to win a trophy this season and that’s a motivation for our players.

 

“We’ve lost in the first round before and it hurts. Every game in the playoffs is intense and a team can be flat. That’s why it’s so important to focus on the game at hand.

 

“The biggest difference between 5A and 6A is the playoffs. In the 6A playoffs it’s like playing Guyer or Horn every game. And I think many of the better 6A teams are in Division II this year.”

 

The winner of tonight’s bi-district contest will advance to play the winner of the Waco Midway–Tyler Lee game.

HP vs Richardson Eagles: Before the Kickoff

It’s Senior Night at Highland Park as the Scots host the Richardson Eagles in the final district game of the season. Before the game, each HP senior will be introduced on the field.

Richardson Eagles 2 helmets

When the game kicks off, the Eagles will be fighting and scratching for a playoff spot. They come in with a 3-3 district record and a two-game wining streak. Last week the Eagles were down 28-17 to the Mesquite Skeeters with eight and a half minutes left in the game when Eagles quarterback Michael Johnson (#2, 5-9, 165) hit Kahlil Lacy (#12, 6-0, 160) with a 9-yard touchdown. With the 28-24 game on the line, the Eagles got the ball back and Johnson hit Lacy with an electrifying 87-yard TD strike to win the game, 31-28. Lacy was a Dallas Morning News Player of the Week Honorable Mention for his 121- yard performance.

 

The week before, Richardson defeated Berkner, 27-24. The Eagles would have lost the game without Lacy’s 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

 

In other words, keep an eye on Lacy. He’s the blur wearing number 12. All he needs is a step and he’s gone.

 

On the defensive side, the Eagles top performer is defensive end Jayrie Bundage (#41, 6-0, 215) who had 11 tackles and a forced fumble last Friday.

 

The Eagles started the season 0-3, with losses to Colleyville Heritage, Lakeview Centennial and Wylie. But in their district opener, the Eagles mangled J.J. Pearce, 48-30, and showed their true potential. They then lost close games to North Mesquite and Lake Highlanders before being blown out by Horn, 56-7. They put themselves in the playoff conversation by edging Berkner and Mesquite by three points in each game. That leads us to the game tonight, which could propel the Eagles into the playoffs or end their season.

 

Meanwhile the 8-1 Scots are competing at a high level. The move to 6A has not diminished HP’s winning tradition. A win tonight would give the Scots a 9-1 record going into the playoffs.

 

The Scots have accumulated an impressive statistical resume this season. They are ranked fifth in passing yardage in the Dallas area on the 6A level with an average of 275 yards per game. They rank 15th in total offense with an average of 436.8 yards per game. The Scots are 13th in scoring, averaging 43.9 points per game.

 

Scots quarterback Brooks Burgin (#5, 6-2, 189) is having a great season. He is ranked sixth in passing yardage with 2,302 yards on 152 completions. He has completed 64 percent of his passes and thrown for 22 touchdowns.

 

Burgin’s receiving corps include two of the statistical leaders in 6A, Kevin Ken (#17, 6-0, 170) and Andrew Frost (#3, 6-0, 180). Ken is the 10th ranked receiver, catching 51 passes for 717 yards and seven touchdowns. Frost, ranked 25th, has caught 33 passes for 577 yards and five TDs.

 

A major part of the Scots’ success in 6A is their smothering defense. The top three 6A defenses in yards allowed are Euless Trinity, Southlake Carroll and Highland Park. The Scots are allowing 267.3 yards per game. They rank second in run defense, holding teams to 112.8 yards per game.

 

Scots linebacker Michael Linehan (#35, 6-1, 230) was an Honorable Mention Dallas Morning News Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Berkner. He had four tackles, three assists, one for a loss and one sack. “Our defense has shown promise this season as they earned three shutouts and allowed 10, 7 and 14 points in three games. We had the number one defense in our district and that’s a big deal,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “It all starts with defense. When we start to focus on the playoffs tomorrow, we’ll need to have a good defense, a sound kicking game and a productive offense that limits turnovers.”

 

Allen is pleased with the depth at the wide receiver position. While Ken and Frost are among the area statistical leaders, Campbell Brooks (#2, 6-0, 175) and Sam Welfelt (#9, 6-2, 180) are right behind them with 463 yards and 378 yards respectively. Having four strong WRs in the playoffs is huge for the Scots since there’s no way for a defense to bottle up all four receivers. Some teams with one star receiver can be neutralized by doubling up on that one player.

Stephen Dieb (#34, 5-7, 145) has a 6.3 yards per carry average that will come in handy when the Scots want to maintain a balanced attack. Dieb’s incredible balance has led the way to his 696 yards on 110 carries. He leads the Scots in scoring with 13 TDs.

 

Who will the Scots face in the first round of the playoffs? Probably Irving Nimitz. Possibly Jesuit. We’ll know by 10:00 p.m.