HP vs Midway at AT&T: 2pm Kickoff Saturday, November 21st

Kirk Dooley’s Blog
“They are a handful.”
Those are the four words Highland Park head coach Randy Allen used to describe Saturday’s opponent, the Midway Panthers. What does he mean? Let’s elaborate:
For the first time the season the Scots will face a quarterback who has thrown for 2,000 yards. The Panthers also have a 1,000-yard runner, a 1,000-yard receiver and an offensive line that averages 236 lbs. per person. That’s why their offense is averaging 45 points per game and how they racked up 660 total yards last week against Garland.
If your high school football team is trying to stop them, they are a handful.
Midway has had a tough schedule and they lost their first three games to Lake Travis (48-24), Mansfield (45-44) and Mansfield Timberview (44-37). Since then they are 8-0 and have averaged 48 points per game. One poll has them ranked eighth in the state. This is a very good team.
The only apples-to-apples comparison between Highland Park and Midway is that the Panthers beat the Scots in this round last year. But we subscribe to the theory that last year is not this year.
The Scots have a 2,000-yard quarterback, a 1,000-yard rusher, an entire fleet of receivers who have 2,000 yards between them and an offensive line that has come together and helped lead this team to an 11-1 record. I would call that a handful also.
The plot thickens when we pull out the giant D and the picket fence.
I believe Highland Park’s defense is better than Midway’s. Back in the days when the Scots faced Pulaski, the defense was pulling people out of the stands to help with the depleted defensive line. But over time, with a couple of former linebackers thrown into the mix, the personnel has gotten healthy, experienced and proficient. The law firm of Snelling, Gahm, Neely, Coxe, Hrncir and Blanton has become an impressive defensive line. Linebackers Hayden Schnieders, John House, Bennett Brock and Josh Block are making big plays and occasional touchdowns. And I feel comfortable with Joseph Sweeney taking on the best Midway receiver and letting Turner Rejebian, Matthew Barge, Andrew Petrucelli and George Stewart defend the rest of the passing lanes above the secondary. They don’t need to stop the Panthers, just slow them down. My scratchpad reveals that the Scots will win the game if the Midway offense scores less than 35 points.
Six teams have scored 34 points or more against the Panthers this season. Highland Park has the guns to be the seventh. One of those guns will be something we haven’t seen yet this season. Midway will be surprised.