It’s like the Scots never left 6A.
With the Yellowjackets swarming in from the northeast Friday night, Highland Park opens the 2016 season with another tough 6A opponent. Seem like that’s all HP has played the past couple of years. Rockwall is picked to finished first in a district that includes perennially dangerous teams such as Longview, North Mesquite, Tyler John Tyler and Mesquite Horn. As a matter of fact, District 11-6A seems like the district the Scots just left – with HP being replaced by a couple of East Texas powerhouses.
The Scots’ 6A run wasn’t the end of the world like some fans had predicted. After a couple of years in District 10-6A, the Scots rolled up a 20-4 record, including winning the district championship last season with an undefeated district record. Although HP didn’t make it past the second round of the playoffs the past two years, winning 20 games in two years is impressive. Anytime. Anywhere.
Going into the 2016 season, the Scots have the most wins in the history of Texas high school football (787) … the most 10-win seasons (36) … the most district championships (48) … and the most playoff appearances (57). It’s a tradition that began more than 90 years ago and has blossomed under the leadership of Head Coach Randy Allen who, by the way, is now the fourth winningest coach in Texas high school football history.
So with the Scots now back in 5A, the biggest difference in football will be in the playoffs. But other sports at HP will compete better with schools that are closer to the same size. (Although Allen is triple the size of Highland Park, the Scots beat them in basketball.) The 5A competition should be just about as strong as 6A but the playoff runs should be a little longer.
The Highland Park coaches will tell you that it doesn’t matter to them who the Scots play. They’ll line up against anyone in 5A or 6A or the Big 12. While HP is not known for the quantity of Division I college players, the quality is there, starting with 1948 Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker, who legendary sportswriter Blackie Sherrod said was the best running back he had ever seen play football.
Recent NFL players from HP include Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions), Daniel Sepulveda (Pittsburgh Steelers), Kyle Williams (Seattle Seahawks), Dave Richards (San Diego Chargers) and Anthony Schlegel (New York Jets). But the most amazing story is how quarterback Bobby Layne and running back Doak Walker led the Scots to the state semifinals in the ‘40s, then reunited in the same backfield a decade later to lead the Detroit Lions to the NFL championship.
Doak’s son, Russ, started on the Scots’ 1977 state quarterfinalist team, and now Russ has a son who is playing on the Highland Park freshman team. So the grandson of the greatest football player in Highland Park history is carrying on a family tradition.
Oldtimers will get misty-eyed at hearing the freshman’s name.
Why?
Because Doak Walker is back at Highland Park.