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.
HP vs Irving Nimitz Playoff Game 1: 7:30pm Kickoff at Highlander Stadium Tomorrow
Kirk Dooley’s Blog
Let’s see how this first-round home field advantage works on Friday night.
The UIL is testing a new concept this season, only on the 6A level (which includes HP at 2,100 students and Allen at 6,000). In the first round of the playoffs, the higher rated team will have the option of playing on its home field. Your favorite Scots are taking advantage of this option; and so, the bi-district game against Irving Nimitz will be played at Highlander Stadium. All seats will be general admission, so folks with season tickets better get there early or their regular-season real estate will be occupied. No reserved seats. No saving seats.
The Scots will the have home-field advantage. Players will enjoy the routines of a home game. The school does not have to pay for the buses to take the band and the Belles and the players to a neutral site, saving the school thousands of dollars.
Nimitz sails into the game with a 6-4 record but has the talent to head back to Irving with a win. The Scots beat the Vikings last season in the bi-district game, then faced a tough Midway team. This week’s HP-Nimitz winner will likely face Midway in Round 2. Therein lies the biggest challenge for the Scots. Don’t look past Nimitz and start thinking about Midway. There’s a game on Grassmere to win first.
The Vikings have a 1,000-yard runner in Mark Eugene. He has scored 14 touchdowns on the ground and will be he focus of the Nimitz offense. Quarterback Joe Pena has completed 84 of 140 passes for 976 yards and seven touchdowns, but he got hurt last week and sat out the final three quarters in a 14-9 loss to Irving MacArthur. The Vikings pulled Jared Jenkins out of the secondary and made him the quarterback. We’ll see which version will be on display against the Scots.
The Scots won their first-ever 6A district championship last Friday as they came away with a 44-30 victory over Richardson. Stephen Dieb’s 128 yards rushing (three TDs) put him over the 1,000-yard threshold for the season. The 5’7” dynamo is averaging six yards per carry. Few golfers can shoot their age. Fewer ball carriers can average their height.
The demons that kept Richardson in the game last week were four HP turnovers – two dropped punts and two fumbles. Now that the Scots are in the playoffs, turnovers become fatal.
The Dallas Morning News Defensive Player of the Week is HP linebacker John House, who had 10 tackles, two assists, two tackles for a loss, a sack and a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown that iced the game for the Scots.
So this week HP has another home-field advantage – a fly-to-the-ball linebacker wearing number 47.
His mere presence says, “Not in our House!”
Lady Scots Win Regional Quarterfinal Match, Advance to Region II Tournament Friday, November 13th
It was an amazing night for HP volleyball, as the Lady Scots showed determination in a regional quarterfinal victory over Waco Midway Nov. 10. Despite losing the first set 23-15, HP roared back to dominate the next three sets 25-12, 25-19, 25-19.The Scots advance to the UIL 6A Region II tournament, and will now face Conroe Oak Ridge at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Sam Houston State University Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville. The winner will face the winner of the J.J. Pearce-The Woodlands match for the Region II championship at 6 p.m. Saturday, also at Johnson Coliseum.
Audio from the matches will be streamed live on www.sportsgram.net. Once the broadcast starts, fans may click on the green button that says “Live Broadcast,” then select the Highland Park Volleyball option.
Click here for the playoff bracket.