Category: KIRK DOOLEY’S BLOG

by  Kirk Dooley

The 7-0 Scots travel to Wylie this Friday to close out district play against the 1-6 Wylie East Raiders. It will be the quintessential first place team against the last place team in district 7-5A. But before you relax, let me take you back in time, say 48 months.
The Scots traveled to Wylie to close out district play in 2016. HP was undefeated in district and were riding high. The Raiders had a bruising running back named Eno Benjamin who is now playing for the Arizona Cardinals. The Scots held Benjamin to 186 yards on the ground (which, believe it or not, was below his average) and the HP offense, under QB John Stephen Jones, was manhandled by the Raiders defense. Wylie East used Benjamin to ride out the clock and won the game, 20-9. The spirited HP offense scored zero touchdowns, three field goals and looked like a hapless unit that wouldn’t last long in the playoffs.
It was the lowest moment I can remember in HP football in the past two decades.
“It was a big disappointment,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “But the next morning we gathered the team and started preparing for our new season: the playoffs. We put our 8-2 record behind us and used the Wylie East loss to refocus. The parents bought the team new playoff uniforms and we dedicated ourselves to never play below our abilities again, to have a chip on our shoulders and to create a goal of winning six playoff games including the state finals.”
Well, do you believe in miracles?
In the first playoff game the recalibrated Scots took out their frustrations out on Mount Pleasant, 70-2, and then never took their foot off the accelerator en route to the 2016 state championship.
If the Raiders knock off the Scots this year it will need to be with 929-yard running back Christian Johnson and duel-threat, 927-yard sophomore QB Terrell Washington, Jr. This duo has scored 96 of the team’s 120 points this season. Most of their damage is done on the ground. The Raiders would like to knock off the Scots again but they would much rather climb out of an 18-game district losing streak that goes back to 2017.
Assuming he Scots go into the playoffs as the top seed from 7-5A, they will play the fourth-place team from 8-5A, probably Lufkin, at Highlander Stadium next weekend.
But as the Scots face Wylie East on Friday, I will have nightmares about how the Scots couldn’t stop Eno Benjamin four years ago. You probably have the same nightmares about Marvin Mims.
Just keep reminding yourself that he’s gone.

by Kirk Dooley

It’s Senior Night at Highland Park. Before the West Mesquite game this Friday night, all the HP seniors on the team will be introduced, so come early to honor these guys.
Highland Park football has been a Texas tradition since 1923 and this year’s version of the Scots has the most seniors ever. Hats off to these players for being a part of something bigger than themselves and a tip of the fedora to their coaches for keeping this large number of young men on board, focused and contributors to the team’s success.
Special teams players and scout team players make up a healthy percentage of the team. The offensive scout team and defensive scout team do an admirable job of making the starters better and more prepared for each week’s opponent. While they will not set foot on the field during a game, the scout team players deserve a lot of credit for each win.
Highland Park football is like a well-oiled machine. When Players of the Week are announced after each game, the honorees include offensive players, defensive players, special team players, scout team players, managers/trainers and two awards for injured players – 12th man and video. When each division of the corporation has a couple Players of the Week, there are about a dozen honorees. In the locker room, the star offensive player is on the same level as the trainer of the week and the scout team players of the week. It is a very healthy and successful system. It is one of the reasons why Highland Park has won more football games than any school in Texas history.
This Friday West Mesquite visits Highlander Stadium and the Wranglers are coming off a 41-27 win over Wylie East. The fact that they lost their previous seven games doesn’t matter to the Scots. The Wranglers have tasted victory, are on a winning streak and are playing their best football of the season right now.
The Scots have gotten off to sizzling starts the past two games over McKinney North and Tyler. They will need to continue this tradition on Friday and next week against Wylie East. This is not the time to fall asleep against teams with poor records.
If the Wranglers get the momentum and the Scots are not in the proper mental state to fight back, I say put in the entire scout team, with players foaming at the mouth to get in a game. Fans in the stands will see spirit and fury that the HP starters see every day in practice. Which, of course, is why the starters will be totally prepared and in the proper mental state so that they won’t let a momentum shift throw them off.
The Scots have earned enough respect this season to be ranked second in the state. Every player, coach and trainer shares in this ranking. And each one will tell you, “When you play one of us, you play all of us.”

by Kirk Dooley

Friday’s district battle between the Scots and the Tyler Lions will have an elephant in the stadium. While the big playoff game against the Lions was two year ago, it will be a major factor in this week’s game in Tyler. At least in the minds of the players, coaches and fans.

   In the 2018 state quarterfinals the Scots faced the Lions at the Star in Frisco. Tyler (then called John Tyler) controlled the first three quarters and led 35-14 going into the final period.
The great back-to-back state champions were about to be knocked out of the playoffs for the first time in three years. Some Scots fans were leaving the stadium, thinking the game – and the season – were both over.
When the HP players saw the Tyler players dancing and celebrating their big upset victory, something clicked and the Scots suddenly became laser-focused on salvaging their pride. And they had the personnel to dig out of the hole, including sophomore linebacker Patrick Turner, who had six tackles in the game.
HP quarterback Chandler Morris (now the Oklahoma Sooners’ third-team QB as a true freshman) led his team to one of the most magical quarters in HP football history. Down 21 points, Morris hit Benner Page with a six-yard TD, tightening the score to 35-21. DB Hudson Clark (now an Arkansas Razorback star) stopped the Lions with his second interception of the night. That play electrified the Scots. Morris and his big O-line marched down and scored on a 28-yard TD pass to Bennett Brown.
35-28 with 8:18 left.
The Scots defense stopped the next Tyler drive and the HP offense responded by marching down to the 14 before Morris ran it in himself to tie the score with 3:25 left in the game.
Again, the HP defense held and the Scots offense was given the chance to win the game. An incredible 45-yard pass from Morris to Finn Corwin (who went on to become an Oklahoma Sooner) looked like a TD but the officials ruled him out on the one-yard line. So with nine seconds left Morris scored from the one-yard line to give the Scots a cardiac 42-35 win for the ages and set up their third state championship in a row.
So that brings us to Tyler this Friday. The Lions are 2-4 for the season and 2-1 in district. A win by the Lions would give them a tie for the district lead. In other words, they are very motivated and they also believe they have score to settle from 2018. Beware of high school players with deep emotions.
Tyler QB Ken’Yontae Pinkard (#2) has thrown for 780 yards and run for 209. QB Eli Sanchez (#4) has passed for 377 yards. Top receiver Makavion Potts (#1) is also a dangerous kick returner. On defense Trevion Ates (#7) is averaging 11.7 tackles per game and leads the team in interceptions and tackles for loss.
Nobody wants to beat the Scots more than Tyler. The Scots will need a quick start like they did last week. The last time the Scots beat the Lions it led to a state championship. It’s too early to think about that now but Tyler will learn this Friday that Brayden Schager is the new Chandler Morris and Patrick Turner is the new Patrick Turner.