Category: KIRK DOOLEY’S BLOG

by Kirk Dooley

   It doesn’t happen very often but here we are, with two defending state champions facing each other in the playoffs.
   The Scots are the (two-time) defending state champs in 5A Division I. The Cougars are the defending state champs in 5A Division II and this season they moved up to Division I.    College Station beat the invincible Aledo Bearcats in last year’s Div. II finals, 20-19, in a game where Aledo missed its final two PATs. Sure could have used those two points when the final whistle blew. Although the College Station-Aledo battle was one of the state’s best state championship games in recent years, the Scots’ 53-49 win over Manvel goes down as the most exciting Texas high school championship game in history.
   Of course, once you get to this point, it doesn’t matter who won what last year. It doesn’t matter what your record is. What is important is that each of these two teams knows how to win. The players all have the championship mentality that is the wild card in big games.
   The Cougars feature a slippery quarterback named Brandon Williams (#17) who has thrown for 1,718 yards and run for 248 more. He has accounted for 28 touchdowns, which is a few more than Finnegan Corwin himself. While defenses are guessing whether Williams will throw it or run it, he hands it off to Kolbe Cashion (#20) a hard runner who racked up 135 yards on the ground in last week’s 41-38 win over Poteet.
   But on Saturday afternoon in Waco train your binoculars on the Cougar’s all-state defensive back, #16, Brandon Joseph. If there’s one Cougar who can make the difference in the game by himself, it is Mr. Joseph. Just ask Dr. Ralph H. Poteet. Last week Joseph ran back a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and then ran a punt back 68 yards for another. His Cougars won by three points. Had Joseph missed the team bus, the Scots might be playing Dr. Poteet’s Pirates at the Star in Frisco this weekend.
   What is Coach Randy Allen’s overview of College Station Cougars? “They are very competitive, they score a lot of points and they are used to winning.”
   What is my overview? “Don’t kick it to number 16.”
   I presume that the Highland Park coaches have seen film of College Station’s district game against Lufkin, which trounced the Cougars, 35-3. I say just do whatever Lufkin did.
   On the other hand, we could very well face Lufkin ourselves if we advance in the playoffs.
   But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s a long bus ride back from Waco and the hopefully the Scots will cruise home with something to be thankful for.

by Kirk Dooley

So the Scots thrashed Mansfield Timberview last Thursday, 42-7, and go into the playoffs 10-0 and ranked second in state in 5A. How is this team different that the previous two HP teams, both state champs?
   The first thing that comes to mind is that there has been no drop off at quarterback since John Stephen Jones became an HP legend and then left to call the Hogs. He left huge shoes to fill and Chandler Morris has filled them well and has the chance to make those shoes even bigger. 
   This year’s version of the Scots is 10-0 going into the playoffs, something that neither of the past two state champs did. There’s some swagger in that but I still believe that the 2016 loss to Wylie East in the last district game forced those Scots to hit a re-set button and enter the playoffs on fire.
   Last year’s team was the defending state champions and that can make a difference when your team walks out onto the field. This year’s team is a two-time defending state champion, which can unnerve some players and motivate others. They know they have to come at Highland Park with their A-game and the Scots have learned to compete with a giant target on their backs.
   Injuries have decimated the Scots the past three years but the next man up has been impressive each time he steps into the game. Depth is Highland Park’s 12th Man.
   And this team has been battle-tested. Of the 10 teams they’ve beaten this season, six are in the playoffs and there’s a good chance they could see Frisco Lone Star, Mansfield Legacy or Lancaster later in the playoffs.
   Independence is 6-4 and has an solid quarterback in sophomore Braylon Braxton (#12), who has thrown for almost 1,400 yards and run for more than 500 more. He’s got 21 touchdowns on his resume. The Knights also have a punishing 1,000-yard rusher in Logan Brungardt (#7). Those are the two Knights to contain.
   On defense Independence boasts strong middle linebacker Jalen Freeman (#21) and fast free safety Princeton Ferguson, who both lead the team in tackles. Defensive backs Kendrick Price (#23) and John McGraw (#14) have three interceptions each. Defensive ends Ashton Larza (#44) and Colby Blatnik (#22) create pressure from the edges. 
   The only common opponent the Scots and the Knights have faced this season is Frisco Lone Star, who beat the Knights, 27-6. The Scots defeated Lone Star, 10-7, on a clutch field goal on the last play of the game.
   Going into the playoffs the Scots are without linebackers James Lightbourn or Andrew Bonnet, both of whom are out for the season. The next man up, Cal Hirschey, is also injured and will be out for a couple of games. Colby Hopkins moves back to inside linebacker and Gus Vincent steps up on the outside, joining Hopkins, Chris Read and Patrick Turner as starting linebackers. Cornerback Hudson Clark is hurt and is not expected to play this week. Sam Sloan fills in for him. Punter Andrew Stanzel is back from a minor injury and he hopes to blow up a punt return man if he gets the opportunity.

by Kirk Dooley

It’s a trap. I’m telling you.
   The Scots travel to Mansfield this Thursday to tangle with the Timberview Wolves to close out the regular season for both teams. The Scots are 9-0 (6-0 in district) while the Wolves are 5-4 (4-2 in district). The Scots have won the district championship and are 6-5A Div. I’s top seed in the playoffs. Thursday’s game means noting to them in terms of playoff seeding.
   Timberview, on the other hand, is fighting for the third seed position in the playoffs. The Wolves will be the third seed if (1) they beat the Scots, which is a possibility, and if (2) Sunset beats Legacy, which is as likely as Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz driving to Washington together and streaming their road trip online.
   By the way, the difference between the third seed and fourth seed can be significant in how deep your team goes in the playoffs. Not many fourths advance.
   The Scots actually played Timberview last season in a pre-district game and it could have gone either way. The Wolves led, 13-0, after the first quarter and then 19-17 at the half. The Scots took their first lead of the game, 25-19,  on a Paxton Alexander run and a two-point conversion (Finn Corwin to Cade Saustad). In the fourth quarter Timberview scored twice, Benner Page scored once and the Scots were down, 32-31, as they launched their final drive of the night. With 28 seconds left in the game, Matteo Cordray, kicking into a stiff wind, nailed a 32-yard field goal to win the contest, 34-32.
   Had he missed it, the Scots’ record would have fallen to 1-2, which is not very state championshipish.
   So the Scots and the Wolves know each other intimately. The Timberview players are foaming at the mouth to get some revenge on the two-time defending state champs. The Scots have a goal of finishing the regular season undefeated – something the last two HP teams did not do – so they won’t be looking past the Wolves.
   Timberview lost to Legacy, 27-22, and to Lancaster, 49-14, and have won all its other district games. Quarterback Jordan Davis has thrown for 1,165 yards and 14 touchdowns and he has run for 301 yards and five more TDs. Running back Stacy Sneed, who scored twice in the first half last year against the Scots, is averaging 10.9 yards per carry on 69 carries this season. He has scored l1 touchdowns.
   The Scots are coming off a critical win over Lancaster last Friday. The Tigers were big, fast, athletic and have an intimidating drum line. HP countered with three quarters of solid offense, defense, special teams and a better fight song, blasted out frequently by the Highlander Band. 
   There’s rain in the forecast for Thursday and fans can enjoy rush-hour traffic on the way to the 7:00 game.
   Bundle up. Go early. Support your team. Don’t take these guys for granted. 
   They’ll appreciate your presence on Thursday night as they walk into a Wolf trap.