HP vs Temple State Championship Game Preview – Kickoff at Noon Sat 12/17 at Cowboys Stadium

by Kirk Dooley

The Scots shocked the world last week by knocking top-ranked Denton Ryan out of the playoffs. The win puts Highland Park in the state finals for the first time in nine years.temple-logo-1
   How did an injury-plagued team with two losses defeat an undefeated, top-ranked football machine boasting a 27-1 record over the past two years?
   Pride. Heritage. Tradition. Solid Leadership. Players with heart. The best high school coaching staff in Texas.
   The best third-string running back in the world. A nifty quarterback with football genes. Backups who stepped up when injuries struck. Linebackers who set the standard for their team. A receiving corps as deep as the Mariana Trench. Two kickers who make each other better. Being part of the winningest high school football program in the state. Playing with great intensity and making plays with the game on the line.
   There was one moment that exemplified the Ryan game in a nutshell. The Raiders quarterback handed the ball to his running back headed up the middle. Just before he got to the line of scrimmage, he was violently hit and went flying backwards. He ran into a charging Luke Blanton like a Smart car smashing into an oncoming freight train. The stunning collision could be felt all the way up in the stands. Thousands of people watching the giant video screen gasped and winced. Mothers covered the eyes of their children.
   The Denton Ryan players realized that they were not going to roll over this team. This was not a game, it was a battle. And none of them wanted a part of Luke Blanton. Or Turner Coxe for that matter.
   So the Scots win the game and advance to the finals. What should they expect in the Temple Wildcats?
   Coach Randy Allen says that Temple looks like Ryan but faster.
   A QB who has thrown for 3,626 yards. A 1,000-yard running back. A 1,000-yard receiver. Three other solid receivers, all named Johnson. (Aren’t there nepotism rules?). They’ve got a fast secondary and fast linebackers.
   All season the Scots defense has eaten 1,000-yard runners like Burger House fries. After Temple has studied film of the HP defense, I would expect them to come out throwing, and they are very good at it. Their go-to receiver is D’Yonte Heckstall (#1) but like the Scots, the Wildcats have a truckload of good receivers. They just all happen to have the same last name.
   Last week Hesse completed 11 passes for 360 yards, including an 89-yard TD. For those of you doing the math that’s an eye-popping 32.7 yards per catch. It looks like HP’s secondary defenders – O’Neil Sitzer, George Stewart, Alex Walzel, James Herring and Zac Folts – will have their work cut our for them. But they have risen to the occasion all season and the state championship game will be like another day going to work.temple-helmet
   The best thing the Scots have going for them is the fact that Temple is picked to win the game. Last week everyone picked Denton Ryan and that ignited an intensity in the Scots that turned them into warriors. With sportswriters picking Temple to beat Highland Park this week, the players have reacted with a deep resolve to prove them wrong again. See paragraph 3 for their weapons.
   Plus, they shouldn’t make Luke Blanton or Turner Coxe mad, but I’m afraid it’s too late for that.
   1945, 1957, 2005, 2016.

ADDITIONAL INFO ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

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Tickets, Seating and Parking Information:

After a thrilling win over Denton Ryan, the Highland Park Scots are headed back to the state championship game for the first time since 2007. HP will face the Temple Wildcats in the title game at noon Saturday, Dec. 17 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Tickets for the game will be on sale this week at the following times at the Highlander Stadium Box Office (4233 Grassmere Lane, Dallas, TX 75205).

  • 8:30-11:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 16

Tickets purchased at Highlander Stadium are $14 for adults and $10 for students.

Tickets may also be purchased online through Ticketmaster. Online tickets are $24.75 each, including all service fees. Tickets can be purchased Saturday at AT&T Stadium for $15 each.

Parking is $10 per vehicle in lots 5, 6, 7 or 11, and the lots will open at 10 a.m. Fans may enter the stadium through gates C or H beginning at 10:30 a.m., and seating is general admission. HP fans will be seated on the south side of the stadium. Click here for entry and seating diagrams, and click here to view the stadium’s bag and purse policy.
“Our goal is to have more fans at the game than Temple,” HPISD Athletic Director Johnny Ringo said. “Temple has a tremendous football tradition, and they will have a large, vocal crowd and band at AT&T Stadium.”
To celebrate the team’s march to the finals, Highland Park High School will host a state championship pep rally for the community at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16 in the main gym. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and students will sit on the east side of the gym and parents and families will sit on the west side. You may also join the community for a team send-off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in front of Highlander Stadium.
The victory over Denton Ryan was Highland Park’s 800th overall victory, a state record. The Scots won the game 31-24, led by four touchdowns from running back Paxton Alexander. Click here to read Todd Jorgensen’s recap in Park Cities People.
This is the seventh time in school history the Scots have reached the state championship game, and the Scots have won the championship in 1945, 1957 and 2005. Help cheer your Scots on to their fourth state championship this weekend.
Click here to view a photo gallery from the Highland Park/Denton Ryan game.

 

RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION:

For those of you who want to listen to the awesome Russell Scott, Jim Castellaw and Jae Ellis on the radio here is the info you will need…

kaam-bannerThe radio broadcast of the Highland Park vs. Temple Championship Game will be carried on KAAM 770 AM  throughout the Dallas area.  Pre-Game starts at 11:00 AM with kickoff slated for Noon.

Fans listening at home (or anyplace other than the stadium) can hear the game by any of the following methods:

1. With a radio tuned to 770 AM.
2. On a mobile phone or computer by going to www.kaamradio.com … then clicking the “Listen Live” button.
3. By going to App Store and searching for “Legends 770 KAAM” and then downloading the free app.

For those fans who are attending the game at AT&T Stadium:

1. Tune your transistor radio to 1670 AM. You should be able to hear our simulcast from KAAM.
2. If you are inside the stadium, do NOT try to listen on your phone or computer. Your phone or computer will delay the transmission by 7-10 seconds and therefore what you are hearing will not “match-up” with what you are seeing. This delay does not occur when listening on a transistor radio.

 

Preview State Semifinal: HP vs Denton Ryan — 1:30pm Sat, 12/10, at AT&T Cowboys Stadium

by Kirk Dooley

Of all the flashy stars from both teams in Saturday’s state semifinal shootout between Highland Park and Denton Ryan, the MVP could very well wind up being Matteo Cordray.
   Cordray, a junior kicker at HP, stepped in when talented starting kicker Jackson Hubbard suffered an injury. Like Dak Prescott, Cordray has done quite well and hasn’t given the starting job back.denton-ryan-logo
   This state semifinal game pits two offenses that can light up a scoreboard against two defenses that have sucked all the oxygen out of North Texas. Usually we’re trying to predict which team will slow down the other team’s offense. This game could beg the question, “Which defense will shut down the other team’s offense?” While it’s hard to believe that Saturday’s offensive fireworks could be suffocated, the reality is that this game could go 10-7 either way. In that case, my money is on Cordray.
   He was a middle school soccer standout when PE coach Ryan Gibbs pulled him aside and asked if he had ever thought about kicking a football.
   “No, sir. I never thought about it.”
   Gibbs, the Scots’ running backs coach, has a nose for talent and he helped Cordray develop into a solid and dependable football kicker. If a field goal beats Denton Ryan Saturday, the assist goes to Gibbs.
   While Denton Ryan will be the best team the Scots have faced in several years, HP has a great advantage in playing Frisco Independence, Mansfield Lake Ridge and Mansfield Legacy in the playoffs leading up to this game. Those three playoff wins featured a Highland Park defense that shut down three of the best offenses in North Texas. The fact that the Scots neutralized Legacy’s Kendall Catalon last week means that HP has the ability to neutralize Ryan’s QB Spencer Sanders (which, by the way, nobody has come close this season).
   Ryan is averaging 40.4 points per game. HP is averaging 38.6. Ryan is giving up 16.1 points per game. HP is giving up 13.5. Ryan is coached by a former Highland Park assistant. He knows what makes the Scots special. Can he outfox his former mentor? Although he has the D-1 talent to beat some colleges right now, I think he will face the best prepared team he’s seen in his three years in Denton.
   On paper nobody can beat Denton Ryan. They are said to have the best 5A defense in North Texas but I think the Scots’ defense will be better on Saturday. Spencer, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation, could get rattled if his offense gets throttled early. His team is not used to being behind.
   This game should be a defensive death match. When was the last time the Scots won a game like that?
   Well, last week. 
   I know it’s not this simple, but let me repeat my theory: If you can corral Kendall Catalon, you can corral Spencer Sanders. And if that happens, the Scots will be playing next Saturday for the state championship.

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HOW TO GET TICKETS, WHERE TO SIT AND OTHER GAME DETAILS:

Highland Park will face Denton Ryan at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Click here to order your tickets online now. Prices are $13.80 online or $15 at the stadium box office. Parking is $10 per vehicle in lots 5, 6, 7 or 11, and the gates will open at 4 p.m. Tickets will not be sold at the HPISD Athletic Office.

 

This is the first time the Scots have been in the final four of the playoffs since 2013. Head Coach Randy Allen and Athletic Director Johnny Ringo are excited that the community has been so supportive of the team so far, and they are looking forward to a large, vocal crowd at the upcoming game.
HP fans will be seated on the south side of the stadium. Click here for entry and seating diagrams, and click here  to view the stadium’s bag and purse policy.
The winner of this game will compete in the state championship against the winner of the Temple/Richmond Foster game. Click here to view the playoff bracket. The state championship game is scheduled to be played at noon, Saturday, Dec. 17 at AT&T Stadium.
RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION:

For those of you who want to listen to the awesome Russell Scott, Jim Castellaw and Jae Ellis on the radio here is the info you will need…

Our radio broadcast of the Highland Park vs. Denton Ryan State Semifinal Playoff Game on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 10th will be carried on 103.3 ESPN (KESN) throughout the Dallas area. Pre-Game starts at 12:30 PM with kickoff slated for 1:30 PM. Fans listening at home (or anyplace other than the stadium) can hear the game by any of the following methods:

1. With a radio tuned to 103.3 FM
2. On a mobile phone or computer by going to www.kesn1033.com … then clicking the “Play” (right) arrow to “Listen Live”.
3. By going to www.kesn1033.com … then downloading the free app via the link on the homepage.

For those fans who are attending the game at AT&T Stadium:

1. Tune your transistor radio to 103.3 FM ESPN. You should be able to get reception on the FM station inside the stadium. If you are having trouble getting steady, clear reception, try moving to another seating location. The signal tested “good” in most locations on the Highland Park side of the stadium.
2. If you are inside the stadium, do NOT try to listen on your phone or computer. Your phone or computer will delay the transmission by 7-10 seconds and therefore what you are hearing will not “match-up” with what you are seeing. This delay does not occur when listening on a transistor radio.

LIVE TELEVISION BROADCAST
The game will be broadcast live on KTXA-Channel 21.
Go Scots!

HP vs Mansfield Legacy at AT&T Stadium – 5:30pm kickoff Friday, 12/2

by Kirk Dooley

It’s right about now that we should be glad the Scots lost to Wylie East in the final district game.
   Not that we’re pleased with a loss (especially the first loss in HP history to a Wylie team) but it did expose some HP weaknesses and it propelled the Scots into the playoffs with that bitter taste of defeat in their mouths. The players left their Superman capes in the phone booth and came out with a blue-collar resolve to prove to the world that they had what it takes to be champions.
   And win they did. In the first three playoff games they have averaged 52 points per game and kept the bad guys out of the end zone the first 10 quarters of the playoffs. These Scots have matured, come together, overcome injuries and have the zeal to leave a football legacy like previous generations of Scots before them.mansfield-legacy-helmet
   And now Mansfield Legacy walks into their crosshairs. This is the best Mansfield team, not that the other two HP beat this season were slouches. The only two losses Legacy has suffered have been to Aledo and Lancaster, both of which are playing this weekend in the state quarterfinals.
   Like Poteet, Legacy has sprinter speed. Randy Allen says that this is the fastest team the Scots have faced this season. They have a 2,000-yard running back (Cameron Session), A wide receiver (Trenton McDonald) who runs back kickoffs for touchdowns as often as Southwest flies to Houston, a sophomore free safety (Jalen Catalon) who has 140 tackles and seven interceptions and a quarterback (Kendall Catalon) who has thrown for 1,581 yards and run for 1,036, accounting for 47 touchdowns.
   Kendall Catalon injured his shoulder last Friday and didn’t play in the second half. Will he and his 47 touchdowns play this Friday against the Scots? Coach Allen says he probably will. If he doesn’t, I think his little brother, Jalen, will fill in and could be a challenge to contain. Think Michael Vick or RG3.
   The Scots come into this game without their leading receivers, Cade Saustad and Scully Jenevein, and their top running back, Jack Kozmetsky. But other good players are filling in and there should not be any drop-off.
   Here’s five things to look for Friday at AT&T Stadium:
   1. The Scots defense clogging the box and forcing the Broncos to throw the ball.
   2. Jack Sell and Junior Dorbah making vicious tackles on the kickoff coverage teams.
   3. On the video screen: Stephen Jones high-fiving his dad in the owners box every time John Stephen tosses a TD pass.
    4. After the game, the Catalon brothers starting to prepare for the track season.
    5. Paxton Alexander enjoying a breakout game, turning short gains into electrifying touchdowns.   
   This game could be a nail-biter, where the winner is determined on the final drive of the game. Whether HP has the ball or not, this is where the Scots’ offensive line or defensive line puts the team on its back and carries it to the state semifinals.

PARKING, SEATING AND GAME TICKETS:

Click here to order your tickets online now. Prices are $13.80 online or $15 at the stadium box office. Parking is $10 per vehicle in lots 5, 6, 7 or 11, and the gates will open at 4 p.m. Tickets will not be sold at the HPISD Athletic Office.
HP fans will be seated on the south side of the stadium. Click here for entry and seating diagrams, and click here  to view the stadium’s bag and purse policy.
The winner of this game will face the winner of the Denton Ryan/Colleyville Heritage game. Click here to view the playoff bracket. Highland Park is now one of only eight teams left in UIL 5A Division I playoffs.