KIRK DOOLEY'S BLOG Archives - Page 36 of 39

November 14, 2014

Kirk Dooley’s Blog: HP vs Irving Nimitz

It is easy to dismiss a 5-5 playoff opponent and the Highland Park coaches know that. With Murder’s Row waiting for tonight’s victor, the biggest mistake the Scots can make is to look ahead.

“We’ve lost in the first round before,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “It can be the hardest playoff game because once you start competing in the playoffs, the games become more intense. Teams can be flat. I think our players will be ready because they are playing for their first trophy. They are not satisfied. They need to continue to improve and that will be their ticket in the playoffs.”

If the Scots beat Nimitz, they will earn the right to challenge Waco Midway, then Lake Travis. Rockwall and Spring Westfield could be lurking in the future. No matter who it is, each team will be extremely tough.

“It will be like playing Guyer or Horn every week,” said Allen. “I think this year Division II has many of the better teams.”

There won’t be any 5-5 teams after Nimitz. But the Scots have not beaten them yet, so it’s a moot point until tonight’s game is over.

The Vikings are led by quarterback Jimmy Clark, who has completed l28 of 193 passes for 2,016 yards and 21 touchdowns. His 66.32 percentage is a tad better than Brady Burgin’s and Clark has been picked off only three times this season.

Wait until he meets Stephen Briggs. He also got three interceptions.

Last week.

Clark’s biggest threat is WR Sam Berry, who is averaging 29 yards per catch this season. The other two receivers to watch are D’Angelo Allen (42 catches for 583 yards) and Michael Scott (21 receptions for 289 yards). Running back Mark Eugene has run 123 times for 873 yards, a 7.1 average. He and Berry have eight touchdowns each.

On defense, focus on the two outside linebackers, a couple of 6’5” clones named Delonte Scott and Michael Scott. Michael is also the Dez-Bryant-looking wide receiver. The Scots must be ready for the Scotts.

Highland Park is playing its best football of the season. The momentum is there because the playoffs are here. They must focus and take care of business against Nimitz tonight.

Assuming the Scots survive this first round game, everything changes next week.

My prediction? Highland Park 49 – Nimitz 28.

Consider it a tune-up for Midway. Next weekend the Scots will face their greatest challenge of the season and they will be ready for it. Midway will be 11-0 but they haven’t played Highland Park yet.

November 7, 2014

HP vs Richardson Eagles: Kirk Dooley’s Blog

The Richardson Eagles soar into Highlander Stadium tonight for the final district game of the season. The Scots are already in the playoffs, probably facing Irving Nimitz next weekend. But Richardson must win this game to make the playoffs. Therein lies tonight’s drama. Win and they’re in. Lose and their season is over, something that will sink in during a long bus ride back to Belt Line Road.

Can the Eagles beat the Scots? Yes. If HP looks past a worthy opponent, especially one with playoff urgency, the Scots can lose their home winning streak.

But that’s what the HP coaches are drilling into these guys. Don’t look past this game. Be prepared. Execute. If the Scots play the game they way they are capable, a lot of backups will get to play in the second half.

I think back to 2008, the Rockwall Heath game at Wilkinson Stadium when Hawks beat the Scots in an overtime nail-biter, 38-31. A running back named Kendial Lawrence put the team on his back and carried the ball 39 times for 365 yards and five touchdowns (70 yards, 44, 24, 18 and 1). He gained 226 of those yards after halftime.

It was the most impressive running performance I had ever seen in person. Nobody could stop the guy. On paper, he beat the Scots by himself. In reality there were 10 Hawks who went on to play Division 1 football the next year. Mickey Moss’ team was loaded with college talent.

When my research reveals a player coming into Highlander Stadium who puts up impressive numbers, I cringe, thinking he might be the second coming of Kendial Lawrence. That thought recently crossed my mind when I saw how Richardson junior Kahlil Lacy caught an 87-yard touchdown strike to win last week’s game against Mesquite. And the week before, the Eagles beat the Berkner Rams by three, in a game where Lacy had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Kahlil Lacy is no Kendial Lawrence. The only thing they have in common is that their first names are frequently misspelled. But Lacy comes into Highlander Stadium with the speed and electricity to go all the way whenever he touches the ball. Although Eagles running back Daevon Woods (#21) will probably cause the Scots more headaches than Lacy, we should all keep an eye on number 12.

Especially when he needs about 90 yards to score.

October 31, 2014

HP vs Richardson Berkner: Kirk Dooley’s Blog

It’s scary playing football on Halloween night.

Highland Park takes its 4-1 district record on the road to face the 0-5 Berkner Rams this Friday and there’s nothing scarier than playing a team that has not won a district game. Knocking off Highland Park would salvage the season for the Rams and it could happen if the Scots are looking past Berkner and are thinking about where they’ll go trick-or-treating after the game.

The Rams opened the season by knocking off South Garland, 55-27, and Naaman Forest, 45-27. Averaging 50 points per game was a good start but it’s been downhill for the Rams ever since. Poteet popped Berkner 45-14 in the final pre-district game. This season 10-6A has been unkind to the Rams. Lake Highlands beat them, 37-22, before Horn beat the Rams by 50 points, 62-12. North Mesquite beat Berkner by six, Mesquite scalped them, 28-7, then last weekend Richardson won the battle for last place in a 27-24 squeaker.

That leaves Berkner with a 2-6 record for the season and 0-5 in district. The best this team can hope for is to beat both Highland Park this week and J.J. Pearce next week, and even if they do they’ll still finish in last place. Tonight’s battle against Berkner will take place at Lake Highlands. Go figure.

The Rams are led by quarterback Davis Steelman, who has completed 104 of 198 passes for 1,288 yards and nine touchdowns. He has also given up seven interceptions and gained 285 yards on the ground. His favorite target is Isaiah Betters who has caught 36 passes for 527 yards and six TDs. The top Berkner runner is CaDarius Edwards who has gained 845 yards, averaging six yards per carry. He also has two capital letters in his first name, so he’s someone to pay attention to. Also keep in mind that kicker Tanner Lange is deadly when he’s inside the 40. Few high school teams can boast that.

In last week’s Richardson game, Berkner churned up 443 yards in total offense but lost by a field goal. They actually played well enough to win but Kahlil Lacy’s 98-yard kickoff return for a Richardson Eagle touchdown in the first quarter was the actual difference in the game. One special teams play. The Scots will get to face Lacy and his bunch next Friday.

This week the Scots have the challenge of not being lulled to sleep by the Rams’ winless district record. Berkner cannot make the playoffs even if they pull off the upset, so that takes away a big incentive. A handful of HP sophomores are being pulled up to Varsity and they may get a chance to play on Halloween. I don’t know if that’s scary for the sophomores or for the Rams.

We’ll find out tonight.