Category: Sports Club News

by Kirk Dooley

The Friday Night Lights went out in Texas on August 31 as Highlander Stadium went dark at 10:00 p.m. with seven minutes left in the Highland Park-Rockwall football game. Fans on both sides lit up their cell phones and illuminated the darkness until the lights came back on 17 minutes later.
It was surreal.
Actually, the break helped the Scots deal with their cramping issues as both teams got a breather from the hot August night. The Scots defense was able to keep the Yellowjackets out of the end zone in the fourth quarter as the HP offense built up a 49-35 lead. The Jackets scored on the last play of the game to tighten the score to 49-42, but there was no time for an onside kick and a miracle finish, like how last year’s game ended.
Two of the Rockwall stars from last year’s win were on the field again this past Friday. Quarterback Jacob Clark, a 6‘5” Minnesota commit, completed 22 of 34 passes to his receivers and two to HP cornerback Hudson Clark, who returned one of them 42 yards for a touchdown. Dangerous Yellowjackets receiver Jaxon Smith caught 13 passes for 232 yards and two scores.
But the night belonged to HP’s junior quarterback Chandler Morris, who introduced himself on the fifth play from scrimmage with a nifty 70-yard touchdown run. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns, both to Drew Scott. Morris was also the Scots’ leading rusher, picking up 105 yards on 10 carries, and scoring four touchdowns on the ground.  
This Friday the Scots host the Mesquite Horn Jaguars, another big and speedy 6A powerhouse. The Jags’ quarterback, Jermaine Givens, had 4,000 of total offense as a junior and is one of the top dual-threat QBs in the state. Last year he was 11-6A’s offensive MVP as he led Horn to a 10-2 record.
Last week the Jaguars ran into a buzz saw known as the Allen Eagles. Horn suffered its first shutout since 2010 as the Eagles soared away with a 40-0 win. The Horn players now move from Allen (6A state champions) to Highland Park (5A state champions). Tough schedule.
Highland Park coaches are just as worried about Horn’s speed as they were before the Jaguar’s opening loss. They said that Horn is just like Rockwall except faster. It will be another challenging pre-district game.
On another subject, the best player the Scots would face this season has been injured and is out for the season. Mansfield Legacy quarterback/safety Jalen Catalon, one of the best high school players in the nation, will miss his senior season. Legacy was picked to win the district championship over Highland Park and picked to win the state championship by some. Legacy still has a team that will challenge the Scots in district play and beyond.
I feel like flying my flag at half-mast in honor of Catalon, the Scots’ talented and worthy opponent. After he sorts through his 24 scholarship offers, he’ll be playing on Saturdays for a big-time team next year.
In the meantime the Scots have Jermaine Givens to worry about. He and the Jaguars will be tough opponents on Friday night at Highlander Stadium. Bring your flashlight.

by Kirk Dooley

   Historically, Highland Park football teams focus so much on winning the state championship that nobody has really thought about what it would be like to start the season as the TWO-TIME defending state champs.
   But here we are. In West Texas it’s called “high cotton”.
   HP has won 29 games and lost three over the past two state championship seasons. If the team keeps winning at that pace, Highland Park fans will need oxygen masks.
   Will the 2016 and 2017 state titles mean anything to the 2018 team? The answer is yes. While the offense loses five first-team TSWA all-state performers – John Stephen Jones, Cade Saustad, Paxton Alexander, Thomas Shelmire and Matteo Cordray – the reloaded 2018 team has state championship experience and a winning mindset that only being in the arena can bring. Even with the Scots’ unprecedented loss of talent through graduation, Texas Football magazine ranks HP second in the state going into this season. With six returning starters. Texas Football’s nod to the Scots is really an endorsement of HP’s JV Blue program which is a factory of juniors being trained to start on Friday nights as seniors.
   How do you replace last year’s 5A Offensive Player of the Year, John Stephen Jones?
   You wind up Chandler Morris and turn him loose. 
   Two years ago JSJ made his first varsity start against Rockwall at Highlander Stadium and he led Scots to a 22-0 first quarter lead. He finished the night completing 18 of 22 passes for 327 yards and four touchdown passes to four different gentlemen. The Scots won, 43-21. Nobody wondered about Jones’ lack of experience after that and I believe that Morris has the talent and supporting cast to enjoy a similar trajectory.
   This Friday the Yellowjackets will bring their own lethal QB, 6’5” Jacob Clark, who lit up the Scots for 53 points last year in HP’s only loss. His favorite target, Jaxon Smith, can score every time he touches the ball. And on defense, Rockwall features Anfernee Orji, the most dynamic defensive back this side of Jalen Catalon.
   The Scots will start QB Morris, RB Benner Page, WR Finn Corwin, WR Bennett Brown or Drew Scott, WR Ben Smith, WR Drew Dodge, LT Regan Riddle, LG Ryan Butz, C Tyler Kilgus, RG Jack Rourke and RT Harrison Hall or Henry Hagenbuch. On defense look for DE Prince Dorbah, NG Jeremy Hanes, DE Jack Jurgovan, ILB Colby Hopkins, ILB James Lightbourn, OLB Chris Read, OLB Andrew Bonnet, CB Whit Winfield, CB Hudson Clark, S Ryan Khetan and S Brock Bakich. The kicker will be Wesley Winters and the punters are Andrew Stanzel and Will Vandermeer. This lineup is likely to be updated as the season progresses.
   The Yellowjackets are capable of scoring 50 points on the Scots. HP has the fire power to hang 50 on the Jackets. So will this be one of those 100-point games coming out of the chute or will one or both defenses stiffen up and protect their end zone? Who knows. That’s why we line ‘em up and play the game.
   Welcome to the 2018 edition of Highland Park football. Enjoy the ride. Just be sure to fasten your seat belt.