by Kirk Dooley
Which Timberview team will show up this week at the Star in Frisco? Will it be the team that the Scots trounced, 42-7, just three weeks ago? Or will it be the team that shocked state-ranked The Colony, 35-30, the following week in one of the state’s biggest first-round upsets?
Last week in the second round Timberview proved that it is no fluke when the Wolves eliminated Magnolia West, 45-28, to set up this Saturday’s regional semifinal tilt that features two teams from the same district.
They say that when one door closes, another one opens. That’s what the Wolves experienced when injuries at quarterback forced them to dig deep into their bag of tricks as they entered the playoffs with an unimpressive 5-5 record. They took their speedy running back, Stacy Sneed, and switched him to wildcat quarterback.
Why didn’t they think of that before?
The Colony Cougars did not know what hit them. There was no film on Sneed taking direct snaps from the center and there was no stopping Sneed in the wildcat formation. He ran for 246 yards and three touchdowns and personally snapped the Cougars’ eight-game winning streak.
Last weekend Magnolia West knew what was coming and they still couldn’t stop Sneed. He carried the ball 23 times for 197 yards, averaging 8.57 yards per carry. Then when a real quarterback came in to throw the ball, Sneed caught five passes for 93 yards. He accounted for three touchdowns. When Magnolia West focused on stopping Sneed, the other Timberview running back, Montaye Dawson, ran for 151 yards, including your standard 92-yard touchdown run.
Three weeks ago I said that the Scots were walking into a wolf trap when they faced Timberview.
I meant this week.
I don’t think the 12-0 Scots will relax because they are playing a 7-5 team that they beat by 35 points three weeks ago. The cards have been reshuffled and Timberview is playing with a high degree of confidence.
My favorite statistic from the Nov. 8 HP-Timberview game is that the Scots defense held Sneed to 19 yards on five carries while HP backup running back Hunter Heath also had five carries and he went for 116 yards.
It is a safe bet that HP will face a Timberview team that showcases a dazzling, hard-to-stop Stacy Sneed.
But which HP team will show up at the Star? Last week’s first half Scots or last week’s second-half Scots? Against College Station the second half HP defense looked like a state championship contender.
The Scots will be ready for whatever Timberview throws at them. To win this game and to qualify for the state quarterfinals the Highland Park players must stop thinking about Frisco Lone Star and start concentrating on becoming fast enough to stop Stacy Sneed.
Like they did three weeks ago.
Below find the UIL Playoff Bracket. Scroll down to Region 2 to find HP v Mansfield Timberview (G51).
2018 Football State Championships 2018 Football Conference 5A D1