by Kirk Dooley
The first round of the Texas high school football playoffs can produce eye-popping scores, especially in the games where the number one seed from one district plays the number four seed from the adjacent district. It is not unlike the NCAA basketball tournament when top seeds play #16 seeds and the results are predictable. 
Such was the case when 8-2 Highland Park battled 3-7 Mount Pleasant in the first round. The Scots won, 70-2, and held the Tigers to 65 yards of total offense and two first downs. Eight different Scots scored touchdowns, the last being JV Blue running back Cameron Reeves.
One team scoring a lot of points isn’t unusual during bi-district week. If Highland Park advances this week it will play Mansfield Lake Ridge (who scored 49 points last week) or Samuel (60). A possible quarterfinal opponent, Mansfield Legacy, put up 56 points. Semifinals? Denton Ryan (54) or Colleyville Heritage (50). And if the Scots make it to the finals, teams they might play and how many points they scored last weekend include Dripping Springs (63), Richmond Foster (72), Angleton (73) and Manvel (78).
In this week’s Area round the games shouldn’t be as lopsided. There is a chance that contest between Highland Park and Frisco Independence could be the highest scoring game in the state. Unless one or both defenses rise to the occasion, this game could be one of those 59-55 shootouts. The Knights will be the best offensive team the Scots have faced. They are the only 5A team in North Texas averaging more than 500 yards per game. Their top running back, Dom Williams, has already hit the 2,000-yard mark and has scored 29 touchdowns. Their quarterback, Kyle Saddler, has thrown for 2,482 yards and 29 touchdowns. Their top receiver, Colton Nielson, has 902 yards and 14 TDs.
Last week’s destruction of Mount Pleasant was a first-round aberration. The playoffs really begin for the Scots this Friday night. The competition will be 10 times stronger and the Scots need to have their heads on straight to stay in a potential close game.
Independence is tough but not unbeatable. They were stopped by a very good Frisco Lone Star team for the district championship two weeks ago, 37-13. Last week the Knights beat McKinney North, 47-28, for their first playoff win in school history. Independence opened in 2014.
To advance, the Scots’ offense needs to score like it always does, then add two more TDs. On defense, slow down Williams without giving Saddler one-on-one coverage across the board. Usually, it’s pick your poison. Stopping Williams by clogging the box has given the Rangers’ passing game a free ride to six points.
Earlier this season Independence scored 61 points against Frisco Heritage. But Heritage was the last one to score and won, 64-61. Let’s put that game under a microscope because Heritage finished the season 2-8.