by Kirk Dooley
The 2021 playoffs begin this Friday and for the second year in a row, the Scots will host the New Caney Eagles at Highlander Stadium.
A reminder for HP season ticket holders: When you go to find your seat at the game and someone else is sitting there, you’ll need to find another seat. This game is general admission and season ticket holders need to get to the game very early if you’d like to sit in “your” seats.
New Caney comes into the bi-district game with a 7-3 record. The Eagles were flying high at 7-1 until they ended their district run with two losses. They were beaten by Magnolia West, 31-24, and Magnolia, 52-21. Earlier in the season they had lost to College Station, a team that went on to win the district championship …. is undefeated at 10-0 …. is ranked second in state …. is averaging 53.9 points per game (and allowing 6.4) …. and could be a Scots playoff opponent a couple of weeks down the road.
The Eagles are good. They are balanced. They average 203 yards per game on the ground and 198 in the air. Their quarterback is Cornelius Banks. (Wasn’t that the father’s name in “Mary Poppins”?) Banks has completed 67 percent of his passes this season. He has connected on 134 of 201 passes for 1,926 yards and 20 touchdowns. But their most dangerous Eagle is running back Kedrick Reescano, who averages 7.3 yards per carry and 139 yards per game. As a junior he was good for over 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. This season he has already picked up 1,393 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Keep an eye on receiver Cameron Thomas who is Banks’ favorite target. Thomas has caught 46 passes for 808 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Scots are coming off two wins that were not glamorous but they wound up being convincing. And although West Mesquite and Wylie East finished at the bottom of district standings, they both were talented and had a lot of spunk. Like most teams, they gave their best effort when trying to knock off the Scots. I feel like West Mesquite and Wylie East, compared to all the teams who finished at the bottom of their district standings, are the best two teams in Texas.
Coach Allen’s theory of playing very good 6A teams in pre-district is a good one when the playoffs roll around. The Scots finished 3-1 with a loss to Southlake Carroll and victories over Coppell, Flower Mound and Rockwall. All four of those 6A teams are in the playoffs and undefeated Carroll could go all the way. Those teams gave the Scots the critical blueprint on where they needed to improve. And once they find themselves in a firefight with a great playoff team, they won’t be surprised because they’ve seen it before.
And they’ll see some of it this Friday night. Did I mention that New Caney running back Kedrick Reescano averages 7.3 yards every time he touches the ball?