by Kirk Dooley
The Person of Interest this Friday will be Jared White.
Mr. White is a 5’10”, 190 lb. senior running back for the Frisco Wakeland Wolverines. Every team has a running back or two or three, but few put up numbers like he does consistently.
As a junior he gained 1,563 yards (1,158 on the ground and 405 in the air) and scored 20 touchdowns. This year he already has racked up 1,733 yards on the ground and 215 in the air, with 26 TDs under his belt.
Last week we made a big deal about New Caney running back Kedrick Reescano averaging 7.3 yards per carry going into the HP game. The Scots defense held him to 5.5 yards per carry. He got his 148 yards rushing but the Highland Park defense kept him out of the end zone most of the night. He scored twice, from the one-yard line and from the two, after the game was out of reach.
This week we will make a big deal about Mr. White averaging nine yards per carry going into the HP game. He’s like a first-down ATM machine. Last week he picked up 248 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns while his supporting cast scored three more.
Throughout the season the Scots have shut down some great running backs and disarmed some outstanding offenses. This Friday they’ll need to do it again. With either Frisco Lone Star or College Station looming next week and Denton Ryan the week after, these Scots need to focus on the game this Friday and slowing the Wakeland running attack enough to allow Highland Park to live another week.
Last week’s 45-13 win over New Caney was the Scots’ ninth straight first-round win. As the winningest program in the history of Texas high school football, every game the Scots win is a new record. They can keep it up if they continue to stay focused on one game at a time.
The Scots’ three-headed running game continues to be successful as Christian Reeves, Ben Croasdale and Jay Cox bring different skill sets that are hard to prepare for. Reeves has a slashing style and a nose for open field. Croasdale is a power runner with sprinter speed. Cox is a huge receiving threat and very dangerous in space. Plus he can punt, return kicks and work in the concession stand.
Quarterback Brennan Storer’s goal is to be the best quarterback named Brennan on the field this Friday. Wakeland QB Brennan Myer has the same goal. Only one of them will survive to play next weekend.
So the game boils down to this: If the Highland Park defense can focus on Wakeland’s Person of Interest and neutralize this first-down ATM machine, do the Wolverines have enough other tools in the box to keep moving the ball and scoring?
If so, they’ll need to match the HP offense which could light up the scoreboard with 35 to 45 points.
By the way, don’t forget that the game starts at 7:00 p.m. It’s a trick to keep you in Friday rush hour traffic.