by Kirk Dooley
Wanna see some magic? Watch wizard Randy Allen draw up a play to score on the first play of the game.
Using a solid offensive line, just have your Elite 11 quarterback to hand the ball to this 5’6”, 145-lb. motorized humming bird and watch as he scampers 75 yards for a touchdown before the National Anthem is over.
And that was only the beginning for Hunter Heath last Friday. He gained 240 yards running the ball and 96 more in the air as his four touchdowns helped seal another district championship for the Scots. It wasn’t just another good day at the shop. This was statistically the best performance by a Highland Park running back in decades.
I believe Stephen Dieb holds the HP record for most yard gained in a game but he didn’t have 96 yards receiving. I still have the calculator I needed to keep up with Paxton Alexander’s total yards. He reminded me of Mark Marynick who reminded old timers of Doak Walker’s grandfather. Some sportswriters said the original Doak was the best running back ever to play football, but even he couldn’t pound out tough yards like his namesake grandson, who enjoys running behind the same O-line as Heath.
Now we are the point of no return. Lose this Friday and your season is over. The Scots have been excellent in rising to the occasion when the playoff season begins. It is a good thing that HP was able to finish the district race against two good teams – Lancaster and Mansfield Timberview. Both are good enough to see the Scots again later in the playoffs. Legacy, on the other hand, finished the season by blasting the four DISD teams and may have a distorted view of reality when they face Frisco Lone Star in the first round.
What can we expect from Wakeland? A passion to beat the Scots. The HP volleyball team just eliminated Wakeland in a nail-biter last week. The Highlander Band finished second in the state championship, just ahead of – who else? – Wakeland.
The Wolverines are 5-5 and have a 1,000-yard quarterback, Dylan Laible, who starts at quarterback and another 1,000-yard quarterback, Peyton Lewis, who starts at wide receiver. Watch out for the double pass!
Wakeland boasts two good running backs, Charlie Burkhart and Jared White, with 1,500 yards between them, and two good receivers, Kevin Rychel and Dugan Sexton, who have 1,500 yards between them. A third threat at receiver is Lewis (the other QB) who has thrown or caught 20 TDs this season.
When Randy Allen was at Abilene Cooper, Marty Secord was on his staff, When Allen left for Highland Park 21 years ago, Secord became the head coach at Cooper. Now he’s the head coach at Wakeland and the two old friends meet again.
Secord knows Allen is a great coach but does he know he’s also a wizard?