HP Aims to Cap Title Run Against Rangers

Many of Highland Park’s current football players were pint-sized elementary schoolers when the Scots won their most recent of three consecutive Class 5A Division I football championships in 2018.

Six years later, they will get their chance to match the achievements of their HP childhood idols on Saturday against Spring Branch Smithson Valley at AT&T Stadium.

The Scots (14-1) are seeking their seventh state crown overall and fifth since 2005, and have won 11 consecutive games overall. They are unbeaten against in-state competition this season.

They climbed back to the title game after a thrilling 24-21 victory over Denton Ryan in the semifinals last weekend. It was the 900th victory in program history, a milestone that exemplifies HP’s longevity and consistency as a powerhouse.

HP rallied from an early 14-point deficit and won the game on a late Sutton Stock field goal. However, a typically dominant defensive effort helped to galvanize the comeback. So did an offense that found its rhythm in the second half and made timely big plays.

The engineer of that offense is Buck Randall, the first sophomore to start at quarterback for HP since Matthew Stafford — who was the MVP of the 2005 title team and has since become a Super Bowl champion with the Los Angeles Rams.

Randall has thrown for more than 3,500 yards with 38 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, while also rushing for a team-high 12 scores.

The deep and talented HP offense has supplied him with plenty of help, from a rock-solid offensive line to running backs James Lancaster and Matthew White to an array of sure-handed receiving options like Cannon Bozman, Benton Owens, and Brandon Lilly.

On defense, the Scots have met every challenge over the past 12 weeks, mostly by limiting big plays and earning critical stops. HP is led by a front seven that features Jack Morse, Anders Corn, Daniel Turner, Beau Jones, Amin Elahmadi, and others.

Scouting the opponent

Smithson Valley returns to the championship game one year after falling to Aledo 51-8, which could give the Rangers (13-2) an edge in experience in the spotlight.

Smithson Valley, located about 25 miles north of San Antonio, is one of the most decorated programs in Texas never to win a state crown — with 60 postseason victories all-time but an 0-4 mark in title games.

The Rangers boast impressive credentials, of course, having won 10 consecutive games including a 21-14 triumph against Angleton in the semifinals a week ago. Smithson Valley has scored more points per game (43.5) and allowed fewer (11.7) than HP this season.

Cade Spradling leads the Rangers as an unusual dual threat at both quarterback and linebacker, while Brad Sowersby energizes the running game. The Rangers have set a school record for points this year.

Veteran coaches clash

HP legend Randy Allen leads all active head coaches in Texas with 460 career wins, which puts him just 30 shy of the all-time mark. He’s near the top of almost every statistical category for coaches in the history of the state.

However. Allen’s 26 seasons at HP is significantly shorter than the tenure of his Smithson Valley counterpart, Larry Hill. Now in his 32nd season with the Rangers, Hill has amassed 324 career victories.

While Allen spent 18 seasons at Ballinger, Brownwood, and Abilene Cooper prior to arriving at HP in 1999, Hill was at Jourdanton for two years before taking over at Smithson Valley in 1993.

Doing some quick math, that will be a combined 784 wins spanning 78 years of head coaching experience on the sidelines on Saturday.

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