Fast starts are better than slow starts.
It goes without saying.
Yet it was important for Highland Park to know it and live it on Friday night against Pulaski Academy.
Cannon Bozman’s 71-yard touchdown catch and run put the capper on a first-quarter scoring spree that put the Scots ahead 24-6 and had their engines revving on the way to a 58-26 victory over the Little Rock, Ark., school known for its high-paced passing, four-down offense and all-game onside kicking.
“It’s always better to get ahead than be behind, that’s for sure,” HP coach Randy Allen said, “especially against this team. They can score in a hurry. So it’s nice to get ahead.”
Bozman finished with six catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns – he opened the scoring with a 3-yard catch – and quarterback Buck Randall threw for 297 yards and five touchdowns. Harrison Cullum had TD grabs of 27 and 13 yards.
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Meanwhile, the Scots defenders nabbed three takeaways, interceptions by cornerbacks Jack Sumner and Odie Shoaf and a fumble recovery by defensive lineman Henry Hobbs after a quarterback hit by fellow D-lineman Thomas Cook.
HP stopped five fourth downs and blocked a field goal.
“I was really proud of them,” Allen said of the defense, which faced 53 pass attempts by sophomore quarterback Aron Orgil (30-for-53, 306 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions). “That’s a tough offense.”
It was the third meeting between the teams. In 2014, HP won 48-42. In 2015, Pulaski took a 40-13 decision.
Also scoring for the Scots were Beau Burke on a 4-yard run, Randall on a 17-yard run, Matthew White on a 29-yard catch and James Flowers on a 1-yard run, which produced the biggest lead at 58-12 with 1:27 left in the third quarter.
Sutton Stock made a 37-yard field goal as part of the get-ahead and stay-ahead first quarter.
HP is 3-1 heading into a game at Tyler on Sept. 26. Pulaski, which played Louisiana power West Monroe last week, fell to 0-3.
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