The setting and the characters have looked pretty familiar for Highland Park thus far during its push through the Class 5A Division I football playoffs.
The Scots hope this sequel will have a different ending, of course, after last year’s defeat in the state championship game. But until then, they’re fine with reading from the same script.
That includes a third consecutive Frisco ISD opponent on Friday at The Star, where HP will take on unbeaten Lone Star in a rematch in the Region II final.
It will be the latest of several high-stakes postseason clashes between the two perennial powers. The Scots (12-1) took last year’s matchup by a 41-28 score in the same round. However, the Rangers (13-0) haven’t lost a game since then.
HP extended its winning streak to 12 games with a 47-20 thrashing of Frisco Wakeland last week, during which junior quarterback Buck Randall surpassed the 4,000-yard plateau in passing yards this season.
Randall also accounted for four touchdowns in that win. He has 47 scores through the air, and another 11 on the ground for an offense that has scored at least 42 points in 11 of its 13 games.
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His top receiving target remains Cannon Bozman (14 touchdowns), who surpassed 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season during the Wakeland game. Harrison Cullum has 253 yards and three touchdowns over the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, versatile Matthew White has more than 1,400 total yards and 22 touchdowns this year. And the HP defense has stabilized after some early-season struggles, surrendering 20 or fewer points in six of the last seven games.
The Lone Star defense might present the most formidable challenge yet for the high-powered HP attack. The Rangers have allowed just 12.2 points per game this season, with three shutouts. They knocked out West Mesquite 47-20 last week.
On offense, Lone Star is led by dual-threat quarterback Trey Wright, a sophomore who has thrown for almost 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns while running for an additional 1,311 yards and 13 scores.
Wright has support from some elite returnees at the skill positions, including Baylor commit Karece Hoyt, who started at quarterback a year ago and has rushed for 18 touchdowns this season. Leading receiver Davian Groce is a Florida signee with more than 1,000 yards and 13 scores.
The winner of Friday’s showdown will meet either Aledo or Denton Ryan — another familiar HP postseason nemesis — next week in the state semifinals.
