Highland Park Wraps Up 10-4A Title With Win
CARROLLTON — After a sluggish first half that ended with a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown by defensive back Boomer Backich, Highland Park rolled past Carrollton Newman Smith, 52-28, on Friday night at Standridge Stadium. The victory wrapped up a fifth straight District 10-4A title for the Scots.
“We were kind of sleep-walking through that first half a little bit,” Bakich said. “We needed something to spark us, something to get the juice back in the building. They were running slants all night. [Teammate] Pierce [Weiss] was telling me, ‘Boom, they’re still in the slant.’ I picked it. Right when I hit it, I was gone; they weren’t going to catch me. It was so much fun. You only do that every now and then, so you’ve got to have fun with it.”
Before that big play, the Trojans (1-8, 1-5) were eight yards away from scoring a touchdown that would have made it a three-point game right before halftime. Instead, the Scots, who will most likely face The Colony in the first round of the playoffs in two weeks, were able to go ahead, 31-14, and steal away the momentum.
Highland Park quarterback Brooks Burgin threw for 273 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for 115 yards and another score. Newman Smith back-up quarterback Elimu Jackson, who came in for an injured Cayde Williams, was electric, rushing for 85 yards and throwing a pair of touchdowns. Not sure why Jackson hasn’t been starting all along. He was impressive.
The Scots will wrap up the regular season at Terrell at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.
