Scots Reunited With Some Old Rivals
The UIL’s biennial realignment has put Highland Park High School in District 10-6A with teams from Richardson ISD and Mesquite ISD. Not only did the Scots have the good fortune of avoiding the state’s largest schools (Allen and the three Plano ISD schools), those mega-campuses were placed in a different region than Highland Park. Here’s a brief look at each of the Scots’ district rivals for the 2014 and 2015 seasons:
MESQUITE
2013 record: 5-6
Coach: Robbie Robinson
Notable: The Skeeters scored at least 54 points in each of their final three games but lost them all, including a 63-56 playoff defeat against Sachse. … Mesquite allowed more than 60 points four times. … The Skeeters have swept rivals North Mesquite and Mesquite Horn the last two years.
MESQUITE HORN
2013 record: 9-3
Coach: Mike Overton
Notable: The Jaguars lost to eventual state champion Allen 42-14 in the area round of the playoffs. … Overton tied a school record for wins in his first season at Horn after a successful run at West Mesquite. … Returning QB Destri White passed for 28 touchdowns and ran for eight scores.
NORTH MESQUITE
2013 record: 6-4
Coach: Mike Robinson
Notable: The Stallions missed the playoffs after losing their final four games following a 6-0 start. … North Mesquite has not made the playoffs since 2007 and has not won a playoff game since 2000. … The Stallions lost to rivals Mesquite and Mesquite Horn by a combined four points.
LAKE HIGHLANDS
2013 record: 5-6
Coach: Scott Smith
Notable: The Wildcats were crushed by eventual state champion Allen 63-6 in the bi-district round of the playoffs. … Lake Highlands has made six straight postseason appearances but has lost its last five playoff games. … Returning RB Tyler Hughes finished with 960 yards and nine touchdowns.
RICHARDSON
2013 record: 3-7
Coach: Brian Chandler
Notable: The Eagles have not won a playoff game since 1992 and have not had a winning season in more than a decade. … Richardson had an 0-6 record last season against teams that made the playoffs. … The Eagles were swept by all three of their Richardson ISD rivals last year.
RICHARDSON BERKNER
2013 record: 4-6
Coach: Jim Ledford
Notable: Five of Berkner’s six losses last season were by margins of 21 or more points. … The last playoff win for the Rams came in 2006, with three bi-district losses to Garland in the past five years. … Ledford has led Berkner to seven playoff appearances and one district title in 14 seasons.
RICHARDSON PEARCE
2013 record: 5-6
Coach: Randy Robertson
Notable: The Mustangs lost to McKinney Boyd 24-9 in the first round of the playoffs, their first postseason appearance at the 5A level. … Pearce allowed at least 35 points in five of its six defeats. … The Mustangs were a district rival with Highland Park for several seasons, as recently as 2011.
I bet players, coaches and parents are breathing a sign of relief over this. It will make traveling to away games SUPER easy, too. No more games to Sherman (yay!)
Is the Lake Highlands Scott Smith, the same Scott Smith that coached at HP?
No, the Scott Smith you’re thinking of is coaching at Houston Baptist University:
http://www.hbuhuskies.com/coaches.aspx?rc=148&path=
The Scott Smith who coached at HP went on to coach at Rockwall and is currently at Houston Baptist University.