Scots Blank Sunset, Eye Tigers Next
Highland Park linebacker Patrick Turner returned a first-half interception for a touchdown during a 72-0 win over Sunset on Friday. (Photo: Chris McGathey)
Now that the Dallas ISD portion of Highland Park’s schedule is complete, the Scots can move on to bigger and better competition.
HP clinched its 31st consecutive playoff berth on Friday with a 72-0 drubbing of Sunset at Sprague Stadium, setting up a showdown with Lancaster next week that will likely decide the District 6-5A Division I title.
“You play all year to get a chance to be in these games where it means something,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “Lancaster will be a big game for us.”
The unbeaten Scots (8-0, 5-0) swept all four DISD opponents on their schedule by a combined margin of 226-14. Three of those victories were shutouts.
Against the Bison (1-7, 0-5), HP scored on every possession and racked up 42 points in the first 13 minutes. The Scots offense reached the end zone seven times in the first half on just 20 snaps.
“It was hard for our guys to get focused and get excited to play this game,” Allen said. “We let them play in the first half, and then we substituted and got everybody in. It allowed us to keep our guys healthy. It was a good morale booster.”
Chandler Morris threw four touchdown passes — two apiece to Finn Corwin and Bennett Brown — among only six completions before exiting early in the second quarter.
Benner Page rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on just six attempts. Avery Lewis, Hunter Heath, and Andrew O’Brien added touchdowns on the ground for HP, which ran for a season-high 289 yards as a team.
The Scots accumulated 366 yards of total offense before halftime to establish a 56-0 lead that included a 35-point barrage in the first quarter. And that was after Sunset recovered an onside kick to start the game.
The HP defense contributed three first-half interceptions, with sophomore linebacker Patrick Turner returning a deflected pass 32 yards for a score. Whit Winfield and Harris Feferman also picked off passes.
The Bison reached the red zone on multiple occasions but were stopped on downs each time. Sunset has dropped six straight games by an average margin of more than 46 points.
