Lone Star Offers HP Familiar Playoff Foe
It just so happens that for Highland Park this season, the road to the state semifinals runs through Frisco ISD.
That really shouldn’t be a surprise considering the relative lack of powerhouse teams in Region II of Class 5A Division I, to which the Scots returned this year after a two-year absence.
So the regional title comes down to HP and Frisco Lone Star, who will meet on Friday at The Star in Frisco — on the same field where the Scots toppled Frisco Reedy a week ago.
That means the Scots (12-1) are facing Wakeland, Reedy, and Lone Star in consecutive weeks in the postseason bracket. Those are the top three teams from District 5-5A, in escalating order of seeding.
HP claimed the 7-5A crown during the regular season, and has thus far proven its superiority over a neighboring district, too. Aside from that peculiarity, however, the Scots have very much earned the opportunity to return to playing December football as one of the final eight teams standing in their division.
The HP defense has paved the way with a stellar run of games over the past two months. Led by linebackers Jack Morse and Anders Corn, the Scots have allowed more than 21 points just once all season. In the past nine contests, they’ve allowed an average of fewer than 10 points despite not forcing a high volume of turnovers.
On offense, sophomore quarterback Buck Randall surpassed 3,000 passing yards during last week’s 31-12 triumph over Reedy. He’s also tallied a team-high 11 scores on the ground, with Cannon Bozman as his leading target through the air.
The Scots will put their nine-game winning streak on the line against the Rangers (12-1), a formidable foe against whom they have an extensive history.
The teams have split four prior meetings, each of which has been memorable. The Scots won a nailbiter early in the 2018 season, the second of 16 straight victories that culminated with a state title.
The following year, Lone Star became the first in-state team to beat HP on its home field in more than 20 years. Then the Rangers eliminated the Scots in overtime in the third round of the playoffs.
HP got some revenge in 2020, when they won a rematch in the same postseason round on Christmas Eve before falling the next week to Denton Ryan.
This season, the Rangers are led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Karece Hoyt. The sophomore has thrown for almost 3,000 yards with 32 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He’s also rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 20 scores.
Running back Davian Groce and receiver Bryson Jones are the other top playmakers for Lone Star, which has won five straight games and averages 47.7 points per game.
The Rangers have survived a pair of close calls in the last two weeks to advance against Red Oak (34-28) and Midlothian (39-35), both of which HP beat on the road during district play.
Whoever emerges victorious on Friday will advance to next week’s state semifinal against the winner of Region I — either Ryan or Aledo.
