HP’s Morse Caps Career With MVP Award
It might be unusual for a defensive player to win overall MVP honors, but Highland Park had an unusually good defense this season — and Jack Morse was its physical and emotional leader.
The senior linebacker earned most valuable player honors from coaches in District 7-5A Div. I after the Scots completed an unbeaten run through league play on their way to the state championship game.
At 6-feet-1 and 210 pounds, Morse is a three-year starter for HP who is verbally committed to play football next year at Brown University. He posted more than 100 tackles this season.
He was one of several HP players to secure all-district recognition. Sophomore quarterback Buck Randall was honored as the district’s top offensive player after starting all 16 games for the Scots, throwing for 3,899 yards and 40 touchdowns while also running for 12 scores.
The all-district first-team offense included three HP seniors — running back James Lancaster, receiver Benton Owens, and guard Gage Clark — as well as junior receiver Cannon Bozman and junior tackle Stuart Allday.
On defense, senior first-team honorees for the Scots were linemen Amin Elahmadi and Daniel Turner, linebacker Anders Corn, and cornerback Angus Wall. They were joined by junior linebacker Beau Jones.
For special teams, seniors William Whitaker (punter) and Braxton Giffin (deep snapper) also were recognized on the first team.
HP’s second-team all-district contingent is comprised of running back Matthew White, receivers Paxton Smith and Brandon Lilly, offensive lineman Will Ogle and Tripp Townsend, defensive lineman Hank Leigh, linebacker Jack Steed, cornerback Jonathan Boyanovsky, safeties Brady Ray and Jackson McGinley, and kicker Reece Tiffany.
Among those earning honorable mention for the Scots were Isaiah Lee, Charlie Olmstead, Harrison Cullum, Case Messer, Grayson Davenport, Thomas Cook, Lee Wagner, Langedon McMurray, and Ronan Moreland.
Other superlative honorees on the all-district team included Tyler’s D’Canaan Sueing (defensive MVP), Tyler’s Trey Haralson and Burleson Centennial’s Jacob Torres (co-offensive newcomer), Centennial’s Jaxson Deaton (defensive newcomer), and Midlothian’s Beau Wendel (utility player).
