GREATER GOALS
SCOTS WANT ANOTHER
Randall’s Return Should Prove Advantageous for Scots
By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
Last year, Buck Randall won the starting quarterback job only a few days before the regular-season opener. This year, he’s entrenched as the primary signal-caller and has had a full offseason to deepen chemistry with his receivers and sharpen his skills.
Stuart Allday. “We want to be well-rounded and score as many points as we can.”
Varsity seasoning should be an asset. Along with Randall, leading receiver Cannon Bozman (71 catches, 1,115 yards, 12 touchdowns) returns as a playmaking threat.
“It’s a hard-working group,” Bozman said. “We should be better on offense because of the experience.”
The Scots hope that familiarity and comfort level will spur the offense to even greater heights after it averaged 35.4 points during last season’s 14-win campaign.
“We want to pick up where we left off, but we have bigger goals,” said offensive lineman
Fellow receivers Case Messer, Charlie Olmstead, and Harrison Cullum combined for 11 scores as part of an offense that thrives on spreading the ball around. The same is true in the backfield, where Matthew White and Isaiah Lee will likely split carries with their complementary skill sets.
The offensive line will feature three new starters, with Allday moving to right tackle and Tripp Townsend shifting from
center to guard. The newcomers include Cooper Alt, George Hunt, and massive sophomore Colton Williams.
“They’ve been in our system, and they’ve spent a lot of time studying film,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “We should be more experienced and should get better as the season progresses.”
With Many New Faces, Who Will Step Up to Lead HP Defense?
By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
Having just one returning starter sounds daunting, but for the aggressive and hard-hitting Highland Park defense, it’s a familiar issue thanks to annual roster turnover fueled by graduation.
“The development system here is unlike any other,” said linebacker Beau Jones. “We had a lot of guys last year who got significant playing time. We’re not worried.”
Jones is back as one of the leading tacklers and playmakers from last season. He will be joined at linebacker in the 3-4 scheme by Davis Sacher, Lange-
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2025 SCOTS VARSITY
2025 SCHEDULE
VARSITY
JV BLUE
JV GOLD
FRESHMAN BLUE
FRESHMAN GOLD
ROCKWALL-HEATH
Friday, Aug. 29
7 p.m. at Highlander Stadium
Head coach: Rodney Webb (third season)
2024 record: 4-6 (2-4 in district)
Notable: The Hawks dropped three one-score games down the stretch, snapping a string of 10 straight winning seasons for former Highland Park athletic director Webb, spanning four different schools. Heath returns most of its starters on both sides of scrimmage. Dual-threat QB Prosper Neal and leading WR Shawn Gary lead the up-tempo offense.
LOVEJOY
Friday, Sept. 5
7 p.m. at Leopard Stadium
2025 OPPONENTS
JESUIT DALLAS
Friday, Sept. 12
7 p.m. at Highlander Stadium
PULASKI ACADEMY (ARK.)
Friday, Sept. 19
7 p.m. at Highlander Stadium
TYLER
Friday, Sept. 26
7 p.m. at Rose Stadium
Head coach: Todd Dodge (second season)
2024 record: 10-4 (7-1 in district)
Notable: Lovejoy went four rounds deep in the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years in Dodge’s debut at the school. The Leopards averaged 48.3 points and scored at least 40 in all 10 of their victories. Returning QB Jacob Janecek threw for almost 2,800 yards and 35 touchdowns, while WR Coleman Reaugh had eight scores as a freshman.
Head
Notable: Jesuit will look for its first victory in four tries in a matchup of rivals whose campuses sit just six miles apart. Dual-threat QB Beck Berry becomes the likely starter, leading an offense with upgraded athleticism. The Rangers should improve after posting Jesuit’s lowest win total since 2018 and falling in the first round of the 6A playoffs.
Notable: The Bruins have won 11 state championships in Arkansas, most recently in 2022. The Little Rock private school snapped Highland Park’s 84-game home winning streak in their most recent meeting in 2015. Pulaski has a reputation for its innovative offense that includes an array of trick plays and schemes, onside kicks, and no punts.
Notable: A three-game skid to end the season denied the Lions their first postseason berth since 2021. Tyler returns much of its skill-position talent, including third-year QB Caden Granberry, speedy RB Cadarius McMiller, and lanky WR Trey Haralson. The defense will need to progress, however, after allowing 40.7 points in six losses.
Nickname: Hawks
Nickname: Leopards
Nickname: Rangers
coach: Brandon Hickman (15th season)
record: 6-5 (5-2 in district)
Nickname: Lions
Head coach: Rashaun Woods (third season)
2024 record: 4-6 (2-4 in district)
Nickname: Bruins
Head coach: Anthony Lucas (fifth season)
2024 record: 10-3 (5-2 in district)
2025 OPPONENTS
RED OAK
Friday, Oct. 3
7 p.m. at Highlander Stadium
JOSHUA
Friday, Oct. 17 7 p.m. at Owl Stadium
CLEBURNE
Friday, Oct. 24
7 p.m. at Highlander Stadium
BURLESON CENTENNIAL
Friday, Oct. 31
MIDLOTHIAN
Friday, Nov. 7 7
Notable: The Hawks have won at least one playoff game in five of the last six years. Dual-threat QB Billy Middleton accounted for 31 touchdowns last season, and dynamic Notre Dame commit Brayden Robinson returns as his top receiving target. The experienced defense has athleticism to spare, led by Memphis commit Desmond Cox at LB.
Notable: Although it struggled in district play, Joshua snapped a string of 27 consecutive losing seasons dating back to its most recent playoff appearance in 1996. The Owls again will rely on their stingy defense, which allowed just 15.7 points per game. On offense, converted receiver Brayden Payne moves to QB in the run-based scheme.
Notable: The Jackets need a reset after enduring their third winless campaign in the last eight years. New coach Sheppard takes over a program that hasn’t won a postseason game since 1998. Two-way standout Malachi Cunningham is the top returnee for an offense that averaged just 11.8 points and reached double digits only three times.
Notable: Meyer becomes the second head coach in the 14-year history of a program that has made the playoffs in each of the past 11 seasons. RB Jaylon Walker is a dynamic playmaker, although the Spartans don’t return many starters. Centennial played several close games down the stretch, including an overtime playoff loss to Georgetown.
Notable: The Panthers are experiencing their best run of success in program history with seven consecutive winning seasons. QB Beau Wendel, the coach’s son, was the top rusher and passer, accounting for 23 touchdowns on a team that won two playoff games. WR Brendyn Jackson and bulky OL Noah Best, an Oklahoma commit, also return.
Nickname: Hawks
Head coach: Melvin Robinson (third season) 2024 record: 7-5 (4-2 in district)
Nickname: Owls
Head coach: Danny DeArman (fifth season) 2024 record: 5-5 (1-5 in district)
Nickname: Yellow Jackets
Head coach: A.J. Sheppard (first season) 2024 record: 0-10 (0-6 in district)
Nickname: Spartans
Head coach: Blake Meyer (first season) 2024 record: 5-6 (3-3 in district)
Nickname: Panthers
Head coach: Doug Wendel (11th season) 2024 record: 10-3 (6-1 in district)
SCOTS’ RUNNER-UP FINISH FUELS THIS YEAR’S HUNGER
By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
Almost nine months later, Highland Park still feels the sting of coming so close and falling just short.
By almost any measure, the Scots had a stellar season in 2024, with 14 wins, including 11 in a row, and a trip to the Class 5A Division I state championship game in late December.
However, a 32-20 defeat against Smithson Valley left a bitter taste in the mouths of returning HP players who haven’t dwelled on the loss so much as used it as motivation — eager to turn a new campaign into a second chance.
“They remember the feeling they had after the game and the disappointment,” said longtime HP head coach Randy Allen. “They understand what it takes. Our team last year set a great example and left a high bar.”
Indeed, HP is the winningest program in Texas high school football, having reached 900 victories with a thrilling triumph over Denton Ryan in last year’s state semifinals. The expectations are always high, and deep postseason runs are almost a rite of passage.
“Pressure is a good thing,” said defensive lineman Thomas Cook. “The pressure of us having that standard is what drives us to excellence.”
Many current HP players were youngsters following the team during its run of three consecutive championships from 2016 to 2018. Those vivid memories still fuel them to this day and make last season’s result even more potent.
Perhaps that’s why participation numbers have been so high and the work ethic so intense during the team’s spring workouts and summer conditioning program. There’s a sense of optimism around the team that HP has all the ingredients to return to AT&T Stadium this winter and achieve a different outcome.
Much of the credit for the program’s continuity and consistency belongs to Allen, who will begin his 27th season on the HP sidelines and 45th overall as a head coach. He has 460 career wins, and will start the season only 30 shy of the most in state history.
HP’s ability to reload despite annual graduation turnover is unmatched. It’s a pri mary reason why the team has more district championships (59) than any other school
in Texas. The Scots have posted double-digit wins in 12 straight seasons.
This year, they also should benefit from the return of starting quarterback Buck Randall, who passed for 3,900 yards and 40 touchdowns last year after winning the top job as a sophomore.
“He’s been a leader in the spring and summer. There’s no substitute for experience. Those 16 games under his belt leans so much into your decision making and your poise,” Allen said. “There’s nothing too big for him this year. He’s more mature and a little bit bigger, and he’s worked with these receivers. That familiarity really means a lot.”
Overall, HP returns several skill-position players from an offensive unit that averaged more than 35 points per game, including top receiver Cannon Bozman. That will be critical as the inexperienced defense could be tested early.
“We’ve got more question marks this year than we had last year, especially on defense,” Allen said.
The schedule again is daunting. Gone is Cherry Creek (Colo.), which defeated the Scots on their home field last season, replaced by quirky Arkansas pow -
erhouse Pulaski Academy, which beat HP back in 2015.
The Scots will have six home games this season, including the opener against Rockwall-Heath on Aug. 29. District 7-5A Div. I play begins on Sept. 26 at Tyler.
“The seniors only have one last opportunity to go out and make history,” said linebacker Beau Jones. “It definitely gets you up in the morning.”
2024 Results
Aug. 29 Rockwall-Heath W, 34-20
Sept. 6 Lovejoy W, 24-17
Sept. 13 Jesuit Dallas W, 43-20
Sept. 20 Cherry Creek (Colo.) L, 51-39
Sept. 27 Tyler W, 35-9
Oct. 4 Red Oak W, 32-14
Oct. 18 Joshua W, 31-0
Oct. 25 Cleburne W, 45-8
Nov. 1 Burleson Centennial W, 42-14
Nov. 8 Midlothian W, 38-21
Nov. 15 Leander Rouse W, 48-0
Nov. 22 Frisco Wakeland W, 38-10
Nov. 29 Frisco Reedy W, 31-12
Dec. 6 Frisco Lone Star W, 41-28
Dec. 13 Denton Ryan W, 24-21
Dec. 21 Smithson Valley L, 32-2
Buck Randall will begin his junior season with 16 games of experience as a starting quarterback for Highland Park. MELISSA MACATEE
Scots Fans Bring Home Retired Blue Back Seats, Lifetime of Memories
By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com
Looking for the best seat in Highlander Stadium? It could be in a neighbor’s garage, office, bedroom, or courtyard.
The stadium is getting an upgrade thanks to 2015 bond funds, and its Blue Back chairs are being replaced for the first time since the stadium was built in 1980.
The original chairs were removed in May. Many were disposed of, but about 150 were saved and stored in the end zones until July 31, when Scots fans had a chance to take home a piece of history during the first-ever Highlander Stadium Seat Sale.
A customer was already waiting outside the stadium by the time the sale started at 9 a.m. She was an HPISD alum who wasn’t sure what she was going to do with a seat, but knew that she needed one.
“It’s a special community, and this is a small piece of it,” 2001 grad Will Armstrong said as he selected chairs about an hour later.
When they’re attached to Highlander Stadium, Blue Back seats are pricey and hard to get. Once a seat-holder has purchased their Blue Backs, they have a right-of-first refusal on their seats. Many keep the same spots for years.
The removed seats were a bargain at $20 each, though they required some tinkering to be useful as places to sit. The seats didn’t stand on their own, and many pairs only included one side arm.
But despite more than 40 years in the elements, their plastic didn’t show signs of heavy wear and tear. HPISD facilities director Marcus Crispin explained that they don’t make chairs like these anymore. The seats are hard plastic, and the legs cast iron.
Charlie Flint, a member of the Highland Park football team’s defensive line, and Crews Messer, who plays quarterback,
helped lift the heavy pairsof seats as they were selected by customers.
The students, who have a lifetime-worth of memories of the seats, said they were happy to help with the task. Flint remembered watching his brother from the stands while eating “loads of hot dogs.”
Ryan Fanning, a member of the class of 2007, bought pairs of seats with the numbers 12, 34, 33, 10, and 44, the same ones that he and teammates wore when they played football for HP in the backfield. He also picked up a pair with his lacrosse number and the year of his graduation.
“As you get older, just seeing the program, seeing the history, and the gratitude of being a part of that kind of work with people that you grew up with and know so intimately has been impossible to replicate,” Fanning said. “Good memories. Lifelong friends.”
Proceeds from the Stadium Seat Sale will help create more memories for HPISD alums. Funds will be used by the Highland Park Alumni Association, which brings graduates together at reunions and events such as the distinguished alumni program, explained Tracy Flint, director of alumni relations at the Highland Park Education Foundation.
And this year’s Scots fans won’t be left seatless. The Blue Backs will be replaced with versions in the same shade of blue, but with legs that appear more golden than faded yellow, facilities director Crispin said.
Fans can also expect their stadium to have a fresh coat of paint and one more showstopping upgrade — LED lights that can change colors and sync to music.
FROM LEFT: Scots were clearly visible on the sides of some original Blue Backs. Football player Charlie Flint helped move the purchased seats.
PHOTOS: SARAH HODGES
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