9-13-24 Jesuit

Nothing like playing a high school football game in college stadium on Friday the 13th.

The Scots and the Jesuit Rangers battle this week at SMU’s Gerald Ford Stadium in the third game of the season. It’s a rivalry that dates back to 1951. 

Can anyone remember when Jesuit was located where Turtle Creek Village is now? Anyone?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Borrow your granddaughter’s cell phone and Google the history of Jesuit Dallas. The school, built as a Catholic university, was a magnificent building. I wish they could have somehow moved that building to Jesuit’s current campus on Inwood Road near the Tollway.

For the past two years the Highland Park–Jesuit rivalry exploded as the two schools were finally both together in the UIL and both in the same district. Two years ago the game was played at a sold-out Highlander Stadium. The Scots dominated the Rangers and led, 35-0, as the third quarter came to a close. It looked like several Jesuit priests pulled out a few rosaries and were looking for some kind of intercession. 

I’m not saying we saw a miracle unfold, but it was pretty dad gum close. In the fourth quarter The Rangers shut down the Scots and then scored their first touchdown. Then another one. Then another. Then another! With a few seconds let on the clock the Rangers had scored 28 unanswered points. The game ended 35-28 but all night I wondered if Jesuit somehow scored another touchdown or two overnight.

Football fans who were at that game saw what was either a miracle or an explosive change in momentum like we’ve never seen before. It made us all realize that anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Last year Jesuit hosted the game and moved it to SMU’s Ford Stadium. More that 15,000 fans attended. That’s more people than can fit in Jesuit’s stadium and Highland Park’s stadium combined.

Fans of the Rangers and Scots anticipated a high-scoring shoot-out with two high-powered offenses but it turned out to be a defensive slugfest as both offenses were held to a crawl. The Scots prevailed 15-13. The game could have gone either way. Defensive heroes on both sides of the ball prevailed that night.

Which brings us to 2024. The Scots are 2-0 and the Rangers are 1-1. The Scots are ranked and the Rangers are not. The Scots are picked to win the game. Which means the Rangers have them right where they want them.

This game is what high school football is all about. Regardless of rankings or standings or even personnel, either team has the ability to will itself to victory.

Do the Scots have any miracles up their sleeve? I think they do. His name is James Lancaster. He’s a 5’8” running back who is 195 pounds of pure muscle. His center of gravity is superhuman. In the third quarter of the Lovejoy game last Friday, Lancaster caught a short pass from Buck Randall and became a human bumper car, bouncing off several defenders on his way to the end zone. I call it the Matrix run because at one point he seemed to be floating in the air upside down while the Lovejoy defenders were all in slow motion swirling around him. Lancaster then  spun around, landed on his feet like a cat and waltzed into the end zone. Was it a miracle, an optical illusion or was is it just an incredible effort?

I don’t know but I’ll be bringing my rosary to the game Friday just in case.