10-31-25 Burleson Centennial

   Let’s review.

   This time last year Highland Park hosted Burleson Centennial at Highlander Stadium and the Scots came away with a 42-14 victory. This gave HP a season record of 8-1 and a district record of 5-0. The loss gave Centennial a season record of 4-5 and a district record of 2-3. Right now there is a feeling of deja vu as the district championship comes into focus and the playoff teams become sorted out. Right now it looks like it did last season.

   In last season’s game the Scots led the Spartans, 28-7, at halftime. The HP defense held the Spartans to negative yards in the first quarter. The Scots’ sophomore quarterback, Buck Randall, threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. And in that game Harrison Cullum picked up 125 yards and a touchdown. He was one of six Scots to catch a pass. The Scots’ lone touchdown in the second half was a pick 6 by linebacker Anders Corn.

   This season the Scots are in a district title race with Midlothian and will host the Panthers next Friday at Highlander Stadium. With HP, Midlothian and Red Oak looking like playoff teams, the fourth post-season spot from district 7-5A should be either Burleson Centennial or Tyler.

   What if Highland Park loses its next two games and Centennial wins its next two? Then take two aspirins and call me in the morning.   

   So both Highland Park and Centennial will be motivated in this Friday’s game. And when two motivated high school teams battle each other, anything can happen. One thing is for sure – the Scots won’t be looking past Centennial to Midlothian. They’ve got their hands full with the Spartans this week.

   Last week against Cleburne, there were eight Scots who scored touchdowns (Randall, Matthew White, Cullum, James Flowers, Isaiah Lee, Cannon Bozman, Jack Swaldi and Colton Hammel) and one kicker (Sutton Stock) who nailed all eight PATs.

   Randall had another outstanding night at quarterback, completing 17 of 21 passes (80.95 percent) for 370 yards and four touchdowns. Crews Messer came in late in the game and completed three or four passes (75 percent) for 24 yards.

   Eleven HP receivers caught passes – Cullum, Bozman, Hammel, Isaac Hutchinson, Evan Snelleman, White, Swaldi, Olmstead, Shawn McCaig, Luke Cecil and Jack Morris. And six Scots picked up rushing yards – Lee, White, Flowers, Randall, Caiden Reeves and Luke Danner.

   After holding Cleburne to two first half touchdowns, the Scots defense (including the back-ups) held the Yellow Jackets scoreless in the second half last week. 

   The Scots defense swarmed the Cleburne offense all night. Leading tacklers were Benton Gordon (8), Dylan Palmer (6), Graham Rodgers (6), Thomas Cook (5), Bobby Kennedy (5), Heston Lazenby (5), Davis Sacher (5), Dean Dulin (4), Dean Williams (4), Bennett Ham (4), Martin True (4), Jack Sumner (4), Henry Hobbs (4), Beau Jones (4), Langedon McMurray (4), Ronan Moreland (3), Coleman Schultz (3) and Nick Van der Westhuizen (3).     

   Moreland forced a fumble and Gordon and Denis Prous each recovered a fumble. Schultz had two sacks while Palmer and Ham recorded one each. Scots were credited with 17 tackles for loss, led by Cook (3) and Palmer (3).

   We’re glad most HP fans got the memo about last week’s game being moved up a day to Thursday because of weather. For those who stayed home and watched the game on TV last Friday, now would be a good time to tell you that you weren’t watching the Highland Park game.