The Scots host the Birdville Hawks this Friday at Highlander Stadium in a game that has meaning for both teams. The Scots are looking for a number-one seed in the playoffs which begin in two weeks. A victory this Friday clinches the top seed for HP. Birdville has also made the playoffs and the Hawks are hoping for a number three seed. A win over the Scots will give them that spot.
So this is not a lame duck game for either team. Both squads really want to win this battle and when you throw teenage emotion under the Friday night lights, anything can happen.
To begin with, Birdville is a solid team. Their season record is 7-2 and their district record is 4-2. Their only losses came from Naaman Forest, 28-20, and Richland, 63-35. The Hawks led Naaman Forest, 20-7, at the end of the third quarter but 21 unanswered fourth quarter points allowed Naaman Forest to hand Birdville its first loss of the season. The next week the Hawks faced the powerful Richland Royals and lost, 63-35. The good news is that they scored 35 points on the Royals. Having Richland score 63 points on them was an ordinary day at the office for the Royals. Their only loss this season has been to the Scots, 45-42.
This past week the Scots had a bye week and they had some short practices, healed their bumps and bruises, bought in the Hamburger Man to grill burgers and played cornhole. The winners of the competition were Beckett Curtis and Lee Wagner. So the linebackers were the top cornhole players? I can believe that but I want to know if the inside backers can beat the outside backers. That score has not been settled yet. Somebody call FanDuel.
Here’s why the Hawks are capable of going nose to nose with the Scots. The Hawks quarterback, Zach Wells, has thrown for 1,798 yards and 23 touchdowns. His receiver corps is similar to the Scots in that they have half a dozen receivers who could lead the team in yardage on any given night. Emmett Webb leads the team with 621 yards and nine touchdowns. While defenses load up to stop the passing game, Birdville can unleash Mr. Anthony White who just crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark last Friday. While he has been on his 1,056-yard journey he has averaged 9.96 yards per carry and scored 19 touchdowns. He is also the team’s third leading receiver.
Throw in a 20 percent chance of rain Friday night and an air raid game might turn into a wet slugfest. HP’s 18-wheeler running back, junior James Flowers – who leads the team in scoring – has tweaked his hamstring and will be a game time decision. If he can’t play on Friday, who will be the Scots’ slugfest running back? It probably won’t rain but if it does, could Bear Anderson be the guy? What about unleashing Colton Williams (6-4, 230)? If I’m a Birdville defender I’d hate to see Williams coming at me while holding a football like it's a tennis ball.
Just sayin’.
Coach Randy Allen is proud of this senior class and how far these guys have come this season. He pushes for his teams to get better each week and I think this group – especially this defense – has personified getting better.
The Scots offense is a well-oiled machine averaging 46 points per game. Playing a team that will challenge them like Birdville will, the HP players and coaches are going to see where they stand against playoff-level competition.