The late start to Friday’s playoff game had no impact on the varsity football team’s ability to defeat their opponents. The team won against the Denton Ryan Raiders, 45-35. Not only did they beat the Raiders in the playoffs for the second year in the row, but they earned themselves a spot in the Class 5A Division 1 state championship game.

Many HP fans were not as confident in a win as usual going into this game. Last year when we played Denton Ryan in the playoffs, we won by a mere 7 points after Denton Ryan’s quarterback tore his ACL. That game was also in the semi-finals of the playoffs and the Raiders went into the game undefeated, just like this year. The Raiders’ quarterback, Spencer Sanders, was fully healed and ready to put up a fight this year.

Our team accumulated 531 total yards, including several key third-down conversions, despite a size and speed disadvantage compared to the Raiders’ defense. John Stephen Jones was selected as the overall HP player of the game. Jones threw five touchdowns and finished with 358 passing yards. His head coach Randy Allen spoke highly of him in an interview with Park Cities People.

“[Jones] had a great game,” Allen said. “He was magic. He was finding open receivers and managing the game, and running when he had to.”

Earlier this week, Jones was awarded with the prestigious Tom Landry Award. The award honors the top high school football player in North Texas regardless of position or classification and is chosen by a panel of media members and former coaches and players. Denton Ryan’s Sanders was also a finalist for this award.

Sanders also had an impressive game on Friday, rushing for 160 yards on 16 attempts with two touchdowns and passing for 256 yards. He has already verbally committed to Oklahoma State.

Our football team will face the Manvel Mavericks at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22. The game is at AT&T Stadium, where the Scots have won more games than other any other highschool team in the past two years. The Mavericks were in the playoffs last year but only made it to the quarterfinals, so we did not face them.

Going to the state championship game on Friday is a great way to relax after the stress of exams, so all Scottie fans should be in attendance. Take state football!