By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Friday's Highland Park Meadowlark Conference football game against Kansas City-Schlagle ended with 1:17 left in the third quarter due to a series of on-field fights at Hummer Sports Park.
Highland Park was in control 36-18 at the time of the altercation, but now it will be up to the Kansas State High School Activities Association to determine whether that score will stand as a final and if any sanctions will be levied against the Scots and Stallions.
Highland Park junior G'Honi Montgomery (35) had his helmet yanked off during Friday's game-ending altercation with KC-Schlagle. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park coach Jermaine Monore said he didn’t want something like Friday's fight to happen.
During the Scots' postgame huddle, he told his team, ‘We will be better from this and we’re not that type of program.’ ”
He went on to say that Friday is a learning lesson when speaking with TopSports.news.
Friday's Highland Park-Schlagle game ended due to an altercation late in the third quarter with the Scots leading 36-18. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“We actually practice this in practice… I teach my players that if a player gets into a scuffle, 'You go in, grab your player, turn your back and if the other team is throwing blows, they’re punching you in the back of the shoulder pads and get them out of the situation. That just got out of control really fast,” Monroe said.
Highland Park quarterback Dontrail Fox threw for three TDs and ran for a score against KC-Schlagle Friday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park kicked off the double-header at Hummer Sports Park on Friday with a conference tilt against Schlagle.
The Scots jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter when senior quarterback Dontrail Fox hooked up with junior Joseph Kingcannon on a 30-yard touchdown, to lead 6-0 after a failed two-point conversion.
Shortly after, Kingcannon would intercept Schlagle quarterback Josiah Evans late in the first quarter but nothing came of that drive for the Scots.
Highland Park struggled to get anything going on offense with several penalties and fumbling snaps in the second quarter, but the defense held their own to keep it 6-0 most of the way through.
The Stallions would capitalize on a turnover on downs from Highland Park on a six-play drive, Evans connected with senior Bre’Naj Price for six yards to make it 6-6 with 2:37 left before the half.
Highland Park junior JoJo Kingcannon had a huge night in Friday's Highland Park-Schlagle game, having a hand in five Scot touchdowns. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park would then regain the lead on a Fox to Kingcannon 60-yard touchdown snag, 12-6 after another failed two-point try.
The Scots tried an onside kick but the ball went out of bounds which moved Schlagle into their territory on the penalty. Soon after, senior Cincerce Lewis went straight up the gut for a one-yard score, tying the game 12-12 with 11 seconds before halftime.
The Scots could’ve kneeled it and headed to the locker room but Monroe was aggressive and it paid off.
Starting at the Scots' 45-yard line, senior Tremaine Savage came up huge with a 20-yard catch to set Hi Park up at its own 35. Two plays later, a roughing the passer penalty was called to move Highland Park to the 20-yard line with .2 seconds left on the clock.
The Scots ran the Wildcat to Kingcannon who lobbed it to Savage for the 20-yard touchdown. Highland Park would take the lead 18-12 at the break.
“We’re one of the powerhouses of the league and if we go into half tied, that’s a win for them,” Monroe said. “We have to have the upper hand walking into that locker room. Otherwise, we’re going to be flat in that locker room… we live by the sword, die by the sword and it worked out for us.”
Fox was 7-12 in that first half with 154 yards and one touchdown, Kingcanonn had 90 yards alone on two catches before the break, but the run game struggled mightily, totaling just eight yards on the ground.
The Scots made a statement to begin the second half as Kingcannon returned the kickoff 94 yards to the house and the Scots led 24-12 14 seconds into the third quarter.
“JoJo is a weapon I can move to multiple different spots and if you put too much focus on him, that’s where you have G’Honi (Montgomery). Tremaine comes in, we got plenty of players that can make big plays,” Monroe said.
Then Highland Park found their groove there after, Montgomery picked off Evans which led to another Kingcannon touchdown, 16 yards on the ground to make it 30-12.
Then on the first play for scrimmage for the Stallions, Aaron Grigsby forced a strip sack and gave the ball right back to the Scots.
That costly mistake turned into more Highland Park points, as Fox ran it in for 10-yards, 36-12 with six minutes left in the third quarter.
“I just told the boys we didn’t go into the locker room losing control (of the game) ... we need to go back to our basics, understand what we are and what we do up front and then we need to communicate,'' Monroe said. "I told the team, ‘I don’t care if their D-lineman knows what we’re doing, point at him and say, I’m blocking that guy. And that led to a G’Honi 60-yard run, because they blocked it perfectly.
Schlagle would tack on another score, but then the game ended with the fight.
Highland Park will face KC-Harmon on the road next Friday.
Scoring Plays:
Highland Park: Kingcannon 30-yard TD catch
Schlagle: Price 6-yard TD catch
Highland Park: Kingcannon 60-yard TD catch
Schlagle: Cincere Lewis 1-yard RUSH TD
Highland Park: Kingcannon 20-yard pass to Tremaine Savage
Highland Park: Kingcannon 94-yard kick-off return
Highland Park Kingcannon 16-yard RUSH TD
Highland Park: Fox 10-yard RUSH TD
Schlagle: Isiah Richard 15-yard RUSH TD
Individual Stats:
Highland Park
G'Honi Montgomery: 58 rush yards, one catch, one yard
Dontrail Fox: 8-14, 186 yards, 3 TDs, one rush TD
JoJo Kingcannon: 7 carries, 32 yards, TD, 3 catches, 102 yards, 2 TD’s, 1-1 passing, TD
Aaron Irons: 1 carry, 15 yards
Tremaine Savage: 1 carry, 0 yards, 2 catches, 40 yards, TD
Tre Mitchell: 1 catch, 15 yards
Ka’Sioun Drew: 1 catch, 20 yards
Ernest Powell: 1 catch, 8 yards
Schlagle:
Josiah Evans: 8-16, 156 yards, two INT’s, -6 RUSH yards
Cincere Lewis: 14 carries, 120 yards, RUSH TD, 1 catch, 9 yards, 0-1 passing
Justin Simms: 4 carries, 6 yards
Isiah Richard: 4 carries, 25 yards, RUSH TD
Micha Taylor: 4 catches, 64 yards
Aaron Braden: 2 catches, 33 yards
Bre’Naj Price: 3 catches, 49 yards, TD
