Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford returns to Highland Park HS for jersey retirement
DALLAS — Brennan Storer, #7 and starting quarterback, will be the last Scot player to wear that number. If you weren鈥檛 paying attention, a lot has been happening on the gridiron at Highlander stadium during the first half of the high school football season. The Scots have gotten off to a fantastic start despite what the doubters were saying in the pre-season about their chances of success after being elevated to division 7-6A. There鈥檚 always electricity in the air on Friday evenings in the Fall, but the scene was particularly spine tingling on September 9th.
The Scots faced the Lake Highlands 鈥淢ildcats鈥� and by the much-anticipated halftime celebration the Scots had a big lead. The eventual victory was nice but fell well short of what happened at mid field after the gun went off ending the second quarter. On this night, with fans young and old chanting 鈥淢att-hew Staf-ford, Matt-hew Staf-ford鈥� the HP and NFL sensation returned to HPHS for a celebration that retired his #7 jersey.
A plaque commemorating his accomplishments was also presented and will be hung in the main entrance of Highlander Stadium next to similar plaques of Doak Walker and Bobby Layne further advancing the question, 鈥淲ho is the G.O.A.T. of Highland Park High School (Greatest Of All Time)?鈥�.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how many games I鈥檝e been back to since I left here but鈥檚 fun to be back and the magic is still here,鈥� said Stafford over the public address system surrounded by his entire family, and current and former coaches and players including Head Coach Randy Allen.
In the pre-game press conference, I was able to ask Matthew what his plans were after football and if moving back to the Park Cities was a possibility. His politically correct response to my question was, 鈥淵ou鈥檒l have to talk to the boss about that one,鈥� referring to his wife, Kelly. Maybe if we start working on Kelly now we can convince her to move into the neighborhood and send their kids to Highland Park High School.
On the same night, the victory against Lake Highlands made coach Allen the second winningest head coach in Texas history and #1 in the DFW area. He surpassed former Celina and Pilot Point coach G.A. Moore with the win. 鈥淕.A. Moore is one of my heroes. He was a great coach, a great man, a great Christian man. I鈥檓 just honored to be right there with him.鈥� With a subsequent victory against Irving, Randy Allen, a four-time state champion and Highland Park鈥檚 head coach for 42 years is now just 62 wins behind Phil Danaher鈥檚 record 490 head coaching victories in the state of Texas.
During his jersey retirement ceremony Matthew Stafford took some time to recognize coach Allen by saying, 鈥淗ighland Park is a special place to be able to play football, and I feel very lucky to have done that with coach Allen鈥檚 tutelage. He cares a lot about people and his players, and I think we鈥檙e all lucky to have him.鈥� 聽Will he break the record for the most victories? Only time will tell, and we hope to see coach Allen pacing the sideline wearing the Tom Landry-style hat as he wins #491.
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