Congrats to both teams....Highlands converted a 4th and 9 for a TD in the 2nd half (play of the game on their behalf IMO), OHS was driving the ball with a sustained drive (2 or 3 1st downs on the drive)with only 4 minutes to go, can chew up the clock and either win or send to OT..decides on a half back pass....which I haven't seen them run this year....(that was the worst play of the game on their behalf). At worst with good play calling it should have went to OT.

 

Collier was unguardable, as was Barrett @ WR- actually the final drive or 2 he was interfered with (hit early) and no call (Hellbird said the same in the game thread), - I think the next play results in the last INT...this game could have gone either way. OHS quit play action passing until late or it was forced to, that was a HUGE mistake.

 

Highlands converts 2 4th down plays for TD's, but the 2nd one was what got them back into it...all the way across field and 35 yds. Best pass I've seen made this year.

 

OHS had over 400 yds of offense, penalties killed in the 2nd half and Highlands played better defense against the run. Again - no way I do the half back pass when I have moved the ball 30 yards that drive, it's 1st down and I can run the clock down to nothing and win or OT.

 

I agree with you on the half back pass. Not sure why they went to that. The announcers (who by the way did an excellent job) said they didn't fault OHS for trying it because at the time they were getting stuffed and thought it wasn't a bad idea to try something a little different to throw the birds off a little. The way I see it, if it works, we are talking about the staff being genius'...if it doesn't, they are the dogs. If the kids didn't execute correctly or if HHS sniffed it out, then that's not really the coaches fault. But I agree, I was surprised with the call. But again, if it works, they are heroes and we are talking about what a good call and him having the nads to call it!

Not sure if all of this was posted. By just about every stat, this game was pretty even.

 

First downs

H - 30 O - 25

 

Rushing

H - 250 O - 254

 

Passing

H - 205 O - 159

 

Total Yards

H - 455 O - 413

 

Fumbles

H - 2 lost O - 0 lost

 

Penalties

H - 4/56 O - 9/70

 

Interceptions

H - 3 O - 1

 

Time of Possession

H - 18:36 O - 29:24

 

3rd down conversions

H - 6/11 O - 7/15

 

4th down conversions

H - 3/4 O - 3/5

 

Points off turnovers

H - 14 O - 7

RCC9 - OHS had just generated 2 or 3 first downs on the drive of the half-back pass and were moving the ball. On 1st down throw the half back pass?? ...again hadn't been attempted all year to my knowledge. I agree it looks great if it worked! Overall, great job by coaches and players all year for OHS and I'm sure HHS. congrats and maybe we'll see you next year!

 

Edit - I did check it...OHS had moved the ball from teh 20 to the 42 with 2 first downs. Dang!

91 points, 870 yards, 55 first downs. Bet the refs were tired after that one.

 

I thought the referees struggled a bit during the game. The white hat was a senior citizen and slow moving. The officials had trouble keeping up with the pace of play from both teams.

In a thread earlier this year it was asked what it takes to beat Highlands...

 

I essentially said elite speed at the skill spots, a dual threat QB who makes plays with his feet and arm, and a team that plays platoon football.

 

Owensboro almost checked all those boxes but in the end the lack of platoon football sealed their fate. The way Highlands is able to gas their opponents from a conditioning standpoint remains a major factor in how they maintain success.

 

Highlands truly is a machine and until the other programs raise to their level they will continue to do what Highlands does come November and December. Nothing but respect for the Birds.

Congrats to both teams. I had mentioned that this would be a good ballgame. Owensboro did what I thought they would do and that is turn it over in bad situations. Hats off to the HHS D for getting some stops and a score in the second half. When you play Highlands, it is always about the stops. If you want to award a game ball, it goes to the guys on D. Great Game!

 

By the way, 4A will be all Collins and John Hardin

RCC9 - OHS had just generated 2 or 3 first downs on the drive of the half-back pass and were moving the ball. On 1st down throw the half back pass?? ...again hadn't been attempted all year to my knowledge. I agree it looks great if it worked! Overall, great job by coaches and players all year for OHS and I'm sure HHS. congrats and maybe we'll see you next year!

 

I don't agree with the comments of some that claim the second half play calling by Oboro cost them the game. The pitch to the trailing WB that worked so well wasn't going to work in the second half because of defensive adjustments made at halftime by Highlands. I do however strongly agree with your comments about this specific play. Half back passes don't work against well coached teams. If there can be any solace for Prince calling this halfback pass, Mueller did the same thing against Cincy St X back in 09. Same result too....an interception.

 

Perhaps someone has already mentioned it, but field position played a big role in Oboro's offense not doing nearly as well in the second half. In the first half Oboro's O started on: its 45; Highlands' 30; its 35; Highlands 39; Highlands' 27; its 31; and its 42. In the second half Oboro's O started on: its 11; its 20; its 21; its 20 and its 31. Frankly it is much tougher on all levels to score when your drives start deep in your territory, but particularly so in high school because teenagers are playing the game with drive killing penalties and mistakes happening much more frequently.

 

The need for much longer drives for Oboro's O to score and the adjustments to Highlands D made at half (not only to take away the pitch, but who was responsible for the FB dive and the QB keep) are what lead to Oboro's offense not being nearly as productive as it was in the first half.

 

Great game by the kids on both squads. I've very proud of my Birds (both players and coaches) and the Red Devil fans should feel the same way about their players and coaches.

Congrats to both teams. I had mentioned that this would be a good ballgame. Owensboro did what I thought they would do and that is turn it over in bad situations. Hats off to the HHS D for getting some stops and a score in the second half. When you play Highlands, it is always about the stops. If you want to award a game ball, it goes to the guys on D. Great Game!

 

By the way, 4A will be all Collins and John Hardin

 

Some forewarning: don't count Johnson Central out in 4A next year or the years to follow.

In a thread earlier this year it was asked what it takes to beat Highlands...

 

I essentially said elite speed at the skill spots, a dual threat QB who makes plays with his feet and arm, and a team that plays platoon football.

 

Owensboro almost checked all those boxes but in the end the lack of platoon football sealed their fate. The way Highlands is able to gas their opponents from a conditioning standpoint remains a major factor in how they maintain success.

 

Highlands truly is a machine and until the other programs raise to their level they will continue to do what Highlands does come November and December. Nothing but respect for the Birds.

 

I would agree! They had the other attributes for sure. And I do agree that many have no idea how hard the HHS kids train. I know others say "well we do too", but I'm not sure you realize it until you actually see it. It's amazing what these kids dedicate themselves to for the good of the team. You can have a program, but dedication and participation by MANY is what it takes. And that conditioning program needs to be elite. Not just a program.

I saw a team in OHS that came out in the first half and played loose, fired up and carefree football. I saw Coach Prince call the best half i had ever see him call, doing a GREAT job of mixing in the run and the pass. Highlands had no answer for OHS's total team speed in the first half. Collier was dominating the game on the outside at the WR spot and the Devils were getting around the corner at will. Highlands made mistakes. Lots of mistakes. Turned the ball over, dropped balls, etc......When Highlands scored with 2 min to go in the half, I felt they gained the momentum they needed to come out of the lockeroom and turn the game around in the second half because i agree with most of the Highlands fans......OHS couldnt stop them, they were only stopping themselves. BUT THEN, OHS goes down and scores a touchdown just before half. At the time i thought that was huge. Highlands had no answer for OHS's offense in the first half and being down 21 vs a team that is moving the ball at will???? I thought, maybe OHS is going to win this sucker.

 

Second half, different story. I saw an Owensboro team that came out of the locker room VERY tight. Like they thought to much about hoisting that trophy at halftime. I think that may have been a reflection of the coaches. I'll give all the credit in the world to Highlands. To be down 21 at halftime vs a team that you havent stopped all game and come out of the locker room like the score is 0-0, that takes some moxie. I do think OHS assisted Highlands in the win. You simply cant take your foot off the pedal vs an offense like Highlands that can score it so fast. OHS went away from the option and the stretch run plays that utilized their speed so well in the first half. They COMPLETELY abandoned the pass, until the game was back in doubt. Huge mistake IMO. Rodney Collier, who dominated the first half, didnt see another look until the Devils trailed late in the 4th quarter. Im not going to say the better team lost the game. I think Highlands is the better team. They probably beat OHS 8 out of 10 times they play. BUT, i think OHS could have been the better team on Saturday.......if they hadn't gotten so conservative and tight. Where i come from IF's dont mean anything and the final score on the board when the clock hits zero is all that matters. That made Highlands the better team on Saturday. Even IF OHS could have been. Its a game that i know will haunt Red Devil fans for a long long time. The one that got away.....

 

As to the bolded, Oboro completed 2 passes on the first series of the second half; threw an interception on their third series of the second half (returned for a TD); and attempted the ill fated half back pass on their fourth series of the second half; on their fifth and final series of the second half, they passed the ball on every down, ending with the interception. While Highlands never sacked Oboro when they attempted to pass in the second half, they were getting more pressure on the QB because they were bringing an inside Lber on almost every play. If I recall properly, the interception thrown on the third series (that was returned for a TD) was thrown under a lot of pressure.

Leatherneck,

 

Highlands whether they made adjustments or just got an ash chewing, it worked. Their D was much better the 2nd half. You only pitch if it's there...my complaint is they didn't keep passing deep and intermediate routes to Collier, Barrett and Walker (mainly Collier). HHS had no answer for that in the 1st half and we basically abandoned it unless it was 3rd and 10 or late in the game. Bottom line - HHS won the game and they worked their rear off to get it. Proud of the season Owensboro had, just a bitter pill for the kids I'm sure.

RCC9, I agree with you on this post. I will also say I was shocked that OHS went away from the option pitch to the outside in the second half. I know HHS made some adjustments at the half but it seemed to me like the OHS hardly even tried the pitch outside in the second half and they were gashing HHS with it in the first half.

 

Totally correct about how sloppy HHS was in the first half. I told someone in the first half that HHS picked the wrong week to play their most sloppy game of the year...totally uncharacteristic for them.

 

Because it's read with the Triple Option. If Owensboro pitched it outside it's either because the QB didn't see anything or he made the wrong read. Highlands decided to change things up in the 2nd half and put more responsibility on the QB which it worked. When it did indeed go outside, HHS had somebody there....Unlike in the 1st half! The QB was also getting more pressure to make a split second decision which also puts panic in the "Read" Trust me, I played the position and the Option isn't as simple as some people think. Plain in simple here folks....Owensboro couldn't stop Hoge and HHS made the right defensive adjustments at half. That translated into a "Shutout"

I think what D58 and Apollofan are trying to say is we didn't really try and get the ball to Collier, Johnson or Barrett - 3 of the fastest guys on the team in the 2nd half - I think the 1st play from Scrimmage Johnson takes it to the house - called back, a couple of other nice runs though. Barret takes a 10 yd out pattern to the house, Collier dominates on the outside and slants (man we are going to miss him next year), and we don't try to get this speed the ball. James is a great RB and he had great runs even in the 2nd half. And note to HELLBIRD - he is not 5'3 113 (the FB)...that was last years roster, he's about 5.7 to 5.8 and 160.

 

Urlage was a man running the ball. I loved his game. Hoge, again, play of the game 4th and 9 IN the 2nd half down 14...throws it 35 yds long and across the entire field...I'll let the engineers in the group calculate the length of that pass, but my guess it was 60+ yds. PLAY OF GAME. I never thought HHS would quit and they didn't.

Congrats to the Birds! Fantastic effort. Way to get it done.

 

Congrats Coach W and the entire staff. Fantastic job of adjusting and keeping the team focused.

 

Special kudos to the seniors. Great leadership not to panic down 3 scores at half. Your efforts and leadership will impact those in the classes that follow.

 

Finally, a special note to the football players that I had to pleasure to coach in baseball for many years. I can't believe you guys are about to graduate. Goes too fast. Very proud of you.

Defense wins Championships and despite the first half that Owensboro had against Highlands offensively Owensboro defense was not very good in either half...:thumb: