By JUSTIN BURKHARDT
TopSports.news
The Highland Park Fighting Scots showcased their speed against the Sabres of Kansas City-Sumner Friday night in a 44-16 Meadowlark Conference win at Hummer Sports Park, although they would start the game off slow missing starting quarterback Dontrail Fox, who had to sit out the first quarter.
Junior G'Honi Montgomery returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and scored three TDs on the night in Friday's 44-16 Highland Park win over KC-Sumner. [File photo/TSN]
Fox's early absence allowed junior JoJo Kingcannon the start at QB and although Kingcannon would not throw a pass he would do his work with his feet as the Scots would use their running game to go up early 6-0 with a 3-yard touchdown run by junior G’Honi Montgomery.
Sumner would drive the ball down to the 1-yard line where the Scots would force a turnover and take over the ball but the Scots would hand off to Montgomery in the end zone and the Sumner defense would bottle him up and force a Scot safety and get itself on the board as the first quarter would come to an end with the Scots up 6-2.
The rest of the game would be all Scots, as Fox would come back in at quarterback and Kingcannon would move to his normal position and, boy would Kingcannon shine, as he would break free for a 88-yard touchdown run and Montgomery would punch it in for the 2-point conversion.
“I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates, they block for me and that allows me to get into open space and run,'' Kingcannon said. "I know when I am in the open field that no one can catch me.”
Kingcannon would finish the night with 145 rushing yards and 90 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The Scots would go into halftime up, 20-2.
The third quarter would see Sumner finally find the end zone as QB Michael Knight would find Jaxon Davis for a 25- yard touchdown pass.
Montgomery would return the following kickoff 85 yards to the house to put the Scots up 26-8.
Sumner would take the ball over at 5-yard line and the Sabers would have a bad snap giving them a safety, which would bring an end to the third quarter with the Scots up 28-8.
Sumner would strike first in the fourth as Knight would burst free for a 15-yard TD run and convert the 2-point conversion to make the score 28-16.
Montgomery would then strike again with a 70-yard kickoff return to the house to give the Scots a commanding 36-16 lead.
“He is one of those guys that can score in seconds anytime he gets the ball in his hands, he can make big things happen,” Highland Park coach Jermaine Monroe said.
The Scots would then force a turnover and Fox would break free for a 71-yard touchdown run and Kingcannon would run it in to convert the 2-point conversion.
Monroe on Kingcannon: “He reminds me of fformer Scot now Vanderbilt star Trey Richardson. It is a different flavor. He is the type of kid that I can move into multiple positions and he can do a lot of things. He can receive the ball, run the ball and pass the ball, he can block and I can move him around anywhere on the field and he will perform at a high level.''
Sumner star Knight would finish the night with 158 rushing yards and 159 passing yards.
The Scots would see the penalty flag a lot as they would rack up 110 penalty yards.
“Reps, reps, reps, we have a lot of guys that did not come in the summer and they are learning all the terminology and we are running a new offense, and just trying to keep guys fresh,'' Monroe said. "We replaced three guys due to graduation on the offensive line and they are learning snap counts and this is their second varsity game so they will continue to grow.''
The Scots will face KC-Schlagle at Hummer Sports Park next Friday.
HIGHLAND PARK 44, KC-SUMNER 16
KC-Sumner (0-2, 0-2) 2 0 6 8 — 16
Highland Park (2-0, 2-0) 6 14 8 16 — 44
Highland Park — Montgomery 3 run (run failed)
Sumner — Safety
Highland Park — Kingcannon 88 run (Montgomery run)
Highland Park — Kingcannon 77 pass from Fox (run failed)
Sumner — David 25 pass from Knight (run failed)
Highland Park — Montgomery 85 kickoff return (run failed)
Highland Park — Safety
Sumner — Knight 15 run (Knight run)
Highland Park — Montgomery 70 kickoff return (Fox run)
Highland Park — Fox 71 run (Kingcannon run)
Individual statistics
Rushing — KC-Sumner: Knight 19-158, Xiong 7-8, Smith 1-6, Moua 1-3. Highland Park: Kingcannon 5-145, Montgomery 15-70, Fox 2-61, Cooper 4-44, Irons 2-8.
Passing — KC-Sumner: Knight 11-29-2, 159 yards. Highland Park: Fox 2-5, 90, Kingcannon 0-1 0, 0.
Receiving — KC-Sumner: Davis 4-117, Gisolf 3-21, Robinson 2-13, Lopez 1-5, Moses 1-3. Highland Park: Kingcannon 2-90.
