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The Highlands football team is one win away from claiming its third consecutive Class 5A state championship, and coach Dale Mueller said that’s exactly where the Bluebirds expected to be.
Highlands knocked off Pulaski County, 52-12, in a state semifinal game on Friday and will take a 14-0 record into the Class 5A title game against John Hardin (14-0) on Friday in Bowling Green.
“We thought we’d be 14-0 at this point, and we are,” Mueller said. “It’s a confident group of guys and they’re playing really well, but again none of that really matters. This (state championship) game is the one that matters.”
Highlands didn’t have much trouble getting past Pulaski County (10-4) to earn a return a trip to the state finals. The Bluebirds scored touchdowns on each of their six possessions in the first half to take a 42-0 lead.
After a 26-yard field goal by junior Adam Weinel made it 45-0 with 9:44 left in the third quarter, officials kept the time clock running and Mueller started sending in substitute players to finish the game.
Highlands picked up 370 of its 425 total yards in the first half with big plays by senior running back Austin Collinsworth and sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles accounting for much of the offense.
Collinsworth scored the game’s first touchdown on a 60-yard run and picked up 127 yards on seven carries in just the first quarter.
“We’re really clicking right now,” Collinsworth said. “The offensive line was doing a great job and the receivers were blocking their butts off so there were big holes open all night.”
Towles, who got to play the entire first half before getting pulled, completed 6 of 9 passes for 181 yards. He threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to senior Nick Buten in the first quarter and connected with Buten on a 50-yard pass play in the second quarter.
Towles, who became the Bluebirds’ starting quarterback in the seventh week of the season, has not played in a state championship game before, but that doesn’t concern coach Mueller.
“Every week he’s started, he’s gotten better,” Mueller said. “He’s a veteran now.”
Pulaski County quarterback Zach Eastham tore ligaments in his right ankle while he was dropping back to throw a pass in the second quarter.
Without Eastham in the lineup, the Maroons were limited to just 41 yards of offense in the first half when Highlands still had its defensive starters on the field.
“That was a little tough on us,” Pulaski County coach John Hines said of Eastham’s injury. “That took away some things we wanted to do offensively, but you’ve got to give credit to Highlands. They’re just an outstanding team.”
The Maroons finished the game with 192 total yards (161 rushing, 31 passing). They got most of that yardage and their two touchdowns in the second half after Mueller pulled his defensive starters.
“They do have good skill players, but what they do on the line of scrimmage is the most amazing thing to me,” Hines said of the Bluebirds. “The way they play it’s hard to do much up front, and if you can’t control the line of scrimmage it’s going to screw up everything else you’re doing.” PULASKI COUNTY 0-0-6-6–12
HIGHLANDS 21-21-3-7–52
H–Collinsworth 60 run (Weinel kick)
H–Buten 34 pass from Towles (Weinel kick)
H–Fennel 9 run (Weinel kick)
H–Bardo 1 run (Weinel kick)
H–Fennell 5 run (Weinel kicxk)
H–Bardo 1 run (Weinel kick)
H–Weinel FG 26
PC–White 67 run (kick failed)
PC–Abner 6 run (kick failed)
H–True 23 run (New kick)
RECORDS: Highlands 14-0, Pulaski County 10-4.
