Three HSFB100 teams fall in playoff action

The high school football season ended Friday night for three nationally ranked teams and — much less importantly — the results will see those squads leaving the HSFB100 on Monday.

Entering play this week The Woodlands (Texas) was ranked No. 58; Brentwood Academy (TN) was at No. 70, and Male (Louisville, KY) had been backsliding to No. 86. The trio fell to Klein Oak (TX), Memphis University School (TN), and Louisville Trinity (KY), respectively.

The biggest upset came in Texas as Klein Oak limped into the playoffs with four losses, including the week prior in a 41-16 setback to Spring (Texas), but the Panthers rose to the occasion and beat The Highlanders, 38-20.

The Woodlands turned the ball over an astounding seven times — four fumbles and three interceptions — of which three were returned for scores as Klein Oak got out to a 31-7 lead less than one minute into the second half. Klein Oak was also not flagged a single time in the contest.

Highlanders coach Mark Schmid told The Courier of Montgomery County that the loss was on his team.

“Give Klein Oak credit,” Schmid said. “They were able to capitalize on our mistakes, but tonight, it was nobody’s fault but ours. When you turn the ball over seven times and three of them go for scores, that is tough for anybody to overcome. We did it to ourselves.”

The self-inflicted wounds began early as the first score of the game came on a three-year fumble return by Richard Jones just five minutes into the contest.

Midway through the second quarter, Klein Oak picked up another loose ball and Bart Baratti scampered 93 yards for a score.

The ensuing possession for The Woodlands resulted in an interception in the endzone. Klein Oak turned onto the offensive and kicked a field goal just prior to halftime to lead 24-7 — 17 of those points were directly off of The Woodlands turnovers.

Three plays after the start of the third quarter Josh Shantz returned an interception 30 yards and put Klein Oak up 31-7 and effectively ended the game.

The Woodlands will drop out of the HSFB100 on Monday as the high point of the season came in early September when the team downed Katy (Texas), 24-7.

Brentwood Academy will finish its season no better than No. 6 in Tennessee as it fell to Memphis University School, 30-28. It was the second straight loss for Brentwood Academy as it also lost its regular season finale to Ensworth (Nashville, TN).

BA jumped out to a 28-7 lead against the team that it also bettered to open the season but watched its lead evaporate into a loss as the Owls kicked a 24-yard field goal with just over one minute remaining in the game.

MUS turned the game on an interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter as Swep Wallace scored on a 38-yard return of the Jeremiah Oatsvall pass. Brentwood maintained the lead as it blocked the extra point but it was unable to hold the margin as Michael Jacobs booted the game winner late in the contest.

Brentwood won every statistical measure with more yards (447-385), rushing yards (344-196), first downs (26-18), and total plays (90-51) but it could only find the endzone once in the second half as MUS bent, but didn’t break in its moderate upset.

Memphis University was a Top 10 team from Tennessee entering play while Brentwood Academy was No. 5 in the state and inside the HSFB100. Neither will be ranked on Monday.

The high points of the season included a 30-27 victory over St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) for Brentwood Academy but each time it was faced with expectations the team folded.

It was ranked after the win over St. X and fell to Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, TN) the next week. It was again ranked in late October but fell to Ensworth, and entered the contest with MUS favored but folded.

Male fell in overtime of its contest with Louisville Trinity.

The Shamrocks lost in the extra frame the first time the two met in mid-October, 35-34, but the 2011 HSFB100 National Champions returned the favor in the 38-31 decision on Friday night.

Luke Eskins intercepted a Davis Mattingly pass in the endzone to seal the contest after Trinity scored on its possession.

The Shamrocks fell behind 14-0 but rallied top have the game tied at 21 as it scored three touchdowns — missing all three extra points — and kicking a field goal.

Trinity then took a 31-21 lead with 10 minutes left to play and allowed Male to rally in the final frame to get into overtime.

Entering the game Trinity coach Bob Beatty said that he gave his team simple words of advice.

“I told them, ‘You don’t have to be the best team in Kentucky or the best team in the state. You just have to be the best team in the stadium,’” he told Jason Frakes (follow on Twitter) of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The Shamrocks had lost three straight games to Male and was on the verge of its second straight 6-6 season when it rallied to win.

Running back Donald Brooks carried the load for Trinity as he fought for 67 yards on 27 carries and added 64 receiving yards on a team-high nine receptions as the safety valve for quarterback Ryan Young.

Young completed 22 of 36 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns.

Male was the preseason favorite in the state with Trinity being just behind at No. 3. The two were the top-ranked teams in the state entering the playoffs and could finish No. 1 and No. 2 if Trinity wins the championship.

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