'We were something special': After unprecedented run at Highland Park, five Scots sign to play football in college

he spotlight shined bright Wednesday afternoon at Highland Park high school as five football players, coming off a state championship run, signed their letters to take their talents to the next level. Running back Conner Allen (SMU), offensive lineman Thomas Shelmire (Boston College), safety James Herring (Harvard), kicker Matteo Cordray (West Point) and quarterback John Stephen Jones (Arkansas) all sat front and center in the cafeteria at Highland Park High School, representing the offense, defense and special teams of a team that won a dramatic state championship less than two months ago against Manvel. As head coach Randy Allen introduced each of them, that game at AT&T Stadium came up multiple times. "He will be remembered for the onside kick that led to the go-ahead touchdown against Manvel for the state championship," Allen said in his opening statement on Cordray. Next, Allen moved on to Herring, another championship hero. "He will be remembered for the saving tackle against Manvel on the last play of the game to win the state championship," Allen said of Herring. Herring, who said his high school football career was a "dream," raved about the group of teammates he leaves high school with. "We were something special," Herring said. "We truly were. Between John Stephen and all of these guys, it's just incredible what this team did." While John Stephen following in his grandfather, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' footsteps was the buzz, running back Conner Allen did the same thing in his decision to continue his career at SMU. His grandfather, head coach Randy Allen, was the man pushing all of the buttons for Highland Park as the school won back-to-back state championships for the first time in program history. Allen was also a running back at SMU, playing for the Mustangs 1969-1972. "I couldn't tell you how excited I am as a grandfather, having played at SMU, to see my grandson play there," Allen said. "Coach [Sonny] Dykes has been so kind and so gracious to extend an offer to him to walk on. "I'm just so grateful to Coach Dykes because I know Coach Dykes is going to build a great team there at SMU and Conner is going to play a role in that somehow and we hope as an inside receiver, he'll be able to get on the field." The younger Allen called his grandfather "the smartest coach and definitely one of the best men I've been on the field with," and expressed a lot of love for how his teammates embraced him on the team after he spent his first three years of high school at Regents School of Austin. "These guys welcomed me in this year and were some of my best friends," Allen said. "I'm going to remember these guys forever, and when you win a state championship together, it brings you closer than basically anything else." One of the stars Allen ran behind in his senior season with the Scots was guard Thomas Shelmire. He started three seasons at Highland Park, was a team captain and named All-State his junior and senior seasons. Coach Allen had high praise for his play, and his character. "Thomas Shelmire is the hardest working offensive lineman we've coach," Allen said. "When we had to [get] three yards to score, or to make a first down, we ran behind No. 71 because he'd knock his man off the ball or knock him out of bounds." Aside from his role in getting the tough yards, Shelmire also had the responsibility of protecting the star quarterback, John Stephen Jones. He did a good job of that, as evident by Jones' 4,911 passing yards and 61 touchdowns this season, in addition to his 10 rushing touchdowns. Jones' strong production led to an offer from Arkansas, the alma matter of his father Stephen Jones and grandfather Jerry Jones. "I couldn't be more happy for him to go to a university where he has such ties to emotionally because of his family," Allen said. "I think he's really looking forward to that opportunity."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Highland Park High School Athletics

'WE WERE SOMETHING SPECIAL': AFTER UNPRECEDENTED RUN AT HIGHLAND PARK, FIVE SCOTS SIGN TO PLAY FOOTBALL IN COLLEGE

SAAD YOUSUF

SportsDay HS | 2/8/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Rosa Baca