High school football: Highlanders handle Hurricanes with strong defense

The Woodlands High School Highlanders held the Fort Bend Hightower High School Hurricanes to 156 yards of total offense en route to a 30-7 non-district victory Friday, Sept. 7.

The Highlanders (1-1) started off strongly, picking up a safety just 2:40 into the first quarter and then adding a Tyler Patrick five-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 9:22 to go in the first half.

The Woodlands carried a 23-7 lead into halftime after Houston Brown caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Blaine Gillespie late in the first quarter, and Patrick Carr punched in a nine-yard scoring run with 37 seconds to play in the second. Gillespie did more running (104 yards on 12 carries) than passing (13 of 25 for 52 yards) and closed out the scoring with a 30-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.

Hightower (1-1), a Class 5A state finalist in 2011 with a 13-3 record, was only able to manage 156 yards of total offense, highlighted by a Delvience Chandler one-yard touchdown run nine seconds into the second quarter. Chandler rushed 14 times for 33 yards and completed 8 of 16 passes for 58 yards.

Woodlands will host Katy High School at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, and Monterrey La Prepa High School at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, before beginning District 14 play at Conroe High School's Moorhead Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28.

The Hurricanes will attempt to bounce back when they travel to Alief Taylor High School's Crump Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, before resting the weekend of Sept. 21. Hightower will begin District 23 play against Fort Bend Travis at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at Hall Stadium.