Lake Highland coach knows all about Cooper

By LANCE FLEMING / Staff Writer

The red and blue from Cooper might be unfamiliar to the players at Richardson Lake Highlands, but not to their head coach.

Jerry Gayden, a 1968 graduate of Abilene High School and a '72 graduate of McMurry University, will try to do something he didn't do with the Eagles: beat Cooper.

Gayden and the Wildcats (13-1) will get that chance Friday when they meet the Cougars (11-3) in the Class 5A Division II semifinals at 7:30 p.m. at Texas Stadium. The winner of the game will meet either Aldine or Austin Westlake in next Saturday's state championship game.

The Wildcats enter the semifinal showdown with a 10-game winning streak and one of the most exciting players in the state in wishbone quarterback Davaren Hightower. He has rushed for 2,143 yards and 28 touchdowns on 251 carries this season.

In last Saturday's quarterfinal victory over Tyler John Tyler, Hightower carried the ball 33 times for 165 yards.

He's been more than adequate in replacing Marcus Stiggers, the man who operated the Wildcats' wishbone in 1994 and '95 with speed, skill and guile. He's now at Colorado University where he played some this season at wide receiver.

"We knew Davaren would do a great job, but he has far exceeded our expectations," Gayden said of the tailback-turned-quarterback. "Marcus was one of the best players we've ever had.

"It's so much of a different style now," he said. "Marcus was a kid that had exceptional speed - 4.3 in the 40 speed - great moves and quick feet. Davaren has great speed, but he's bigger and taller. He has a different mentality than Marcus in that he's willing to run over and through people."

Hightower isn't the only Wildcat who is new at his position this season; the defense is also virtually entirely new.

Only one player - cornerback Rayshun Taylor - started on the varsity last season, and he only started the Wildcats' final two playoff games after an injury to the starter.

The Wildcats struggled early on defense, but have played well of late to help the team reach the semifinals for the second straight season. Last year's unit gave up an average of 207 yards per game, but lost to Flower Mound Marcus, 48-14, in the semifinals.

This year's defense has given up more yards (271 per game), but the Wildcats are back in the semifinals. And last week against potent Tyler John Tyler, the Wildcats allowed just 224 total yards.

"The defense has really come along," Gayden said. "We knew we'd be young after replacing the entire unit, and that was a concern. But we were hoping that they would come together in the last couple of games and would step it up in the playoffs, and they really have."

The Wildcats came out of brutally tough District 9-5A, home of North Mesquite - the state's preseason No. 1 team - as well as Plano, Plano East and Mesquite. North Mesquite handed Lake Highlands its only loss this season, a 27-10 loss on Sept. 27.

However, that district slate, along with non-district games against three playoff teams - A&M Consolidated, Waco and Longview - aided the Wildcats.

"I know a lot of people thought I was crazy for making up a schedule like the one we had," Gayden said. "And playing in this district is so tough. It either helps you prepare for the playoffs, or you're almost dead by the time you go through North Mesquite, Plano and the others.

"It's a district that's very similar to District 4-5A," he said. "You don't have one rival but three or four every year that are so tough and competitive. There's not a patsy in the bunch."

And right now - thanks in part to an old Abilene boy - Lake Highlands has proven to be a few steps ahead of the rest of that group.