Highland Baptist Bears
2019: 4-6
District: 8-1A
Notes: Second year for coach Rick Hutson
It's not hyperbole to say Highland Baptist football was one play from making the playoffs last year.
In the school's week two loss to Hamilton Christian, the difference in the 20-19 loss was a hail-merry pass. The Warriors won the game, and eventually the 16 seed in Division IV.
2019, however, was a step in the right direction for a program that was coming off a winless season.
Hutson returns 19 starters, the most he says he's ever had, including four-year starting quarterback Myles Liggans. There is no question about the chemistry and senior leadership around on the team. Hutson believes a playoff birth, and even a win, would be a great way for his seniors to go out after everything they endured.
"When they were sophomores they went 0-10. I think it would be a feather in that group of seniors' caps to say we were 0-10 as sophomore but by the time we were seniors we were a playoff team," he said. "I think that would be important for not only the group of seniors we have, but our program, too."
"We said we were not going to have another 0-10 season, ever. We were going to put in the work and win at any means called." said senior receiver Keelan Preston
The last time Highland Baptist made the playoffs was in 2015, the Bears have won just 11 games since.
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