Matt Wixon

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MESQUITE – It was a cold, damp and gray Saturday afternoon at Mesquite Memorial Stadium. It was also windy enough to blow footballs off tees and keep the goalposts swaying.

This was the kind of day that would test Highland Park's precision, pass-heavy offense. Or so it seemed, before Highland Park wiped out yet another opponent by midway through the third quarter.

This time the opponent was a proud Everman team that hadn't lost all season. But Highland Park (15-0) did what it has done all season, cruising to a 42-13 victory in a numbing Class 4A Division II state semifinal.

"My hands were numb, and they're still numb," Highland Park quarterback Winston Gamso said after the game. "The cold and the wind – this is pretty much my nightmare."

But Gamso played a role in Everman's nightmare Saturday. He completed 7 of 9 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 55 yards and a touchdown, helping Highland Park's rushing attack take control.

Yes, the quick-strike Highland Park offense can also move the ball on the ground. And it needed to Saturday as wind whipped the flags and started the football rolling down the field as the teams were in their huddles.

"In the playoffs, if you're not balanced, you're not going to play long," Highland Park coach Randy Allen said. "When people say you can't run, you have to run; when people say you can't pass, you have to pass."

Highland Park did both well Saturday, helped by running back Michael Thatcher. Thatcher rushed for more yards (125) than Everman (69), which is known for its ground attack. He also ran for four touchdowns.

Thatcher was great, the offensive line was great and so was Highland Park's defense. That made the result typical of HP's first 14 games, when it won by an average of four touchdowns.

This game wasn't close because Highland Park, which will face Lake Travis on Saturday for the state title, refused to play more conservatively because of the weather.

A good example came on Highland Park's final touchdown of the first half. Leading, 21-13, with four minutes left, HP faced third-and-18 from its 34-yard line. Playing into the biting wind, the smart move for many teams would be to run the ball or try a safe screen that could gain a few yards and keep the clock moving. That would allow Everman (14-1) less time to drive with the wind at its back.

But at Highland Park, the best defense is a good offense. A great offense, actually.

So Highland Park threw downfield. And it was rewarded, as receiver Seth Gardner used his body to shield the defender from the pass and pull it in at the first-down marker. Gardner then broke free from the tackle and ran down the right sideline for a 66-yard touchdown.

"You can't get conservative against this kind of football team," Allen said of Everman. "I talked to a couple of people who played them, and they said you better take advantage of your opportunities, because you won't get that many."

The same should be said to opponents of Highland Park. If you want to keep up with HP, you better find a way to score. Because Highland Park is going to score often.

That's the main reason why, after 10 regular-season and five playoff games, Highland Park hasn't started a fourth quarter with a lead of fewer than 10 points. Fourth-quarter crunch time this season has meant deciding which backups will get playing time.

But what about when Highland Park really gets tested? How will HP respond when someone has it on the ropes?

We might never know. Not until an opponent shows it can handle this heavyweight's punch.