HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Munoz Makes Right Call for Hilltop

Hilltop quarterback Jorge Munoz isn’t used to going more than three quarters without leading his team into the end zone.

But that was the situation with time running out in Hilltop’s Metro Conference opener against Castle Park. Hilltop couldn’t score and neither could Castle Park.

Munoz, however, wasn’t getting frustrated by the inspired Castle Park defense--he was learning from it.

And with just under eight minutes remaining Munoz recognized a familiar defensive set up and decided how to exploit it. One play later, the Lancers were in the end zone with the only touchdown they would need in a 6-0 victory.

Munoz ignored the play called from the sideline and instead went with one of his own. Not surprisingly, the quarterback, who entered the game second in the county in passing yards with 685, went to the air.

“Remember that possession we had in the first quarter that we should have scored on?” Munoz asked. “I saw the (eventual touchdown) play then.”

In that early drive, Hilltop (3-1, 1-0) took over at the Castle Park 8 after a DeJuan Franklin fumble. The Hilltop coaching staff called for three consecutive runs which went no where before Franklin atoned for his earlier miscue and blocked a field goal try.

But the possession was not totally wasted. In fact, it set the stage for the eventual touchdown.

“The next time the coaches called for the running plays down there, I called my own play,” Munoz said.

Munoz’s play on second-and-seven from the 16 moved tight end Colby Popplewell to a wide out position. Popplewell ran a short route to the near corner of the end zone and Popplewell lofted the ball toward him.

The only one on the field who didn’t know exactly where the pass was going was the guy who caught it.

“I couldn’t see the ball, it went right into the lights,” Popplewell said. “I was just hoping and praying that he would throw it to the inside.”