HUNTSVILLE | Scott High honored its seniors prior to the start of its game against Cumberland Gap on Tuesday (April 25), and one of them came through in a big way.
Connor Stanley scored his first hat trick of the season, and needed only 19 minutes to do it. By the 21-minute mark of the first half, Stanley had already scored three goals, and the Highlanders were well on their way to a 10-1 win over the Panthers.
Highlander coach Eric Henry began substituting liberally after his team grabbed a 3-0 lead, and everyone on the roster saw substantial minutes — most of them in the first half.
In fact, by one point late in the first half, the Highlanders did not have a single starter remaining in the game.
The game was less than three minutes old when the Highlanders got the scoring started on a goal by Skye Babb that was assisted by Stanley.
Four minutes later, Babb returned the favor, assisting Stanley's first goal of the night.
Stanley scored again in the 13th minute with an unassisted goal, then completed the hat trick in the 19th minute off an assist by Toby Garrett.
The Highlanders also picked up first half goals by Hugo Henry on a free kick and Aidan Roberts off an assist by Isaiah Washam.
It was 6-1 at halftime, after Cumberland Gap scored on a penalty kick late.
The second half saw the Highlanders continue to substitute liberally. Babb scored his second goal six minutes into the second half, and that's the way the game remained until the final 12 minutes, when the Highlanders scored three goals in the span of eight minutes.
The first of those goals came from senior Clayton Carroll, followed by a Leivance Weatherford goal and, finally, a Lucas Dyer goal to force an early end to the game.
The win was just what the doctor ordered for the Highlander team that had consistently come up just short in several close games since a 2-1 win over Anderson County.
Tuesday's game was the first of three home games that will be played at Highlander Stadium over a two-week stretch to close out the season. The Highlanders are scheduled to host Oneida on Friday.
