Written by Ben Cox – While the season has been over for a few weeks for the current Brownwood Lions football team, some former Lions are still going.

Coach Randy Allen, who took over the reigns as head coach for the Lions directly on the heels of Gordon Wood’s retirement, has lead his Highland Park Scots back to the State Championship game this Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

He will be facing none other than his own former Brownwood Lions quarterback Brad Butler, as his Shadow Creek Sharks are headed to State in their first year of Varsity play for the 5A Division 1 Title.

Highland Park Head Coach Randy Allen, photograph by Steve Nurenberg, Ft Worth Star-Telegram

Allen says of the improbable alignment “Coach Butler and I talked over the phone early in the season and I congratulated him on getting into the play offs. Neither one of us thought we would play each other. I called him Sunday and he said, What are the chances that we would be playing?”

Shadow Creek Head Coach Brad Butler, photograph by Eric Christian Smith, Houston Chronicle

Coach Butler says that playing against his mentor is an unexpected challenge. “With this being our first varsity season,  playing in the state championship game is pretty big. Having Coach Allen on the opposite sideline makes it extra interesting. It is a pretty unique situation.”

Butler continues about Coach Allen “Growing up in Brownwood, I have always held coaches in high regard. As a player I had tremendous respect for Coach Allen and I have enjoyed seeing the many successes he has experienced throughout his career.”

With a career as long as Allen’s, a coach will often see the successes of their former players. Coach Allen is especially proud to see his players go on to teaching their love of the game to other students and players.

“One of the great things about being a Coach of so many outstanding young men that have gone into coaching is to know how many young men will be impacted through football. Coaches who teach young men values and life lessons that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

He continues “I’ve got another former QB from Abilene Cooper who is the Offensive Coordinator for the Miami Dolphins and Matthew Stafford is QB for the Detroit Lions. I’m so proud of all my former players but really happy when they decide to get into coaching.”

Butler says that he learned a lot about coaching from playing for Coach Allen here in Brownwood. “Coach Allen has always been a true professional. I learned how to stay in control of my emotions playing for him. He treated players as young men. He never did a bunch of hollering and screaming. Sometimes if you are not the loudest guy in the room you can be viewed as weak, but his example shows that you can always treat people with respect. I know that his influence has impacted the way I interact with players, because of the way he interacted with me.”

Both men are preparing their teams for what would be a grueling test on a normal day. While acknowledging the significance of the match up, they still have a game to play.

2018 Shadow Creek Sharks

Butler says “Every step of this season has been a first for us. The first day of the playoffs we started a new season and outlined a plan with our players to win a state championship. We have done a good job of taking a step at a time, a day at a time. It is important for us to stay the course and not deviate from what has enabled us to be successful. We have to feed the focus and calm our nerves early to be able to perform up to our potential in this ballgame.”

Allen says preparing his team is easy, but sobering. “All I have to do to show our players some video of Shadow Creek and tell explain to them they are the same type of players Manvel had last year and they get grounded really fast.”

2018 Highland Park Scots

Both men have fond memories of their time in Brownwood, speaking highly of each other, former teammates and coaches. Allen says of Coach Wood “Coach Wood is one of a kind. He was such a great role model and great coach. He was very kind to me and Coach Butler was one of his favorites.”

He also says of Coach Butler “Coach Butler deserves to be Coach of the Year for taking a first year varsity program to a 15-0 Record and the State Championship game! He has done a great job of coaching! I am very proud of him!”

Butler adds “I want to wish Coach Sammy Burnett and the Brownwood Lions the best of luck in the future. I have always been extremely proud to have grown up and played in Brownwood. It is a special place and I will always cherish the memories and relationships from my time in Brownwood.”

Coach Allen echoes Butler’s sentiment to Lions coach Sammy Burnett. “Coach Burnett is a great coach and mentor of young men. He’s a Brownwood Lion through and through! He was an intense competition and still is as a very successful coach. He is the kind of man I would want coaching my grand sons.”

The 5A Division 1 Championship game will be Saturday the 22nd, at 11:00 a.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.