Dynamic Hollis Leads Poly to Big Win

FORT WORTH- When you coach at a school like Polytechnic High in south Fort Worth, a place with very little recent football tradition earning a win over a solid foe like Western Hills is a daunting enough task. However for Coach Othell Robinson and the Poly Parrots not only did they need to win but win by fifteen points in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The often overlooked Parrots delivered in a huge way Thursday night at Scarborough-Handley Field beating Western Hills 41-7 to improve to 6-3 on the year and 2-2 in District 7-4A. The dynamic duo of QB Damion Thornton and RB Duran Hollis led the way for Poly rushing for a combined 348 yards and five rushing touchdowns. Hollis who also had an INT on defense led a fast and swarming Parrot defense that forced five Western Hills turnovers. DE Ashton Parks and LB Angel Salasar also produced big efforts for the Parrtots.

After forcing a WHHS punt the Parrots wasted little time getting on the board as Hollis broke off an 80 yard run around the right side to put Poly up 7-0. The Parrots would stop another Cougars drive and this time it was Thornton who got in the act scoring on a perfectly read zone read play from 27 yards out and Poly held a 14-0 after one quarter.

Western Hills would control play for most of the second quarter but the Cougars would fail to score as DB Mario Breeding would pick off WHHS sophomore QB Cesar Medina in the end zone with less than a minute left in the half to keep the score at 14-0.

The second half started with Poly taking the ball and moving into WHHS territory but Thornton would make his one mistake of the night throwing an INT as junior DB Shawn Hughes would pick Thornton off and return the turnover into Poly territory. Western Hills capitalized on the mistake with Josh Moore scoring on a one yard run cutting the lead to 14-7.

The Parrots, namely Thornton would have a quick answer as on their first play Thornton would scamper around right end and get to the sideline and outrun two Cougar DB's for sensational 80 yard run to swing momentum back to the black and orange at 21-7. The momentum would swing to the home side on the ensuing kickoff as Salasar would recover a WHHS fumble giving Poly the ball deep in Western Hills territory. Poly would take advantage as Thornton (who threw for 85 yards) hooked up with Ashton Coleman for a 29 yard touchdown pass and a 28-7 lead.

The Parrot players who were well aware of the margin needed to win could have easily tightened up and pressed but it seemed as if the bigger the lead got the more relaxed they became. After exchanging turnovers Poly would go up 35-7 as Hollis would stroll into the end zone from 41 yards out to put the end result of the game out of reach. Poly would need to just hold the lead at fifteen.

Despite fatigue setting in with just 29 players suited out Poly's defense held time after time including twice in the red zone preventing Western Hills scores. Thornton would end any hopes of a lead slipping away with his third touchdown run of the night from 44 yards out and an impressive 41-7 victory.

The Parrots have not clinched a playoff spot as of yet as they must now sit in Week 9 and root for Dunbar as they need to defeat Western Hills in Week 9 for Poly to clinch a spot in the playoffs.