The Highland football team finished the 2017 season on a high note shutting out Ellsworth Community College (IA) 35-0 on sophomore day.
 
The Scotties had their best offensive game of the season scoring 35 points on the Panthers.
 
Deontae Hull popped off a 62-yard rush on the first play of the game for Highland. That run set up a Tristan Speer 20-yard touchdown pass to Shakeem Bradley and Highland took a quick 7-0 lead.
 
The Panthers marched the ball down inside the Highland red-zone but the Scottie defense held the Panthers on downs stopping them on the HCC 15-yard line.
 
It took Highland only four plays to march 85-yards and get back into the end-zone. This time, a Deontae Hull 41-yard rush set up a Justin Ruiz 35-yard touchdown run giving Highland the 14-0 lead with 4:51 left in the first quarter.
 
Neither team would score the rest of the half and Highland took a two-touchdown lead into the locker room.
 
The Scotties started the third quarter in the same fashion as they started the game scoring on their first two possessions of the quarter. Naricuss Driver scored on a 14-yard rush and Trey Willis found the end-zone also on a 14-yard rush to give Highland a 28-0 lead with 6:59 left to go in the third quarter.
 
Highland would score one more time to seal the win, this time coming from the special teams, as Damarion Williams returned a Panther punt 85-yards for the final score of the season.
 
The Scotties posted their second shutout of the season defeating the Panthers 35-0 and finishing the season 4-6.
 
Freshman running backs Deontae Hull and Justin Ruiz led the charge offensively for the Scotties. Hull had 17 carries for 161-yards and Ruiz had six carries for 65-yards and one touchdown. Naricuss Driver rushed it 12 times for 59-yards and one touchdown. Tristan Speer went 7-10 passing for 56-yards and one touchdown.
 
The Scottie defense was once again led by sophomore middle linebacker Jeremiah Hill who finished with eight tackles, two for loss and a sack. Hill is now second all-time in career tackles at Highland CC. Freshman corner Damarion Williams had his best game of the season finishing with seven tackles, a broken-up pass and an 85-yard punt return. Amadou Fofana chalked up six tackles, two for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery while Kendrick Catis finished with five tackles. Catis will finish seventh all time at HCC in career tackles.
 
Highland finishes the season 4-6 overall and 2-5 in KJCCC play which lands them a 6^th place finish in the conference. This is Highland's first losing season since 2012, and head coach Aaron Arnold's first sub .500 record at Highland. Arnold now has a 22-20 overall coaching record during his four seasons at HCC.