Highland Park will play Waco Midway in the Class 6A Division II area round Saturday afternoon at AT&T Stadium, and for a few members of the Highland Park football community, the neutral site will feel more like a home venue.
It's not because of the 32-minute difference between the stadium and their school, but because their parents are employees of the Dallas Cowboys, and being on the field is nothing new to them.
Derek Dooley's son John Taylor Dooley will play in the rematch of last year's 35-28, second-round loss, while others are rising to the varsity ranks.
Stephen Jones' son, John Stephen, suffered a shoulder injury while playing on the junior varsity teeam. Scott Linehan's youngest son, Marcus, is on the freshman squad, and Charlotte Jones Anderson's son, Paxton, is on the eighth-grade unit.
"It's a unique deal to be able to have these kids...be a part of it," Stephen, the chief operating officer and executive vice president, said. "One of the good things...is at least they're not overwhelmed. Those guys aren't when they come to the stadium, because they've been there."
No matter where the games are, though, the parents are sure to follow. Stephen has left meetings early from New York and Washington D.C., and had his father, sister or brother cover for him so he could attend his son's games.
That isn't a recent trend either - Stephen regularly shifted his schedule when John Stephen was in YMCA leagues and he was the coach. To Stephen's recollection, he hasn't missed one of John Stephen's games.
"Some of the best times of my life were coaching some of his teams," Stephen said. "I'm certainly not a laid back, causal fan. I'm on point when he's playing, just like I would be when the Cowboys play."
Perfect timing
The Dooleys path to Highland Park started in 1997 when Derek was SMU's wide receivers coach. He and his wife fell in love with the area, so when the family returned to Dallas after Derek's coaching stint at Tennessee, Highland Park was a natural fit -- being a good school and a strong athletic program.
Friday is Derek's free day, so he's made the majority of John Taylor's games. Against Mesquite Horn, the junior scored his first varsity touchdown, with an extra set of visitors watching.
Vince and Barbara Dooley, his paternal grandparents, were in town from Georgia. Vince is the former Georgia coach and athletic director, who won six Southeastern Conference titles and one national championship as a coach.
"Well it was the perfect time to have one of your better games," Derek said with a chuckle. "Your grandparents come out about once a year, so I was just happy they gave him a couple opportunities, and he took advantage of them."
John Taylor finished with his first varsity multi-touchdown performance in Highland Park's 38-12, bi-district win over Irving Nimitz last Friday.
Even though Derek coaches John Taylor's position, he tries not to be too instructive.
"At the same time, I like to point out the things he did really well," Derek, the wide receivers coach, said. "When there's some things I think he can improve on, I try to give him a couple of nuggets. Sometimes he listens, and sometimes he doesn't. Just like any son."
Right fit
Scott Linehan enrolled his sons at Highland Park after speaking to Detroit Lions and former Scots quarterback Matthew Stafford. In 2009, Scott became the Lions' offensive coordinator and Stafford was the team's No. 1 draft pick.
When Scott was hired by the Cowboys in January 2014, he doubled back to Stafford for recommendations. Michael was going into his senior year of high school, and Scott didn't want to uproot him.
"I wasn't going to move him unless I had a situation I thought was going to work for him," Scott, the offensive coordinator, said.
But after Scott talked to Highland Park coach Randy Allen, who he had gotten to know through Stafford, and Michael spent time at the school, it was a done deal.
Like Derek, Scott attended Michael's games on Friday nights last year, because it's his day off. He described himself as an "ultra-nervous" fan, who likes to find a quiet spot in the stands.
For Michael, who finished as Highland Park's 2014 season leader in tackles, the transition was seamless. And in February, the linebacker followed in his father and older brother's footsteps, committing to Idaho.
"I credit his coaches for seeing what his strengths were, and playing him at middle linebacker in their 3-4 defense was a great fit for him," Scott said. "We felt like he'd get looked at a little more."
'My proudest moments were knowing you were there'
Charlotte, an executive vice president and chief brand officer, moved Paxton, 14, to Highland Park last year for two reasons: close proximity to their house and the strong football, basketball and lacrosse programs.
The Jones family has filled out the stands through traditional means, but there have been rare situations, where extra effort was required to make a contest.
"This sounds crazy, but my parents even took a helicopter because they couldn't get there in time with traffic," Charlotte said with a laugh. "That was quite a journey, but one that dad didn't want to miss."
These efforts don't go unnoticed, either. Every Thanksgiving, the Jones family comes together on Friday and plays a family soccer game.
This year, members of the family are making shirts with the 100 things they're thankful for.
"The very first thing my son said was '[granddad and grandma] coming to watch me play my games,'" Charlotte said. "To this day, my older two...say 'My proudest moments were knowing you were there to cheer for me.'"
Twitter: @InstantRHIplay