The UIL have done the Lions of McKinney High no favors over the last three years as they have played in some of the toughest districts statewide. Coach Jeff Smith and his team are not in the business of making excuses but rather have grown accustom to responding to adversity. Last Friday night at Ron Poe Stadium against district foe Denison, the Lions found themselves in a similar spot late in the fourth quarter. Great teams are forged by their ability to overcome; down 7 with just under 2 minutes to play in the contest quarterback Brian Sutter found wide out Ricky Fantroy for a 68 yard touchdown to tie the game at 28 apiece. Heading into overtime the Lions would rely on who has become “Mr. Reliable” for their offense all year, senior running back Antonio Oliver. In regulation, Antonio had scorched Denison on the ground being the workhorse for the Lions with 30 carries for 189 yards and 2 scores. McKinney would need Oliver yet again as the defense forced a turnover putting the Lions in the driver’s seat in overtime. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, clearly Jeff Smith is a fan of the old adage as 4 out of the 5 plays needed to secure the necessary 25 yards he handed the ball off to star aforementioned running back Oliver who used those carries to gain 22 yards and the all important game ending score. Sleepless in Seattle? More like sleepless in Denison for the defensive coordinator who watched Oliver shred his unit to the tune of 34 carries, 211 yards, and 3 touchdowns. This summer at PC, Antonio’s work ethic and leadership was unmatched. Site Coordinator DT Majors calls him “the hardest worker we have had in the last 2 years” and raves about his ability to be coachable. Most notable is Antonio’s infectious positive attitude and eccentric personality; there is no question that Oliver makes others around him better. For his efforts, Antonio is the Performance Course Player of the Week. Congrats Antonio!