Who Is This FL HS Legend? Highland Hickson/Dillard

[OldSchoolLion]

Why would one of south Florida's best running backs of the day want to go to icy, cold Michigan?  This one did, and had a successful career there.  In his senior year, he rushed for well over 1000 yards and led Michigan St, which had a losing record at the time, to a shocking upset of the #1 team in the country. 

Who is he?

Where did he go to high school?

Against what team did he play in a state final? 

 

[gatorman-uf]

Sederick Irvin 

(Miami Southridge ) 

Not sure who they played... 

[Miamidade92]

Hyland Hickson from Dillard high. They beat Tarpon Springs in the state championship.

Interesting fact, the running back before Hickson at Dillard was Lorenzo White, who also went to Michigan State. 

[OldSchoolLion]

15 minutes ago, Miamidade92 said:

Hyland Hickson from Dillard high. They beat Tarpon Springs in the state championship.

Interesting fact, the running back before Hickson at Dillard was Lorenzo White, who also went to Michigan State. 

It is Hyland Hickson of Dillard High, who helped lead Dillard to the 1986 4A title in a win over Tarpon Springs.  Here are highlights from that great college game mentioned earlier, in which Michigan St upset Michigan.  The game came down to a 2-point conversion.  Hickson was #30.   He scored on a 4-yard reception from Dan Enos to tie the game at 14 in the third quarter, then in the fourth quarter he gave the Spartans a 21-14 lead with a 26-yard TD run.  Desmond Howard, the Michigan receiver who dropped the ball at the end, won the Heisman Trophy the following year.

Hickson died back in 1996 at the young age of 27.

 

[Denis]

Yes, it was Hyland Hickson.  I went to Dillard with Hyland in 86.  I remember at the huge pawn shop on Broward Blvd and 441 they had some of his Michigan State and Tampa Bay jerseys on display after he passed.  Yes, they won state championship that year vs. Tarpon Springs, 14-6, I believe.  Wendal Lowery (Syracuse, NE Louisiana) was the QB, Claude Jones (Miami) was an OL on that team as well as other players I knew like Courtney Rosegreen (Hawaii) and John Handberry - all coached by the legendary Otis Gray.  So sad that Hickson passed away so young.

[THIS_IS_DILLARD]

1 hour ago, Denis said:

Yes, it was Hyland Hickson.  I went to Dillard with Hyland in 86.  I remember at the huge pawn shop on Broward Blvd and 441 they had some of his Michigan State and Tampa Bay jerseys on display after he passed.  Yes, they won state championship that year vs. Tarpon Springs, 14-6, I believe.  Wendal Lowery (Syracuse, NE Louisiana) was the QB, Claude Jones (Miami) was an OL on that team as well as other players I knew like Courtney Rosegreen (Hawaii) and John Handberry - all coached by the legendary Otis Gray.  So sad that Hickson passed away so young.

Facts bro & it’s good to have another Dillard Alum on the board hope you’re here to stay, I’ve been holding out panthers down on here solo for a very long time lol.