Big Fourth Quarter Lifts Heritage Past Colony, into CIF Finals

Sione Takitaki takes off on an 80-yard touchdown run after scooping up a fumble by his own teammate Friday night in the Patriots' 57-31 win over Colony. Photos by David Stovall

Like prizefighters in the ring, players from Heritage High School and visiting Colony High of Ontario traded punches for more than two hours Friday night. When it was over, what mattered most was the one sentence with which Heritage coach Kraig Broach addressed his players after the game:

"We've got one more week."

That has been the Patriots' slogan throughout the season, as they continue to convert one solid victory into another, always one week at a time. But next Saturday is the end of the line. Only one more exclamation of "one more week" is needed.

Breaking open a tight game against a stubborn opponent in the fourth quarter, Heritage (13-1) went on to score a 57-31 victory over Colony (9-4) in a CIF-SS Central Division semifinal playoff game. With the victory, the Patriots advance to the CIF finals next Saturday night at Rancho Verde, a 35-3 winner over Kaiser.

For the second time in three years, Heritage will attempt to win the first CIF football title in its brief history. And if the Patriots have a finishing knockout punch like they did Friday night, that title just might be theirs for the taking.

"Colony just came out to play today," said Heritage running back Limihai Hifo. "I wouldn't say we underestimated them, but we didn't think they were going to hit us like that. We just executed our plays and that was the most important part.

"Just ground and pound. That's how we do it here at Heritage."

Granted, Colony gave the Patriots all they could handle for more than three quarters. In fact, the Titans outgained the Patriots in total offense, 483-351. But that total of rushing and passing yardage doesn't include all-purpose yards, which turned out to be a huge factor in the game.

Heritage was clinging to a five-point lead (36-31) early in the fourth quarter after Colony scored a touchdown on a 49-yard pass play from wide receiver Kyle Curry to Zachery Fields off a reverse -- one of several creative plays used by the Titans. But Heritage grabbed the momentum right back on the next play following the kickoff.

Hifo fumbled the football after his first couple steps on a carry to the right side, but teammate Sione Takitaki -- his cousin -- picked up the ball and raced all the way to the far end zone for an 80-yard fumble return and a touchdown. Suddenly, the lead was back up to 44-31.

It stayed that way until the 1:54 mark, when quarterback Josh Thompson was trying to move Colony into scoring position to stay in the game. Colony had a first down at the Heritage 12-yard line when Thompson's pass to the goal line was intercepted by Hifo, who returned it 99 yards for a touchdown.

"I just cheated a little on the quarterback, just jumped and made the play," said Hifo (left). "Then I just saw my cousin up front lead blocking, and I knew I had the quarterback to beat. I made one move and that was it."

Heritage put the finishing touches on an impressive victory when Isaiah Morrow intercepted another Thompson pass and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

Those big plays -- along with a 95-yard kickoff return by Jalen Glover that set up a Hifo touchdown run in the third quarter -- were more than Colony could handle.

Hifo finished the game with 189 yards rushing on 23 carries for three touchdowns. Virgil displayed his versatility at quarterback, running for 125 yards on 10 carries. He completed only 1 of 4 passes for 8 yards, but it didn't really matter.

Thompson completed 23 of 45 passes for 257 yards in a losing cause.

Amid the postgame celebration, Broach put it simply:

"Playing in the championship game is a big deal," he said. "I'm very happy for everyone right now.

"Colony did some things offensively that were fantastic. They really pushed us to the limit. Defensively, we scored 57, but that was the toughest 57 I've ever been around. We got some breaks that we really needed tonight."

Limihai Hifo heads upfield on his way to a 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Heritage quarterback Brett Virgil rushed for 125 yards in the Patriots' victory.

Heritage linebacker Christian Deker-Weible (right) closes in on Colony running back Devan Imbach.