Heritage Strikes Early, Often in Win Over Elsinore

Heritage High School quarterback Brett Virgil tries to avoid an Elsinore tackler during Friday's win. Photos courtesy of kristijophotography.com

By Daniel Millhouse

As a visiting team, how do you most effectively silence the home crowd? Put up a score of 42-0 by halftime.

The Heritage High Patriots came to Elsinore High School, full of confidence, and ran all over the Tigers Friday night, 49-14. On just the second play of the game, senior quarterback Brett Virgil ran the ball for 46 yards, putting the Patriots on Elsinore’s 15-yard line. The very next play, running back Javier Luna ran the ball in for a 15-yard touchdown run. Within the first minute of the game, the tone was set.

The Patriots (6-0, 1-0) scored three more times in the first quarter alone: Runs of 47 yards and 15 yards by Virgil and a 29- yard touchdown on a reverse by senior wide receiver Aleva Hifo.

In the second quarter, Heritage turned to a passing game, scoring two more touchdowns. Once came on a 10-yard cross pass from Virgil to Hifo that the receiver took for 20 more yards after the catch into the end zone. The second touchdown was on a 14-yard pass to receiver CJ Parker, who fought for the ball with an Elsinore defensive back in the end zone.

The home crowd was silenced. As good as the Heritage offense was, it was also solid defensively thanks to people like linebacker Logan Dreese (left).

With a score of 42-0 at the half, coach Kraig Broach and his staff decided to insert the backup players in for the rest of the game to give them an opportunity to show what they could do.

"The important part is that everyone gets an opportunity to play," Broach said after the game.
"We stressed at halftime, ‘Here’s your opportunity, you need to focus and execute.’ They did a good job and that’s very rewarding as a coach when that happens."

The Tigers (1-5, 0-1) came out swinging to start the second half. Multisport athlete Anthony Reyes took a handoff for 80 yards on the first play of the half to give Elsinore its first score of the night.

With the backup players in, Heritage held onto the ball, winding down the clock. Even so, the Patriots scored halfway through the third quarter when sophomore running back Sherod White ran the ball in for an 8-yard touchdown run.

Virgil, who didn’t play in the second half, said of the second string players, "If any of us get hurt, it shows that we have the depth to help us out.

"Yeah, it’s a confidence booster. A lot of our starters didn’t play in the second half. We watched a lot of our second string go in and do what they needed to do and execute."

Elsinore scored one more time in the game, halfway through the fourth quarter, when running back Justin Davis ran in the ball for a 2-yard touchdown. With the score at 49-14, it was the last time either team would score for the rest of the game.

With all the focus on how well the offense did for Heritage, the defense stepped up as well. They had several takeaways with four fumble recoveries and an interception in the first half. Their strong defense allowed the offense to rack up the points.

Virgil led the offense with 7 runs for 142 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 6 passes on 9 attempts for 53 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Other notable performances on offense include Hifo’s 29 yards rushing with a touchdown and 2 receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown reception; and Luna’s 68 yards on 4 rushes with 1 touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive end Quentin Asberry had a fumble recovery and joined with Albert Sumaya for a sack. Sumaya also forced a fumble and defensive back Cameron Dawson came up with an interception.

"I don’t know if nerves are the right word, but excitement going into league because non-league really has no bearing going into the playoff picture," Broach said when asked if his team displayed any nerves while preparing for their opening league game. "The short goal in front of us is to win enough league games to make playoffs."

Heritage running back Javier Luna looks for running room in Friday's game against Elsinore.