It's Just Another Day at the Office for Heritage, 42-0

A crowd of Heritage High defenders surrounds Hemet's Frankie Buckley, who lost a fumble on the play. Heritage won, 42-0. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

It was business as usual for Heritage High School's football team Friday night.

Having already defeated all 10 regular-season opponents, the Patriots improved their overall record to 11-0 with a 42-0 rout of the visiting Hemet Bulldogs in the first round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs. After taking a 14-0 lead in a hard-fought first quarter, Heritage blew the game open with three more touchdowns in the second period. Although the Bulldogs (6-5) fought hard to the end and came up with several big hits on Heritage ballcarriers, they obviously were no match for the Inland Division's top-seeded team.

Heritage quarterback Brett Virgil (left) was clearly on his game again. The senior threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores, seemingly seeing every hole in the Hemet defense. Just three plays into Heritage's first possession, Virgil threw a strike down the middle of the field to Aleva Hifo, who hauled in the pass at about the 10-yard line and ran it in for a 51-yard touchdown play.

That stopped any momentum Hemet was trying to build with an opening possession that featured several solid runs. Once the Heritage defense forced a punt and Virgil hit Hifo with the long pass, the tempo of the game was set.

"Brett is just a great kid and a great leader," said Heritage coach Kraig Broach. "Things were open for him tonight and he took advantage of it. He has good vision and he made some nice calls. It got us up and changed the dimension of the game."

Motivated by the early score, the Heritage defense shut down Hemet on the Bulldogs' next possession, again forcing a punt. After a big gain by Hifo took the ball into Hemet territory, Virgil hit wide receiver CJ Newman with another long pass up the middle, resulting in a 41-yard touchdown play.

"We watched film and we knew we had a couple key opportunities we needed to take advantage of," Virgil said. "We executed all the plays we needed to."

Showing his composure and experience, Virgil altered his cadence on a fourth-down play call early in the second quarter, drawing Hemet offsides and giving the Patriots a new set of downs at the Bulldogs 27. After a 24-yard scamper by Virgil, running back Jalen Glover scored on a 3-yard touchdown run.

A Heritage recovery of a Hemet fumble followed on the next series, setting up Virgil's 21-yard touchdown run. The Patriots weren't done yet, however. Virgil scored from 15 yards out just before halftime for a 35-0 lead.

The only score of the second half was a 4-yard touchdown pass from Virgil to Newman on a nice lob for a leaping catch in the left corner of the end zone.

Broach acknowledged the physical play of the Bulldogs, who continued to put hard hits on the Patriots every chance they could, even after the outcome wasn't in doubt.

"The way Hemet came out in the second half and kept playing hard is a credit to (coach Jason) Thornburg," Broach said. "He's doing a great job with those guys over there."

Now Heritage will get ready for Yucaipa, which defeated San Gorgonio 20-14 Friday night. That game will be played at Yucaipa next Friday.

Heritage's Jalen Glover turns the corner on Hemet defender Tanner Shubin.

Heritage linebacker Logan Dreese (24) stops a Hemet ballcarrier.

Patriots quarterback Brett Virgil has his eyes on the target as he releases a pass.

Heritage wide receiver CJ Newman leaps in front of a Hemet defender for a 4-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.