Heritage is off and running in football season opener, 42-0

Heritage High running back Sherrod White finds running room in the Patriots' victory Friday night over Great Oak. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

Head coach Kraig Broach isn't all about making statements, but that's certainly what his Heritage High School football team did Friday night.

Senior running back Sherrod White rushed for 121 yards and 3 touchdowns in just one half of play, quarterback Devan Freedland threw two touchdown passes and the defense scored a shutout in Heritage's 42-0 victory at Great Oak in the season opener for both teams.

A dominating win was perhaps made even more impressive by the fact the opposing team was no slouch. Great Oak came into the game ranked ninth in CIF-SS Division 2, one spot ahead of Heritage. But the Patriots, who also shut out the Wolfpack in last season's opener (21-0), dominated from beginning to end in this one.

Head football coach Kraig Broach huddles with his starters during a timeout in Friday's game.

"I'm very happy to get a win against a great program," said Broach, the only head coach the Patriots have ever had. "The score doesn't show it right there, but Great Oak gave us some difficulty early in the game. Some of our guys made big plays to carry us through some of the mistakes we were making. I was very proud about that.

"We played hard. We'll have to look at the film to see what we need to do to get better."

Several penalties for holding and other infractions were about the only thing one could criticize about the play of the Patriots. Using their patented running game, they set the tone early and never let up on the home team. Heritage led 28-0 at halftime, and reserves played much of the second half.

White scored the team's first touchdown with 6:12 left in the first quarter on an 11-yard run, then came back with a 33-yard dash to the end zone in the opening minute of the second quarter for a 14-0 lead. By the team he scampered 25 yards for his third TD midway through the second quarter for a 21-0 lead, the Patriots appeared to have everything under control.

"We're not gonna trick anybody; if we can't run the ball, we're in trouble," Broach said. "Sherrod's good. There's things he still needs to work on, though, and he knows that. He came off the sidelines and said, 'I can do better.' I appreciate that.

"Don't discount Devan Freedland tonight. That score right before the half was really huge for us."

Broach was referring to a 32-yard touchdown pass from Freedland to Rashoud Shelton with 15 seconds left in the half. That made the score 28-0 and pretty much assured the Wolfpack would have nothing positive to take into the locker room.

While the Heritage defense was forcing punt after punt from the Great Oak offense, Heritage's offensive line was pushing its counterparts around. Broach especially praised the play of senior center Drew Dalton.

"He kicked tail tonight," Broach said about Dalton. "He's the smallest guy out there at 5-9, 210 or whatever (actually 225), but he can play."

In addition to the offensive performances of White and Freedland, James Phillips carried 10 times for 63 yards. Taking over the primary rushing chores in the second half, senior Brandon Marshall finished with 93 yards on 10 carries.

Before departing the game late in the third quarter, Freedland threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tonga Tavake. Heritage's last score came in the final minutes on a 7-yard run by backup quarterback Jadyn Goosby.

James Phillips runs through a crowd for some of his 63 yards rushing Friday night.

Heritage defensive lineman Blake Devore (80) takes down Great Oak ballcarrier Kobey Castillo.

Brandon Marshall took advantage of considerable playing time in the second half Friday night.