QB Freedland leaves no doubt about the leader of this team

Senior quarterback Devan Freedland has been an integral part of the Heritage High football team's success. Photos by Kristi Jo Aguirre

Last season, Devan Freedland was the new guy on the Heritage High School football field. Sure, he was the starting quarterback, but the junior still felt he needed to prove himself to his new teammates.

So he went out and passed for 999 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to an undefeated regular season and into the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs. You think he felt like the team leader by the end of that season?

How about now? With only Friday night’s Menifee Bowl matchup with Paloma Valley remaining in the regular season, Freedland has passed for more than 900 yards and has led the Patriots to an 8-1 record. That’s almost 2,000 yards passing, effective leadership of the running game as well, and a 19-2 record in a little less than two seasons.

It’s no wonder the 2016 transfer student from Norco High School is expected to have such an impact on Friday’s game against Paloma Valley – which also is 8-1 this season – for the Sunbelt League championship.

"You can’t say enough about Devan Freedland," said Heritage coach Kraig Broach (right, with his QB). "He’s very calm under pressure, which allows him to take advantage of every opportunity. He knows we’re not going to throw the ball all over the place, so the direction of every part of the offense is his responsibility."

Freedland says he never really felt out of place in coming to Heritage, having played with many of the Patriots in a summer 7-on-7 passing league. Yes, he was the outsider coming into a key position last year, but it turned out not to be a factor. And this season? Well…

"We’re obviously older, so we got football smarter," Freedland said after practice on Monday. "We got better on offense. Our team seems a lot older than last year, so everything we do is faster, smarter, better.

"Last year I transferred in, so I wasn’t really that leader at first because they didn’t know me like that. Now they all know me. I think most of them look at me as a leader now. I feel more confident in that role. They all have my back and I have their back, for sure."

Although Freedland has had considerable success in the passing game, throwing to receivers such as Rashoud Shelton for timely gains and touchdowns, Heritage is not known as a passing team as much as other teams in the area. The Patriots’ offensive balance is their strength. Seniors Jesse Estrada, Sherod White and James Phillips and junior Ika Tuatala all are effective ballcarriers in addition to playing on defense.

Knowing what to do with the football, whether handing the ball off or throwing it, is a personal strength of Freedland’s.

"It doesn’t really matter which running back is in, because they’re all good," Freedland said. "They all play defense too, so whenever one of them is tired, the next guy will fill in and do just as good a job."

One of the keys to the team’s success, Freedland said, is the close bond among the players. They spend much of their time together off the field, as competitive there as they are on Friday nights. While they’re having fun in a more relaxing atmosphere, they are strengthening relationships that continue to grow with each week.

"Almost every weekend, they’re at my house," Freedland said. "We’re playing Madden video games and hanging out. We play basketball, and nobody likes losing there, either. We have a lot of the younger guys coming over, too. We’re always playing next man up, so when we leave, we want the next guy to be as good as we are now.

"It helps a lot. Even in 7 on 7 league, it’s all Heritage players. We didn’t have other guys on the team. We got a lot better just by playing 7 on 7. Our routes are crisp. We never want the ball to hit the ground."

The numbers for Freedland and the other starters could be even more impressive than they are now, except for the fact they have rarely played during the second half of games this season. Most of the Patriots’ games have been blowouts, with victories coming by scores such as 42-0, 49-0, 55-7 and 67-0 (twice). The closest score in four league games was a 41-13 win over Elsinore.

Freedland said it’s great to get a lot of players in the game, but it can at times be difficult to focus in a lop-sided contest.

"Last game I kind of got lazy in the first half,” Freedland said about his limited playing time in a 67-0 rout of Temescal Canyon. “I found myself just going through the motions because it was like just another boring game. But the games earlier, I felt really crisp. Plus I like to see the others get to play. It’s fun to see my friends play.

"I think that’s why coach gave us a better preseason schedule, so we can be ready for the playoffs."

Friday’s game will certainly be the most competitive league game of all, and Freedland knows that. Paloma Valley has dominated league opponents about as effectively as Heritage has. The time to step up big has come, and the Patriots think they have the right young man to lead the way.