Patriots put it all together in big victory over Rancho

Heritage High football coach Andre Smith addresses his players after what he called their best game of the season.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Heritage High’s 17-6 victory over Rancho Verde Friday night was certainly a team win, but there were two individual plays that summed up the state of the Patriots.

-- Late in the third quarter, Rancho Verde had a first-and-goal at the Heritage 5-yard line. Three plays later, after three tough defensive stops by the Patriots line, the Mustangs faced fourth down at the 1-yard line. Running back Dylan Riley tried to jam the ball over the goal line but was slowed by two Heritage tacklers at the 1. Still upright, however, Riley tried to make a second-effort burst for the end zone.

Up the middle from the defensive side came Patriots linebacker Kanye Young, who popped Riley at the line of scrimmage to complete the goal-line stand.

-- Three plays after the Patriots took over at their own 1-yard line, they faced a third-and-three from their own 8. Quarterback Hayden Lara dropped back and started to run when he lost control of the ball in his own end zone. Showing no signs of panic, he scooped up the loose ball, sprinted to his left and passed 24 yards to Akillis Sio for a big first down.

Gritty goal-line stand. Making a big play out of a "possible fumble. The attributes that made those plays possible – determination and composure – are the things that had coach Andre Smith calling this the Patriots’ best game of the season.

“I told you, we’ve got a good defense,” Smith said. “Rancho Verde’s got some dudes. They’re big and they’re fast. But we came to play. We had a game plan and we shut ‘em out. Nobody shuts those guys out. The scoreboard doesn’t show it because they had that kickoff return, but they didn’t score on our defense.

"I’m so happy for these seniors. They’re 23 guys that I love. I wish I had ‘em longer. It’s been a grind, but they’re figuring it out and they’re getting better.”

Defense – the Patriots’ strong point all season – was better than ever this time. In the first half, they allowed Rancho Verde (2-6, 1-3) just 66 yards total offense on three possessions. If you take away the Mustangs’ one substantial drive, they managed just 17 yards total offense on their first two possessions.

Then there was that impressive goal-line stand in the third quarter, which kept Heritage in front by a 14-0 score.

“We’re really trying to settle down and execute the game plan,” said Young, the linebacker who made the big stop on fourth down at the 1-yard line. “When that goal line comes, we’re prepared. From watching film and their reads, it all falls into place.

“I knew he was gonna try to scramble in. The D line got in there and I came to finish the job."

It was the type of play a talented senior like Young keeps on video for the college recruiters.

“That’s going on the reel for sure,” he said with a smile.

As a result of this win, Heritage is 4-5 overall, having won two straight games for the first time this season. The Patriots have now won three of their last four games and, with a 2-1 record, are tied with Elsinore for second place in the Ivy League. And Heritage defeated Elsinore last week, 15-14.

If Heritage closes out the regular season with a victory next week at winless Notre Dame and first-place Temescal Canyon beats Elsinore, Heritage finishes second in league. A CIF playoff berth seems like a foregone conclusion – but Smith doesn’t want his players to let up now.

"We still haven't played a complete game," he said.

Heritage wasted no time taking the lead before a large Senior Night crowd. Starting from their own 43-yard line after a big kickoff return, Lara drove the Patriots 57 yards in 8 plays, capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Jason Chupany. Isaac Ahmed’s PAT kick gave Heritage a 7-0 lead.

The Heritage defense got the ball right back six plays later after forcing a Rancho Verde punt. It took the Patriots nine plays to score this time on a 4-yard TD run by Chupany. Heritage’s only other score came on a 24-yard field goal by Ahmed in the fourth quarter, but that was more than enough for the win.

Rancho Verde’s only score came on special teams on the ensuing kickoff. Dominic Rudley fumbled the return at the 5-yard line but picked it up in the end zone, found a seam down the right sideline and raced 103 yards for a touchdown. The two-point PAT try failed.

Lara said Smith has played a big part in his confidence and composure at quarterback.

“He’s taught me to have a lot more confidence in myself,” Lara said about Smith. “He told me as long as I make a good decision … And [running] is one of my strong suits as an athlete. I feel a lot of these W’s are coming if I’m playing with my legs.”

And as far as being in tight spots – either on offense or defense? The Patriots have been there before. A week earlier, they held off Elsinore long enough for Ahmed to kick a game-winning field goal in the last minute.

“That’s another thing we get from coach Smith,” Lara said. “We have a 2-minute drill to teach all the kids composure, so when the time comes like against Elsinore, there’s no panicking. It’s just another day at the office.”