Lamar falls short to Heritage
For Southern Sports & Travel, By Daniel Balint
It was another tough night for the Raider faithful as they saw their Lamar football team come up 5 yards short of tieing the game as time expired. Lamar entered Columbus trying to even up their record but could not get it done as Heritage was just a little too much. Lamar took the opening kick and drove 53 yards on 8 plays but came up empty after their 10th turnover of the young season. Center Logan Knight and QB Tyler Harris had a miscommunication and the early snap resulted in a Heritage takeaway. The Lamar defense held strong though and forced a 3 and out after Heritage QB Brandon Bell failed to pick up a first down on 3 consecutive QB runs. The Raider offense failed to produce on drive 2 and went 3 and out. Heritage came after the ensuing punt and blocked it, recovering in the endzone for the first score of the night. After Hudson Bean's PAT, the Pats lead 7-0 with 6:05 to play in the 1st. A touchback set the Raider Offense up at its own 20 yard line. The Raider drive stalled after 6 plays and a fake punt came up a yard short on 4th and 9. It set up the Pats at Lamar's 40 yard line. The Lamar Defense was up to the task though. After 10 plays, Heritage drove down the field to the Raider 8 yard line but was held on downs and Lamar took over deep in their own territory. Starting the 2nd quarter, Lamar changed things up a bit from the standard spread shotgun formation and shifted to the pistol offense, a first for the Lamar offense. The change seemed to work as the Raiders took their longest drive of the night. Tyler Harris and JC McElroy led the charge down the field as the Raider Offense went 9 plays and 92 yards for a score. The drive was capped by Tyler Harris' speed option keeper, as he scrambled for 40 yards to the house. The XP was good and we're tied at 7 with 5:02 to play in the half. After the score the Heritage Offense came back with a vengeance but was denied on only Lamar's 2nd takeaway of the season as CB Chase Davis made a sparkling interception in the endzone for the touchback. The ensuing drive for Lamar stalled at their own 40 yard line after a turnover on downs. It set up Heritage very nicely at Lamar's 40. The defense was up to the task again for Lamar as they turned away Brandon Bell and the Patriot offense. The result was another interception, the 2nd for Bell, this time courtesy of Charlie Nosco, again in the endzone. That closed out the first half with the score tied at 7.
The start of the 2nd half saw Heritage take the 2nd half kick back to their own 30. The Pat's offense drove down the field behind Brandon Bell and Wr Zach Taylor. The drive stalled however at the Raider 19 and Heritage settled for a 36 yard field goal from K Hudson Bean. With 9:08 to go in the 3rd, Heritage leads 10-7. After a touchback, the Raider offense would respond going 80 yards on 7 plays for a touchdown as Tyler Harris found Gane Duggan on a quick hitch that turned into a big play as Duggan broke a couple tackles and scampered in from 31 yards out. The Roberts PAT was true and Lamar takes the lead with 6:29 to play in the 3rd, 14-10. The Heritage offense was forced 3 and out and punted on their next possession. The end result of the following Lamar drive was another turnover as Tyler Harris took a blind side sack by Heritage CB Miller Pucket. Pucket grabbed 4 sacks off the edge on the night. The turnover set up Heritage at their own 38 and they capitalized going on the longest drive of the night, 14 plays and 62 yards. Bell capped off the drive with a QB sneak from 2 yards out. The Bean kick was wide left and with 10:15 to go in the 4th, Heritage had the lead 16-14. The touchdown was the first points the Lamar defense had given up in the 4th quarter all year. Lamar's next drive ended when Chase Davis attempted a fake punt and again came up a yard short. It seemed to be a trend in the game for Raider fans. Heritage set up shop in plus territory at the 42. The drive was rather wacky as it went 5 plays, the last 3 resulting in fumbles by Brandon Bell. Finally on the 3rd straight play with a fumble, the Raiders pounced on it. The Raiders had life late in the game with 6 minutes to play but was denied on 4th and 7. Heritage did Lamar a favor by scoring their final touchdown with :23 seconds left as QB Cade Lott took a naked bootleg 24 yards to the endzone. Score now is 22-14. Game over? Not quite. The PAT was botched and the holder scrambled for the pileon but was knocked out of bounds inside the 1. The last 23 seconds were some of the most exciting 23 seconds of the night throughout the state as Lamar's JC McElroy took the kickoff back 50 yards to the Heritage 40 yard line. With 10 seconds left and 1 timeout, the first down play was busted on confusion. This forced Coach Mac Barnes to call his last timeout. With the Heritage defensive umbrella opened, Lamar tried a screen to JC McElroy. Tyler Harris barely got the pass off before he was hit. McElroy made the reception and cut across the field and danced his way all the way down to the 5 yard line before he was finally brought down. No time left and Heritage has survived 22-14. The Patriots move to 3-1 on the year. Lamar fell to 1 up and 3 down. The Raiders go back to Meridian next week as Canton comes for a visit in the first division game of the year.
The start of the 2nd half saw Heritage take the 2nd half kick back to their own 30. The Pat's offense drove down the field behind Brandon Bell and Wr Zach Taylor. The drive stalled however at the Raider 19 and Heritage settled for a 36 yard field goal from K Hudson Bean. With 9:08 to go in the 3rd, Heritage leads 10-7. After a touchback, the Raider offense would respond going 80 yards on 7 plays for a touchdown as Tyler Harris found Gane Duggan on a quick hitch that turned into a big play as Duggan broke a couple tackles and scampered in from 31 yards out. The Roberts PAT was true and Lamar takes the lead with 6:29 to play in the 3rd, 14-10. The Heritage offense was forced 3 and out and punted on their next possession. The end result of the following Lamar drive was another turnover as Tyler Harris took a blind side sack by Heritage CB Miller Pucket. Pucket grabbed 4 sacks off the edge on the night. The turnover set up Heritage at their own 38 and they capitalized going on the longest drive of the night, 14 plays and 62 yards. Bell capped off the drive with a QB sneak from 2 yards out. The Bean kick was wide left and with 10:15 to go in the 4th, Heritage had the lead 16-14. The touchdown was the first points the Lamar defense had given up in the 4th quarter all year. Lamar's next drive ended when Chase Davis attempted a fake punt and again came up a yard short. It seemed to be a trend in the game for Raider fans. Heritage set up shop in plus territory at the 42. The drive was rather wacky as it went 5 plays, the last 3 resulting in fumbles by Brandon Bell. Finally on the 3rd straight play with a fumble, the Raiders pounced on it. The Raiders had life late in the game with 6 minutes to play but was denied on 4th and 7. Heritage did Lamar a favor by scoring their final touchdown with :23 seconds left as QB Cade Lott took a naked bootleg 24 yards to the endzone. Score now is 22-14. Game over? Not quite. The PAT was botched and the holder scrambled for the pileon but was knocked out of bounds inside the 1. The last 23 seconds were some of the most exciting 23 seconds of the night throughout the state as Lamar's JC McElroy took the kickoff back 50 yards to the Heritage 40 yard line. With 10 seconds left and 1 timeout, the first down play was busted on confusion. This forced Coach Mac Barnes to call his last timeout. With the Heritage defensive umbrella opened, Lamar tried a screen to JC McElroy. Tyler Harris barely got the pass off before he was hit. McElroy made the reception and cut across the field and danced his way all the way down to the 5 yard line before he was finally brought down. No time left and Heritage has survived 22-14. The Patriots move to 3-1 on the year. Lamar fell to 1 up and 3 down. The Raiders go back to Meridian next week as Canton comes for a visit in the first division game of the year.
