Heritage advances in thriller at East Rankin

Southern Sports & Travel

On September 7^th the Heritage Patriots had just fallen to 1-3 after dropping a 37-10 home loss to MRA and would lose two of their next three games to see themselves glaring at a 2-5 record with hopes of making their first playoff appearance since 2005 slipping away rapidly but fate came calling on the Heritage football program as the Patriots closed the regular season with three straight wins and qualified for post season play.

On Friday night at Moody Davis Field in Pelahatchie, Heritage had watched all momentum shift to a home-standing East Rankin squad who had taken their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter but fate called again as seniors Cade Lott and Parker Dunaway hooked up on a 26 yard game winning touchdown pass with just over one minute remaining to propel Heritage to a 21-17 win and a chance to win their first state championship since 1986.

(Above) Heritage quarterback Cade Lott (#2) scrambles for yardage

Neither squad looked to be in sync in a first quarter that was dominated by defense and penalties but Heritage would capitalize on a big play in the second quarter to score first.

Hudson Bean connected with senior tight-end David Hardy for a 53 yard pass to the East Rankin 8 yard line and Bean would plow his way through the middle of the East Rankin defense on the next play to score the first points of the game.

Graham McCain added the PAT and with 6:48 remaining in the half Heritage had taken a 7-0 lead.

Heritage would take the momentum into halftime as the Patriots would score again just before the half had ended.

Parker Dunaway set Heritage up with prime field position following a punt return to the East Rankin 29 yard line with 17 seconds remaining in the second quarter and the Patriots executed a perfectly timed reverse option pass that saw quarterback Cade Lott line up as a receiver and take a reverse pitch from Hudson Bean, Lott then found Parker Dunaway who pulled in the 29 yard pass in the back of the endzone with 8 seconds left in the half to bring Heritage fans to a frenzy.

McCain’s PAT gave Heritage a 14-0 lead heading into intermission.

(Above) Heritage linebacker Aaron Studdard (#52) wraps up Jacob Weldon (#13) of East Rankin

East Rankin needed one play to take back momentum in the second half and they got it at the 5:51 mark of the third quarter.

Sophomore quarterback Hayes Roden connected with senior wide-out Colby Crotwell on a 1^st and 10 from the East Rankin 39 yard line and Crotwell sprinted into the endzone to give ERA their first points of the night.

J.D. Houston added the PAT to cut the Heritage advantage in half at 14-7.

The East Rankin defense would hold Heritage to just two 1^st downs in the third quarter and ERA pulled even with Heritage as they produced a 4 play, 62 yard drive that culminated when Hayes Roden and Colby Crotwell hooked up once again, this time from 33 yards out with 9:39 remaining in regulation.

J.D. Houston’s PAT tied the contest at 14-14.

East Rankin’s defense immediately forced the Heritage offense into a three and out and ERA posted what looked to be a game changing drive that entailed 9 plays and 30 yards in penalties on a Heritage defense that appeared to be crumbing but Heritage made a stand after ERA had advanced to the 2 yard line with a 1^st and goal and that stand would prove pivotal even though East Rankin would take their first lead of the night at 17-14 on a 22 yard field goal from J.D. Houston with 5:20 remaining.

Heritage mounted a drive on their ensuing possession highlighted by a Cade Lott 37 yard connection with wide-out Hudson Bean to the East Rankin 30 yard line but the drive would fizzle on a 4^th down pass interception in the endzone by East Rankin’s Hayes Roden with 2:49 left in the contest.

East Rankin would only manage 8 yards on their possession as Heritage utilized their remaining time-outs and the Patriots would get opportunistic field position at the ERA 46 yard line following a shanked punt and 1:45 remaining in regulation.

Following an incomplete pass on 1^st down, Cade Lott hit Miller Puckett with a screen pass and the senior tailback rumbled to the ERA 26 yard line. That set up the game winner as Lott dropped, pump faked and hit Parker Dunaway with a 26 yard touchdown pass in the back of the endzone.

Graham McCain’s PAT gave Heritage the lead with 1:20 remaining.

East Rankin would get possession at their own 40 yard line after the Heritage kick-off went out of bounds and following a Roden to Luke Yancey 12 yard pickup and an unsportsmanlike infraction on Heritage, East Rankin had advanced to the HA 32 yard line with just over one minute remaining but Roden would be picked off at the 1 yard line by Hudson Bean on the next play.

East Rankin would get one more opportunity with 37 seconds remaining but would fail on a 4^th and long from their own 40 yard line to end any hopes of a miracle finish.

“We’re excited to see all of our hard work pay off,” said senior quarterback Cade Lott (Photo right). “Most of us have been playing together at Heritage since fourth grade pee wee and this is a great way to finish our season with an opportunity to play for a state championship.”

On the game winning pass to Dunaway, “We ran that route all night and when I dropped and pump faked Parker did a great job of getting behind the defense and making a great catch,” said Lott.

Heritage improves to 6-5 after winning their fourth straight and will face a familiar opponent in next Friday’s Division II title game, Magnolia Heights (8-3). The Patriots fell to the Chiefs 14-13 in week seven in Senatobia.

“We’re looking for revenge next week and I’m confident we can win this thing,” said Lott.

On the night Lott passed for 181 yards and two touchdowns and fellow senior Miller Puckett rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries.

Parker Dunaway piled up 168 yards on just 4 receptions, two of them touchdowns.

The Heritage defense held East Rankin’s Jacob Weldon in check on the night. The senior ranked third in the MAIS with 1,432 rushing yards coming into Friday night’s game but was held to 32 yards on 15 carries.

East Rankin senior wide-out Colby Crotwell had 114 receiving yards on 6 catches and two touchdowns.

East Rankin ends their season at 7-5.

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Post Game with Heritage Head Coach Barrett Donahoe

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