MIKE MACKE
WZBD.com
The Heritage Patriots scored twice in the last two minutes of the first half to open up a fourteen-point lead and take down the Lapel Bulldogs 28 – 14 in a hard-fought game.
Heritage received the opening kick and from the very first play knew it would be a tough game as Kobe Meyer was stood up and stripped for a fumble on the play, giving the Bulldogs excellent field position. Coach Kolkman’s defense stepped up and on the third play for Lapel, Lucas Weber intercepted a pass at the three-yard line to get the ball back.
After trading possessions, the Patriots put together an eight play 56 yard drive. Caleb Abbott finished it off with a six-yard TD run. Kobe Meyer kicked the PAT and Heritage led 7 – 0. Lapel responded at 5:45 of the second quarter with a quick-strike drive that went 57 yards in three plays. The big play was a 46-yard pass from Devin Craig to Brice Buress who ran over a defender and scampered down the sideline for the score. Cole Miller converted the PAT and the game was tied at seven.
The Patriots then went on a 65-yard drive which featured three Meyer runs for nineteen yards and six Abbott runs for 39 yards including the four-yard touchdown run to make it 14 – 7 with 1:42 left in the half.
Lapel went to the air and after two incompletions were forced to punt. A fair-catch interference penalty gave Heritage the ball at the Lapel 45. Meyer hit Preston Fields for 33 yards and then hit Zeke Litchfield from twelve yards out for a touchdown with 53 seconds left on the clock. The Meyer PAT made it 21 – 7 going into the locker room.
In the third quarter, a nice Braden Walter punt return set up the Patriots at the Lapel 38-yard line. Five plays later, Meyer ran it in from twelve yards out for a touchdown. The PAT made it 28 – 7. On the kickoff, Nick Witte ran it back to the Heritage 27 yard-line and the Bulldogs took six plays to convert as Craig connected with Witte for the four-yard TD pass. The Miller PAT made it 28 – 14 with 5:41 left in the third period.
The ensuing kickoff and a step out of bounds left Heritage with their worst field position of the game, starting the drive on their own 8-yard line. They went to the power running game where Abbott, Meyer and C.J. Barnette took turns grinding out yardage as they ran out the third period and marched to the Lapel 17. Meyer attempted to put away the Bulldogs with a pass into the endzone but it was intercepted by Isaiah Priest who ran it out to the 42 yd-line giving Bulldogs fans some hope of a comeback. Lapel drove it to the Heritage 14, but incomplete passes on 3rd and 4th down ended the drive. The Patriots then went to the same power running game and burned off ten minutes of the fourth quarter. A fumble at the 31 yard line with 54 seconds left ended the drive, but the game was over.
Heritage racked up 384 yards for the game, 272 of them on the ground. Abbott led the attack with 105 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. Barnett carried 14 times for 101 yards and Meyer ran for 57 yds and one TD on 12 attempts. Meyer was also 7 for 13 through the air for 112 yards and one score. Zeke Litchfield was the leading receiver with 3 catches for 59 yards and the touchdown.
Lapel was held to just 22 yards rushing, but Craig passed for 226 yards going 18 for 30 with three key interceptions. Lapel drops to 2 -4 with the loss. Heritage moves to 5 – 1 with the win and has a date with undefeated Bluffton next Friday at Patriot’s field.
Scoring Summary:
Q1 2:02 Heritage Caleb Abbott 6 yd run PAT Meyer 7 – 0 Her
Q2 5:45 Lapel Devin Craig 46 yd pass to Brice Burress PAT Miller 7 – 7
Q2 1:42 Heritage Caleb Abbott 4 yd run PAT Meyer 14 – 7 Her
Q2 0:52.9 Heritage Kobe Meyer 12 yd pass to Zeke Litchfield PAT Meyer 21 – 7 Her
Q3 8:13 Heritage Kobe Meyer 12 yd run PAT Meyer 28 – 7 Her
Q3 5:41 Lapel Devin Craig 4 yd pass to Nick Witte PAT Miller 28 – 14 Her