Heritage Comes Up Just Short in Shootout With Great Oak

Heritage receiver Reggie Murphy makes a one-handed grab over a defender for a touchdown in the final minutes. (Photos by David Stovall)

By Zac Force

Heritage High's football team lost to Great Oak 43-40 Friday night, giving the Patriots their first loss of the season.

The game literally came down to the very last play. After blocking a punt and taking possession, Heritage had the ball with 48 seconds left on the clock and a chance to tie or win the game.

With 28 seconds remaining, quarterback Brett Virgil took off running with the ball and went out of bounds to stop the clock. Great Oak was flagged for a late hit penalty, giving the Patriots 15 more yards and a first-and-10 at the 19-yard line.

After a defensive pass interference penalty on Great Oak, Heritage had the ball first-and-goal on the 9-yard line with only 7 seconds remaining. Virgil looked for Reggie Murphy in the corner of the end zone twice in a row but to no avail. With only 2 seconds left, Heritage lined up to kick a game-tying field goal, but Tyler Baca's kick was blocked by Great Oak defender Anthony Bandong, giving Great Oak the victory.

The total stats for both sides were very close. Heritage had 317 total rushing yards to Great Oak’s 297. Heritage had 199 passing yards to Great Oak’s 169. Limihai Hifo of the Patriots was the number one rusher with 187 yards on 25 carries, including three rushing touchdowns.

Heritage also had an interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter by McKinley Grant and a 16-yard rushing touchdown by Sione Takitaki.

Head coach Kraig Broach said it was an incredibly fun football game.

"You've got to give them credit; they were a high quality opponent and well coached.," Broach said. "It’s fun to play against such a good team."

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Great Oak started with the ball in great field position due to a fumbled punt by Heritage. Great Oak quickly scored, going up 40-33. With just over three and a half minutes left in the game, Great Oak tacked on a field goal to make it a two-possession game, 43-33.

With 3:30 left to play, Virgil completed a 54-yard pass to Matthew Palmer, then quickly rifled off a 25-yard completion to Hifo. Now in the red zone, Virgil escaped a potential sack, throwing a jump ball to Reggie Murphy in the end zone. Murphy made an acrobatic catch to come down with the ball for the touchdown, bringing the Patriots within three points.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they didn't score again. Heritage (3-1) plays its next game at Rialto next Friday night.

Great Oak's Anthony Bandong (5, center) leaps through a pile of players to block Tyler Baca's field goal attempt at the end of the game.  Heritage quarterback Brett Virgil scrambles for yardage. The Heritage defense wraps up a Great Oak ball carrier.