Heritage Takes Fourth Consecutive League Title With 37-14 Win

Members of the Heritage High football team celebrate another league title after Friday night's win at Elsinore High.

They did it again.

Heritage High School's remarkable dominance of the Sunbelt League in football continued Friday night, with the Patriots defeating host Elsinore High 37-14 to wrap up their fourth consecutive perfect league season.

Using a defense that was both stifling of the opposition and opportunistic in grabbing three interceptions, the Patriots (5-0, 9-1) quickly dashed any hopes the Tigers (5-5, 3-2) had of finishing in a tie for first place. Heritage led just 6-0 after one quarter but raced to a 27-0 halftime lead and never looked back.

Defensive back Matt Palmer had two interceptions in the first half, ending two Elsinore possessions practically before they had started. Limihai Hifo intercepted a pass as well, returning it 65 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half.

Hifo rushed for 157 yards and two more touchdowns on 17 carries, while quarterback Brett Virgil (right) rushed for 68 yards and passed for 165 yards and two TDs. It was a clear show of power and precision by the Patriots, who will enter next week's CIF playoffs as the No. 1 representative from the Sunbelt League.

Paloma Valley, which beat Lakeside 42-6, finished second in league, one game behind Heritage and one ahead of Elsinore. All three teams will learn their fate Sunday morning, when CIF Central Division playoff pairings are announced.

"We clicked tonight," said Palmer about the team's defensive play. "This was our best game by far on defense.

"Winning league again... it's a great accomplishment for a new school. But we want to go farther now. We want to win it all."

Palmer's reference was to the last two seasons. Heritage lost in the CIF finals two years ago and in the semifinals last year. But on this night, the celebration was of this victory and a great league and regular season.

"They did a great job tonight," said coach Kraig Broach. "To be Sunbelt League champs, it's pretty special. And four straight titles, it's pretty cool. Especially when you're playing teams like Elsinore, Temescal Canyon, Paloma Valley, teams like that. To be able to do that is an accomplishment. But like we talked about before, for these kids, to do this in their year, that's huge. It's a credit to them."

Heritage marched 80 yards on its first possession of the game, a drive kept alive by an 11-yard run by Virgil on fourth down. Hifo capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run but the PAT failed, leaving the Patriots with a 6-0 lead.

Elsinore's first possession ended quickly when Palmer outleaped Tigers receiver Chris Harris to intercept a long pass from quarterback Tommy Wilson. But following a big gain by Virgil, Heritage gave the ball back to Elsinore on a fumble. The first quarter ended 6-0.

Enter Palmer again. Early in the second quarter, Wilson threw downfield but his pass was tipped by Aleva Hifo and was grabbed by Palmer, giving the Patriots the ball back. Moments later, it was 13-0 after Virgil hit Chris Nile with a 33-yard scoring strike.

"I was right there in good position," Palmer said about the second interception. "I thought he (Hifo) had it, and then, 'whoops ... I'll take that.' "

Virgil found Evan Rodriguez (left) on a couple key passes, including a 3-yard touchdown pass play later in the quarter. Then, with time running out in the half, Limihai Hifo picked off a Wilson pass and raced 65 yards into the end zone.

The Elsinore defense focused on stopping Hifo, but Virgil's ability to run himself and complete the play-action pass was a key for the Patriots.

"Early in the game we did our read plays and I just saw how they keyed on our two top players (Hifo and Sione Takitaki)," Virgil said. "We took advantage of that with some other players. Teams in the playoffs will see we don't just have Taki and Hifo, we have a whole team to deal with. They'll have to key on other players, and that's going to open it up for Hifo and Taki to have big games, like they always do."

"I was waiting for a defensive game like this and we came through tonight," Broach said. "Elsinore did a great job, especially in defense of our run game, but I thought the way we were able to throw the ball balanced it out."

Although the focus this next week will be solely on the team's first-round playoff opponent, the Patriots know what the ultimate goal is.

"We just gotta finish this year off and get the ring this year," Hifo said.

The fun begins next Friday.

Defensive back Matt Palmer leaps to pick off a pass intended for Elsinore's Chris Harris in the first quarter.

Moments later Palmer was at it again, returning another interception of a Tommy Wilson pass.

Chris Nile hauls in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Brett Virgil in the second quarter.

The Patriots were cheered by a large crowd of fans in the visiting stands as they left the field with a 27-0 halftime lead.