Prep Football: Heritage School rolls past Westminster
From STAFF REPORTSsports@newnan.com
AUGUSTA — Had it been a prize fight, the Heritage School would have had itself a first-round knockout.
As it was, the unbeaten Hawks used a 31-point surge in the first quarter while showing no signs of a weakness in GISA Region 2-AAA during a dominating 49-14 victory over Westminster-Augusta.
The victory continued the school’s best start in its seven-year football history as the Hawks improved to 8-0 overall and 3-0 in 2-AAA, while taking another major step toward a return to the state playoffs.
Heritage School returns home next Friday to play Tattnall Square (1-2) and with a win can clinch a playoff berth.
By the time Heritage School went to halftime leading 34-6, most of the Hawks' starters had given way to younger players. Senior Candler Rich finished with 75 yards rushing and a touchdown and also added a 50-yard score off a pass from senior quarterback Joe Bonner before halftime. By the time Rich left the game, he also had added two more interceptions to his team high.
Rich’s first pick ended Westminster’s opening possession inside the Hawks 20-yard line.
Bonner, meanwhile, added 52 yards rushing to go with 78 passing and a touchdown pass to Rich that opened the Heritage scoring.
David Bready also added a touchdown run and a pair of fumble recoveries in the victory. The junior took a pitch from Bonner to put Heritage ahead 14-0 before running in the ensuing two-point conversion.
Ahead 16-0, Rich added his final touchdown and Bonner’s two-point run pushed the Hawks’ first-quarter lead to 24-0.
The Heritage School quarterback then set up his last score, a 4-yard sneak, with a long pass to tight end Tyler Henson.
Ben Dudley’s 30-yard field goal provided the Hawks’ only points of the second quarter.
Rich intercepted Westminster’s two-point conversion attempt after the Wildcats got on the scoreboard and teammate Harrison Holland kept the halftime lead at 34-6 with a pick just before the end of the second quarter.
Fullback Tyler Nix added his first career touchdown on a 57-yard run in the third quarter and backup quarterback Brad Macke added a 63-yard touchdown run of his own to complete the scoring.
SCORE BY QUARTERS – Heritage School 49, Westminster-Augusta 14
Heritage School 31 3 8 7 — 49
Westminster 0 6 0 8 — 14
