Heritage edges Rustburg

RUSTBURG — Heritage showed its youth on Friday in a hard-fought 12-7 victory over Rustburg.

The Pioneers, who return just one starter on offense and five on defense, committed 13 penalties and fumbled five times, losing two, but still managed to grind out a win in the season opener for both teams.

“The fumbles and penalties killed us, but we fought back and our kids didn’t quit and we are proud of them for that,” said Heritage coach Chris Jones.

The Pioneers’ (1-0, 1-0 Seminole) game-winning score was set up by a Tylik Sandidge’s punt return just before the end of the third quarter with Heritage trailing 7-6.

Sandidge took the ball at his own 26, wiggled past a defender and accelerated up the middle of the field before cutting to the sideline for a 44-yard gain.

Rustburg’s punter Bryson Lipscomb finally brought down Sandidge at the Red Devils’ 30.

“(Sandidge) did great job,” Jones said. “He turned the field over and got the momentum going for us.”

The Pioneers scored six plays later, but even that was a struggle as Heritage put the ball on the ground twice but recovered its own fumbles on the drive.

Eventually, the Pioneers’ James Carter scored on an 8-yard run just six seconds into the fourth quarter.

“That was a turning point,” Red Devils coach Jon Berlin said of the punt return. “We battled back and forth. Our kids played hard but give credit to Heritage, they made plays when they had to.”

Rustburg responded with a 34-yard drive that took the ball down to Heritage’s 33, but the Pioneers held on a fourth-and-5.

The Red Devils ran an option play, but Heritage outside linebacker Eric Coleman strung out the play and forced a late, and deep pitch from quarterback Tevin Cobbs to running back Javon Campbell. Coleman’s effort allowed Pioneers’ linebacker James Carter to get to the sideline and force Campbell out of bounds, two yards short of the first down.

“It was a huge play,” Jones said. “Eric did his job of stringing the play out and Carter busted his butt (to get to the sideline).”

Rustburg had two more chances to score in the final 2:50 of the game, but couldn’t get anything going as the Heritage defense forced four incomplete passes and sacked Cobbs twice.

Heritage scored on the opening drive of the game, taking the ball 69 yards in seven plays. Tysheem Saunders ran the ball in from 39 yards out to give the Pioneers a 6-0 lead. Heritage missed the extra point.

Rustburg took the lead in the second quarter when Cobbs completed his first pass attempt to wide receiver E.J. Sparrow.

Sparrow took the short slant and overpowered a pair of Heritage defensive backs on his way to a 49-yard touchdown. Harley Young gave the Red Devils the 7-6 lead with the extra point.

“I was really pleased with our effort, but make no mistake we are never pleased with losses,” Berlin said.

Heritage’s defense held Rustburg (0-1, 0-1) to just 38 yards of total offense in the second half.

“We made some substitutions and got better (as the game went on),” Jones said.

“We’ve got to cut down on the mistakes. The turnovers and penalties killed us.”