Heritage rolls over E.C. Glass behind McPhaul, Saunders

Heritage took out some early season frustrations on its oldest rival and newest Seminole District opponent, E.C. Glass, as the Pioneers pounded the Hilltoppers 31-11 at City Stadium on Friday.

“This is one of those games you look forward to all year,” Heritage coach Doug Smith said. “Our kids wanted it. They worked for it and it turned out all right for them.”

“Hats off to Heritage,” Glass coach Richard Trent said. “They did a great job, but I thought our kids played hard and, with the exception of some free-lancing, I’m proud of them.”

The Pioneers (2-5, 1-2 Seminole) battered Glass (1-7, 1-3) with a punishing ground attack that had three Heritage runners gain at least 100 yards in the game.

All told, Heritage rushed 53 times for 419 yards, a 7.9-yard per carry average for the Pioneers. The closest Heritage even came to attempting a pass was when quarterback Lakuan McPhaul pumped faked out of the shotgun before handing the ball off to Tysheem Saunders on a draw.

Saunders went for 50 yards to set up Heritage’s second score, an 11-yard run by Rondell Hamlett that put the Pioneers up 12-0 with 10:03 left in the second quarter.

Heritage’s first score was set up by an 18-yard punt that gave the Pioneers the ball on the Hilltoppers’ 44.

Heritage needed just eight plays to cash in as Saunders did the honors from seven yards out with 2:22 left in the first.

The Pioneers defense was just as relentless. Heritage held Glass to two first downs and 38 yards of total offense in the first half.

The Hilltoppers finished with seven first downs and 84 yards of total offense. They had just 27 yards rushing.

“The defense was the key to our game,” Smith said. “They were a spark for us in the first half and our offense really responded to them.”

Glass mounted its only scoring drive of the game to open the third quarter. The Hilltoppers took 11 plays to drive 31 yards and set up Jake Prest’s 32-yard field goal that made it 12-3 with 7:18 to go in the quarter.

But Heritage answered by scoring touchdowns the next three times the Pioneers touched the ball, breakimg open the game and taking a 31-3 lead with just under five minutes to play.

Saunders had 180 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, Hamlett finished with 100 yards and a touchdown in 21 rushing attempts and McPhaul had 119 yards and two scores on just 12 carries.

“This being my senior year I’m glad we went out with a win (over E.C. Glass) and a big win at that,” Hamlett said. “This was a good win for us and we are going play just as hard again next week (against Jefferson Forest).”

“We told the kids there is no looking back,” Smith said. “We have to play every game like it is a playoff game. That’s what is going to make us better people.”

The Hilltoppers’ only touchdown came when Trey Kennedy returned a fumble 11 yards to make it 31-11 with the 2-point conversion.