Hilltoppers prevail

E.C. Glass spoiled former Pioneer and current astronaut Leland Melvin’s return by slipping past Heritage, 43-36, in over-time Friday at City Stadium.

The Pioneers (2-1) put together a late rally scoring 12 unanswered points in the final 9:50 to even the score at 36-36.

And Heritage appeared to be marching for the game-winning score, but Hilltopper Steve Pannell picked off James Womack’s pass in the end zone with 49.7 seconds left.

The Hilltoppers (1-1) ran out the clock and then a steady downpour started as the teams prepared for overtime.

Glass had the ball on offense first in the extra period and Traves Wesley scored from four yards out on the Hilltoppers’ second play.

Jon Oldham added the extra point to give Glass a 43-36 lead.

Heritage ran two plays, fumbling both times, losing the second one and the game when Hilltopper Dexter Bowling re-covered the loose ball.

“One reason I’m so proud of these guys is that (even though) we got a big lead and lost the momentum, these kids stuck together,” Glass coach Richard Trent said. “It’s a huge win and I can’t say enough about the E.C. Glass community. They have really pulled out the support for us and they deserved this win.”

Said Pioneer coach Chris Jones: “Our kids could have quit so many times but they hung in there, but we just didn’t have enough in us to finish.”

The Pioneers fumbled the ball eight times and lost three. But the bigger problem was that Heritage was repeatedly burned on special-team plays.

The first time the Hilltoppers’ offense ran its first play, Glass had already scored 15 points.

Heritage took the opening kickoff and picked up a first down before the Pioneers were forced to punt.

Glass’ Matthew Smith blocked the punt and scooped it up and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown.

The Hilltoppers made it 8-0 when Demetrious Garland hit Smith with a pass on a busted extra-point attempt.

Heritage answered right back with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by Tysheem Saunders’ three-yard scoring run.

The Pioneers tied it with a run by Montez Hamlett on the two-point conversion.

But Glass’ Steve Pannell returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown and Jon Oldham kicked the extra point to make it 15-8.

Glass went up 22-8 in the first quarter with a seven-play, 34-yard drive that was kept alive by a fake punt. On fourth-and-seven at the Pioneers’ 31, Pannell took the snap from his upback position and went around the right end for a 28-yard gain.

The Hilltoppers scored on a five-yard, throwback pass from wing back Traves Wesley to quarterback Joey Flores.

Heritage cut it to 22-15 going into the half on Saunders’ four-yard run.

The second half started almost the same as the first half did for the Pioneers.

After Heritage recovered an on-side kick to open the half, the Pioneers were forced to punt.

This time punter Caleb Choi couldn’t handle the snap and Smith scooped up the loose ball and raced 32 yards for the score.

“Special teams were huge for us tonight,” Trent said. “The guys were just flying around.”

Jones agreed.

“You can’t give up 21 points on special teams and expect to win a game,” Jones said. “(Because the we are so young) we haven’t spent a lot of time on special teams. We’ve just been trying to get the offense and defense ready. We paid a price for it tonight.”

Each team scored once more in the second half to set up Heritage’s comeback.

The first score came on a 30-yard touchdown pass to Chris Phelps from Womack. The kick failed.

The second score came with 3:41 left to play and was set up by James Carter’s 63-yard run. Womack finished with a 1-yard sneak and completed a pass to Carter on the two-point conversion attempt that tied the game at 36-36.

Heritage out-gained the Hilltoppers 478 yards to 214. The Pioneers out-rushed Glass 339 to 178.

Leland, who graduated from Heritage in 1982, was on hand to have his jersey retired.