When and Where:
3A #1 Heritage Hall (7-1) vs. 3A Blackwell (1-7)
October 25 (Thu) 7:00 PM
Blackwell Football Field

Game Notes:
The Chargers are coming off of their biggest win of the season after defeating Kingfisher in a tightly contested ballgame last Friday. Heritage got out to a big lead early and held a controlling 28-6 advantage at halftime, but the Yellowjackets stormed back, cutting the deficit to just one score in the final quarter. All the momentum was on the home sideline, but the Chargers stayed tough and made huge plays down the stretch to secure the victory. Despite the big win, now is no time to relax, as the Hall must come ready to play against Blackwell this week. The Maroons have really struggled in 2018, owning just a 1-7 record on the season, and are not nearly as talented as the foe from last week. Coming off a huge rivalry game win and now squaring off against a lesser opponent, the Hall now finds themselves in a situation perfectly ripe for a letdown game. No matter how talented or well coached a team is, it is always tough to come back after an emotional victory and play with that same focus or intensity. The Chargers could still be feeling drained, both physically and emotionally, from last Friday as well. On the other side of the field, Blackwell will be feeling more motivated than ever as they prepare for Thursday's contest. The Maroons picked up their first win of the season last week against Mount St. Mary, likely instilling a bit of confidence into the team after a largely rocky season. Thursday will also be Blackwell's final home game of the season, and this senior class would surely like nothing more than to challenge a #1 ranked Chargers in the last game on their field. The Maroons have not had much go their way thus far, but they will definitely be prepared to lay it all on the line for an upset over Heritage.

Although it may not seem like it on the surface, Thursday's matchup with the Maroons is actually huge for Heritage, as they are only a single victory away from clinching their fifth straight district title. This feat is obviously extraordinary and something to admire in such a difficult district, but most importantly it would presumably grant the Chargers home field advantage in both of their first two playoff games.

Player Spotlight:
Tanner Goodenough has generally been the Maroons' most consistent and dangerous player all season long. The senior is probably most explosive when lining up at running back, but he does everything for the team, starring on defense and special teams as well. Offensively, Goodenough has racked up nearly 700 total yards with four touchdowns. The Maroons rely on the do-it-all standout to carry the load in all ways, as he has averaged nearly 14 rushes per game, while also receiving the ball 12 times on the season. On defense, Goodenough typically lines up in the secondary at the safety position. He has recorded 56 tackles thus far, including 38 solos, along with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Goodenough provides solid help in both the run defense and coverage, and Charger quarterbacks must keep an eye on him all night long. The senior returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown earlier this season as well. Just like Heritage Hall, Blackwell actually possesses multiple players who contribute on both sides of the ball, which is extremely impressive considering how tiring and physically demanding this can be.

Quarterback Mikey RIley has struggled in 2018, but he has a play style similar to Kingfisher's Jett Sternberger, which could be key on Thursday, because the Charger defense has struggled at times this year against dual threat quarterbacks.

Injury Report:
Heritage Hall has been relatively healthy over the past few weeks, but did suffer a blow in Kingfisher last Friday when offensive/defensive lineman Omari Smith went down with a knee injury in the second half. Smith has been a key piece in the Chargers' young, yet improving offensive line to this point. Defensively, Omari has recorded 36 total tackles, including a sack, on the season. Fortunately for the team, junior Edwin Lorne, who has not received a ton of game action in 2018, stepped in and was ready to go. Lorne did not miss a beat in the blocking game, performing well and even receiving a special shoutout from Coach Bogert in the postgame speech for his outstanding performance. Look for the junior to see a lot of action on Thursday while Smith deals with his ailing knee. It is always comforting for a coaching staff to know they have solid depth on the offensive line, a position probably more susceptible to injury than any other.

Overview:
In last week's victory over Kingfisher, the Chargers gained a big lead in the first half and played just well enough down the stretch to fend off a furious Jacket comeback and escape with a slim eight point victory. It was a tale of two halves for Heritage, as they dominated the game in the first half, but seemed to play a bit more conservative in the second, which created a path for Kingfisher to storm back into the game. Nevertheless, the Chargers picked up the big win, which is all that matters in such a tough game.

Conner Carey has been the star of the Charger offense all season long, but he took his game to another level last week. The senior had a career night, carrying the ball 33 times for 292 yards and three touchdowns, while also showing off his versatility with a 58 yard touchdown reception. The Chargers rode Carey all night long, and did not disappoint one bit, accounting for 354 total yards, or nearly 83% of the team's offense for the game. No matter where the coaches put him, Conner was bouncing off defenders and running all over the field. Carey's performance was record setting too, as his 292 rushing yards is the third highest in a single game in Heritage Hall history. Billy Ross Jr. did not have a huge night offensively, but he returned a kickoff 89 yards back to the house on the final play of the first half to give the Chargers all the momentum heading into the locker room. If one play decided the outcome of the game, Ross' kick return touchdown may have been it.

Robert Mbroh has played well all season long at quarterback, but it was sophomore Jackson Jobe who stood out against the Yellowjackets. Jobe finished the game with 113 passing yards with one touchdown and just a single interception that came from a near hail mary attempt. The sophomore's ability to accurately throw downfield kept Kingfisher defenders on their toes all night long, and most importantly, opened up more opportunities for Conner Carey in the rushing game up front. It is unclear who will jog out with the starters on the first play against Blackwell, but it would be no surprise if it were Jackson Jobe after his last two performances.

On the other side of the ball, the Charger secondary happened to struggle a bit against Kingfisher's air raid attack. Fortunately, the Hall's monstrous defensive line applied a ton of pressure on QB Jett Sternberger, forcing him to scramble or throw on the run nearly every play. Defensive ends Jaden McDaniel and Will Dunn have began to form a bit of a dynamic duo on the line, combing for 21 tackles and five sacks last Friday. The pair's ability to get into the backfield from each edge will be huge for the Heritage defense down the stretch. Hardy Bowers (17 tackles, one sack) and Philip Smitherman (19 tackles) both had stellar games, each nearly totalling 20 tackles, a particularly high amount for just a single game.

Heritage Hall will be the more talented team on Thursday when they square off against the Maroons. The only question is whether they will be focused and bring the energy required to keep Blackwell at bay. If the Chargers are able to avoid losing intensity and playing down their competition, then they should have no problem heading back home with their fifth straight district title.

Written by Jake LeForce '19
Photos by Kirsten Griffin