GameSetter: Week 6 vs Perkins-Tyron - Heritage Hall Athletics

When and Where:
3A Perkins-Tryon (5-0) vs. 3A #1 Heritage Hall (4-1)
October 4 (Thu) 7:00 PM
Charger Stadium

Game Notes:
Last week, the Chargers found themselves in their most important game of the year against undefeated district opponent John Marshall and were up to the task, defeating the Bears in impressive fashion. It was an all around clean performance from the Hall, but the defense led the way all night as they limited John Marshall's dangerous passing attack to just 12 points until only a few ticks were left on the scoreboard. Heritage now turns to focus on a similar matchup this Thursday, as they will yet again be lining up across from an undefeated district opponent when Perkins-Tryon visits Charger Stadium. Although the Demons are unranked, whereas the Bears were ranked 2nd in 3A, this game still presents one of the most crucial challenges of 2018. Both squads have likely set themselves up for postseason appearances, but this game will go a long way in deciding the outcome of the district. A Perkins victory opens the door for the entire district and places the Demons in a perfect spot to control their own destiny from here on out. On the other hand, a Charger win would assert their continued dominance over the district and place them in a great spot to win their fifth consecutive district title.

Heritage Hall has squared off against historic programs week after week in 2018. However, Thursday's contest features a somewhat different story. Perkins has made it into the postseason 36 times, an impressive total, yet has never been able to capture a state championship. The Demons have had successful teams in recent years, as they have not finished under .500 since 2013, but some are starting to believe this 2018 squad has the ability to finally make some real noise. Sitting at 5-0 with a lot of momentum, Perkins will have a great opportunity on Thursday to take down one of the biggest titans in Oklahoma and prove that their name belongs in the 3A state championship discussion.

Player Spotlight:
In last Friday's game, the Chargers were forced to prepare for quarterback Jarod Leviston and the Bears' deadly air raid offense. The Perkins offense, however, presents a challenge on the exact opposite end of the spectrum, as they rely very heavily on the rushing attack. This is mainly thanks to running back Ty Hill, who has broken onto the scene in the past few weeks. Hill has had three huge games in a row, running for 548 total yards along with seven touchdowns. In last week's dominant victory over Blackwell, the senior capped off this short stint with a career performance, amassing 231 rushing yards and three scores on just 15 carries. Hill is only listed at 5'10 and 155 lbs., but he is very shifty uses and uses his quickness well to speed by oncoming defenders. The Demons love to get their budding star out in space, and commonly utilize the counter run play to get him on the outside.

Quarterback Austin Mages is not the most effective passer that Heritage has seen thus far, but he does provide an extra threat in the run game alongside the running back. On the season, Mages has rushed for nearly 400 total yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback is only a sophomore, but started last season and looks like he has what it takes what it takes to be a rare four year starter. Mages ability to run the football could be a underlying key for the Demons to have success while the Heritage defense puts their attention on Ty Hill.

Injury Report:
The Hall has battled numerous injuries all season long, but it now appears that the team is fully healthy and ready to go. Key players such as Connor Keith, Will Dunn, and Billy Ross Jr. have all returned from the sidelines and are back to impacting games like they so did often in 2017. In last week's victory, Dunn racked up seven total tackles and has steadily improved at defensive end each week. Linebacker Connor Keith, who played with a bulky cast on his left hand, pulled down a crucial interception late in the game after just barely missing out on one in the first half. Although he tends to grab the spotlight more often on offense, Ross was also able to provide help on the other side of the ball against the Bears, as he recorded five solo tackles in the game.

It is crucial that the Chargers remain healthy in this week's battle against Perkins' ground and pound offensive attack. The Demons are physical on the front line, and Heritage must be ready for a dog fight in the trenches. If the Hall can prevent Hill from getting into space by getting into the backfield and force Mages to pass the ball downfield, they will likely find a lot of success.

Overview:
Despite being unranked, Perkins-Tryon is undefeated through five games and will be riding high into Thursday's date with the Chargers. Hill has sparked the Demon offense, but it is their defense that has really led the charge to this point, as they have not surrendered more than 20 points in a single contest and are holding opponents to just under 10 points per game. In Perkins' opening week victory at Hennessey, the defense came up clutch. Perkins trailed at halftime, but their defense held the opposing Eagles scoreless for the entire second half, allowing the offense to take the lead and escape with a tight one point victory.

The Demon defense is tested and has been a main factor in the team's hot start, but they have not seen anything like this Heritage Hall offense yet. Coach Bogert and his staff have designed an almost seamless blend of the run and pass, and the team has now hit their stride after quarterback controversy earlier in the season. Robert Mbroh passed all over the Bears last Friday, accounting for 172 yards and two touchdowns on the night. The sophomore has been efficient with the ball all season, and continued to do so while completing 11 of his 17 passes, with a meaningless interception that came off on a halftime hail mary attempt. Mbroh and his favorite target, Conner Carey, were able to connect for some big plays as well, a traditional part of the Charger offense that has disappeared at times in 2018. Carey had an incredible 84 receiving yards on just two receptions, including an acrobatic catch along the sideline that eventually went for 50 yards. The senior may have been even better on the ground, however, as the Chargers relied on his combination of speed and strength all night long. Carey made the most of his career high 26 rushing attempts, running like crazy for 188 yards. The senior finished off his stellar performance with a signature power run-and-lunge into the endzone, carrying defenders on his back to officially put a dagger in the Bears in the final minutes of the game. On the outside, senior Preston Nelson has also added a new dimension to the Heritage offense this year. Nelson led the team in catches with four against John Marshall, and finished the game with 38 yards as well as his first career touchdown reception.

On the other side of the ball, stopping the run will definitely be the Chargers main focus. The linebacker group, led by Hardy Bowers and Connor Keith, will play an important role this week. The group must be able to make their tackles, therefore not allowing the speedy Ty Hill to get into the secondary and break off big plays. The defense played well against the Bears' passing attack, and now they must play even better against this run heavy scheme.

Although Perkins is unranked, the Chargers must come ready to play on Thursday and avoid a letdown performance after their emotional win over 3A #2 John Marshall last week. Heritage has struggled to play clean ballgames for much of the season, highlighted by their close week two victory over Clinton in which the offense turned the ball over seven times in the first half. Last Friday, however, the Hall did a much better job and finished the game with the lone interception. If Heritage can avoid penalties and turnovers, and force the Demons to pass the ball more than they would like to, then they should end Perkins' perfect season and pick up an important district victory.

Written by Jake LeForce '19
Photos by Jake Steelman '19

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