When and Where:
3A #1 Heritage Hall (11-1) vs. 3A #6 Lincoln Christian (11-1)
November 23 (Fri) 7:00 PM
George F. Collins Stadium at Sapulpa High School • Semifinals
Livestreamed on ChargerVision

Game Notes:
Heritage Hall easily defeated Stigler in last week's quarterfinal round, as they entered the final quarter of the game with a resounding 44-0 advantage. This week's semifinal presents a much tougher matchup, however, when the Chargers take the field in Sapulpa across from Lincoln Christian, who are now 11-1 on the season. The Bulldogs record is even more impressive when looking at their schedule, too. On the season, they have defeated Stigler, Idabel, and Plainview, three teams who survived into the quarterfinal rounds, as well as Vian, who just defeated Millwood last Friday in the 2A playoffs. Their only loss was earlier in the regular season to a solid Seminole squad, yet another quarterfinal team. Lincoln Christian has been put through the wringer all season long, but the Chargers know well that tough competition can only make a team better. Despite Heritage Hall's prestige and tremendous track record, it is clear a team like Lincoln Christian will not be intimidated on Friday night because of the tests they have faced throughout the year.

Much like the Chargers, Lincoln Christian is a relatively well rounded team. They have an incredibly high powered offense that is well balanced between the pass and run. This unit has scored more than 50 points eight different times this year, including a stretch in the middle of the year in which the Bulldogs exceeded that mark six games in a row. In contrast, the Heritage offense has only broke 50 points twice this year. On the other side of the ball, Lincoln Christian has held their opponent under 21 points in every single game this year except the lone loss to Seminole.

It is also important to note that these two schools' last meeting was the 2015 State Championship, where that historic Charger squad completed their perfect season and won 38-14 in what was actually their closest game of the year. This senior class basically kicked off their miraculous careers against the Bulldogs, and now have the possibility to close it against them again.

Player Spotlight:
Lincoln Christian boasts many playmakers on their offense, but their best player is clearly running back Brendyn Harris, who runs the ball much like Conner Carey. The senior is always one of the fastest players on the field, creates a lot of big plays, and is tough to bring down due to his shiftiness. Harris averages over 15 carries per game and has rushed for 1578 yards for 27 touchdowns on the season.

Defensively, the Bulldogs are led by brothers of Tyson and Jace Ward. The two both at the linebacker position and are the heart of this scrappy defense. Tyson has recorded 137 tackles and 16 for loss on the season, while Jace is close behind with 120 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. The duo leads their team in tackles by a wide margin, combining for over 21 per game. Tyson and Jace could play key factors in the game Friday, as their ability to slow down Conner Carey, Billy Ross Jr., and the Charger rushing attack could be crucial in deciding the final score.

Injury Report:
In last week's quarterfinal game, the Chargers were fortunate to escape without any significant injuries. That being said, Heritage will still enter Friday without two starting offensive linemen in Omari Smith and A.J. Sirls, alongside quarterback Robert Mbroh. The Hall has battled through tough injury luck all season long, and there is no doubt they will be able to for the final games of the year.

Overview:
All of the Chargers' stars were on full display against Stigler last week. Conner Carey found the endzone five times, despite receiving just 11 touches on the night, while Billy Ross Jr. scored the team's other touchdown. The two have been tremendous thus far, and will need to be on top of their game yet again against Lincoln Christian's tough run defense. Quarterback Jackson Jobe has played well recently and his ability to throw the ball down field for deep pass plays should be able to open up space for the rushing attack.

Friday may be the toughest task the defense has been forced to face since the Chargers took on Kingfisher earlier in 2018. Brendyn Harris may be the best running back Heritage has lined up against all season long, meaning he may be the X-factor on Friday. If Heritage Hall is able to slow his production down and make the Bulldogs throw the ball more than they're used to, then the Chargers should find some success. Lincoln Christian is not bad in the passing game, as quarterback Chase Ricke has thrown for nearly 3000 yards on the year, but it is much easier to defend a team when they become one dimensional. Look for star Jaden McDaniel to shine on the biggest stage and have a huge performance on Friday.

Heritage Hall is no stranger to the bright lights and playing deep into November. The Chargers are just two wins away from bringing home the school's seventh state championship and will surely be locked and loaded on Friday night to take on the Bulldogs.

Written by Jake LeForce '19
Photos by Cindy Ritchie