Chargers surge past Red Tornadoes in Week 2

The Heritage Hall Chargers, coming off of a season-opening victory against the Millwood Falcons, had momentum going into Week 2 against the number one ranked team in class 4A – the Clinton Red Tornadoes. The Hall entered the game as the underdogs, being the third-ranked team in class 3A.

At the beginning of the game, things got off to a fast start for the Tornadoes as they grabbed a 14-0 lead very quickly. The visitors' first touchdown came from their tailback running straight up the middle for about a 60-yard touchdown. On the following drive, the same running back ran for about 70 yards, but was chased down and tackled by senior Gavin Freeman. However, that left the Tornadoes in the red zone which they would capitalize on and score.

So as you can see the Chargers faced adversity early and lots of fans, coaches, and parents wanted to see how a new set of senior leaders would respond. They didn't fold; the Chargers answered with a River Faulkner touchdown the next drive. This gave the Chargers confidence that would later go on to help them survive the Tornadoes.

The Chargers ended up getting a defensive stop on the next Clinton possession and the leadership from senior quarterback William Paque went on full display. Slowly, play after play, he continued to build momentum for his team, moving them up the field with a variety of passes, runs, and even a good run for himself. This drive was vital and another touchdown run by Faulkner tied the game at 14-14.

The Chargers finally woke up after a slow start. The Tornadoes came back the next drive even harder, but it wasn't enough. They fumbled and senior cornerback Gavin Freeman joined the Charger touchdown party by scooping up the fumble and scoring from 77 yards away.

After a 9 yard touchdown pass from Paque to Orie Walker with less than a minute before halftime, Clinton responded with a 64 yard touchdown pass to pull within 27-21. The Red Tornadoes cut the lead to 27-24 on a 32-yard field goal to open the third quarter.

As a defensive battle raged on, tension built up in Charger Stadium. However, Freeman fielding a low rolling punt before darting, dodging, and dashing down the sideline to score an 88-yard touchdown that ignited the crowd and gave The Hall a 33-24 lead. It was all the way up from this point for the Chargers. Faulkner scored a touchdown in the 4th quarter to extend the lead and secure the victory, 39-24.

Paque led the passing attack, connecting on 17 of 26 attempts for 228 yards and a touchdown. Faulkner continued to dominate on the ground, racking up 124 yards and 3 more touchdowns on 22 carries; he now has 7 touchdowns in two games. Freeman and Walker each snagged 6 passes, with the senior receiver totaling 109 and the junior 66 yards.

Linebackers Nick Keith (14) and Cooper Cookson (10) led the Charger defense in tackles. Cookson, Brigham Evans, Mason Georgia, Zavier Freeman, and Zach Fetrow each made one sack. Freeman and Faulkner each recovered fumbles in the second quarter to spark the Charger comeback.

This game helped the Chargers in a lot of aspects, but especially providing big-game experience for the younger Chargers. It gave them the confidence they needed going into a Homecoming showdown with John Marshall. The Bears upset the Chargers last season at Taft Stadium, so revenge will be the ultimate motivator in Week 3. Onward, Chargers!

Written by Ethan Franks '22
Photos by Dawn Freeman

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