Heritage gets 27-0 win on the road at Amherst County, move to 2-0
Amherst County HS, Amherst , VA –
Amherst Coach Bob Christmas is always out to win any game he coaches in, but when you face a good team like Heritage, regardless of outcome, you want to see competitiveness and desire. Friday night that was evident in both teams. Even before the game started, both clubs had some words, albeit from a distance, for each other. There was no lack on intensity in this one.
On a chilly night, Heritage started fast but Amherst settled in and this game was a tight 7-0 Heritage lead after the first quarter. Amherst challenged in the second quarter but the Pioneer defense stood it’s ground and turned the home team away on fourth down. Heritage added another score with a couple minutes left in the half, so it was
only 14-0 at the break. Heritage Coach Brad Bradley respects what Coach Christmas has done and is doing, “Give credit to Amherst. Bob Christmas has done a great job. They are getting better and better.” Those in attendance could hear both sidelines coaching loudly, and it was great to see their players respond. Coach Christmas thought his team gave great effort. “We are a different football team then we were last year. I think we have turned the corner and we are going to be okay. “ When they turned the lights off at the stadium, Heritage left with a hard earned 27-0 win to move to 2-0. Amherst is now 1-1.
Heritage WR 13 Kaleb Crawford is corralled by the Amherst defense
First Quarter –
Heritage took the opening kickoff and do what they always seem to do… drive the ball and score.
LB 18 Parker Hoden makes the tackle on Pioneer RB 21 Rajan Booker-Felder
Featuring RB 21 Rajan Booker-Felder, The Sophomore toted the ball on four of the six play drive, finishing it off with a 3 yard TD run. Booker-Felder’s style is one of darting into a hole, bouncing back out and outside. He pulls the defenders in and then beats them outside of tackle. His first two carries, he picked up eleven and fourteen yards before Amherst made an adjustment.
Heritage RB 21 Booker-Felder gets a block from WR 13 Crawford and skates outside for yards
QB 14 Kameron Burns is another playmaker who is going to keep opposing coaches up at night. The Junior is a much better runner this year, and his passing is going to give Heritage the diversity it will need throughout the season. It looked like Heritage might run away with this one on their next drive after forcing Amherst to a ‘three and out.”
Big OL 67 Emerson Komen gets a block to free RB 21 Booker-Felder
The Pioneers drove the ball from near midfield to the Lancer six before the Amherst defense dug in and got the ball back on a fourth down stop. Coach Christmas was happy with his defense’ for the most part, “Two big stops (goal line stands) last week against Rustburg, two picks tonight and a couple big stops. We are going to be alright. We have to keep working.
The big pick up was a 21 yard run by Burns down to the six. The quarter ended with Heritage up 7-0.
Facing third down, Amherst RB 24 Donte Martin hurdles two Heritage defenders and keeps his feet picking up the first
Second Quarter –
Heritage added another touchdown in the second but that was all there was. Amherst ate up a big chunk of the quarter on a 12-play, 38-yard drive before it stalled at the Pioneer twenty four. Amherst picked up three big third downs on the drive, and only a fumble denied them a chance on fourth down. A big play that really got the home team and crowd excited was by RB 24 Donte Martin who hurdled over two defenders closing in on a tackle. The play was big because it was a third and six. The acrobatic leap kept the drive alive and netted the Senior 12-yards as he amazingly kept his feet and kept moving on.
Pioneer QB 14 Kam Burns evades Lancer DB 24 Donte Martin
Once Heritage got the ball back, they quickly went to work to add some cushion to their lead. QB 14 Burns did the honors with 2:32 left until half on a run up the middle. The Pioneers need only six plays to get into the end zone again. RB 21 Booker-Felder had two big runs of 34 and 11 yards to eat up ground. QB 14 Burns added a seventeen yard dart the play prior to his touchdown. Coach Bradley’s Pioneers had designs on getting a stop before the break and possibly adding to their lead. The worked the Lancers into a fourth down, but the crafty Christmas pulled off a fake punt for eight yards to just reach the marker. That kept the margin at 14-0, Heritage, at the half. Coach Bradley would have liked to have got another crack at scoring before the half, “We are not happy with the way we played, especially in the first half on defense, but we didn’t give up any points.”
Third Quarter –
Amherst County received the ball first in the second half and you had the feeling something had to give. DL 10 Terrell Washington got a big sack for a five yard loss on second down. That put the Lancers behind the sticks. RB 24 Martin picked up seven on third down, but Amherst was forced to punt.
Give the Amherst County defense some credit too. The home team gave up some yardage but forced a rushed throw from QB 14 Burns to WR 23 Darius Brown. The ball fell incomplete and Amherst took over at their own twenty-seven. Both teams traded interceptions on the next two possessions. Heritage’s DB 14 Burns was picked off in the endzone on a nice read and run by DB 2 Truck Roberson.
Lancer QB 11 C.J. Rose rolls right looking for a receiver
But Lancer QB 11 C.J Rose gave it back on a first down throw that was nabbed by DB 12 Kaleb Crawford in a wild catch. Crawford tipped the ball about ten yards downfield on the hash, fell backwards and then actually caught the ball between his knees.
Fourth Quarter –
Heritage made the Lancers pay for that gift this time. The Pioneers took ten plays with a steady dose of RB 21 Booker-Felder , RB Jermoine Morris and QB 14 Burns.
RB/LB 25 Jermoine Morris bangs inside for tough yards
Morris adds another element to the Coach Bradley’s run game. He’s a physical runner that isn’t shy about initiating the contact. Coach Bradley beamed about his Senior, “(Morris) played well, gave us a 1-2 punch at running back. He moved in from Georgia last year and this is his second season. I was really happy with him (tonight).”
Pioneer QB 14 Kam Burns scores late then celebrates with teammates
QB 14 Burns tallied his second rushing score of the night from three yards out to put a stamp on the drive. With point after by K 32 Karson Adcock, Heritage’s lead was now 21-0 at the 10:32 mark.
Amherst gave the ball right back on a botched kickoff that was recovered by RB/LB 25 Morris. The Senior made several big plays on the night. Some guys seem to have a nose for the ball and it’s safe to say Morris fills the bill on that account.
But there was no quit in the Lancers, QB 14 Burns tried to turn the Amherst miscue into points right away, but his toss the corner of the end zone was well diagnosed by DB 3 Lawrence Brown and the Junior made the pick.
Lancer DB 3 Lawrence Brown intercepts Burn’s pass in the endzone
Burns is important to Heritage’s success this year, “(Burns) played well, made a couple mistakes in the first half. The pick he had in the end zone, I think he wishes he had back. He’s matured a lot. I am excited. I thought he ran the ball well tonight.”
Amherst WR 3 Lawrence Brown picks up yards after the catch
Heritage would add one more touchdown on a 2-yard run by RB 21 Booker-Felder with 3:59 left in the contest to make the score 27-0. The extra point was no good. Amherst Coach Christmas was not displeased with his teams effort on the night, “We stopped ourselves and they are a very good football team, and you can’t make mistakes like that. I was not displeased… ( I didn’t lke the results)… but not with how they played. Their togetherness and effort was there. ”
Coach Bradley was already thinking about the next challenge, “We are going to enjoy this one until we walk off the field and get ready for Rustburg.”
Heritage Coach Bradley encourages his team
Heritage will travel next Friday to take on Rustburg. Amherst will also be on the road to battle Brookville. On another front the Lynchburg area is keeping their eye on the Covid pandemic as it sidelined a couple area teams from playing this Friday, as a precaution. Both Jefferson Forest and EC Glass postponed their games this week. – Cap’n Crunch
Offense: Rushing– Heritage– Booker-Felder 15-119, 2TDs, Burns 13-77, 2TDs, Crawford 3-21, Morris 3-21 Amherst Co– Martin 12-46, Rose 16-44, Megginson 4-15, Ellis 4-14, Roberson 2-13, Sweeney 3-9, Cashwell 3-6, Hoden 1-5, Idore 2-1 Passing– Heritage– Burns 5-13, 26, 2 INTs Amherst Co– Rose 2-8, 22 INT Receiving– Heritage– Crawford 4-18, Brown 1-8 Amherst Co– Brown 2-22 Punting– Heritage– 0 punts Amherst Co Rodes 2-34
Scoring:
- H: Booker-Felder 3 yd TD run; Adcock PAT good
- H: Burns 3-yrd TD run; Adcock PAT good
- H: Burns 3-yrd TD run; Adcock PAT good
- H: Booker-Felder 2 yd TD run; PAT no good
