Heritage Defeats Carter to Move On to CIF Semifinals

#8 Brett Virgil gets ready to throw a pass while #26 Isaiah Morrow sets a block for him

After defeating Rim of the World High School by 47 points last week, Heritage High battled it out to defeat Carter, 28-19, in the second round of the CIF football playoffs Friday night.

The Lions of Rialto's Carter High School (9-3), came into the game as the underdog and they played like they had nothing to lose. They came out strong, scoring the first 13 points of the game and keeping Heritage scoreless for the first 18 minutes.

The Patriots, proving they are a team that doesn't stay down very long, led by one after two second-quarter rushing touchdowns (8, 6) by junior quarterback Brett Virgil.

"There were a lot of things that went against us. Our mistakes," Coach Kraig Broach said about the first half. "We were able to persevere and put two scores in the book."

Coming out in the second half, Heritage struck first, after Virgil scored his third touchdown of the game from 5 yards out, putting his team up 21-13 with just over five minutes left in the game.

When asked about his team's mindset after halftime, Virgil (pictured left) said, "We came out in the third and we knew we just had to huddle down, keep going, and do what we needed to do."

Down by eight points, the Lions still would not give up. After Carter picked off a pass by Virgil in the fourth quarter, running back Spencer Coleman scored on a 50-yard run with nine minutes left, putting the score at 21-19. Carter, down by two, attempted a two-point-conversion, but the defensive line of Heritage stuffed Carter's rushing attempt, keeping Carter down by two.

Heritage took possession and appeared to be content to holding a lead. The Patriots came out in goal line formations and ran the ball several times in a row, taking off as much time off the clock as they could. Carter, lulled by the goal line formation, was surprised when Virgil hit junior wide receiver Aleva Hifo on a deep cross route for a 70-yard touchdown pass with 2:29 left on the clock, putting Heritage up 28-19.

Not a team known for passing, Carter had to try to throw the ball downfield quickly to cut down the lead. In the first two plays, Heritage's defensive line stepped up, sacking Carter's quarterback Brent Hernandez twice -- one by junior defensive end Quentin Asberry and the other by senior linebacker Christian Weible, for his second sack of the half.

"I would like to say that it was like any other day, but in the heat of the moment, you got to step up and make the play," Weible (pictured left) said of his second-half performance. "In games like this, one play can make a difference."

Carter still managed to move the ball downfield. With 29 seconds left in the game, Carter's Hernandez hit wide receiver Andre Hogue with a pass, but senior defensive back Brandon Barker stripped the ball away from Hogue and his teammate, Hifo, grabbed the loose ball at the 1-yard line, putting the nail  in the coffin for Carter's season.

"In the playoffs, it's all about playing another week," Broach said excitedly. "We made enough plays to move on for another week and how awesome is that?"

Virgil led his team, completing 6 for 9 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown, while running 21 times for 77 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. Hifo caught 3 passes for 115 yards, with 1 touchdown reception and a fumble recovery. Junior running back Jalen Glover ran the ball 7 times for 86 yards rushing.

Heritage will be take on undefeated Riverside Poly (12-0) next week, at a neutral site, in the semifinals of the CIF playoffs.



Heritage High School storms onto the field

Quentin Asberry had a key sack during Carter High School's final drive

Referees measure for the first down. This kept the drive alive, leading to Hifo's big catch.

Hifo caught a 70-yard touchdown pass that shut the door on Carter High School's season