Heritage's Season Takeoff is a Luna Eclipse, 21-0

Senior linebacker Javier Luna takes down Great Oak quarterback McGwire Bustamante for one of his 6 sacks Friday night. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre

By Tim Sahar
Correspondent

The Heritage High School Patriots kicked off their football season Friday night against the Great Oak Wolfpack at home, winning in dominating fashion, 21-0.

From the opening kickoff, the Patriots never seemed to be threatened by the Wolfpack roster. It all started with the fast-paced defense connecting in every circumstance. Whether it was the defensive line, linebackers, or secondary, each member of the defense found a way to make life real difficult for Great Oak’s quarterback, McGwire Bustamante.

Even though the Patriots’ defense was clicking on all cylinders, nobody on the entire field stood out more than Heritage’s Javier Luna. Luna was seen dominating all over the field, play after play after play. It seemed like Great Oak’s dream solution was to get an extra long leash on Luna to stop him from sacking their quarterback. Still, Luna had 6 total sacks, including 3 momentum-breaking sacks all in a single possession.

Not only was Luna a standout on the defensive end, but he was running the ball up and down the field on offense and was even given a few chances to kick the ball during kickoffs and punts. Luna finished off with 77 total yards rushing, 1 touchdown, and a game-high 6 sacks. He provided intense defensive play as well as stability and control for Heritage’s offense.

When asked about Luna’s breakout performance, Heritage coach Kraig Broach said, "He’s just a football player. He’s a really good football player who adds a lot of versatility to our team."

Another strong factor in the Patriots’ big win over the Wolfpack was the mature quarterback play of Devan Freedland (left, with Broach). Even though Freedland threw for just 74 yards with 1 touchdown pass, he showed what it means to be a solid leader. He played steadily, managed the clock properly, and showed true leadership out on the field.

Even after shutting out Great Oak in their first game, Broach didn’t want to celebrate his team’s victory, claiming, "We’ve got a lot of work to do, especially with a good Los Osos team coming to town next week."

Excitement was at a high level as the Patriots took the field for the first time this season. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre

New starting quarterback Devan Freeland looked good in his debut with Heritage High. Photo by Kristi Jo Aguirre

Defensive lineman Parker Benner takes down Great Oak quarterback McGwire Bustamante Friday night. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

Junior running back Sherod White finds a path to the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon