Heritage falls short in final second against Upland, 17-16

A very difficult weekend for the Heritage High School football program ended in disappointment Saturday night when the Patriots fell just short, 17-16, at Upland in the first round of the CIF Division 2 playoffs.

The Patriots dedicated the game to teammate Dylan Dickey, who collapsed on the field prior to pregame warmups Friday night and was transported to a local hospital. The game was postponed until Saturday night, when the Patriots tried to focus on football for a few hours.

The good news is that Dickey, a sophomore linebacker, is improving, said Grant Bennett, superintendent of the Perris Union High School District. He said Dickey was transferred to Loma Linda Hospital and is responding to treatment. No other details on his medical condition have been released.

On the field, Heritage took a 10-3 lead at halftime and appeared to be in good shape until the Highlanders scored touchdowns in each of the last two quarters for a 17-10 lead. It stood that way until there was just one second left in the game, when Patriots quarterback Trey Goodlow ran 14 yards for a touchdown. That cut the deficit to 17-16, and the Patriots were forced with a decision.

Opting to go for two points and the win rather than kick for a tie and force overtime, Heritage was stopped short when Ika Tuatala was tackled at the 1-yard line.

Heritage finishes its season with a 7-4 record.