Ahmed's last-second field goal leads Heritage to victory

Isaac Ahmed kicked a 21-yard field goal in the final seconds Thursday night to give the Heritage High football team a 15-14 victory over visiting Elsinore in an Ivy League game.

Ahmed’s kick helped the Patriots even their league record at 1-1 and improve their overall mark to 3-5. Heritage will be at home again next Friday against a traditionally tough Rancho Verde team that is 1-1 in league play and 2-4 overall heading into tonight’s game against Temescal Canyon.

Heritage began its final drive of the game after a punt return to their own 13-yard line with 3 minutes remaining. Led by quarterback Hayden Lara, the Patriots drove all the way to the Elsinore 4-yard line, where they faced fourth down with just seconds left.

Following Ahmed’s field goal, Heritage attempted an onside kick to keep the ball away from Elsinore. The visitors recovered at midfield, but they had time for only one play – an incomplete pass.

Heritage coach Andre Smith praised the play of his entire team.

“It’s nice to get back in the win column,” Smith said. “Lara played really well and threw the ball really well. We also did well on the run. Teams that play us are ready for the run, but we stuck to our game plan and threw the ball well, too.”

Elsinore took a 7-0 lead on a 30-yard pass play and PAT kick early in the second quarter. Heritage’s first touchdown came on a pass from Lara to Austin Connell just before halftime, but they trailed 7-6 after a missed PAT. When Elsinore scored again on a touchdown run in the first minute of the fourth quarter and added the PAT, the Tigers held a 14-6 lead.

With about seven minutes to go, a touchdown run by Heritage cut the deficit to 14-12, but a two-point conversion attempt to tie the score failed. Elsinore was unable to move the ball effectively after that, however, giving the ball back to the Patriots for the winning drive.

“Elsinore is tough on offense. To hold them to what we did is an accomplishment,” Smith said. “Our defense got some tough stops when we needed it.”

Linebacker Kanye Young had an interception to help lead the Heritage defense.