Football: Heritage Earns Signature Win Against Tuscarora

Special to VivaLoudoun
By Carl Lukat
Times-Mirror Staff Writer

Leesburg (Nov. 10, 2011) - While Heritage High School's football program has enjoyed a revival this season, the Pride entered their regular season finale Nov. 4 at Leesburg rival Tuscarora with something to prove.

Heritage entered the game with a 6-3 record - doubling their combined win total from the previous two seasons - but none of those six victories have come against an opponent with a winning record.

"We have never been anything but honest with our kids," Pride coach Steve Williams said. "I basically told them in practice this week that when we play the good teams in the region, we have gotten our butts kicked ... We told our kids we are probably right now the top tier of the lower level group in the region and we want to make the jump. A win tonight helps us make that jump."

Heritage earned that elusive signature win Friday night. The Pride scored on their first offensive play of the game and rallied from a pair of second-half deficits to defeat the host Huskies 31-28.


Williams' reward was a water cooler bath from his players on a cold evening. "The kids never stopped believing. They came out ready to go."

The Pride wrap up the regular season at 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the Dulles District. The Huskies fell a little short Friday night, but still close out an impressive regular season at 8-2, 6-2.

Tuscarora, Heritage and Loudoun County (8-2, 6-2) finish tied for second in the district, two games back of repeat Dulles champion Briar Woods (9-1, 8-0). All four teams have qualified for the playoffs.

"A second-year program and we are 8-2 with a chance to be 9-1 is pretty impressive. What these kids have done is unheard of in this county and most places," said Tuscarora coach Mike Burnett, who guided Broad Run to consecutive Virginia Division 4 championships before starting up the Huskies' program in 2010. "I think it is good for them to kind of reevaluate. While we are good, we need to get better. Our goals are bigger than winning this one game."

Senior quarterback Austin Nelson played a role in all four of the Pride's touchdowns. Nelson completed 19 of 29 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushed for a score.

On both occasions when Tuscarora took the lead in the second half, Nelson and the Pride answered on the ensuing possession - needing less than two minutes to do so each time. Nelson connected with junior Nicholas Wright on a 24-yard pass for what turned out to be the winning score with 8"08 left in regulation. Wright caught two touchdown passes overall.

"We just didn't give up," Wright said. "We put it down their throats at first and then they started coming back and put it right back at us. But we fought hard and we stayed in it and won the game."

Senior Cameron Molina was the Huskies' workhouse throughout the game. Molina carried the ball 33 times for 237 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Edwin Mends added 76 rushing yards on 10 carries, and also returned a fumble 79 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Tuscarora was penalized 11 times in the second half for more than 100 yards, including a holding call on its final drive that negated a 17-yard run by Molina that would have set up first-and-goal from the Pride 8-yard line. Instead the ball was pushed back to the 34 and three plays later, a potential game-tying 42-yard field goal attempt fell well short with eight seconds left.

"Hopefully, we can use this to motivate us and refocus," Burnett said. "I thought our kids played well. Austin is a great quarterback and he made great plays. We didn't play very well defensively and the penalties are obvious, they speak for themselves."

Williams is hoping the momentum from Friday's win carries over to the playoffs. He pointed out that the last three Virginia Division 4 champions have come from the Dulles District.

"We are practicing to make a run," Williams said. "What happens now is up to us. We are going to go out and work to win a state championship, not just to make the playoffs and be happy."


Heritage 31, Tuscarora 28

First Quarter
H: Finney 27 pass from Nelson (Pyszka kick) 11:34
T: Molina 58 run (kick blocked) 9:01

Second Quarter
H: Nelson 1 run (Pyszka kick) 7:56
T: Molina 4 run (Mends run) 0:19

Third Quarter
H: Pyszka 39 field goal, 9:43
T: Molina 6 run (Miller kick) 7:26
H: Wright 21 pass from Nelson (Pyszka kick) 5:35

Fourth Quarter
T: Mends 79 fumble return (Miller kick) 9:38
H: Wright 24 pass from Nelson (Pyszka kick) 8:08

Rushing
H: Nelson 10-26, Leonard 2-3, Narvaez 3-1, Finney 3-1. Total 18-31.
T: Molina 33-237, Mends 10-76, Stinger 4-10, Day 1-4, Carerra 2-1. Total 50-328.

Passing
H: Nelson 19-29-0 306, Finney 0-1-0. Total 19-30-0 306.
T: Carerra 4-7-1 33, Mends 0-1-0. Total 4-8-1 33.

Receiving
H: Finney 6-96, Gerling 4-96, Wright 5-80, Taylor 3-22, Leonard 1-12.
T: Molina 2-14, Mends 1-12, Carpenter 1-7.

Enjoy more of Carl Lukat's Loudoun sports coverage at www.loudountimes.com!