Stout D helps Patriots move on

American Heritage avenges loss in last season’s regional playoffs

PLANTATION—Miami Northwestern ended American Heritage’s season last year. The Patriots were eager to return the favor.

“It’ s really emotional ,” junior Earl Little Jr. said. “Actually, I started crying before this game because I knew what we were going to come out here and do, and I took that one to the chin last year, and I knew what we could do this year.”

Friday’s Class 5A regional quarterfinal ended with celebration, not tears, for the Patriots. They earned their revenge with a dominant defense, beating Northwestern— the winner of three straight state championships — 12-3 in Plantation.

“Being at a school like this, going 11-2is great for somes chools— but not us,” Patriots coach Pat Surtain said. “We hang banners around here, man, and we haven’t been able to do that the last two years. Our kids were ready for it. We knew we’ll have to play the threetime defending state champs again. We knew the exact date when we were going to play them. We wanted that challenge, man. We didn’t want any other team. We wanted the West, man.”

Northwestern threw everything they had at Heritage’s defense and could not get into the end zone. On their second drive, the Bulls got to the Patriots’ 1-yard line. A false start backed them up 5 yards, and a third-down sack by sophomore David Vadala pushed them back further. Northwestern had to settle for a field goal.

Two drives later, the Bulls started at the Patriots’ 40 and drove inside Heritage’s 5-yard line. But the Patriots’ defense and costly penalties pushed the Bulls back again, and they missed a field goal attempt.

Late in the firsthalf, Northwestern got to the red zone again, but their drive ended when junior Jacolby Spells picked off a pass and returned it close to midfield. The Patriots couldn’t capitalize on that opportunity and went to the locker room trailing 3-0. American Heritage’s defense was holding up its side of the bargain, but the Patriots needed to put some points on the board.

“We knew what we had to do,” Little said. “Wewant the pressure on our back because we know what we can do on the defensive side of the ball. [The coaches] just told us to keep our head in the game and stay patient.”

Heritage got the ball to start the second half and immediately got the points they needed, driving down the field in seven plays. Quarterback Blake Murphy punched in a2 -yards core and give the Patriots a 6-3 lead.

The defense took things from there. On Northwestern’s next drive, Marvin Jones Jr. got a strip sack, and James Williams recovered the ball. Chris Maron hit a field goal to put Heritage up 9-3.

Linebacker Jaeden Kinlock intercepted a pass on the Bulls’ following drive, ending a Northwestern threat in the red zone.

Up six points, the Bulls were still in striking distance when they punted the ball and pinned the Patriots inside their own 5-yard line. Murphy left the game with an injury, and senior Vinson Davis replaced him at quarterback. Davis gave the Patriots a jolt on offense. They moved the ball down field and milked the clock. Maron hit another field goal to put Heritage up 12-3 with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter.

Northwestern, trailing by nine, needed tomove the ball and score quickly tohave a shot at pulling off the comeback, but Little picked off a pass — the Patriots’ fourth takeaway of the game — to seal the victory. American Heritage will face Rockledge in the regional semifinals nextweek.