Millwood outlasts Heritage Hall 30-20 in season opener
Millwood senior quarterback Daniel Howard grew frustrated with each incomplete pass or turnover to the point his teammates and coaches worked to calm him down.
It was his responsibility to lead, he thought. And in the final 12 minutes, Howard did that late Thursday night.
Howard rushed for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally Class 2A No. 1 Millwood to a 30-20 win over Class 3A No. 1 Heritage Hall in
a battle of defending champions at Millwood High.
“I just felt like I needed to take over with my feet, and they gave me the plays to do it,” Howard said.
The win extends Millwood’s state-best win streak to 29 straight games. The loss is Heritage Hall’s first in the regular season since Sept. 19, 2014.
The game was played in front of an estimated 2,300
fans who anticipated an electric game between two of the most successful programs in the state the past five years.
“It was intense, for real,” Howard said.
The atmosphere nearly got the best of Howard. He failed to complete a pass in the first half and turned the ball over twice, one of which led to a Chargers touchdown that made it 16-14 at the break.
But he completed a 5-yard pass to Texas commit De’Mariyon Houston to open the third. Everything then seemed to slow down.
Howard rushed for 93 yards in the second half to total 140 on 21 carries. With Heritage Hall clinging to a 22-16 lead in the fourth, Howard scored on a 7-yard keeper to regain the lead.
Nearly 3 minutes later, he scored on a 30-yard run down the home sideline for a 30-20 lead after he ran for his second twopoint conversion.
“He just settled in,” Millwood coach Darwin Franklin said. “He’s such a dynamic player. He hates to lose. Once he calmed down and had a twinge in his eyes he was good. He got it. He did a great job tonight. He really did.”
Millwood opened the game responding to a Chargers scoring drive, but in a big way. Oklahoma commit Marcus Major Jr. scored on a 52-yard run on the first play. He finished with 118 yards on 12 carries.
Heritage Hall quarterback Will Dunn was dynamic at times, throwing for 314 yards and three touchdowns. But he also
turned the ball over five times, including two interceptions by Howard.
The Chargers also had 18 penalties for 154 yards.
But they still took a 20-16 lead in the third when Dunn connected with Connery Carey for a 45-yard touchdown. It was the second time they duo connected for a touchdown.
It just wasn’t enough to hold off the powerful Falcons.
“We feel like the fourth quarter is where everything happens,” Howard said. “We buckled down and got the W.”