Heritage Hall gets it done on the ground STAFF WRITER
Ground and pound normally isn’t Heritage Hall’s style.
The Chargers are known for their spread offense and multiple-position threats that make it difficult for a defense to key on any one player.
But when Conner Carey is cooking like he was Friday against John Marshall, the game plan changes.
Carey rushed for 168 yards on 22 carries and caught three passes for 82 yards as Heritage Hall trimmed John Marshall 27-20 at Taft Stadium.
“That’s just all the credit to Conner,” Heritage Hall coach Brett Bogert said. “He’s been on fire to start this season, and we want to utilize him as best we can.”
As a team Heritage Hall (4-1) rushed it 42 times for 217 yards against the previously unbeaten Bears.
The Chargers jumped on the board first as junior receiver Phillip
Smitherman returned the opening kick 90 yards for a touchdown.
The teams played lights out defensively for the rest of the first quarter as each squad only gave up one first down.
But in the second quarter, the Chargers found their flow behind Carey, who made it a habit of rushing straight through the middle of the John Marshall defensive line for more than 7.5 yards per carry.
“The line stepped up big,” Carey said.
“I was really just running where they were making holes. I think coach saw that and just decided to pound it.”
John Marshall quarterback Jarod Leviston found his brother, Jared Leviston, for a 33-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter.
But Heritage Hall quarterback Robert Mbroh returned the favor with a 13-yard strike to Smitherman to put Heritage Hall up 14-6 at the half.
Leviston found the end zone again when he connected with sophomore receiver Bryce Stephens from 17 yards to cut the score to 14-12.
But from there, the Chargers leaned on Carey, feeding the senior back while racking up first downs and killing the clock.
Mbroh threw a second touchdown pass to senior receiver Preston Nelson from 13 yards to put Heritage Hall up 21-12.
After forcing a John Marshall punt, Carey sealed the deal
Facing a 4th-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Carey got the handoff but was met by a wall of John Marshall defenders. He spun out of the mass of red and blue, broke the run outside, shed two defenders and dived for the pylon for the touchdown.
“I honestly have no idea what happened,” Carey said. “I just kept driving my feet and next thing I knew I was by the pylon and I reached for it.”
John Marshall (4-1) scored on an 84-yard touchdown pass from Leviston to Stephens as time expired to make the score 27-20. Leviston finished with 211 yards passing and three touchdowns.