Jared Long bent at the waist to whisper into the ear hole of Moak Griffin, who was seated inches shy of the goal line.
Eli Acker gathered his teammates for a post-game to remind them that the last Heritage Academy football team to win a state title had five losses.
Following Acker’s talk, Long, Griffin, and Lex Rogers took a knee around quarterback Carter Putt, who was seated on the turf at C.L. Mitchell Field.
The signs of disappointment were evident, as were indications Heritage Academy wasn’t going to let a 28-20 loss to Pillow Academy in a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) non-district game Friday night define its season.
“That 2012 team that won the state championship was 5-5 going into the playoffs,” said Acker, a junior lineman/punter. “In district play, you can’t let it get to your head. You have to show up Monday ready to work and get better. You have got to learn from it.”
Heritage Academy (3-2) had its chances despite being short-handed with numerous starters on the sideline due to injury. Unfortunately, the Class AAAA Mustangs (1-4) used a solid passing performance from Shane Houston Stephens (19-for-27, 240 yards), timely running and passing from Lake Giachelli (seven carries, 46 yards), and a knack for converting big plays on third down to snap a four-game losing skid.
Acker said the Patriots are “hurting” from all of the injuries, but he praised the efforts of younger players who stepped into starting roles. Sophomore Sam Hannon made the most of his first start with two interceptions.
Still, Heritage Academy couldn’t make one more play to punctuate the effort. Carter Putt connected with Noel Fisher on a 15-yard scoring pass with 6 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the game to cut the deficit to 22-20. Griffin (eight carries, 77 yards), who showed explosiveness out of the Wildcat package, took the ensuing direct snap and appeared to have a seam up the middle, but he was denied inches shy from the goal line. He slumped down just inside pay dirt and listened as Long encouraged him to put the play behind him.
“I told him to shake it off and to look at the game clock,” Long said. “There was still plenty of time. We make mistakes. In close games like this, toward the end of the game you just have to step up and make a little play. If you don’t make a play, just shrug it off and come back and make up for it on the next play.”
Pillow Academy answered the score with an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Giachelli, who had a 3-yard touchdown pass Michael Jefcoat Jr. on third down on the previous possession, capped the march with a 5-yard run with 1:56 remaining. Pillow Academy converted three third downs on the drive. In all, the Mustangs had eight third-down conversions of 12 yards or more.
But Pillow Academy, which missed its first extra point of the game, opted to go for the two-point conversion and failed.
Heritage Academy took advantage of still having life by hitting Pillow Academy with a 27-yard run by Griffin on the first play of the ensuing drive. Putt (13-for-25, 191 yards) had four-straight completions to drive the Patriots to the 6-yard line. On the last completion, Fisher appeared to have momentum and an angle to the right pylon, but he lost his footing to set up second-and-2 at the 6. Kelvin “K.J.” Smith (22 carries, 130 yards) lost 1 yard on second down. Following a timeout, Putt appeared to have Long open in the left corner of the end zone on a fade route, but the pass was incomplete.
“We have to finish a lot better,” Long said. “I have to finish a lot better.”
After a false start penalty, Putt’s pass on fourth-and-8 from the 11 was incomplete.
Heritage Academy coach Sean Harrison praised his defense for following the game plan. He said the Patriots hoped to limit the big play going into the game. Despite the setback, he liked the mental toughness the Patriots displayed on a humid evening especially coming off a 42-41 loss at Lamar School last week.
In the post-game huddle, Harrison reiterated his team’s primary goal was a district title. That race will begin in two weeks with a game at Leake Academy. Harrison is confident a second-straight loss compounded by injuries won’t diminish the focus of an experienced group that has solid leadership.
“This team has great leadership,” Harrison said. “If it didn’t, I would be losing sleep tonight worried that this thing was going to fall apart, but it’s not. Like I said, Moak, Eli, Carter, all of those guys, they understand we’re still working for one goal. Nowhere on our goal board in the locker room does it say undefeated.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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