Heritage Academy turned hard offseason work into a 7-2 regular season and a big run in the playoffs in 2020, reaching the third round. While they ultimately fell to Adams County Christian 22-20 in overtime, Heritage is eyeing an even deeper run in 2021.
Though Heritage secured a first-round bye in 2020, coach Sean Harrison is not satisfied and expects even better production and a more complete season this year.
“We didn’t do a great job of getting a young group mentally tough enough to be successful,” Harrison said. “I think that’s what went into losing in the semifinals in overtime. I’m still really proud of that group. They took a lot of punches early, but we played some good ball at the end.”
The coronavirus pandemic posed a big issue for the Patriots, as they faced some complications along the way. Harrison went into detail and said that the team was doing some great work to try to stay healthy.
“During two-a-days my wife got COVID, so I missed a while to quarantine, so we really didn’t hit our stride ‘til week three,” Harrison said. “This summer we worked together more; we built trust in one another.”
Harrison is very confident in his squad. He said he has about 95 percent of his team returning, but he didn’t want to understate the job that the 5 percent did not only last year but over their careers.
Key players Harrison mentioned include John Jackson, an All-State nose guard who signed with Northeast Community College; Sam Hannon, a two-year starter at receiver and safety; and two key players on the offensive line, Reed Brewer and Jackson Smith.
Brewer played left tackle, one of the most important positions on the field, while Smith stepped up to fill the center position as a senior.
Harrison is elated to get his guys back on the field, as he says he’s got his main contributors returning. It would be hard to start with anyone else but senior Wesley Miller, who is committed to play at Mississippi State. Miller can play free safety, cornerback, receiver, running back and, at times, wildcat quarterback.
Another impactful player on the offensive side is Harris Gunter, who will be a third-year starter at receiver. Quarterback Mack Howard impressed his coach last year as a sophomore, and Harrison is excited for him to get an opportunity to build on last year’s performance.
Harrison said he is excited to get Heritage’s season underway with two great opponents. The Pats started with a 42-16 win over Lamar and next welcome Jackson Prep for a big early-season game.
Harrison also said that he is excited for a clash with Starkville Academy, usually a hotly contested game, that will be early (Sept. 17) in the year this season. Harrison believes the tough start will get the Patriots ready for their extremely difficult division.
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