The Heritage Academy football team showed the efficiency Friday night of a squad that is focused on winning a state title.
No. 2 seed Heritage Academy scored 34 points in the first 9 minutes, 31 seconds and coasted to a 41-6 victory against No. 15 Lee (Miss.) Academy in the first round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) playoffs at C.L. Mitchell Field.
Heritage Academy (9-2) will play host to No. 7 Leake Academy, which defeated No. 10 seed St. Aloysius 48-7, at 7 p.m. Friday in the second round.
Heritage Academy beat Leake Academy 41-20 on Sept. 28 in Madden as part of a 4-0 run to the District 2 title.
The Patriots had no trouble in asserting control against the Colts (3-7) in what they hope will be the first of three wins at home to get to the state title game at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at Jackson Academy.
Junior running back Kelvin “K.J.” Smith had eight carries for 139 yards and four touchdowns. He scored on runs of 3, 29, 27, and 27 yards.
Junior quarterback Carter Putt was 4-for-8 for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He
connected with Noel Fisher on a 51-yard scoring strike and Jared Long on a 31-yard touchdown.
Fisher and Drew Huskison had interceptions for the Patriots, who capitalized on the running clock in the second quarter to give their reserves plenty of playing time.
The game marked the return for senior J.R. Lott and junior Seth Harris. Last week against Canton Academy, junior Banks Hyde saw his first extended action back from an injury. He saw limited playing time in the victory against Starkville Academy.
Heritage Academy coach Sean Harrison said conditioning likely will be the biggest factor with all three players, especially Lott and Harris.
“Seth had several snaps in the first half on a long drive and I looked at him and he kind of had that dog face,” Harrison said. “I said, ‘Man, are you a little out of shape?’ He said, ‘Yes sir.’
“With J.R., it is just a matter of getting back in the swing of things. I tell you, I have to watch the film, but he looked like he was moving a lot better than I thought he would, which is going to be huge for us. He has a shot to go from just a backup in case we need something to getting in there and playing.”
Following the touchdown pass to Lott, the Heritage Academy coaches made it official when they told Lott, “Welcome back, J.R.” as he came back to the sideline after Lex Rogers’ extra point. Lott said that was special because it was a long road back after being injured in the team’s jamboree.
“Getting back on the field is the best feeling in the world,” Lott said.
Lott said he figured he could get some playing time, especially if the Patriots took a big lead. He admitted it was surprising to get in in the first quarter rather than the third or the fourth quarter.
Harrison said it was natural for Lott to have some rust on his game after being out for 10 weeks, but he said another healthy player only can help the Patriots’ depth as they enter the stretch run.
Harrison said Lott has been one of the team’s most vocal players from the end of last season through the summer and into the season even after he was injured. He said he didn’t doubt Lott was going to find a way back onto the field despite an initial diagnosis that said he would be out 16 weeks. That timetable meant Lott wouldn’t be back in time for the state title game. On Friday, he looked like he was ahead of schedule just in time to join a team that appears to be hitting its stride.
“It broke my heart when he got hurt and we didn’t know if we were going to get him back,” Harrison said. “For him to come out here and get to play for as much as he did in his first game back, I couldn’t be happier for him.”
The only downside was Harrison called a bubble screen to get Lott involved in the offense, but it was covered. That didn’t seem to bother Lott after the game. Replete with a white bandana across his forehead, Lott looked like he was ready to play another game.
Lott said he hurt his ankle on a Friday and had surgery the following Monday. He said he was on crutches for six weeks and then was in a boot for about two-and-a-half weeks before getting cleared to run.
“It feels so good to be back,” Lott said. “My first day of physical therapy my therapist told me I probably wasn’t going to be back. Then I started working and it started feeling a little better. Even if it meant coming back and playing two plays, I didn’t care. I was going to come back. I had to.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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