Leesburg, Va. — Coming off back-to-back losses, the Heritage High School football team used its bye week to reset. The extra week of preparation proved fruitful as the Pride set five single-game program records to defeat the Broad Run Spartans, 63-28, on October 10 in Leesburg.
Led by junior running back Reed Alexander (17 carries/232 yards/4 touchdowns) and senior running back Colin Mihelic (21 carries/208 yards/3 touchdowns), the Pride rushed for a single-game school record 480 yards and a single-game school record nine rushing touchdowns. Senior kicker William Lees connected on all nine of his PAT attempts, setting another single-game school record. Heritage also set the school record for most offensive yards in a single game (503) and most turnovers in a single game (5).
“We had two pretty bad games leading up to this, so it means a lot to come out here and get the job done,” Mihelic said. “We were just trusting the play. When you don’t see the first hole, just maintain your vision, find an open hole, and make a play.”
On the first play of the game, Heritage senior linebacker Obi Nwanneka broke past the offensive line and sacked Broad Run junior quarterback Devin Ellison. Two plays later, Lees jumped a route and picked off Ellison, returning the interception down to the Broad Run 4 yard line.
Three plays after that and Nwanneka was in the endzone with a 1-yard touchdown run as the Pride grabbed the momentum and took an early lead, 7-0.
“Any young team will have those first or even second drive jitters,” Heritage head coach Travis Huff said. “To be able to get an early turnover then score quickly really helped us grab the momentum.”
Broad Run, however, had an immediate response on their second drive of the night as Ellison broke free on the first play of the drive for an 80-yard touchdown run. A failed two-point conversion attempt meant the Spartans trailed 7-6.
Getting to defend the length of the field for the first time in the game, the Spartans’ defense held strong, forcing a three-and-out. Lees sent a punt inside the Broad Run 20 yard line, which was muffed by the Spartans and recovered by Heritage senior lineman Nick Frescholtz, giving the Pride another short field.
Two plays later, Mihelic scampered into the endzone with an 11-yard touchdown run as the Pride extended their lead to 14-6.
Then, on the first play of Broad Run’s next possession, the Spartans coughed up a fumble, which was recovered by Alexander on the Broad Run 27 yard line.
With all the momentum, the Heritage offense got back to work as Alexander carried in a 2-yard touchdown run, his first of the night.
Needing to stem the tide, the Broad Run offense opened the second quarter by capping off a 12-play, 80-yard drive on a 15-yard touchdown run by Ellison to cut the Heritage lead to 21-13.
It didn’t take long, however, for the Pride to re-extend their lead as Alexander capped off the next Heritage drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Not content with the defensive effort, the Spartans looked to their special teams to make a play to regain some momentum and got the answer from junior kick returner Cameron Alberts, who housed a 75-yard kickoff return. A two-point conversion cut the Pride lead to 28-21.
Another three-and-out gave Broad Run the ball back inside Heritage territory with the chance to tie things up. After a 28-yard Ellison run set the Spartans up 1st-and-goal from the 3, the Pride forced yet another fumble which was recovered by Nwanneka late in the first half.
“We have a new defensive coordinator who installed a new defense, and things are finally starting to click,” Huff said. “Everybody knows their assignments and where to be and that’s really starting to help out.”
Needing to go the entire length of the field with limited time on the clock, the Pride leaned heavily on the legs of Mihelic and Alexander, who marched Heritage down to the Broad Run 6 yard line. Out of time outs with just seconds left in the second quarter, the Pride again turned to Mihelic, who punched in a 6-yard touchdown run, giving his team a 35-21 lead at the half.
Much like they had in the first half, the Pride turned to Mihelic and Alexander on the opening drive of the second half as the duo used back to back 15+-yard carries from Mihelic and a monstrous 42-yard rush by Alexander to set up a 1st-and-goal on the Broad Run 1.
“We have a really good two-back set,” Huff said. “We played around with some different formations just to give us a couple different looks.”
On the very next play, the Pride showed yet another new look as Heritage senior fullback Eric Kudee scored from 1 yard out, extending the Pride lead to 42-21.
Trailing by three scores, Broad Run knew they needed to make a move, but the Heritage defense had an answer as Lees and junior safety Pip Groves both sacked Ellison to eventually force a Spartans punt.
On the first play of the ensuing drive, Alexander went up the middle for 14 yards. On the very next play, he broke free for a 67-yard touchdown run to make it a four-score game.
That four-score differential was short-lived as Broad Run junior kick returner Luke Brandenburg returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
Knowing the Spartans had a quick strike ability, the Pride knew they needed to cushion their lead and did just that midway through the fourth quarter, when Alexander escaped for a 45-yard touchdown run, his fourth of the night.
Then, for good measure, Mihelic scored from 30 yards out late in the fourth quarter to put the game on ice, 63-28.
Heritage (0-1, 2-4) will look to win back-to-back for the first time all season when the Pride travel to Dominion on October 18. Broad Run (1-0, 3-3) will look to get back in the win column when they travel to Loudoun County on the same night.
“We’re a great team,” Alexander said. “We started off kind of slow and didn’t play to our full potential, but right now, we have a great thing going.”
Scoring Plays
| Period | Time | Team | Play | Score |
| 1Q | 9:28 | Heritage | Obi Nwanneka 1-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 7-0 |
| 1Q | 9:12 | Broad Run | Devin Ellison 80-yard TD run (2pt failed) | 7-6 |
| 1Q | 5:29 | Heritage | Colin Mihelic 11-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 14-6 |
| 1Q | 3:58 | Heritage | Reed Alexander 2-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 21-6 |
| 2Q | 9:36 | Broad Run | Devin Ellison 80-yard TD run (Hector Quevedo PAT) | 21-13 |
| 2Q | 6:05 | Heritage | Reed Alexander 4-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 28-13 |
| 2Q | 5:53 | Broad Run | Cameron Alberts 75-yard kickoff return touchdown (Elijah Wilburn 2pt run) | 28-21 |
| 2Q | 0:02 | Heritage | Colin Mihelic 6-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 35-21 |
| 3Q | 8:05 | Heritage | Erid Kudee 1-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 42-21 |
| 3Q | 1:27 | Heritage | Reed Alexander 67-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 49-21 |
| 3Q | 1:13 | Broad Run | Luke Brandenburg 97-yard kickoff return touchdown (Hector Quevedo PAT) | 49-28 |
| 4Q | 5:14 | Heritage | Reed Alexander 45-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 56-28 |
| 4Q | 0:39 | Heritage | Colin Mihelic 30-yard TD run (William Lees PAT) | 63-28 |