Looking to secure their second consecutive win following last week’s commanding victory, the Patriots headed home to host the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs.
While both teams struggled to produce in the opening quarter, the Patriots hopped on the board first courtesy of a chip shot field goal from senior kicker Christopher Maron. The score remained the same through the end of the first, with the Patriots leading 3-0.
After the Chiefs knotted up the game with a field goal with 10:53 in the second quarter, senior WR Vinson Davis drove the length of the field and found the end zone for six to give the Patriots a 10-3 lead.
With 3:43 remaining in the half, the Chiefs responded with a score of their own to tie up the game once again, but the Patriots got the last laugh of the half after Maron split the uprights again for a 13-10 lead at the break.
After a second half drive from the Chiefs produced a field goal try, senior DB James Williams blocked the attempt, recovered the loose ball and strolled untouched into the end zone as the Patriots took a 20-10 advantage.
Sophomore strong safety Daemon Fagan secured his second interception of the game, early in the third quarter, setting up another Maron field goal to extend the lead to 23-10.
The Patriot offense soon grew silent as the Chiefs began to gain momentum after recovering a muffed punt deep in opponent territory and capitalizing with a touchdown in the waning seconds of the third quarter to cut the Heritage lead down to 23-17.
The fourth quarter saw both teams slow down offensively until the Chiefs battled down to the 5-yard line before coughing up the ball to the Patriot defense with 6:18 to go in regulation.
On the ensuing possession, faced with a fourth down, the Patriots punted back to the Chiefs, who marched down inside the Heritage red zone. With 29 ticks remaining on the clock and Cardinal Gibbons held to a fourth-and-goal, the Patriot defense stood strong, forcing a turnover-on-down to secure the 23-17 victory.
The win moves Heritage to 5-1 on the year as they head into their road clash with St. Thomas Aquinas next Friday, Nov. 6, with kickoff set for 8 p.m.
