This is the second chance Tripp McCarty hoped for when his team was walking off the field in Columbus in late Septemberer with its first loss of the 2019 season.
The Mustangs lost 26-13 in a game where Heritage quarterback Carter Putt had his most productive outing of the season in terms of yards passing.
“It wasn’t our best effort the first time around. We’re playing a really good team so we will need to be in top form,” said McCarty, who has already won more games this season than in any of his previous five seasons at PA.
Pillow (9-2) gets the rematch its has wanted for nearly two months on Friday, when the Mustangs travel back to Columbus to face the undefeated Patriots (13-0). The winner advances to the MAIS Class 5A state title game Nov. 22 in Jackson.
Carter Putt threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those going to senior receiver Jared Long. Putt connected with Long on a 13-yard jump ball to open the scoring and on a brilliantly placed 14-yard back-shoulder throw to give Heritage a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Long finished with six catches for 98 yards and two scores
The Patriots led 26-0 in the third before the Mustangs got on the scoreboard.
“We must not give up big plays. They got us with some big plays the first time. We have to eliminate that,” McCarty said.
Offensively, the Mustangs moved the ball well at times in the first half but had nothing to show for it. Heritage held PA, which comes in averaging the most points in 5A with 38.7 per contest, was held to its lowest point total of the season in the first meeting.
McCarty hopes to find balance offensively Friday after showing an energized running attack in last week’s 46-31 playoff win over Hartfield Academy.
Jack Reichle, Christian Belk and Alex Lindsey spearheaded the rushing attack. All three players found the end zone at least once.
That combined with the record-setting season from senior quarterback Shane Houston Stephens gives Pillow hope for a much better outing. He has completed 168 of 269 passes for 2,617 yards, 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
But the kind of running lanes the Mustangs found last week won’t be easy to come by against the stingiest defense in the state. Heritage allows a mere 7.3 points a game.
“They are really sound on both sides of the ball. Their defense does a good job of keeping everything in front of them and their line is extremely active. They are for sure one of the better defenses in the state,” he said.
In the first meeting, both teams leaned on the passing attack a little more than the rushing attack. The Mustangs were pretty well stymied on the ground, managing just 77 yards. Senior quarterback Shane Houston Stephens passed for nearly 300 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Last week, the Mustangs took advantage of some things Hartfield was doing to slow down big plays in the passing game, giving McCarty the green light to push the pedals to the run game.
“I think we have to do a great job of tackling. They have gotten a lot better in the run game since we played them the first time,” Heritage coach Sean Harrison said. “We know they will complete passes; we just need to tackle well when they do.
“Offensively we have to take great care of the football and really execute in the run game.”
It’s a game that will ultimately be decided in the trenches. Both coaches agree on that.
“Controlling the line of scrimmage is a must. We thought our offensive line did a good job up front last time. That's been big for us all year,” McCarty said. “We have put up some record breaking numbers but it all starts with those guys with their hands on the ground.”
Harrison said: “They're one of the few teams that can rival us size-wise among the front seven. It will also be a another tough test for our secondary.”
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
