Heritage Handles Dominion, Gets First Homecoming Win

By Tim Richardson

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Dominion dominated the beginning and end of Saturday afternoon’s game against Heritage.

But the middle of the game was all Pride.

By the time Dominion started scoring again in the third quarter, Heritage had pulled its starters and was sitting atop a commanding 35-point lead before settling for a 42-28 victory.

"That was a good team victory," Pride Coach Wes Driskill said. "We needed to make this step here. We’ve never won a homecoming game so that’s a big deal for us."

The Titans scored first, buoyed by several running plays. Dominion (2-5, 1-3 AA Dulles) got on the board thanks to running back Deandre Reaves’s 41-yard touchdown run with 2 minutes 57 seconds left in the first quarter.

"That offense they run is rough. It’s just blood and guts football," Driskill said of Dominion, which gained 337 yards rushing and none passing. "I told them we would be challenged, and we were challenged at first."

After that play, Heritage (5-2, 2-1) was barely challenged until late in the game.

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Heritage vs. Dominion

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After receiving a pass, senior Darius Tibbs takes the ball toward the endzone. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Heritage Pride line up for the beginning of the homecoming game against Dominion. (Sarah Snyder)

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A Titan goes in for a tackle during the first quarter. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage sophomore George Mambingo tries to block a kick by Dominion senior Tommy Kowalick. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage Head Coach Wes Driskill talks to his team in a first quarter timeout. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Pride take the ball into the endzone for the first touchdown of Saturday's homecoming game. (Sarah Snyder)

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Dominion junior Ben Dickerson blocks the Heritage defense. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage senior Curtis Rustin reaches for the ball. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage senior Curtis Rustin gets tackled. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage junior Ross Madison avoids a tackle by Dominion senior Jonathon Owens. (Sarah Snyder)

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Pride junior Ross Madison is stopped short before he can reach the goal line. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage junior Ross Madison dodges the Titans' defense. (Sarah Snyder)

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Pride senior Darius Tibbs receives a pass. (Sarah Snyder)

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Pride teammates show their appreciation for Tibbs' touchdown. After the touchdown, the score was 20-7. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage junior Ross Madison receives a pass. (Sarah Snyder)

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Pride cheerleaders get the crowd pumped up before their homecoming halftime. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage High School junior Ross Madison receives a pass and scores a touchdown. (Sarah Snyder)

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Ross Madison scores a touchdown with 35 seconds left in the second quarter. Heritage was up 26-7 at halftime. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Heritage High School band performs the school anthem at halftime. (Sarah Snyder)

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The homecoming king and queen are crowned. (Sarah Snyder)

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The king and queen leave the field after the homecoming ceremony. (Sarah Snyder)

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Halfway through the third quarter, Heritage senior Kyle Nelson scores a touchdown, giving the Pride a lead of 42-7. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Titans and Pride get ready for the snap. (Sarah Snyder)

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Dominion freshman running back Deandre Reaves scores a touchdown with one minute to go in the third quarter. (Sarah Snyder)

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Heritage blocks the Titan defense as senior Savion Worthen runs the ball. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Heritage band and Pride students celebrate their homecoming victory. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Pride and Titans congratulate each other. (Sarah Snyder)

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The Pride got its first points on a 76-yard drive early in the second quarter. Quarterback Kyle Nelson threw to Darius Tibbs for a 17-yard touchdown pass after completions to Tibbs, Michael Massey and Bryan McCarthy. The extra point was no good.

The Pride scored four touchdowns in the second quarter and two in the third to rack up 42 consecutive points.

"It’s pretty bad. We had aspiration of a playoff team this year," Dominion Coach Mike Dougherty said. "We just didn’t get it done in the second quarter."

Heritage scored its second touchdown on a fourth-and-inches play at the goal line. Ross Madison, who had run the ball inside the 1 on the previous play, got into the end zone on the next attempt to increase Heritage’s lead to 14-7.

The next score came on a Nelson pass to Tibbs for a 66-yard touchdown with 1:29 left in the second. On the ensuing kickoff, Dominion fumbled the ball and Heritage recovered at the 50 yard line.

Madison quickly picked up 37 yards on a Nelson pass, followed by Madison’s 13-yard reception in the end zone with 35 seconds in the half. A two-point conversion increased Heritage’s lead to 28-7.

In the second half, Heritage picked up where it left off in the first with Tibbs’s 15-yard touchdown reception and Savion Worthen’s 29-yard rushing touchdown.

Those were the last points for Heritage, but it was more than enough.

Reaves, who had 29 carries for 258 yards, tacked on three more touchdowns for Dominion, including a 78-yard run followed by a 6-yard run with 16 seconds left in the game. He average nearly nine yards per carry.

"The Reaves kid, he’s a good running back," Driskill said.

Nelson finished the game 12 of 19 for 243 yards.

"He was a little rusty early, then I thought he made some really good throws," Driskill said. "Kyle is still not 100 percent with his ankle injury, but I thought he did a great job today."

Heritage will play its last home game of the season Friday against Briar Woods. Dominion will take on Park View.

"We just hope they’re looking past us," Dougherty said. "Our goal now is to go 5-5, so we’ve gotta win out."

Extra Points

By Paul Tenorio and Matt Brooks