By Bubba Harnist                                                                                                                   
Staff Writer
 
ROACHDALE – With each passing week, Heritage Christian is going places no other team in the school’s six-year football history has. One week after winning their first-ever sectional title, the Class 2A 11th-ranked Eagles added a regional trophy to their growing gridiron lore with a 14-7 upset of 2A No. 2 host North Putnam.
 
“Who would think that this program in six years is going to semistate?” said Eagles coach Ron Qualls. “Unbelievable!”
 
Coming into this game, one would think there would be plenty of offensive fireworks as North Putnam averaged 35.5 points per game and Heritage Christian 39 an outing. Taking those staggering numbers into consideration, you can see why many people were scratching their heads when it was 0-0 at the half.
 
That’s what will happen when each team has only three first downs the entire half.
 
Try these first-half numbers on for size: North Putnam had five possessions (not counting the final one of the half when the Cougars took a knee), and all five ended with a punt by the Cougars.
 
“We have been telling people all along that we (the HC defense) feel like we can stop anybody in the state,” Qualls said. “It is a pretty effective defense that sure worked tonight.”
 
Heritage Christian, meanwhile, didn’t fare any better on offense early on. The Eagles had six first-half possessions, five of which ended with a punt and one that halted when North Putnam’s Justin Ensor picked off quarterback Garrett Meador.
 
The second half didn’t start any better for the hosts. Getting the ball first, the Cougars went three-and-out and once again punted away.
 
A decent return gave Heritage Christian the ball in North Put territory at the Cougars’ 38, and a penalty on the drive’s fourth play gave the Eagles the ball at the 14. Two plays later, Heritage Christian finally got on the board when Meador hit Morgan Cook on a six-yard touchdown pass, and the extra point from Alex Butterworth made it 7-0.
 
North Putnam’s Jerrett Ban fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return, and Heritage Christian’s Jay Wilsey recovered at the North Put 34. Four plays later, Meador scored from four yards out, and the point after from Butterworth made it 14-0 just 6:20 into the second half.
 
“Our coaches do a very good job of halftime adjustments, from knowing what’s there and taking a look at the full field and saying here is what we do,” Qualls said. “Every game this year, if you look at our third quarter, there is a huge surge.”
 
North Putnam punted again on its next possession, giving Heritage Christian the ball back with just under a minute left in the third quarter. At that point, however, things got ugly for both teams as on the next five possessions, there were five turnovers.
 
Two miscues came when North Putnam quarterback Griffen Dahlstrom was picked off by Tommy Eggleston, whereas Heritage Christian was at fault on the other three – two interceptions by Meador and a fumble.
 
The fumble proved costly because it gave North Put and their fans hope when the Cougars took over at their own 38 with only 6:25 left. Finally able to move the ball, the Cougars went 62 yards in seven plays that consumed only 1:07.
 
The Cougars finally reached the end zone on a QB keeper from one yard out by Dahlstrom, and the extra point from Rob Ford made it 14-7 with 5:18 left.
 
With a shot to ice it away, Heritage Christian started its next drive at its own 20. After getting a couple first downs on a run by Meador and a 15-yard pass to Austin Olvey, however, the offense stalled.
 
Starting at their own 23 with 2:11 left after a punt, the Cougars were able to march all the way to the Heritage Christian 23 thanks to Dahlstrom passes of 42 yards to Kyle Rooker and 18 yards to J.T. Francies. But North Putnam stalled once the drive got to the Eagles 23 following three incomplete passes and a sack.
 
The sack was the 11th and final play that the Heritage Christian defense made North Putnam’s offense lose yards.
 
“They had momentum, but there were a couple things we wanted to make sure and do,” Qualls said. “Don’t let them cross the goal line, and if they threw it in front of us or got some shorter plays, it’s OK because the clock keeps running, they are out of timeouts, and there is nothing they can do.
 
“We have smart kids and the guys played smart there (on the last drive).”
 
The loss ends the season for North Putnam at 12-1, the second straight year that the Cougars have had only one loss. Heritage Christian, on the other hand, improves to 12-1 and moves on to semistate play next week, when they will travel to Southridge to take on the defending 2A state runner-up Raiders.
 
“It’s one of those feelings that indescribable,” Qualls said. “We are only six years in here – this is all new to us. So for us to be in this spot, with the opportunity now to go to semistate, four quarters away from the Dome …
 
“It’s indescribable.”