By Staff
ON THE WAY Heidelberg Academy's Blake Bass (22) finds an opening against Prentiss Christian School with some blocking help from Kyle Johnston (6). Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Nov. 22, 2002
CLINTON Heidelberg Academy used three second half touchdowns to pull away from Prentiss Christian School in taking a 27-0 win in the Academy A state championship Thursday afternoon at Robinson-Hale Stadium on the Mississippi College campus.
The state championship was the fifth for Heidelberg and gave the Rebels a 10-2 lead in the series with PCS.
After throwing an interception on their first offensive play, the Rebels marched 51 yards on 10 plays on their next possession to take a 7-0 lead. Brent Welch got the touchdown on a 9-yard run with 3:39 remaining in the opening period. Welch had five carries for 25 yards on the drive. Mason Key kicked the extra point.
PCS then had its best drive of the day, covering 57 yards in 19 plays only to come up empty when Kyle Johnston stuffed a reverse for a 6-yard loss on third down and Riggin Lott's fourth down pass was well off line.
The Rebels drove from their 23 to the PCS 32 where Brooks Lewis suffered his second interception.
The Saints reached the HA 37, but Matthew Andrews sacked Lott for a loss of nine to send the Rebels into halftime with a 7-0 lead.
PCS ran only four plays in the third quarter, netting a minus-3 yards.
The Rebels were able to put together a 12-play, 62-yard scoring drive capped by a 4-yard run by Brody Bustin with 14 seconds left in the third period. Key added the PAT. Two of the drive's big plays were a 16-yard run off a counter on third-and-8 by Blake Bass and a 15-yard pass from Lewis to Bass.
The Saints set the Rebels up for a short scoring drive when punter Brandon Fortenberry dropped the snap and was tackled for a 5-yard loss at the PCS 24. Three plays later, Lewis teamed with Bass on a 21-yard scoring toss with 7:36 to go. Key's PAT made it 21-0.
The Rebels drove 70 yards in 11 plays for their final touchdown of 2002. The drive's big gain was a 35-yard run by Bass to the PCS 15.
Chris Kittrell carried on five of the next six plays and scored from a yard out with 1:14 remaining. Key's PAT went wide right, leaving the Rebels with a 27-0 lead.
The 27 points are the most scored on the Saints this year. The previous high was 16 by Briarfield Academy in the opening round of the playoffs.
Bass had two carries for 51 yards and three receptions for 46 more for the Rebels. Kittrell gained 62 yards on 13 carries. Welch gained 48 yards on 10 rushes, Bustin added 33 yards on 10 carries, and Jeremy Eason had 26 yards on seven carries. Lewis was 7-of-11 passing for 82 yards.
Shane Fortenberry had 59 of PCS' 78 yards. He had 15 carries for 39 yards and caught five passes for 20 yards. Nick Daley added 29 yards on 12 rushes.
The Rebels had 297 total yards to 78 for PCS.
Heidelberg finished 13-1, while PCS ended at 12-2.