Football: Heritage Downs Van Buren 27-14

 STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES • @NWATONYR Joe Britton, Rogers Heritage sophomore, runs to the outside Tuesday against Van Buren during a scrimmage at Gates Stadium in Rogers.
STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES • @NWATONYR Joe Britton, Rogers Heritage sophomore, runs to the outside Tuesday against Van Buren during a scrimmage at Gates Stadium in Rogers.

ROGERS -- Rogers Heritage never put together a sustained scoring drive in its two-quarter football scrimmage against Van Buren on Tuesday night, but the War Eagles had several big plays to claim the 27-14 victory.

Sophomore defensive lineman Conner Thomas recovered a Van Buren fumble in the end zone for a score to snap a 14-14 tie with a little more than two minutes left in the scrimmage.

Sophomore Joe Britton also connected with junior Joel Brackett on a 61-yard scoring strike with less than a minute left.

It was a solid finish, after an admittedly slow start, Heritage coach Perry Escalante said.

"That's what we needed to be knocked around, pushed around," Escalante said. "They took it to us early. I told them Van Buren's going to come up here ready to play. I think our inexperience showed. Van Buren's much improved. Talent-wise we're in good shape. We've got enough good players to be competitive.

"But our inexperience was really evident early.We had plays where we were misaligned, but it settled down and got better. Not very happy early."

Van Buren receiver Jaylin Dye took a handoff on a jet sweep and after slipping several tackles raced 53 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. However, Heritage senior Joey Saucier got loose on a 71-yard touchdown run. He was able to turn the corner and break several tackles down the sideline for the score.

The Pointers regained the lead as quarterback Tre Norwood capped an 11-play, 80 yard drive with a 1-yard keeper. But Saucier again got free for a 57-yard touchdown run to tie it with two seconds left in the opening quarter.

There was no scoring in the second quarter until the final two minutes when Van Buren had the ball first-and-10 at their own 7. The Pointers tried to run a screen pass, but the ball slipped out of Norwood's hands in the end zone and Thomas fell on the ball for the Heritage touchdown.

Escalante acknowledged the War Eagles will enter the season with the plan to utilize multiple quarterbacks and Brackett, Britton and junior Jake Qualls all showed some positives.

"Jake came in and threw some good balls," Escalante said. "We're looking at a two-quarterback system. That's real promising. Jake's getting there and we need that. He has the ability to get the ball to people. I thought Joel ran the ball well, made some good reads. He didn't in that early part, but then he did in that quarter and that opened it up for Joey."

Van Buren coach Brooks Coatney came away encouraged with his team's effort despite giving up the big scoring plays.

"I saw what I needed to see," Coatney said. "We've got some guys with some big-play ability. We stayed pretty simple. We're still trying to find a quarterback to take care of the ball and go up and down the field.

"I thought defensively we were able to blitz and get to them a couple times. But they did a good job with their stuff. Hopefully, we can build on this."

Heritage opens the season on Sept. 5 when it hosts Olathe (Kan.) North in Gates Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Sports on 08/27/2014

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