Gainesville sprints past Heritage with strong start

Posted 5:40AM on Saturday, September 27, 2014

GAINESVILLE -- Gainesville football coach Bruce Miller had already noted that the next three games could make or break the Red Elephants' season. Gainesville looked like a team ready to make it on Friday. The Red Elephants came out firing against Heritage, Conyers at City Park, running up 23 first quarter points en route to a 47-13 victory. Gainesville did it in all phases -- scoring on its first possession, scooping up a fumble return for a score and booting three field goals in the first quarter blitz. And while Heritage flashed some incredible athleticism and ripped off two long scoring plays, it wasn't near enough to derail a Red Elephants squad that forced seven tunrnovers on the night. "Our defense did a tremendous job tonight, and we kept enough heat on them that we made some turnovers happen," Miller said. "And we never made the big turnover on our end." The Red Elephants (3-1, 3-0 Region 8-AAAAA) were efficient for most of the night, rolling up 392 yards, including 314 yards passing -- 240 of that for Mikey Gonzalez, who spread the ball to five different receivers. Chris Williamson proved one of his top targets, torching the Patriots (1-4, 1-3) on 7 catches for 66 yards and two scores. Messiah Dorsey (8 catches, 72 yards, TD) and Rodney Lackey (8 catches, 61 yards, TD) also proved hard to contain. Gainesville also discovered a new weapon in placekicker Chandler Staton, who converted four of six field goal attempts -- one was blocked and the other (a 40-yard effort) sailed just wide. "Chandler did a great job, but we've also got to do a better job getting the ball into the end zone," Miller said. "I never felt safe against these guys. We had to keep scoring." The Patriots' two touchdowns came on passing plays of 92 and 87 yards -- though that proved the rarity against a Gainesville defense that held the visitors to 213 yards otherwise. And the Red Elephants largely did so without standout linebacker Chris Byrd, who left the game with a leg injury in the first quarter (after he had already scored on a fumble return). "We don't know Chris' status, and he's a great player," Miller said. "But the defense did a great job without him. We got some guys back healthy tonight, and then he went down. But we'll just have to get better and keep going." Gainesville showed it meant business from the start, marching 65 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard pass from Gonzalez to Williamson just 1:17 into the game. Then it was the Red Elephants' defense turn to shine, as Lewis Cousins picked off David Turner on Heritage's first play from scrimmage. The Patriots defense held Gainesville out of the end zone, giving Staton his first field goal of the night -- a 28-yarder that made it 10-0. The Red Elephants were far from finished, however, and Byrd made his presence felt on Heritage's second possession, scooping up a Patriots fumble and rumbling 25 yards to make it 17-0 after less than four minutes of play. Then it became the Staton show. The sophomore booted kicks of 29 and 38 to help Gainesville to a 23-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Red Elephants offense kept the chains moving but found tough going near the Heritage end zone -- especially one Byrd went down with an apparent leg injury on Gainesville's fourth possession. And while Heritage was down, the Patriots were not out and fought their way back into the game on a busted coverage in the second quarter -- Turner finding Ryan Phillips wide open on the right sideline for a 92-yard touchdown. The scored pulled the visitors within 23-7 -- and minutes later the Red Elephants punted for the first time. Gainesville would not turn loose of the contest, however. The Red Elephants defense forced a turnover on downs, setting up a 29-yard touchdown pass from Gonzalez to Williamson -- a score that made it 30-7 and gave Gainesville some breathing room. Staton added another field goal before the half for good measure, this one 27 yards, for a 33-7 advantage. The Red Elephants defense kept Heritage in check the rest of the way -- for the most part. The Patriots did manage another incredible scoring play -- this one an 87-yard pass from Turner to Anthony Stanley with 9:38 left in the third quarter. But by that time, Gainesville owned a 40-13 advantage courtesy another turnover. Kash Jones recovered a Patriots fumble on the opening snap of the second half, setting up a touchdown pass for Gonzalez to Rodney Lackey. A Toddrick Turner interception later in the third quarter also set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Gonzalez to Dorsey made it 47-13 -- a score that saw both teams empty their benches. Gainesville will look to keep rolling next week in another key showdown at Salem, which is also undefeated in 8-AAAAA play. SCORING SUMMARY HERITAGE..........0....7....6.....0 -- 13 GAINESVILLE...23...10...14....0 -- 47 First Quarter GHS -- Williamson 12 pass from Gonzalez (Staton kick) 10:43, 7-0 GHS -- Staton 28 field goal, 9:52, 10-0 GHS -- C. Byrd 25 fumble return (Staton kick) 17-0, 8:48 GHS -- Staton 29 field goal, 4:43, 20-0 GHS -- Staton 38 field goal, 1:30, 23-0 Second Quarter HHS -- Phillips 92 pass from Turner (Bowen kick) 10:09, 23-7 GHS -- Williamson 29 pass from Gonzalez (Staton kick) 4:47, 30-7 GHS -- Staton 27 field goal, 2:17, 33-7 Third Quarter GHS -- Lackey 5 pass from Gonzalez (Staton kick) 10:53, 40-7 HHS -- Stanley 87 pass from Turner (run failed) 9:38, 40-13 GHS -- Dorsey 5 pass from Gonzalez (Staton kick) 7:19, 47-13