Colleyville Heritage shows little rust from quarantine vs. Centennial to stay perfect
Despite enduring its second COVID-19 layoff of the season, the Colleyville Heritage Panthers showed little rust Friday night.
A balanced offensive attack and a smothering defense kept the Panthers undefeated on the season with a 34-6 drubbing of Burleson Centennial in a key District 4-5A Division 1 showdown at Burleson ISD Stadium.
Colleyville Heritage (5-0 overall, 4-0 in district) started quickly, scoring twice in less than a minute to take a quick 10-0 lead.
The Panthers took the opening kick and drove 73 yards in 15 plays, but after a procedure penalty, had to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Bryan Hansen.
Two plays later Centennial (5-2, 4-1) coughed up the first of two first-half fumbles. Dylahan McKinney scooped up the loose ball and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown to put Heritage up 10 with 6:42 left in the first quarter.
A short Centennial punt, that was almost blocked, set up the Panthers’ second TD when Braxton Ash took it up the middle for a 24-yard score on the first play of the second quarter to make it 17-0.
Ash led all rushers with 150 yards on 20 carries.
Centennial drove deep into Heritage territory on its final two drives of the half, but came up empty both times.
The Spartans missed a 33-yard field goal after a drive stalled at the Heritage 16. Then Centennial lost the ball on downs at the Panthers’ 17 with 1:49 left before intermission.
After a scoreless third quarter, Heritage extended the lead to 24-0 with 10:15 to play in the fourth when QB AJ Smith-Shawver hit Leon Covington on a 49-yard TD pass.
Centennial ended the shutout when Phillip Hamilton kept a snap for a 13-yard TD run. The Spartans missed the 2-point conversion and settled for a 24-6 deficit just under eight minutes remaining.
Heritage scored two more times on Isaac Shabay’s 2-yard run and a 21-yard field goal by Hansen, the latter pushing the lead to 34-6 with 3:10 to play.
Heritage out-gained Centennial 347-261 in total yards. Smith-Shawver threw for 184 yards on 16 of 28 passing. Hogan Wasson led all receivers with five catches and 54 yards.
Hamilton led the Spartans with 103 yards on 29 carries and 60 yards passing.
The Panthers opened the season with a win over rival Grapevine, but had to go into quarantine the following week. They returned to the field Oct. 23, beating Richland in overtime and played two more games until their latest layoff. They end the regular season against Mansfield Legacy Dec. 4 for homecoming and senior night.
Centennial will look to rebound when it travels to Red Oak.
This story was originally published November 27, 2020 at 11:18 PM.
