Heritage Hills football takes down No. 8 Reitz in Sectional 24 semifinal

LINCOLN CITY – Heritage Hills football came out swinging in its Class 4A Sectional 24 semifinal against Reitz.

After the Panthers got the ball on a fourth-down stop early in the game, Patriots defensive back Aiden Fischer grabbed an interception on the subsequent play.

Heritage Hills went on to score 21 unanswered. Running back Jackson Smith found the end zone first, then quarterback Tyce Winchell did the same from 90 yards out. For the third, Winchell found wide receiver Asa Palmer running across the middle.

An inevitable Amyr “Juice” Wilford touchdown made it a two-touchdown lead at halftime. And while the Panthers fought back to make it a one-possession game, it would not be enough to overcome Heritage Hills at The Jungle on Oct. 30.

It finished 42-26. The Patriots will host Harrison in the sectional championship on Nov. 6. A chance for them to win a fourth-straight title.

Even with a new coach, the winning ways have continued under Kevin Tempel’s leadership.

“I’ve been saying it the last several weeks that we keep executing at a pretty high level,” Tempel said. “Reitz is a good football team. I’m thrilled to come out of here with a win and get the opportunity to play again next week.

Slowing down an effective Reitz offense

As impressive as the Patriots were offensively, their defense was making things tough for Reitz. For much of the game, the running game was unable to find the rhythm that made this Panthers offense so dangerous.

Reitz came into The Jungle averaging 42 points per game, yet the way this Heritage Hills defense pursued ball carriers like Juice, and the football in the air, was exceptional most of the night.

More: Follow LIVE Southwestern Indiana football sectional semifinal scores, updates

The Panthers found some momentum after halftime. Wide receiver Elijah Darrett had two touchdowns; his second making it 28-20 early in the fourth quarter. But in the end, the effort was not complete enough to dictate this game.

“Penalties, turnovers – (Heritage Hills) just made a lot more plays than we did,” Reitz coach Cory Brunson said. “We didn’t come out from the get-go. We made it a game in the second half, but we can’t spot them that many points.”

It’s the end of the road for Reitz. The group featured a talented senior class with skill-position players like Darrett and Mason Bailey (89-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter) offensively, and Kade Voegel, Ethan Rowe and E’Ani Clardy defensively.

Brunson said he hopes the underclassmen can learn from the examples set by the senior class; taking those lessons into next season.

Heritage Hills brought the physicality

Winchell had four total touchdowns for Heritage Hills, three passing and one rushing. The ability shown on his rushing touchdown embodies this team. Physical, tough – the aggressors.

“We’re a very hard-working group and we’ve only progressed as the year’s went on,” Winchell said. “People doubted us, we just used that to go harder.”

Winchell found senior wide receiver Micah Toler for a 67-yard touchdown that took back momentum in the fourth quarter. Winchell said it was supposed to be a corner route but, with no safety in the middle, Toler adjusted.

Tempel brought up how former coach Todd Wilkerson used to say, “players make plays.” An example of it was seen in that connection.

Toler also caught an interception in the second quarter. Toler and Winchell, two-way players for the Patriots, said the defensive effort tonight was about team tackling.

“If one guy slowed them down, we’d have five other guys right there,” Toler said.

Winchell said the team got complacent after going up big – allowing the Reitz comeback attempt to happen. Still, the group was able to find their focus and make the necessary adjustments.

Heritage Hills is prepared entering the Sectional 24 championship. Advancing past two quality SIAC opponents in Jasper and Reitz is no small thing.

Tempel said this group is used to this. While most of them came into the season not featuring in past seasons, they have been in this environment. They know what it takes.

This senior class has a chance to win four sectionals in four seasons next week. That will be the expectation.

“(Harrison) has the confidence going right now,” Tempel said. “These kids have been in big games, it’s the culture.”

Markos Tsegaye is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. He can be reached at mtsegaye@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @10_Markos_.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Heritage Hills football takes down No. 8 Reitz in Sectional 24 semifinal