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New-look Heights turns on its running game

BY LIONEL TIPTON/Eagle correspondent

Published Nov. 7 at 4:02 a.m. | Last updated Nov. 28 at 3:56 p.m.

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In their first meeting Oct. 9, Heights committed four turnovers and lost 20-19 to South.

Friday night, the Falcons had no turnovers and rushed for 432 yards in steamrolling the Titans 46-14 in a Class 6A first-round game at Heights.

Junior running back Dreamius Smith led Heights with 202 rushing yards and four touchdowns for the Falcons (6-4), who will play next Friday at Manhattan (10-0), a 35-6 winner over Maize.

“This was the Dreamius that all of us in our program expected to see early on,” Heights coach Rick Wheeler said. “He got hurt in camp, and for Dreamius, what’s happened is he has become confident.

“That kid has unlimited potential. I think he’s something special already, and I think he’ll prove he’s something special before he’s done.”

Sophomore quarterback Matt Reed, filling in for the injured John Moreland, led the Heights option offense and darted his way for 117 yards and two scores.

Titans first-year coach Cory Brack said that the fleet-footed Reed brings an unusual wrinkle to the Heights offense.

“(Reed) changes the game tremendously and he does a great job, and you have to account for him every time, and we just didn’t get it done,” Brack said. “We made mistakes ourselves, and you can’t make mistakes because they’re on a roll right now.”

Wheeler agreed that Reed showed great poise.

“Matt is such an unselfish player,” Wheeler said. “He stayed in there every day and practiced hard. He played within himself. He really plays for his teammates. He’s a quiet leader who goes about his business so well that it’s really a pleasure and fun to watch.”

At halftime, Heights had rushed for more yards (242) than it had in all of the first meeting (177). Eliminating turnovers was a key, Wheeler said.

“That’s the difference in the two games,” he said. “We hadn’t been able to finish the game on offense, and our offense did that tonight. The defense struggled at times, and the second quarter was rough for us, but they stepped up and put a zero on the board in the second half.

“It’s hard to get rushing yards when you fumble it every other snap. Our offense really performed well (in the first game) with the exception of the turnovers. It takes a little while to get a groove with this option offense.”

South committed its first turnover on its second drive, when Zack Villarreal’s pass was intercepted by Trey Schrimscher at the South 47. The Falcons needed five plays to score, with Reed gaining the last 44 yards, including the 21-yard touchdown.

The next three Falcon drives each were capped by Smith touchdowns, from 6, 5 and 47 yards.

The South offense, which benefited from DuWayne Kelly’s 108 rushing yards in the first meeting, gained 141 yards on the ground. The Titans, who made their first playoff appearance since 1971, finished the season 5-5.

Smith picked up where he left off in the second half, carrying five times in an eight-play drive and recording his fourth score on a 29-yard sprint.

South (5-5) 0 14 0 0 — 14

Heights (6-4) 7 19 13 7 — 46

H—Reed 21 run (Farley kick)

H—Smith 6 run (Farley kick)

H—Smith 5 run (kick failed)

S—Z. Villarreal 2 run (Brandon kick)

H—Smith 47 run (run failed)

S—Z. Villarreal 3 run (Brandon kick)

H—Smith 29 run (Farley kick)

H—Reed 8 run (conversion failed)

H—Ross 14 run (Farley kick)

Individual Statistics

Rushing—South, Brandon 6-49, Smallwood 9-48, Z. Villarreal 6-31, Kelly 5-14, R. Villarreal 2-2, Lassley 3-(-3). Heights, Smith 21-202, Reed 15-117, Ross 16-88, Jones 5-25, Randolph 1-0.

Passing—South, Z. Villarreal 3-7-4-1. Heights, Reed 0-1-0-0.

Receiving—South, Smallwood 2-10, R. Villarreal 1-(-6). Heights, none.