For the second straight week, the Mountain View defense came up with a big turnover late to produce a victory.
Only this week, the Thunder didn’t think they would need it.
But they did, as a rejuvenated Heritage team gave a 4A Greater St. Helens League rival all it could handle for a second straight week before falling just short.
Taj Albeck rushed for 193 yards and a touchdown, and Preston Jones ran for 156 yards and two scores as Mountain View held off the Timberwolves 27-21 on Friday night at McKenzie Stadium.
“This was just heart vs. heart,” Albeck said. “They came in with a lot of confidence, and we have a lot of confidence. This was just man against man, playing hard football.”
Don’t tell the Thunder (6-1, 3-1 4A GSHL) that this Heritage team is winless in league or went 12 consecutive quarters without a touchdown earlier this season.
Coming off a 35-29 loss to Union last week, the Timberwolves (2-5, 0-5) were primed for an upset of Mountain View.
“We knew after last week that (Heritage) would be coming in tonight fired up,” Jones said. “Our coaches talked about it all week, and we knew it. But they played really, really hard.”
Heritage took the opening kickoff and drove 73 yards for the first touchdown, a 12-yard run by Kalani Umiamaka. Mountain View countered with a touchdown drive of its own, capped by Jones’ 4-yard TD run.
Two plays after a Thunder interception early in the second quarter, Jones broke free on a 58-yard TD run that gave Mountain View a 13-7 lead.
But Heritage turned an interception of its own into points when Race Byrum ran in from 19 yards out, putting Heritage up 14-13 with 2:45 left in the half.
The Timberwolves looked to take that lead into halftime and maybe even pad it when the Thunder faced fourth-and-1 from their own 28.
But as he often does, coach Adam Mathieson decided to go for the first down. Albeck got that first down and a whole lot more, breaking free for a 72-yard touchdown run.
“I was just thinking ‘Get the 1,’” Albeck said. “So I just closed my eyes and hit the hole. And the next thing I knew, I opened my eyes and I saw the end zone.”
Heritage tried to get even before halftime, but Kyle Moen intercepted a pass and returned it to the Timberwolves 35.
On the next play, Colin Biggs hits Darien Chase for a 35-yard touchdown pass play, and Mountain View led 27-14 at the half.
“I really thought that was going to be the turning point for us,” Jones said. “I thought we’d come out in the second half, get a couple of more scores and put them away. But we just had trouble converting fourth downs.”
Heritage cut the margin to 27-21 late in the third quarter and was in position to take the lead late as the Timberwolves drove into Mountain View territory inside of three minutes to play.
But on third down from the Thunder 30, a bad snap eluded Heritage quarterback Gavin Lee and the Thunder recovered with 2:39 left. Mountain View ran out the clock from there.
MOUNTAIN VIEW 27, HERITAGE 21
MV 6 21 0 0–27
Heritage 7 7 7 0–21
First quarter
H–Kalani Umiamaka 12 run (Kyle Hood kick)
MV–Preston Jones 4 run (kick failed)
Second quarter
MV–Jones 58 run (Colin Biggs kick)
H–Race Bynum 19 run (Hood kick)
MV–Taj Albeck 72 run (Biggs kick)
MV–Darien Chase 35 pass from Biggs (Biggs kick)
Third quarter
H–Tashiem Hurse 19 pass from Gavin Lee (Hood kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Mountain View: Albeck 21-193, Jones 25-156, Brandon Walker 7-15, Biggs 1-0. Heritage: Umiamaka 13-70, Lafi Sosene 8-67, Lee 13-41, Bynum 2-22, Garrett Mason 2-5.
PASSING — Mountain View: Biggs 2-7-1-36. Heritage: Lee 9-19-2-100.
RECEIVING — Mountain View: Chase 1-35, Jones 1-1. Heritage: Nickolas Somboun 5-56, Hurse 1-19, Bynum 1-14, Matthias Rivera 2-11.
