Generals step forward over Ridgeland

photo Heritage's Christian Wilson falls into the end zone past Ridgeland's Markeion Jones, left, as Marquie Davis watches from the ground.

Heritage took another step in the process of building a football program.

The Generals defeated Ridgeland 31-16 on Friday and earned their first victory over the Panthers since the Ringgold school started playing the sport in 2008.

"Coach [Tim] James laid the building blocks of this program, so any success we're having now is due to him," Heritage coach E.K Slaughter said. "This is just the next step."

Sophomore Corbee Wilson, making the second start of his career, completed 8 of 16 passes for 133 yards and rushed 14 times for 95 yards. He did so behind an offensive line featuring guards Isaac Miller and Jacob Riggs who provided him time in the pocket and opened lanes for the Generals' three rushing threats.

Wilson made accurate throws. He chose to scramble at the right times and slid or stepped out of bounds after earning first downs. He motioned players into proper spots. He wasn't perfect, but he never gave Ridgeland the ball.

"You have to get out there and perform and remember to do the little things," Wilson said. "In pre-snap, you see a few things like your escape route."

Wilson had played in four games this season and started last week -- after the departure of Dylan Bice -- in a 52-9 win over LaFayette.

He proved he's worthy of starting for the foreseeable future at Heritage.

"Corbee is good because of who Corbee is as a person," Slaughter said. "The quarterback position is a special position that requires so much. He's doing those things.

"He's doing a heck of a job for a guy who's played just a couple weeks. I think he's earned a few starts."

Heritage motored down the field on its first drive with a mix of four passes and three runs covering 74 yards. Wilson connected with Christian King on a slant route for the score.

The Generals forced a three-and-out. Then Heritage marched again, this time 70 yards in 11 plays. Carter Beakman covered the final 12 yards.

The Heritage defense did its job again, stopping Ridgeland on four plays.

The pattern continued.

"We played our game," Beakman said.

The Generals drove 58 yards with Khalyl Hood earning the touchdown from a yard out.

The pattern changed when Ridgeland fumbled the kickoff and held the Generals to a 22-yard field goal by Jorge Ramos.

"They took it to us," said Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis, whose team had 49 first-half yards. "We knew they had threats in the running and passing game."

The pattern changed in the second half, especially considering Ridgeland running back Caderius Word had zero carries in the first half and 14 for 103 yards after the break.

Ridgeland scored on a 12-play, 87-yard drive late in the third quarter. Jacob Russell found Jerome Morgan standing alone in the end zone for a 19-yard connection.

Heritage covered an onside kick and responded with another touchdown by Beakman, this one from the 2-yard line. Chris Henderson scored on a 5-yard run to finish the scoring.

"It's a big win," Slaughter said. "Our guys now see that what we talk them about is true."

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP

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