Christian Heritage shuts down early Dade County fireworks, keeps its own offense rolling in region win

Published 10:45 pm Friday, September 13, 2024

Christian Heritage and Dade County both came out firing on offense Friday night, exchanging touchdown drives in the first half.

But the Lions kept it up and held the Dade offense down.

Christian Heritage (3-1, 1-0 Region 7-A DI) pulled away for a 38-26 win over Dade County (1-3, 0-1 Region 7-A DI) Friday night in the Region 7-A DI opener for both teams.

“We hung together and played really well,” Christian Heritage head coach Frank Barden said during a radio interview after the game. “Offensively, we made some really big plays.”

After Dade opened the scoring with a passing touchdown early in the first, Christian Heritage struck back when Carter Triplett found Benji Michmerhuizen for a 23-yard score.

Dade made it 14-7 with another passing score, and a long Triplett pass to Dontae Crowder set up a 3-yard Jaylon Gay rush that made it 14-14 early in the second.

Dade scored a third passing touchdown — a 69-yarder — to go up 20-14 after a missed PAT, but that would end the explosive offense from the Wolverines as the Lions kept it going.

Triplett connected with Michmerhuizen again for 29 yards to put the Lions up 21-20 at halftime, and Triplett found Ayden Pace to make it 28-20 in the third. A Sam Bishop 37-yard field goal made it 31-20, and Triplett’s fourth touchdown pass of the night went to Charlie Idom to make the score 38-20 early in the fourth.

Dade County got in for a late touchdown to cut the score to 38-26.

Triplett went 19-for-26 for 220 yards and four scores and added 101 rushing yards. Idom led in receiving yards with 94, and Michmerhuizen had the two scores.

Christian Heritage stays at home next week to play Gordon Lee Friday at 7:30 p.m.