PLANTATION, Fla. - Reece Shanklin threw for two touchdowns, the second coming with 4:53 left in regulation, to help East St. Louis to rally back from a 28-7 deficit to tie the game and force overtime. But American Heritage scored in the first overtime and stopped the Flyers in their possession to take a 35-28 win over the Flyers Friday night at Plantation, Fla.
The Flyers continued their tradition of playing a national schedule for their non-conference games, and traveled to Plantation to face the Patriots, currently ranked ninth in Florida and 48th nationally by MaxPreps, a high school sports website.
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American Heritage jumped to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter following a scoreless opening term, as Michael Stringer took an 11-yard pass from Neiman Lawrence, and Tremaine Mullen ran in from five yards out, but both conversions were missed, leaving the score at 12-0 late in the second. A safety by the Patriots gave them a 14-0 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Trae Proctor caught a nine-yard pass from Lawrence to make it 21-0 for American Heritage, but the Flyers got on the board late on a one-yard run by Chris Jackson to cut the lead to 21-7. Early in the fourth quarter, American Heritage struck on an 88-yard touchdown pass from Lawrence to Stringer to give the Patriots a 28-7 lead.
East Side came right back on a 15-yard run by Shanklin with 9:48 left in regulation to cut the lead to 28-14, then Laron Baker, Jr. caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Shanklin to further cut the lead to 28-21. Ronnie Gomiller took a four-yard pass from Shanklin in with 4:53 left in regulation to tie the game 28-28, and the Flyers held American Heritage the rest of the way to send the game into overtime.
On the first possession of overtime, Stringer caught a 12-yard pass from Lawrence in the end zone to give the Patriots a 35-28 lead, then American Heritage stopped East Side on its possession to take the win.
Both teams are now 1-1 on the season, as the Flyers return home to Clyde C. Jordan Stadium to meet Gainesville, Ga., next Friday night at 7 p.m., then open their Southwestern Conference slate Sept.11 at home against O'Fallon, also at 7 p.m.
