Byron Louis scores five touchdowns to help American Heritage outlast Cardinal Gibbons

The rematch was vintage American Heritage vs. Cardinal Gibbons.

When you consider the history of this rivalry, the outcome really couldn’t have been any other way. It was intense, entertaining and one of the most thrilling Class 2M games of the season.

On Friday night, the stakes were high with a berth in the state semifinals on the line.

The two powers engaged in a high-scoring thriller, with American Heritage, behind a jaw-dropping, five-touchdown performance by junior running back Byron Louis, prevailing, 47-35.

Heritage (10-1) moves on to the state semifinals next Friday at home against Tampa Berkeley Prep. The Patriots are now 9-2 against Gibbons since October of 2017.

Gibbons (9-4) hung tough all night, and the Chiefs were in position to make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter, before Heritage’s defense forced a game-clinching turnover.

The Chiefs had lost 48-7 at Heritage on Sept. 29, but won six of their next seven.

“We knew we weren’t going to get the same Gibbons that we got the first time,” Heritage coach Mike Smith said. “It’s never been like that. That was a typical Gibbons game right there. We dropped a punt down there. They score. We score. Back-and-forth. Every time we play, that’s normally what a Gibbons’ game is.”

On a night where both teams made big plays, Louis was the game’s most dominant player, rushing for 224 yards (132 in the second half) on 29 carries to go with his five touchdowns.

“All glory goes to God,” Louis said. “Without Him, this wouldn’t have been possible. But also, that O-line, man. Listen. Those guys blocked. I’m so proud of them. Every play, they told them, they got me. I told them, I had them.”

Louis set the tone on Heritage’s first drive, which started at midfield. On his first carry, the junior dashed 46 yards, and on the next play, he powered in from four yards.

“Right before the game, I told [the line], this game is going to solely depend on us, on how we run the ball,” Louis said. “Those guys didn’t let me down. I had to execute every time I touched it.”

In the first half, Louis rushed for two touchdowns, and Deandre Desinor had a 26-yard TD scamper that was set up on quarterback Dia Bell’s 37-yard pass play to Brandon Bennett.

But Gibbons capitalized on a muffed punt, scoring on Jonathan Rousseau return on the fumble to make it 14-7. Cedric Wyche had a 29-yard touchdown run to make it 21-14 at halftime.

In the second half, after Louis’ 7-yard TD run, Gibbons’ responded with Wyche’s 98-yard kickoff return that closed the gap to 28-21.

Gibbons stayed close in the fourth quarter on Patrick Anderson’s 2-yard TD run, trimming Heritage’s lead to 35-28.

With Heritage up by 12 in the final four minutes, Heritage defensive back Semaj Jackson blitzed recorded a sack/fumble on Michael Merdinger. Christian Moreau recovered the fumble for Heritage to ice the game.

“I told the guys all week long – you don’t start the game at 48-7,” Smith said. “It starts 0-0. They’re coming. That was going to be their Super Bowl. They were feeling good about themselves. They got on a little bit of a roll at the end of the season. We knew what was coming. Look, that was a heckuva a football game.”

This story was originally published November 25, 2023 at 2:25 AM.