American Heritage overcomes more adversity to edge McCarthy in regional final

After all the adversity American Heritage went through last year to win the Class 4A state championship, Patriots coach Mike Smith felt like he’d seen it all.

Little did the Heritage coach realize what was in store in 2025.

“I thought last year had the most adversity,” Smith said on Friday night. “But I don’t know. We seem to top ourselves every time out.”

Despite dealing with an injury-depleted roster, Heritage’s quest to repeat as 4A champs remains alive after upsetting Archbishop McCarthy, 25-20, in the Region 4-4A final.

Heritage (7-5), which avenged a 13-10 loss at McCarthy on Oct. 17, is headed to the 4A state semifinals next week.

Sophomore TJ Mullen scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 9-yard run with 5:47 left in the fourth quarter to give No. 2 Heritage the hard-fought road win.

Mullen, who started the season as a defensive back, became the featured back in the second half after Jonathan Bueno sustained a leg injury.

McCarthy (10-3) was the top seed, which secured home-field advantage. The Mavericks had won five straight games, including a 24-14 decision against Miami Norland last week.

Finding healthy bodies has been a challenge all season for Heritage. Bueno had missed most of the year due to an ankle injury. Along with Bueno, defense end Isaac Tanis also came out of the game due to an injury.

With so many players going down all year, Heritage has taken a “next man up” approach.

“It’s been that way all year, with us,” Smith said. “It’s literally been that all year with us. But it gave a lot of guys the ability to get some real good snaps and reps over the year, and it showed up. TJ Mullen did an unbelievable job replacing Bueno at the end.”

For Heritage, a byproduct of the slew of injuries, is it created opportunities for other players.

“That’s the whole thing,” Smith said. “You get put in some adverse situations like that, and guys have got to grow up. Now it’s where it pays off.”

Heritage trailed 20-16 at halftime, but in the second half, its defense held the Mavericks’ scoreless.

A year ago, Heritage’s season was saved when receiver Malachi Toney stepped in at quarterback after Dia Bell went down with an injury in the playoffs.

Toney, now a star freshman at the University of Miami, guided Heritage to the state title.

Regardless of who is available, the expectations at Heritage remain sky high.

“That’s the standard here,” Smith said. “Okay, the next guy is up. But the standard doesn’t change. We’ve got to win.”

On a chilly night, McCarthy took the early lead with quarterback Robert Kerns’ first of three touchdown passes.

Kerns opened the scoring with a 55-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Kobi Williams.

Late in the first quarter, Heritage was driving for the potential tying touchdown, but Bueno fumbled after being hit by Jacarri Watson. Cole Ivy recovered for the Mavericks at their 1.

The turnover, however, set up a safety when Heritage’s Reginald Camille dropped Grant in the end zone for two points.

Heritage took a 9-7 lead in the second quarter on quarterback Leon Strawder’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Jeffar Jean-Noel.

McCarthy countered and went back up,13-9, on Kerns’ 36-yard touchdown strike to Kendall Brown.

With 3:19 left in the first half, Strawder scored for Heritage on a 2-yard run, and Kade Bailey’s extra point gave the Patriots a 16-13 lead.

But McCarthy went into halftime with a 20-16 lead on Kerns’ 21-yard touchdown pass to Williams.

In the second half, the defenses took over.

Late in the third quarter, Mullen had a 31-yard run, which helped set up Bailey’s 38-yard field goal, trimming McCarthy’s lead to 20-10 heading into the fourth quarter.

Mullen had a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter, and his 9-yard touchdown run proved to be the difference.

“I had to step up,” Mullen said. “I had to do what I had to do. Couldn’t back down.”

After Bueno’s injury, Mullen told his teammate, “I got your back.”

Heritage’s defense stalled McCarthy’s next drive when Terrance Johnson had an interception at his own 47 with 4:24 left.

The Patriots were able to run down most of the clock behind the running of Mullen.

Mullen gained 37 yards on five carries as Heritage ran down most of the clock.

On the final play of the game, Heritage’s defensive back Terrance Johnson recovered a fumble as time expired.

“We’ve literally had to figure it out all year,” Smith said. “Who do we have? Who’s down? Who’s the next guy up, and guys step up. It’s a summary of our whole season there.”