Five takeaways from the CPA-White House Heritage football game

Craig Harris, crharris@tennessean.com

WHITE HOUSE — White House Heritage suffered its first loss of the football season on Friday night, falling 35-13 to Christ Presbyterian Academy, the 2015 Class 3A state runner-up.

Here are five takeaways for the Patriots.

Quick start

White House Heritage senior running back Chris Rippy follows classmate Awstyn Corneya around the left end.

The first quarter was much like the team’s start of the season, with the Patriots marching down the field to cover 65 yards in seven plays.

Senior running back Chris Rippy capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run.

Rippy rushed for a game-high 84 yards on 22 carries.

Missed opportunities

White House Heritage sophomore Tommy Baker (6) celebrates after Chris Rippy (15) scored on a 20-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

After the Patriots (2-1, 0-1 in 5-3A) scored on the game’s opening possession, Heritage sophomore Tommy Baker recovered a fumble on the Lions’ third play from scrimmage, giving his squad possession at the Lions 30.

The series reached the 3-yard line, but a holding penalty came one play before an interception ended it.

“We had some opportunities in the first quarter to do some things, and we didn’t do it,” Heritage coach Hunter Hicks said. “Against a team that good, you can’t give things to them.”

Height advantage

Christ Presbyterian Academy sophomore linebacker Kane Patterson tackles White House Heritage senior running back Chris Rippy in 2016.

The 6-foot-4 Nick DesMarais made big plays on both offense and defense, catching passes of 32 and 21 yards.

Then, early in the fourth quarter, DesMarais tipped a pass by CPA sophomore quarterback Ryan Eledge, caught the deflected ball and raced 75 yards to the end zone.

Fading fast

Heritage gained 94 of its 206 total yards in the first quarter and had trouble slowing the Lions after the opening period. CPA (1-2, 1-0) finished with 522 yards of total offense.

“That’s a really good football team,” Hicks said. “They need their credit. They were hungrier than us.”

Three of the Patriots’ five turnovers came in the second half, all of which were interceptions.

“At the end of the first half, I felt it on our sideline,” Hicks said. “I could feel the attitude changing. How are we going to respond? Last week (in a 22-21 win over Nashville Christian), we responded well. This week, we didn’t. That’s what it’s all about is responding and getting better. The last couple of years, we’ve been a successful football team because of how we responded to things like this.”

Homebound

The White House Heritage student section cheers during the first half.

The Patriots are in the midst of a six-game homestand to open the season, though the first contest against cross-town rival White House – which was considered a home game – was actually played on White House High’s home field at White House Municipal Park.

White House hosts Portland on Thursday.

Reach Craig Harris at 615-259-8238 and on Twitter @CHTennessean.