Heathwood Hall’s Walker Sojourner stretches for yardage against Laurence Manning. Photo by Jim Marczesky Mac Whalen ran for four touchdowns and threw for another as Heathwood Hall came back from 14 points down to defeat Laurence Manning 35–28 on Friday, November 13 to advance to the SCISA AAA championship game.

The game began ominously for the Highlanders (12–0) as Graison Matthews returned the opening kickoff 95 yards to give the Swampcats a 7–0 lead less than 15 seconds into the game. Then, after the kickoff, Whalen’s first pass was thrown high off of Benji Stern’s hands into the arms of Laurence Manning’s Ryan Bolinger, who returned it to the Highlander 29. Seven plays later, Banks Lee ran it in from three yards out to give the Swampcats a 14–0 lead.

Heathwood calmed down from there, going 52 yards in four plays, aided by a Swampcat personal foul, with Whalen scoring from one yard out to cut the lead to 14–7 midway through the first quarter. Laurence Manning (7-5) then held the ball for 14 plays, but Morgan Whalen intercepted a pass at the Heathwood 25 and returned it to the 49. Six plays after that, Mac Whalen scored on another 1–yard run to tie the score at 14.

Heathwood Hall’s Morgan Whalen runs for yardage against Laurence Manning. Photos by Jim Marczesky The Swampcats went three–and–out on their next possession, and Patrick Burns’ punt was partially blocked by Harrison Pendarves, and a personal foul on the Swampcats gave the Highlanders the ball at the Laurence Manning 21. Four plays later, Mac Whalen scored again, this time from two yards, and Heathwood took its first lead of the night, 21–14. The Highlanders took over on their own 31 with 2:06 in the half after a Swampcat punt, and Whalen moved them down the field on a five–play drive, connecting with Benji Stern for a 38–yard touchdown pass and a 28–14 halftime score.

Heathwood Hall’s Joseph English leaps for an interception. Heathwood took the second–half kickoff and marched down the field to the Laurence Manning 9–yard line, but Whalen threw his second pick of the night when Bolinger stepped inside of Stern and returned it to the Highlander 45. An unsportsmanlike penalty against Heathwood gave the Swampcats the ball at the 30, but they could not move the ball with Walker Sojourner making some big stops on the drive to keep Laurence Manning at bay.

After a Heathwood punt, the Swampcats took the ball to the Highlander 21, but a Sojourner sack put Laurence Manning in a second– and–20, and Josh Boykin threw an interception to Joseph English, who was down at the Highlander 2. But, after forcing Heathwood to punt again, the Swampcats needed only three plays to score. Matthews ran in from 10 yards out to make the score 28–21 Heathwood.

After the kickoff, Whalen threw his third pick of the night to set up the Swampcats at the Highlander 40. An inadvertent whistle saved the Swampcats five yards, but an intentional grounding call gave them fourth–and–20 at the Highlander 38 with only 3:50 to go. Boykin, however, stepped up and hit Preston Minton for a 38–yard touchdown, and Burns’ extra point tied the score at 28. Chris Barton then muffed the ensuing kickoff, and it was recovered by the Swampcats’ Joey Brunson, giving Laurence Manning the ball at the Heathwood 25.

Sojourner came up big again forcing a fumble by Matthews and recovering it at the 15. On the very next play, Mac Whalen scrambled to the right and sped down the sideline for a 64–yard gain. Three plays later, he went around the left side for seven yards and the go– ahead touchdown. Cole Fowble’s extra point made the score 35–28. The Swampcats had one last chance, but a sack and three incompletions foiled their chances at victory.

Whalen ended with 115 yards rushing and 130 yards passing. The Highlanders move on to play Hammond at Benedict College for the SCISA AAA state championship on Friday, November 20.