Takeaways from Heritage’s Season Opener

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heritage opened the season against Mountain Vista on Friday night with a performance that put the 4A classification on notice of what to expect from the Eagles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Making his varsity debut under center for the Eagles was senior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='806112' first='Kurt' last='Rossner']</strong>, who completed 22 of his 35 pass attempts for 381 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. The 6-foot-4, 190lbs gunslinger also rushed ten times for 39 yards, showing his mobility and toughness by lowering his shoulder and initiating contact with would-be tacklers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rossner's top receiving target was junior receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='744696' first='Tanner' last='Terch']</strong>, who finished with 12 receptions for 263 yards and three touchdowns. The two finished as the top-performing QB/WR duo of the week, a performance that included a well-placed throw to the back line of the end zone and a spectacular toe-tapping reception.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagle's passing attack also featured sophomore phenom <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283697' first='Camden' last='Jensen'] </strong>and senior running back <strong>Luca Pesola</strong>, each of whom found themselves on the receiving end of touchdown throws. Jensen is a 6-foot-7, 240lbs tight end who has garnered significant attention from colleges and currently holds offers from Iowa State and Washington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The powerful offensive line for Heritage is loaded with senior starters. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='323479' first='Blane' last='Brakemeier']</strong> (OT), <strong>Christian Cazarez </strong>(OG), <strong>Logan Smelker</strong> (C), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='547599' first='Austin' last='Perun']</strong> (OG), and <strong>Declan Delgado </strong>(OT) put on an excellent performance against relentless pressure from Mountain Vista.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defensive side of the ball also featured a hefty number of seniors, including safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='459479' first='Rex' last='Guthrie']</strong>, linebacker <strong>Nick Long</strong>, and outside linebacker <strong>Lucas Madrid</strong>. Guthrie is a Nebraska commit, and Long currently holds an offer from CSU-Pueblo.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though the Heritage Eagles fell short in a 35-34 loss to Mountain Vista, their performance was nothing less than spectacular. The Eagles opened the season with a strong statement to the 4A classification and all of Colorado by showcasing a talented roster full of talent capable of playing at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For college programs that value Colorado talent, Heritage High School in Littleton, Colorado, is a must-see program with sleeper prospects.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->