After the way last season ended, Heritage Hall senior River Faulkner River Faulkner 5'11" | 205 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2023 State OK was not going to be denied this year. Faulkner helped carry the Chargers to their first title since 2018 with a dominating performance on the ground. We knew that Bass and Faulkner were one of the top running duos in the state and they showed why on Thursday night. Faulkner would finish with 222 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries. Between Faulkner and Bass, the two would combine for 60 carries for 478 yards and seven touchdowns. We mentioned the game plan for Heritage Hall would be simple coming into the title game. Feed the backfield. And they were outstanding all night. In addition to Faulkner and Bass, you have to tip your cap to the Heritage Hall offensive line, who were extremely physical all night. Faulkner and this senior class were determined to go out on top this season and they did with a gold ball.

One of the more impactful players in the state is Heritage Hall’s senior River Faulkner River Faulkner 5'11" | 205 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2023 State OK . The proof is in the production as Faulkner had to sit out the first three games of the season and he hasn’t been stopped ever since. Faulkner has over 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground in just ten games this season. He also has turned around and leads the team in sacks with eight on the season, again, in just ten games. He has over 60 tackles on the season and is tied for the lead with 15 tackles for a loss. Faulkner is so incredibly important to what the Chargers do on both sides of the ball and will be incredibly valuable on offense Thursday night. As we mentioned with Bass, Faulkner and the Heritage Hall offense will want to run the ball at will Thursday night. Faulkner’s power running will benefit from that.

When senior running back and linebacker River Faulkner River Faulkner 5'11" | 205 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2023 State OK returned to the lineup after sitting out the first three games of the year, the Chargers reached new heights on both sides of the ball. First, on the offensive end, Faulkner added another layer to the Heritage Hall offense and made the Charger backfield one of the best in the state with him and Bass making things happen on that side of the ball. Then you turn around and look at the impact he’s had on the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker and the Chargers have their best defensive player back on the field, leading the way in the middle. Faulkner has been such an underrated part of the Chargers over the last few seasons but his full impact on the team has been felt this season when you look at what Heritage Hall was without him and what they’ve been since.

Heritage Hall is once again rolling into the playoffs and they are playing some of their best football right now. A big part behind that is their backfield duo of quarterback Andy Bass Andy Bass 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2024 State OK and running back River Faulkner River Faulkner 5'11" | 205 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2023 State OK . For the first part of the season, the Chargers had to play without Faulkner in the lineup but once he returned, he quickly made up for lost time. He’s put up some monster numbers since getting back on the field as a running back and then turning around and playing linebacker as well. With Faulkner back in the lineup, it makes the Heritage Hall backfield of Faulkner and Bass one of the best, not only in Class 3A, but in the state right now. Both are fantastic athletes. But it’s what Faulkner that can do on both sides of the ball that can be a big reason why the Chargers make a deep run this month.

Coming into this season, we knew that Heritage Hall senior River Faulkner River Faulkner 5'11" | 205 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2023 State OK was one of the better two-way players in the state. However, just look at Heritage Hall in the first few weeks without Faulkner versus when he returned to the lineup and you can see the impact he truly has on this team. As a running back, Faulkner flew under the radar last season because of star receiver Gavin Freeman. But Faulkner was a touchdown machine. Nothing has changed this season as he combines with junior quarterback Andy Bass Andy Bass 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Heritage Hall | 2024 State OK to make up one of the best backfields in Class 3A. Then he turns around and is absolutely lights out on the defensive side of the ball. Like a lot of the prospects on this breakdown, we’re leaning to defense for Faulkner at the next level but we’re looking forward to seeing where he and the Chargers go with the playoffs around the corner.