Mars’ Sheehy intercepts four passes in victory over Highlands

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 22, 2017 | 11:33 PM

Highlands came into Mars Athletic Complex with a passing attack that had given most of its opponents fits in the early part of the season, but Friday night Mars grounded it.

Outside of a late 80-yard score on a hook and lateral, the Planets held the Golden Rams to 60 yards passing and cornerback Tom Sheehy had four interceptions

The strong defensive play coupled with a typical punishing running game helped the Class 4A No. 5 Planets dispatch Highlands, 21-10, in a Northwest Nine game.

Freshman Teddy Ruffner led the Mars offense with 131 rushing yards and two scores

Sheehy said he had one interception in youth football in his career coming into Friday night and before the game he said his dad told him to get two interceptions.

Mars used pressure up the middle that caused issues for the Highlands offense.

“With them coming in averaging over 200 yards a game through the air, we knew what we needed to stop tonight and we did it,” Mars coach Scott Heinauer said. “We ran some different defenses, some robber defenses to try and jump routes and get interceptions and it worked.”

Sheehy intercepted Highlands quarterback Seth Cohen on the first two possessions, the second one in the end zone. His other two picks came in the fourth quarter. Pressure on Cohen caused him to misfire on 9 of his first 12 passes. Highlands coach Dom Girardi said Cohen shouldn't shoulder all the blame for the miscues.

“Some of those interceptions and some of those incomplete passes were on close plays and we had players run the wrong route a couple of times,” Girardi said. “The people sitting in the stands sometimes automatically think it's the quarterback's fault when an interception is thrown. There are a number of things that can happen.”

The Planets were without star fullback Garret Reinke (ankle). They turned to Ruffner and didn't miss a beat.

After Sheehy's first interception, Mars (4-1, 3-1) drove 46 yards and scored on a Ruffner 2-yard run. The second TD was a classic grinding Mars drive where they ran the ball 13 straight plays and scored on an 11-yard run by Andrew Moyer to make it 14-0 in the second quarter.

Ruffner threw a halfback pass in the fourth for a 60-yard completion to Cade Hetzler, setting up a 9-yard Ruffner TD a few plays later. Mars finished with 213 yards rushing.

“Teddy is going to be the next big running back we have in a long line of good running backs,” Heinauer said. “He did a good job tonight. The line did a good job blocking for him, but I think the way the defense played told the tale tonight.”

Highlands (2-2, 2-2) started a drive in Mars territory twice in the fourth after strong defensive stands but turned the ball on downs the first time and was intercepted the second time. Girardi was happy with the defensive effort in the fourth.

“They stood up really after (Mars') second score in the first half and kind of stifled them,” Girardi said. “They got us on the halfback option, but I think our defense stepped up and held a tough Mars offense.”

The Golden Rams got on the board in the final seconds of the second on a Jaci Bowser 25 yard field goal, which made it 14-3 at halftime. Their other score came in the waning moments when Cohen hit Romelo Freeman with a 5-yard pass and Freeman lateraled the ball to Jermaine Jett, who raced down the sidelines 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-10.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer.

Tags: Highlands, Mars