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'There will be a lot of hype this week'

Posted September 03, 2016 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Staff Writer

It's a game that's been two years in the waiting.

After a one-year hiatus in 2015, the Heritage Bowl returns Thursday as the Chester and Sparta freshman squads write another chapter in Southern Illinois' second-oldest football rivalry at Sparta High School's Pierce Field.

"The Heritage Bowl does mean a lot for both towns," said Sparta senior Justyce Bulliner, who played in the 2014 original as a sophomore. "It means more than what people think. We don't really play them that much and it seems like whenever we play them, it's always good."

The Sparta freshmen already have a win under their belt, a 70-20 defeat of Benton last week, while this game will serve as Chester's official freshman season opener.

The Yellow Jacket frosh have participated in two junior varsity games and the "preseason" Freeburg Frosh Jamboree on Aug. 27. Chester went 0-3, but competed well against Nashville, Freeburg and Belleville East.

But none of that matters this week, as the teams focus on renewing a rivalry that dates back to the 1920s.

That rivalry took a different turn in 2010 when Chester left the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference to begin play in the Black Diamond Conference.

The two schools have continued to face each other in other sports, but football competition remained an enigma.

That changed in 2014 with a Week 9 game at W.O. Smith Field that became the Heritage Bowl.

"I remember everything about it," said Bulliner, who ran for 41 yards on eight carries in the contest. "When we stepped on the field, we realized 'there's a lot of hype behind this.'"

That hype was vindicated when the game itself became an instant classic, punctuated by Nick Heffernan's 60-yard touchdown reception with 10 seconds left that gave Chester a 40-34 victory.

Heffernan caught quarterback Curt Meyer's pass in double coverage, split the defenders and sprinted untouched to the end zone, pointing one finger in the air as he crossed the goal line.

"It was so heartbreaking how we lost," Bulliner said. "We had it right there and it did drive me to be better.

"It made me want to work harder."

Heffernan is back this year as a junior for Chester after missing his entire sophomore season due to a neck injury. He was asked to share his thoughts on the climactic play.

"Best feeling in the world," he said.

Heffernan also commented on his mental preparation this season as an upperclassman. Through two games of varsity action, he is second on the Yellow Jackets with 18 tackles.

"When I'm sitting in the locker room, I'm thinking about sitting in the booth last year with a neck brace on watching our bros out there," he said. "That's my motivation, just go out there and kill everything."

Unlike 2014, this year's Sparta and Chester freshman teams already have some familiarity with each other, having faced off in a 7-on-7 in late July at Pierce Field.

"We keep working them and make sure they keep working hard," Bulliner said of helping the freshmen as a senior leader this season. "I haven't really said too much about the Heritage Bowl and now we go to practice on Monday and there will be a lot of hype this week."

Given that the two schools are in different conferences and how the BDC is a closed 10-team conference, the freshmen may be the only teams to participate in the Heritage Bowl.

BDC bylaws require member schools to play each other at both the varsity and junior varsity level, but they are not required to field freshman teams.

That has resulted in a significant amount of non-conference games for the Chester frosh the last few years and for the first time, the Yellow Jackets have more non-conference games (4) on the schedule than conference games (3).

"The Heritage Bowl does mean a lot for both towns," Bulliner said. "It means something different.

"You get that one chance to play Chester and you don't want to be the loser of that."

Ticket prices for Thursday's game, scheduled for 6:15 p.m., are $3 for adults and $2 for students.

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