Freshman running back Rico Henderson ran for 116 yards and two second-half touchdowns, the last from 11 yards out with 3:04 to play, as Rockwall-Heath, SportsDay’s No. 4 area Class 4A team, survived a scare to defeat Frisco Wakeland, 22-21, in a 4A Division I bi-district playoff game at Wildcat-Ram Stadium.
Heath (10-1) advances to meet Kimball (9-2), a 34-24 winner over Bryan Adams on Thursday night, in an area-round game set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Homer B. Johnson Stadium in Garland.
Wakeland led most of the game and twice had chances to put it away in the fourth quarter, driving deep into Heath territory only to lose a pair of costly fumbles.
The second gave Heath a first down at its own 16-yard line. Jeremy Armstrong, who had 110 rushing yards for Heath, carried for 25 and 28 yards in a seven-play drive that culminated in Henderson’s winning score.
Wakeland led 14-10 at the half and extended its lead to 21-10 on the opening possession of the third quarter with Nick West’s second touchdown pass, a 9-yarder to Dan Harrington.
But Armstrong carried six consecutive times for 40 yards on a 10-play, 63-yard drive that ended with Henderson’s first touchdown, pulling Heath within 21-16 at 1:09 of the third quarter.
The story of the first half was the Wakeland defense, which held Heath scoreless on three trips inside the 30 on its first three possessions.
Heath snapped the ball only once on its own side of the 50 in those three possessions, which included an onside kick recovery on the game’s opening kickoff.
Wakeland stopped Heath’s first two drives on downs at the 24- and 19-yard lines. Jay Woods recovered a fumble at the 29 to stop the next Heath possession.
West’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Carson Carew gave Wakeland a 7-0 lead on its opening possession, capping a nine-play, 86-yard drive.