As we look forward to the return of competitive interscholastic athletics during the spring of the 2020-21 school year, we are also taking this opportunity to look back at the first 15 years of the school's athletic history, and recognizing the top 15 moments in those first 15 years, as voted upon by a panel of long-time Heritage coaches and administrators.  

This second post recognizes 5 of 10 moments in school history which narrowly missed making the top 15 list, but have been recognized as significant moments nonetheless.  Here are those next five moments which have earned the distinction of Honorable Mention.

Honorable Mention, Part 2

• Ned's late shot downs Liberty - 2015

In a game which had significant ramifications for NCS playoff seeding, James Ned played the role of hero for the Patriots to complete a season sweep of the Lions.  Trailing by one point in the final seconds, Ned hit a turn-around jumper from the right side of the key for Heritage to lift them to the dramatic 52-51 victory, causing the packed crowd to storm the court in celebration as the final seconds ticked away.  Heritage would then knock off Amador Valley in the first round of the section playoffs, the following week.

• Girls cross country places four in top seven to claim league title - 2019

After losing to rival Liberty during the dual meet portion of the season, the Patriots needed to take down the defending champion Lions at Contra Loma Regional Park to have a shot at their first league title in seven years.  They did just that, placing four runners in the top seven spots to hold off Liberty and win their first BVAL title since 2012.  Senior three-sport athlete Sarah Smith led the way with her third-place overall finish, while underclassmen Sabrina Rogers, Renny Buchanan and Lauren Lane joined her in the top seven. 

• Girls track and field holds off Pittsburg for league title - 2019

Five years removed from a league title, the girls track team dominated the 400 meters, 800 meters and the jumping events to hold off Pittsburg for the BVAL crown, beating the Pirates by a mere 14 points.  The Patriots capped the BVAL Championships with a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay, removing all doubt from their league title aspirations in the process.

• Girls tennis sweeps Freedom to claim eighth straight title - 2019

The Heritage girls tennis program concluded the decade in style, sweeping Freedom 9-0 in the final BVAL match of the season to cap another perfect run through the league.  The win was number 80 in a row for the Patriots in league play, and sophomore Erin Crane's individual league title the following week would punctuate a perfect end to the decade.

• Girls golf clinches seventh straight league crown - 2019

The first day in October was a perfect fall afternoon for the Patriots, who took down rival Liberty 249-287 to clinch another perfect run through the BVAL and win the program's seventh straight league title.  Aiyanna Co and Kendall Overgaard each shot 43 against the Lions to lead the way.