Nelson’s Five-Touchdowns Leads HEIR 9U Past Rise

Reported by Karrington Kincaid, The Seattle Medium

In a matchup where pressure was promised, the HEIR 9U squad delivered on every front. Behind an unstoppable performance from Alijah Nelson, who rushed for over 250 yards and scored five touchdowns, HEIR overpowered Rise 34–6 in a dominant non-league victory Saturday afternoon.

The win was a showcase of physicality, structure, and speed for HEIR, whose name—“Pressure”—perfectly reflected the tone they brought to the field. From the first possession to the final whistle, they swarmed the ball defensively and broke away with explosive plays on offense.

“Keeping it simple for the kids, and creating a system they can learn and utilize really easily is a really important thing to our success,” said HEIR Head Coach Manny Mora after the game. “We want our guys to play fast and confident—and today, they did just that.”

HEIR wasted no time asserting themselves. On the opening kickoff, Marclay Clinton returned the ball 40 yards, setting up Nelson for his first big moment. Just two plays later, Nelson broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown, immediately putting HEIR on the board. The extra point attempt was no good, but the statement was made: Rise was going to have their hands full.

After Nelson’s opening 55-yard touchdown run, HEIR kept the momentum rolling with a successful onside kick recovered by Roman Ailport. But the Rise defense responded with grit. Back-to-back stops by Omir Thomas and Maurice McCray Jr. pushed HEIR backward, stalling the drive.

Rise took over possession, hoping to flip the momentum. On their first play, however, Thomas was hit in the backfield by Ailport for a 4-yard loss. On the very next snap, HEIR’s defense swarmed again — this time stripping the ball from Thomas, and it was Ailport who recovered the fumble, giving the ball right back to HEIR deep in Rise territory.

Rise answered with some grit of their own. Siale’uvea Talaki powered through the line for back-to-back gains of 6 and 7 yards, briefly giving Rise life. But just as they began to find rhythm, Kameron Ross intercepted a pass from Desmond Walrond, halting the drive.

HEIR would fumble on the next possession, and Rise capitalized on the miscue with their lone touchdown of the game—a 36-yard pass from Walrond to Omir Thomas, followed by a 9-yard touchdown run to bring the score to 12–6. Still, HEIR never looked rattled.

Nelson responded with a 13-yard burst, and after a couple of short gains and incompletions, HEIR took a 12–6 lead into halftime, fully in control of tempo and energy.

The second half belonged entirely to HEIR. On HEIR’s first possession of the third quarter, Nelson exploded for a 52-yard touchdown run, showcasing his vision, balance, and breakaway speed. With the extra point good, HEIR extended its lead to 19–6.

Rise tried to mount a comeback behind Talaki and Thomas, but the HEIR defense locked in. Zyair Mora came down with a critical interception, and Amias Satiacum Abdullah made a key stop on Walrond for an 11-yard loss. Moments later, Nelson struck again, scoring on a 36-yard touchdown run, giving HEIR a 25–6 lead heading into the final quarter.

An onside kick recovered by Marquez Jackson gave HEIR even more momentum. Though penalties and short gains momentarily slowed them, their defense continued to shut Rise down, with Ross and Abdullah bottling up every attempt to move the chains.

Late in the fourth, after completions from Neloms to Mora and a 5-yard run by Ailport, it was Nelson once again who broke free—this time for a 42-yard touchdown, his fifth score of the day. With another successful extra point, HEIR sealed the win at 34–6.

It was a complete performance from start to finish—defensive takeaways, offensive precision, and a showcase from one of the most electrifying runners in the 9U division. Nelson’s combination of speed, strength, and field awareness proved too much for the Rise defense to contain.

Though Rise showed fight in flashes—especially through Talaki and Thomas—the pressure was constant, and HEIR simply didn’t allow extended drives. With standout contributions across the board, Coach Mora’s group continues to build momentum as one of the top 9U teams in the region.

Player Statistics

HEIR 9U (Offense):

• Alijah Nelson: 7 rushes, 245 yards, 5 TDs

• Marcus Graham Jr.: 6 rushes, 16 yards

• Apollo Neloms: 3 rushes, 9 yards; 2/5 passing, 19 yards

• Zyair Mora: 2 receptions, 16 yards

HEIR 9U (Defense):

• Cameron Ross: 1 INT

• Amias Satiacum Abdullah: 2 tackles

• Zyair Mora: 1 INT

• Roman Ailport: 2 tackles, 1 FR

Rise 9U (Offense):