Gameday Magazine

ASHBURN, VA - According to sources close to the BYU basketball program, former Stone Bridge Bulldog forward Marianne Bell has made the Brigham Young University team as one of the two walk-ons. It was discovered Thursday night that she made the team from an e-mail from Marianne's parents to head girls' basketball coach at Stone Bridge Brian Parke.

Bell, despite receiving much interest from Division II and III schools for basketball, decided to attend BYU with no scholarship last year to attempt to walk-on. This is now the fourth year in a row in which the Bulldog girls' basketball program has been able to send a player to the college level to play basketball. Three years ago, Aline Alzime went on to play for Ferrum College, along with Heather Phillips and Taylor Lowe, who both went to Virginia Wesleyan. Two years ago, A.J. O'Banion went to Chowan University in North Carolina. Last year, Tyrell White went to Marymount, and this year, Marianne Bell will play for the BYU Cougars.

"I'm glad she made the team. It was one of her dreams and through her hard work, dedication, and commitment, she made that happen. She had to compete against a variety of players to be one of only two walk-ons to be accepted. Me and the rest of the Stone Bridge community, along with a lot of the players, are very excited to see one of their old teammates play at the Division I level. She does indeed serve as a great role model to the players," coach Parke said.

It is not known as of yet how much playing time Bell will see in the 2007-2008 year.

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(Gameday Recap Provided By Gameday Magazine's Titan Football Insider)

SOUTH RIDING, VA - The road weary Dominion Titans got back on the winning track Friday night by up-ending the Freedom Eagles, 35-7 in South Riding.

Freshman sensation Deandre Reaves continued his impressive ground dominance on the season, rushing for 182 yards on 18 carries, adding 2 touchdowns, and scoring a third touchdown on an 82 yard kick-off return. Geoff McCowat threw touchdown passes of 51 and 21 yards to Henry Lobo. Sr. Todd Lancaster added 105 yards rushing on 10 carries.

The Titans opened the scoring at 5:12 of the first period on a spectacular 71 yard run by Reaves.
Following an Eagle penalty on the extra point try, the Titans went for 2 with Reaves carrying it in for the 2 point conversion. Ben Dickerson provided the key play on defense, when he deflected a pass and tipped it to himself for an interception giving the Titans possession at the Eagle 21.

The Titans scored again at 9:27 of the second quarter on a 51 yard pass from McCowat to a streaking Lobo. The pair would team up again at 3:17 of the third quarter on a 21 yard scoring strike when McCowat threw a laser in the end zone to Lobo, between two Eagle defenders.

The Eagles got on the board with 19 seconds left in the third quarter on a 6 yard run by TJ Mizell. Reaves answered the Eagles score when he took the ensuing kick-off 82 yards with 6 seconds left in the quarter. Reaves then capped the scoring with a 25 yard run to make the final score 35-7.

The Titan defense played an outstanding game. Victor Williams and Anthony Bartolotti were standouts on the defensive side of the ball. Lobo, in addition to his 2 touchdown catches, also had an interception. Kicker Tommy Kowalick averaged 47.3 yards per punt and twice sailed the ball over the Eagle receiver's head pinning the Eagles deep in their own territory.

The Titans (2-2) return to the friendly confines of Titan Stadium Friday night after playing 3 of their first 4 games on the road. They will be taking on the Briar Woods Falcons (3-1) in an important Dulles District contest.

Posted by Tom Whipple - Gameday Magazine Senior Editor at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(This Game Recap Written By Jessica Lloyd, Our Bulldog Gameday Insider)

FAIRFAX, VA - After Westfield's win last week over the Chantilly Chargers, head coach Tom Verbanic warned his team about being ready to move on and compete against another Concorde District powerhouse, the Robinson Rams. This game was a whole world away from Chantilly, and the Bulldogs needed to be prepared for an entirely new situation. Robinson wouldn't have it any other way.

At the start of the game, the opposition was well matched. During Westfield's early possessions, the Bulldogs couldn't gain any points after the first few drives, including a touchdown pass brought back due to an offensive pass interference penalty, and a failed field goal attempt a few plays later. At the end of the first quarter, The Bulldogs finally set the pace for the game. After recovering a fumble near the Robinson end zone, Sr. QB Mike Glennon was able to break free for an easy touchdown run. The Rams responded quickly, however, striking back with a 20 yard touchdown run by Sr. Peter Ferrara, tying the game 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Rams brought the fans to their feet as Sr. Rafiq Qadir made a huge advance towards the end zone, but the team failed to turn out any points on the drive. With 5 minutes left before half time, the Bulldogs came alive. Mike Glennon connected with Johnny Pickett in the end zone, pulling Westfield ahead 14-7.

It was the Westfield fans who were then on their feet, ecstatic after an interception touchdown return by Sr. Kyle Goffredo with just under 4 minutes left in the half. With the score now 21-7, the Rams gave up another turnover, leading to another touchdown by the now infamous Glennon-Pickett pass combination. With the half winding down to the final minute, the Bulldogs weren't ready to quit. Recovering his own team's kickoff at about the 40 yard line was senior Tucker Karl, who had previously come out of the game due to an ankle injury. Westfield took advantage of the prime field positioning, scoring on a touchdown pass from Glennon to David Kruchko with half a minute left. As the teams filed to the locker rooms, the scoreboard read 35-7.

The 3rd quarter remained relatively solid, only highlighted by a field goal from senior David Skahn from near 20 yards out. Westfield managed to seal the win with a solid defense the rest of the game, with the 4th quarter remaining scoreless. The night ended with the final Westfield 35, Robinson 7. The win keeps the Bulldogs perfect, at 5-0, while the Rams dropped to 3-2, overall for both teams. The game was broadcast live on the Gameday Radio Network, and can be relived now, and throughout the season, on Gamedaymagazine.com. Click on "Gameday Radio" on the front page, and click on the game.

Both teams are on the road next Friday. Robinson will look to rebound against Centreville, while Westfield travels to WT Woodson. Both games start at 7:30 pm.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

MCLEAN, VA - As they have the last three weeks, the Stone Bridge Bulldogs combined a dominating defense with a high-powered offense to subdue an opponent, this time downing the McLean Highlanders 38-0. Patrick Thompson had a big night, throwing three touchdowns, two to Jeron Gouveia.

The game opened in typical fashion with a Ronnie Shaban touchback, and the Highlanders were forced to punt three plays later. On the first play from scrimmage, Thompson found Gouveia streaking past the McLean defender down the right side, and hit him in stride for a 55-yard touchdown. Shaban's PAT made it 7-0 in a hurry.

McLean started on its own 30, and was eventually faced with fourth down and no more than a couple of inches to go. But the Bulldog defensive front line stuffed Greg Love for no gain and Stone Bridge took over with excellent field position. The opportunity was wasted, however, when Thompson was picked off two plays later at the Highlander 20.

Mclean took possession, but could not generate even positive yardage in three plays. The ensuing punt gave Stone Bridge the ball on the McLean 42. Two completions by Thompson and two nice runs by Kareem Alexander moved the ball to the 28, when Thompson found Ryan Moody for the Bulldogs' second TD. The extra point made it 14-0 Stone Bridge with 4:32 left in the first quarter.

On their next series, the Highlanders managed to record a first down when Love found Tarek Ammoury twice for short gains. The drive died quickly after that, however, and McLean gave up the ball to the Bulldogs on the Stone Bridge 31. The Bulldogs put together a ten play drive, but it too fell apart after reaching the McLean 31.

The Highlanders suffered another three-and-out and punted to the Bulldog 41, but interference with the punt returner on the fair catch brought the ball to the Highlander 44. Stone Bridge stayed on the ground this time, and scored once more when Alexander sprinted around the right side from 19 yards out.

The kickoff by Shaban was a line drive that ricocheted off the McLean front line player, and the Bulldogs' Ben Plamer jumped on it at the Stone Bridge 48. Eight plays later Thompson hit Gouveia on an 18-yard swing pass to make it 28-0 just before the half.

Stone Bridge started the second half with the ball, and the offense methodically marched down the field, covering 55 yards in ten rushes before Gouveia punched in from the two. Shaban's kick made it 35-0 and the starters were done for the night.

The Bulldogs defensive reserves took over from there and continued the domination of the Highlander offense. After three plays, Stone Bridge took over on the McLean 37. The Bulldogs drove to the Highlander 25, and from that point Shaban connected on a 42-yard field goal to finish the scoring.

Both teams traded punts, and ultimately McLean put together an extended drive, but it passed mid-field only briefly before the game ended.

For the Bulldogs, the night was a display of balanced offense (149 yards rushing, 185 yards passing) and solid defense (55 yards of offense for McLean, 33 in the last drive). Alexander led all rushers with 75 yards and a TD, while Moody was the top receiver with 90 yards and a TD. The Bulldogs move to 4-1, 2-0 in the district and next host South Lakes.

Prepared by, Dave and Suzy Barta
spbarta@aol.com

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BRAMBLETON, VA - The Broad Run Spartans traveled to Brambleton to play the Briar Wood Falcons in the first ever Varsity meeting of the two teams. Both teams entered into their inaugural District game undefeated as both teams stood 3-0. Stands were packed and fans encircled the field as the excitement was electrifying the air from weeks of anticipation on the oncoming battle. A sports fan of any type could have not asked for a more exciting venue with one of the largest crowds, two primed football squads, and the harvest moon rising above the stadium to set the mood to what was soon to be the "Brawl In Brambleton".

The Spartans drew first blood as they drove the length of the field behind the power running of Billy Rocca and Kenny McAdow, and the slashing style of Breon Earl, putting the Spartan's up early 7-0. The Spartan's again drove deep into Falcon territory following an interception of an Alex Munro pass by Sophomore Joey Quigg. The Spartan's were stopped at the Falcon 8 yard line in a momentum swinging defensive stand. On the ensuing possession the Falcons drove the length of the field and scored on a 12 yard pass from Munro to WR Tim King. Following a successful 2 point conversion, the Falcons were now ahead 8-7. The Spartans drove deep into Falcon territory late in the first half but were turned back as Devin Barber intercepted a pass at the Falcon 10 yard line. At the end of the first half, the Falcons led the Spartans 8-7.

The second half of play started with the Spartans driving into Falcon territory on a series of runs and play action passes. Following penalties, miscues and two excellent run stops by the Falcons, the Spartans punted the ball to the Briar Wood 22 yard line. The Falcons were unable to move the ball and on the 4th down, Broad Run Junior Mikey Cotton, blew through the interior of the Falcon line and blocked Max Rassman's punt. On a mad scramble for the ball, the Spartans Rocca recovered the ball in the end zone putting the Spartans a head 13-8.

The Falcons did not fold, but rather gave the Spartans a taste of their own medicine as they switched to a power running game and behind the running of Andrew Davidson and Billy McDonald, drove to the Spartan 15 yard line. A quick strike from Munro to King gave the duo their second touch down of the night and put the Falcons back on top 15-13.

With the home team crowd in a frenzy, the Falcons stuffed the Spartan running game and put the Spartans into a 3rd and long situation. Shain then found a slanting Flemming for the first down and followed up with a 52 yard bomb to Flemming again, giving the Spartan's a first and goal from the Falcon 2 yard line. Eric Madigan scored on the ensuing play and on the PAT giving the Spartans a 21-15 lead going into the 4th quarter.

The Falcon and Spartans defenses both came alive in the 4th quarter denying both offensive powers any foothold throughout the early goings of the quarter. With the Spartans on the Falcon 48 yard line, a fake punt pass from Chris Jessop to Tommy Meier covered 21 yards giving the Spartans a first down on the 27 yard line. The Spartan's went back to the ground game running the ball down to the Falcon 4 yard line and giving them a first and goal. The Falcons defense again met the challenge, stopping the Spartans for consecutive losses. Following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Spartans were now 3rd and goal from the 21 yard line, when Jessop found Ryan Diviney at the 2 foot line giving the Spartans a 4th and goal just inches from pay dirt. On 4th down play, the Spartan's Jessop ran a quarterback sneak and had apparently scored by signal of the linesman. The back judge over ruled the touchdown saying that Jessop was assisted into the end zone on the play. The Falcons now had the ball at their 1 yard line with 3 minutes and 16 seconds left in the game.

On first down, Munro found King for a 13 yard gain. Munro was then sacked by Senior Dustin Locasico. Munro came right back completing passes to King and Nico Darden giving the Falcons a first down at their 35 yard line. Munro then hit Jeremy Gray for an 11 yard gain. With 30 seconds left in the game, a deep pass from Munro to King was intercepted by Jessop at the Spartan 31 yard line sealing the victory for the Spartans.

Next week, the Spartan's play host to the Heritage Pride and the Falcons hope to gain back their winning ways as they travel to the Dominion Titans.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STEPHENS CITY, VA - With the entire town shut down for Friday's big football game featuring Sherando and Handley, the Warriors didn't disappoint. Sherando used its power running game and plenty of play action passing to down Handley 23-14.

On the first play of the game, Handley's J.J Dorsey hit receiver Andre Rickets on a 70 yard touchdown pass to put the Judges up 7-0. Rickets got behind the secondary and used his speed to quiet the Warrior crowd, and for the second straight week, the TCC Sports Game of the Week started with a touchdown on the first play of the game.

The Warriors answered with an impressive drive of their own, and tailback Markeith Brisco dove into the end zone from two yards out to tie the game at 7-7. Handley answered again with a Jeremiah Wilson touchdown run from 30 yards out and the Judges took a 14-7 lead in the late in the 1st quarter.

Both teams were playing impressively on offense, but Sherando's running game was working all night long, and Handley started to struggle in finding the big play as the game progressed. Sherando tied the game on a Ross Metheny touchdown pass to tight end Brian Barlow in the 2nd quarter, and the Warriors never trailed again.

The Warrior defense then came up with the deciding play in the game. With the Judges backed up inside their own 1-yard line, Dorsey scrambled and then was drilled deep in his own end zone. Dorsey attempted to throw the ball and it fell incomplete at the feet of his lineman. The officials huddled and decided it was intentional grounding and the Warriors were rewarded with 2 points on the scoreboard and the ball back.

In the second half, Metheny hit Derek Dehaney on a corner route to increase the Sherando lead to 23-14, and the Warrior defense held the Judges in check to secure the win.

Metheny, show finished with 2 touchdowns, was excited about his team's play.

"Handley is a very good football team and it was a huge win for us to propel us into the district," Metheny said. "I don't think you can explain the feeling in words, it's just awesome."

With the win, Sherando improved to 5-0 on the season and will travel to Central next Friday night. Handley drops to 1-3 in the loss.

Chick-fil-A Player of the Game:
Markeith Brisco - RB - Sherando
Brisco ran with authority all game long and showcased his strength and speed at the most important times in the game. His ability to run in between the tackles helped Sherando control the ball and seal the win....

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 01:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gameday Rewind...
It was a "Bye" week for half of the Loudoun County football programs last week, and many used the time to work out the kinks, prior to Dulles District play this week. Coach Andy Hill of the Park View Patriots said during the "Patriot Report" (his weekly Coach's Show on Gamedaymagazine.com) that the extra practice time would be used to concentrate on "protecting" the football more...a concern over the amount of turnovers his team has experienced over the 1st three games. Others used the time to allow players to get healthy, while the rest worked towards finding a way to get back on the winning track.

Of the teams that did play last week, the Broad Run Spartans continued their undefeated roll by traveling to Brentsville, and thumped the Tigers, 39-6, behind the passing of Cole Shain (10-15-151), and the legs of "Big Money" Breon Earl (15-149). JR. QB Chris Jessop was used a lot more in this game, as well, and also accounted for a Spartan score, on a 3 yard plunge. The Spartan 1st team defense has not given up a point in 3 games so far this season.

The Freedom Eagles continue to try and find their way, as they hosted the King George Foxes. After scoring the games 1st touchdown (a 2 yard plunge by T.J. Mizzell), King George ran off 44 straight points, enroute to the 44-7 victory. Eagle RB Jeff Pugh also put in a good effort on the night.

It Ain't A Rivalry Until...
Pro tennis player Andy Roddick was asked once how he sizes up the "rivalry" between him and top player Roger Federer (at the time, Federer was the world's #1 player, while Roddick stood at #2). He was quick to correct the upstart reporter by stating that there is no rivalry between the two. "I would have to have beaten him at least couple times, and last I looked, I haven't been able to beat him!" There was another such "rivalry" last week in Ashburn, as the Loudoun Valley Vikings traveled to Stone Bridge Thursday in a much touted "Rivalry Game." Similar claims were made, as many in Ashburn were asking, "What rivalry!?! When was the last time Valley beat Stone Bridge." One would have to go a ways back to get that answer, and include this last game in that history, as the Bulldogs dismantled the Vikings, 49-7.

Battered Titans...
After starting the season with high hopes of contending for a Dulles District championship, the Dominion Titans find themselves with a 1-2 record, after their 2nd loss in as many games, falling to previously winless Tuscarora (MD), 40-20. The Titans entered the 2007 campaign with arguably their best crop of talent in the school's short history. But as players like Todd Lancaster and DeAndre Reaves continue to shine for the Sterling team, health on the defense has been one of the key factors in the 2 losses. Most, if not all, of the starting linebackers were out with injury in the Tuscarora game, and the inexperience showed against the hard pounding, fast, MD team. Reports from insiders is that one of the hard felt injuries is to Casave Easterling, a preseason pick to be a leader to the defense, who may be out for the season with a knee injury.

Gameday Radio Broadcast Schedule....
With 8 games on the broadcast schedule this Friday, the Gamedaymagazine.com bandwidth will be bursting at the seams, as millions of people from across the world continue to listen in live, and to the re-broadcasts, each and every weekend. You, too, can log on and listen live to an assortment of games throughout the region, along with viewing our Gameday Live Scoreboard, presented by Paintworx, for the only Real-Time live scores in the state, right on the front page at GamedayMagazine.com. If you are at a game or out and about, you can also visit www.tccscores.com on your mobile phone to get the latest score updates. The scores refresh every 60 seconds. Below is a schedule for this Friday's games on the Gameday Radio Network.

Friday, September 28, 2007
Westfield @ Robinson - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Broad Run @ Briar Woods - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Chantilly @ Herndon - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Oakton @ Langley - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Park View @ Loudoun County - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Stone Bridge @ McLean - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Osbourn @ Liberty - (coverage begins at 7:00 pm)
Handley @ Shernado - (coverage begins at 7:00 pm)

* All Games Are Available For On-Demand Re-Broadcast Listening Late Friday Night

Other games being played in the Dulles District
Dominion @ Freedom
Loudoun Valley @ Osbourn Park
Potomac Falls @ Heritage
(All games begin at 7:30 pm)

Chick-Fil-A Players Of The Week
Deondre Reaves - Fr. RB, Dominion
Reaves rushed for 178 yards, and 2 TD's against Tuscarora (MD), and continues to put up impressive numbers each game. In 3 games, Reaves has totalled 470 yards, and 5 TD's, and leads all Loudoun County RB's.

Cole Shain - Sr. QB, Broad Run
Shain tossed 2 TD passes on 12-18 passing, totalling 204 yards. All this while splitting time under center with Jr. QB Chris Jessop (5-8-75).

The Picks-Of-The-Week
The "Picks" weren't available at press time this week, but look for them to come back in full force next week! Actually, Bruce Bornarth needed more time to lick his wounds from the beating he took in Week #4..... In our first match-up last week, Andy Hayes got lucky, and edged me out, picking 11 correct outcomes to my 10. Sr. Broad Run QB Cole Shain was respectable, picking 7 correct games, while Bruce continues to prove to the world that he is the "Lee Corso" of the Gameday Radio crew, by only getting 5 correct picks!

* Do you think you can outdo the "Gameday Crew?" Send an email to Gamedaymagazine@AOL.com, and tell us you want to give it a shot! The Crew will pick one new guest "expert" each week.

Posted by Tom Whipple - Gameday Magazine Senior Editor at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - It's hard to believe we're entering the halfway point of the season. Times like these make it seem appropriate that there is an extra week of playoff football because the season flies by so fast. Heck, let's add two more regular season games because before we know it, we'll have our district champs crowned and be looking forward to the playoffs! For now though, we'll do our best to focus on the present and enjoy our football while it lasts.

So as usual at Gameday, we talk about the sights and sounds of all things Northern Region football during this time of the week. Enjoy!

FOOTBALL SUPREMACY
Anyone at the Westfield-Chantilly game on Thursday knows what an incredible experience that was. On a Thursday--not a Friday--there were nearly 8,000 fans in attendance for a regular season game that felt more like a championship game than anything else. Even the softball stands were jam-packed with people trying to get a view of the game. Combine the fact that the game was played in a first-class stadium with two top rate teams, you get the impression that you are witnessing a college football game. Not many places do it better than the Concorde District schools, and last Thursday they truly put on a great show.

CAUTION: WILDCATS AHEAD
Everyone in the Northern Region knows Centreville as a dynasty that has ruled this area for some time. Yet with coach Skinner no longer the head coach and the Wildcats losing their opener to West Potomac, many came to disregard the Wildcats. Three weeks later however, and we see a totally different team from Week 1. They don't give up the big 'homerun' type of plays and their offense is finally finding some consistency. What that all means for Centreville is that they don't give up any points. No literally, this defense just doesn't surrender any points. Centreville every year is a program that churns out a bevy of talented players, and there is no telling how far this team can go if they continue to develop each week.

S.O.S
Thomas Jefferson, Lee, and Stuart are all hurting right now. Both have yet to win a game and are searching hard for a light at the end of the tunnel. Lee has faced all future playoff teams, so they get a pass and are certainly better than their record indicates. Yet for Jefferson and Stuart, both are in desperate need of a spark at this point. Stuart scored four touchdowns in a loss to Yorktown last week but as for Jefferson, they've scored only three touchdowns all year. Either way, a win come as a great relief for these teams.

REMEMBER THOSE TITANS?
It looks like a sleeping monster is possibly showing signs of life. What was a dominant program in the state during the 1970's and 80's eventually turned into lackluster program that has struggled to win from year to year. Yet new head coach Dennis Randolph is injecting new life into this program and it's showing. Last week his Titans went out and knocked off the defending Patriot District champion Annandale Atoms and they gave Centreville and Oakton fits as well. Now entering district play, T.C. Williams could be a team to watch out for.

REPRESENT!
Carrying the flag for the 703 last weekend were the Robinson Rams. Going up against DC-power Anacostia, they did a great job of representing the Northern Region in their dominant 40-14 victory over the Indians. Anacostia has featured some very highly ranked prospects recently, so the news of a resounding win for the Rams was great news for many Northern Region fans.

CRUISIN'Westfield, Madison, West Potomac are now the only undefeated teams left in the Northern Region. Westfield enters the heart of the Concorde schedule, so staying unbeaten will be a bit harder to do. As for Madison and West Potomac, they will likely cruise to a 5-0 record as they go up against the likes of Jefferson and Hayfield, teams who have a combined record of 1-7. Next week will be a different story however when Madison squares off against Langley and West Springfield tangles with West Potomac.

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STERLING, VA - Out of all the teams featured in last week's Gameday Power Poll, only Chantilly walked off with a loss, but it was the teams below the Chargers that all flip-flopped. As a result, we have one newcomer and a few significant drops by several teams. As stated in the release of last week's Power Poll, quality wins are now as important as ever if teams wish to climb the rankings. So take a look into this week's Power Poll rankings after Week Four's host of match-ups to see where your favorite team ranks.

1. WESTFIELD 4-0
Previous: 1
Next Up: at #6 Robinson

Westfield proved they deserved our #1 ranking as they put to sleep a very talented Chantilly squad by the score of 28-13. Yet they can't celebrate for too long as a match-up with #6 Robinson looms large for this team. As of now however, the Bulldogs are the clear frontrunner for a region title and the outright dominant team in the Northern Virginia area.

2. SHERANDO 4-0
Previous: 3
Next up: vs. Handley

Sherando is on absolute fire at this point. All the talent head coach Bill Hall puts out on the field for Sherando is near impossible to stop, and if folks want to see an offensive clinic, take a ride out to Stephens City. The Warriors' match-up with Handley this week is no walk in the park however and could be a great test for Sherando.

3. CHANTILLY 3-1
Previous: 2
Next up: at Herndon

Chantilly falls one spot after losing to #1 Westfield. Yet don't sell the Chargers short as this is still a highly talented team that just happened to fall to one of the state's premier teams. Expect them to bounce back strong against a rebuilding Herndon team.

4. STONE BRIDGE 3-1
Previous: 5
Next up: at McLean

The Bulldogs move up one spot after their resounding 49-7 win over Loudoun Valley. After putting 42 points up on the Vikings in just the first half, head coach Mickey Thompson had this team looking like the dominant Stone Bridge team of last year. That alone should serve as a scary thought for the rest of the region.

5. WEST SPRINGFIELD 3-1
Previous: 6
Next up: vs. Annandale

Week 4 wasn't much of a test for the Spartans as they easily dismissed the Hayfield Hawks 47-7. Next week however will be a different story as the Annandale Atoms come into town. The Atoms are coming off an unexpected loss to T.C. Williams, so you can expect Annandale be fired up and give West Springfield quite a fight.

6. ROBINSON 3-1
Previous: 8
Next up: vs. Westfield

Coming off a 41-14 victory over Anacostia (DC), Robinson moves up two spots in the poll. A win this week however won't be nearly as easy when they take on Westfield. If the Rams are able to pull off the upset, fans will need to take Robinson as a serious contender once again.

7. PARK VIEW 3-0
Previous: 4
Next up: at Loudoun County

Dropping the most in our Power Poll are the Park View Patriots. They had what seemed like two impressive victories over Division 6 opponents, but in retrospect they now appear to be wins over rebuilding programs. We are by no means counting Park View out of the picture, but we are waiting to see what they can do in the weeks to come.

8. FAUQUIER 3-0
Previous: NR
Next up: vs. Culpeper County

Those in the Northwest Region and Cedar Run district need to watch out for Fauquier. Yes, we said it: watch out for Fauquier. This team is significantly better than what we've seen in the past and trust us, they will make plenty of noise in the Cedar Run before it's all said and done.

9. MADISON 4-0
Previous: 7
Next up: at Jefferson

A lot like Park View, Madison drops because their quality wins don't seem as strong as we initially thought. At Gameday, our jury is still out on the Warhawks at this point and we're waiting to see how they do against Stone Bridge.

10. STONEWALL JACKSON 3-0
Previous: 10
Next up: vs. Battlefield

Staying put in the ten spot are the Raiders of Stonewall Jackson. This team will move up significantly when running back Ryan Williams is finally at full strength, but until that time, we are content at keeping them right where they are now.

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES:

POTOMAC 4-0: It is becoming extremely hard for us to exclude the Panthers right now. In two weeks, they will enter the heart of their Cardinal District schedule and if they escape that gauntlet unscathed, then this could quite possibly be a top five team. Yes, a top five team.

WEST POTOMAC 4-0: Despite West Potomac being undefeated, they don't have a quality win to their credit. West Springfield is on tap next week after they face Hayfield this week and that will be a great test to see just where this team is.

EDISON 3-1: The Edison offense is back in full force after they put up over 40 points in back-to-back weeks. Problem for Edison is that they now start getting into National District play and that means they play less than average competition. Not until November will this team be tested again when #3 Chantilly comes into town.

BROAD RUN 3-0: A huge game with Briar Woods looms large this week for the Spartans. How well they perform in this contest will say plenty about this team.

GAR-FIELD 3-1: Gar-Field is a team that is tough to get a read on right now because of the departure of quarterback Chris Lovitt. Yet replacement Aaron Jackson looks like a very capable replacement mainly because of his feet. We're not completely counting out the Indians at this point.

Posted by Derek Lecomte at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ASHBURN, VA - My chin strap is already buckled for Friday's match-up featuring the Broad Run Spartans (3-0) and the Briar Woods Falcons (3-0), thus the reason this preview is going out Monday morning. Since both fan bases are already putting the chatter out, I figured it would be fun to elevate it a bit for Monday morning classes. This game should be one of the best we've seen in this early 2007 football season. The winner will take the shotgun seat next to Park View for the Dulles District title race. Let's take a look at this one through the microscope.

Ourisman Chantilly Toyota
Keys To Victory

For Briar Woods:
The Spartans are averaging nearly 40 points per game, and their defense is giving up less than a touchdown per game. That doesn't bode well for the Falcons, who will need to figure out how to stop the Broad Run rushing attack first and foremost. The Spartans haven't seen a passing attack like that of Briar Woods, so the Falcons have some opportunities to exploit the Spartan secondary if they execute. The key match-up in this game for Briar Woods will be their interior defensive line vs the Broad Run offensive line. Skill position players are great to have, but the big uglies will win or lose this one for Briar Woods. If you can't stop the running game, you can't win, period.....Advantage = Broad Run

For Broad Run:
The Falcons are explosive on offense and it isn't just Alex Munro finding Tim King for the million touchdowns it seems King catches every game. Briar Woods has a plethora of sub 4.6 athletes who can flat out catch the ball and run. Sleeping on fullback Billy McDonald will be a mistake as well. The Falcons aren't afraid to pound it when teams try to put 5 defensive backs in the game. But let's be real here, the match-up that has most of us intrigued is the Briar Woods receiving core vs the Broad Run secondary. Tim King, Devin Barber, and the rest of the Falcon speedsters have the experience and the athleticism to make this game really interesting. If they make plays early and put pressure on Broad Run, this game should be close in the end. Broad Run better have a plan to put pressure on Munro, or the Falcons will answer every Spartan score..... Advantage = Briar Woods

Nuggets Of The Game
Presented By Chick-fil-A

For Broad Run:
- Make Briar Woods One Dimensional On Offense
- Run The Football And Wear Down The Falcons
- Be Physical In The Secondary And Mix Up Coverages

For Briar Woods:
- Play Big and Tough In The Trenches
- Score First And Score Often
- Prove You Can Play With The Big Boys

2006 All Gameday Players To Watch:
Cole Shain - Sr. Quarterback - Broad Run
Shain has taken the most snaps this year behind center, and for good reason. Shain is a leader and his first three starts have shown that he has control over Michael Burnett's offense. Shain and wide receiver Adrian Flemming have connected for several touchdowns this year and this game should provide another great opportunity for the two to have some impressive stats. As Shain goes, so go the Spartans.

Bryan Morrison - Sr. Offensive Line - Broad Run
Morrison is a big reason why Broad Run is controlling the line of scrimmage. When the Spartans run behind Morrison, the chain gain follows closely. Look for Broad Run to tell all four of their running backs to run right up the backside of big # 75 all night long.

Hayes' X's and O's:

On Offense:

For Broad Run:
The first play of the game should be a full house backfield and without question should be a running play to Breon Earl right behind Bryan Morrison. Send a message early by running the football on every play until Briar Woods stops it. Then, when they load the line of scrimmage, call the 9 route to Flemming and tell him to go get it for a score.

On Defense:

For Briar Woods:
Put 8 in the box, and play man coverage with safety help on Flemming. Giving up the big play is a bad thing, but letting a bigger, stronger team control the ball and the clock is even worse. Play the numbers game and force Shain to throw it to win, which he definitely can do. However, you have a far better chance if you stop the Spartan running game. Mix your blitzes on 2nd and 3rd down and substitute your defensive lineman to keep them fresh.

On Offense:

For Briar Woods:
This is simple, do what got you to 3-0 this season. Throw the ball up to Tim King and stretch the defense with your speed. Mix in some draws, screens, and fullback gives to keep Broad Run honest, but most of all, be aggressive and go down the field. Use Broad Run's strength to exploit their weakness. The Spartans are bigger, stronger, but that means you are faster, and quicker. Make this a track meet and most of all, hold onto the football and avoid turnovers.

On Defense:

For Broad Run:
One word......Pressure! Put pressure on Alex Munro and hit him every time he throws the ball. Put 8 in the box on first down and play man in running situations. On 2nd and 3rd down, play cover 2 and cover 3 and keep the Falcon speedsters in front of your DB's. Mix your run and pass blitzes and keep Munro and crew on their heels. Your base defense should work because you are bigger and stronger, but they have beaten a bigger and stronger team already in Millbrook. Finally, give corner Chris Jessop the responsibility of knowing what Falcon WR Tim King ate for breakfast Friday morning. Jessop can man-up with King and make it a long night with his athleticism. The key, get to Munro before he can get rid of the ball.

Expert Prognostication:
Ok, so here it goes, the Broad Run Spartans were 5-5 last year. The Briar Woods Falcons were 6-4, but played only a few Dulles District teams. But last year is last year, and these two squads have beaten some good teams this season already. Briar Woods' most impressive win was clearly against Millbrook, who last week defeated the unbeaten James Wood Colonels. That raised my eyebrow a bit, but this game is put up or shut-up time for Briar Woods. Talk is cheap until you prove you can knock a bigger and stronger team on their back. Broad Run isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread just yet, but they have more depth, more size, equal speed, and should have more points on the scoreboard when this game is over. This game will be high scoring, exciting, and an important momentum game for both programs. Advantage = Broad Run By 10

Weather Forecast:
Mostly Sunny, 76 degrees, with a 10% chance of rain.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 03:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CHANTILLY, VA - First off, any discussion of this game has to start with the atmosphere. With nearly 8,000 fans in attendance for a Thursday night game and both a "black-out" and "white-out" in effect for both fans, this game had more of a college-type atmosphere than anything else. The noise at times was near-deafening, but for good reason. These are the two premier teams in the Northern Virginia area and both came in as Gameday Magazine's #1 and #2 ranked teams.

The playoff and district implications were also huge, and now Westfield suddenly finds themselves in the driver seat after last night's win. Let's take a closer look at how Thursday's game panned out for both teams.

OFFENSE

Westfield
Westfield really showed a lot with their offense last night. Capable of both running and passing the football, every defense in the Northern Region has to be scared now. Before, it seemed there were some question marks concerning the run game for Westfield. Running back Brian Kennedy however, put to sleep any rumors that the Bulldog ground game wasn't that strong.

Mike Glennon also showed off what he could do with his legs in this game, which surprised all of us. No one in attendance last night probably thought Glennon was so capable of alluding pressure or finding the first down with his feet. Glennon all around just looked like a smart player out there who knew how to manage the game.

Chantilly
Chantilly meanwhile seemed to hit a wall at times with their running game. On several third-down attempts, they came up short and that has to be a concern with head coach Mike Lalli. The Chargers however, were capable of the big play, as is evidenced by Austin Decker and Torrian Pace's long touchdown runs. Yet after the first-half, those big plays just weren't there for Chantilly. Sure, they were up against a solid defense, but we were expecting a bit more from the offense.

DEFENSE

Westfield
Whatever changes or adjustments the Westfield coaching staff made in the second-half worked. They Charger offense was held to just a field goal in that time frame and they came up huge several times. For Verbanic, defense comes first, and it was pretty apparent why he holds that mindset: it wins him ballgames.

Chantilly
For Chantilly, it was tough to really judge what hurt them. With so many key penalties committed on their behalf, the problem might be more mental than anything else. Either way, expect whatever holes were exposed in the Chantilly defense to be filled up soon. This is the Chargers' pride and joy, so you know Lalli will use this game as an advantage to get them better.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Westfield
The most glaring mistake for Westfield in this department was the missed kick that would have put them up 17-13 at the half. For kicker David Skahn though, that doesn't happen too often. Skahn is one of the better kickers in the Northern Virginia area, so don't expect to see too many missed field goals from him.

Chantilly
On kick returns, the Chargers were struggling mightily as they dropped the ball on numerous occasions. Kick returns is a strong point for this team and the mistakes we saw last night were purely mental. We know what Chris Gentile and Bugsy Urrutia are capable of, so there's absolutely no reason to push the panic button there.

MISCELLANEOUS

Penalties
Wow there was a lot of laundry on the field Thursday night. From the simple delay of games to the controversial pass interferences and to the ugly late hit calls, there were seemingly way too many penalties for both teams. With the top-notch coaching staffs that are in place at both schools, expect that problem to be addressed immediately at Monday's practice.

Turnovers
Both teams did a good job handling the ball as Westfield was the only team to turn the ball over last night. That's a good sign for both teams because as every football team knows, turnovers can downright plague a football team.

Crystal Ball
There seems to be growing thought that this was only Part I of the Chantilly-Westfield rivalry and that Part II will feature these two teams again in the championship like last year. If history repeats itself, it could be Chantilly having the last laugh as they won last year's region title over Westfield despite losing to them in the regular season.

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ASHBURN, VA - Both the Stone Bridge Bulldogs and the Loudoun Valley Vikings came into Thursday night's game looking for something to prove. The Bulldogs were looking to prove that they were still the team to beat, not only in the Liberty District, but also the Northern Region. The Vikings were looking to show that they did, in fact, have the talent to make similar noise of their own. Stone Bridge head coach Mickey Thompson was not a happy camper this week when he saw where his team was ranked in the Gameday Power Poll, falling behind Group AA teams Sherando and Park View. Thompson is notorious for using anything he can find to motivate his talented squad, and this week's ranking proved to be the message behind the 49-7 throttling of Loudoun Valley.

"We are tired of being disrespected and being dropped down in the polls because we played one bad half against a good Robinson team," Thompson said. "We've lost two football games in the last 6 years in the regular season. We are a good football team and we are going to play with a chip on our shoulder from here on out."

The Bulldogs played with a huge chip on their shoulder in Thursday's game against Valley, and you can bet that the rest of the Liberty District is now paying attention.

The Bulldogs got things started quickly, stuffing the Vikings after a quick 3-and-out on the first possession. It then took less than a minute for the Bulldogs to score the game's 1st touchdown, as Jeron Gouveia ran the ball behind the right side of the line and into the end zone. On their next possession, QB Patrick Thompson broke a huge run and raced into the end zone, giving the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead. The Bulldogs would score one more time before the quarter ended, on another Gouveia run, giving the Bulldogs a 21-0 lead and deflating their only true rival in Loudoun County.

The second quarter didn't change much, as Stone Bridge put up another 21 points. The 3 touchdowns came from a Ryan Moody reception from Thompson, and 2 Kareem Alexander runs, and the half ended with 42 Bulldog points on the scoreboard.

With a continuously running clock to start the 2nd half, the pace of the game actually slowed as Bulldog head coach Mickey Thompson inserted a number of reserve players throughout the remainder of the contest. The Bulldogs would score only once more in the 2nd half. Andrew Ansell's interception return put the finishing touches on what was a tremendous exhibition of football by the Stone Bridge Bulldogs. The Vikings finally got on the board on their last possession of the game. QB Cooper Barth ran it in on a two yard sneak play, making the score, and the final, 49-7.

Thompson is a master motivator, and now has a rally cry for his club. The Bulldogs feel disrespected, and that wasn't a good thing for the Vikings on Thursday, nor is it a good thing for the rest of the teams on their schedule.

The Vikings (1-2) will get ready to face Osbourn Park, in Prince William County, next Friday night at 7:30 pm. The Bulldogs (2-1) will travel to McLean next Friday, to face the Highlanders, with that kick-off also set for 7:30 pm. That game can be heard live, world wide, on the Gameday Radio Network, at Gamedaymagazine.com. The broadcast will begin with the Bulldog Blitz at 6:45 pm.

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

WARREN COUNTY, VA - Friday's game between the Sherando Warriors (4-0 \ 1-0) and the Warren County Wildcats (1-3 \ 0-1) saw the Warriors walk away with a 61-0 victory in the opening game for each in the 2007 Northwestern District schedule. The Warriors took control of the game early in the 1st quarter on a pair of Markeith Briscoe touchdown runs from 6 and 4 yards out respectively. Senior David Hoopengarner took over for Briscoe in the 2nd quarter and was able to score three times for the Warriors. Hoopengarner scored on runs of 26, 1, and 1 yard to complete the first half where the score stood at 35-0 in favor of the visiting Warriors. Sherando's offense had one final chance to score again just before the end of the half but Jr. QB Ross Metheny was unable to hook-up with his receiver as time expired. Sherando scored 5 touchdowns on 6 possessions in the first half of the game.

In the second half the Warriors' defense stayed strong and kept the Wildcat offense from getting on track. It was the second team for the Warriors that had to complete the shutout for most of the second half. Metheny connected with Derek Crosen from 15 yards out on the first drive of the second half...the final drive for the Warriors' starters on the evening. Roger Smith, Jr. was impressive for the second week in a row tallying 2 more scores for the offense in the 3rd and 4th quarters from 12 and 3 yards out respectively.

The game ended in a frenzy as the Wildcats called a timeout with only 2 seconds left on the game clock only to have Sherando force a turnover and see Lukas Stump recover the fumble and return it 12 yards for a score that made the game's final 61-0 in favor of the Warriors.

Warren County will travel to Brentsville next Friday in an attempt to get their first district win of the 2007 season. The Sherando Warriors will host cross-town rival Handley next Friday night in a game that can be heard worldwide online at www.GamedayMagazine.com on the Gameday Radio Network. Broadcast begins at 6:45 pm.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BEALTON, VA - It only took 12 seconds for the Liberty Eagles to find pay dirt Friday night, as Junior Corey Lillard returned the opening kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles improved to 1-2 on the season and played well on both sides of the ball throughout the game. Eric Moran led the Eagles on defense as he picked up 2 sacks and forced a fumble. Coach Potts' defense held Stafford to just a field goal, up until the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

Up 14-3 late in the second quarter, Coach Tommy Buzzo called out the old "Hook And Ladder" play as Thomas Novak caught Wayne Conner's pass and pitched the ball to Lillard. Lillard got out of bounds at the 12 yard line with 1.1 seconds to go. Liberty then used a time out to discuss their next play, and it was a good one. Conner put a perfect pass up in the right corner of the end zone to Sam Ball-Whitfield as he out-jumped the defender to grab the ball at its highest point. Liberty took a 21-3 lead into halftime.

The Indians had some success on the ground as Dante Cook ran 15 times for 151 yards. Cook accounted for 115 of those yards in the first quarter and got limited touches for the final three quarters. Quarterback Stephen Lamar was unable to match his production from last week. Lamar accounted for 3 touchdowns and 203 yards of total offense in last week's triple overtime loss to the Fauquier Falcons. Stafford fell to 0-3 after the loss and travel to play a very good Brooke Point team in next week's action.

Wayne Conner continues to impress as he leads the Eagles offense. Conner found the end zone via the ground on an 11 yard run in the third quarter. Conner also had success through the air as he connected on big gains to Mark Simpson and Corey Lillard.

The Indians scored twice within the last two minutes of the game as Dexter McDougle and Jake Johnson ran for scores of 10 and 3 yards respectively.

Coach Buzzo and the Liberty Eagles look to build off of this win in anticipation of next Friday's Cedar Run District debut against the Osbourn Eagles. Kip Hull Field should be at maximum capacity for this big match up. Osbourn fell to the Woodbridge Vikings 6-3 in overtime in other action in the area. Next week's contest will feature two solid teams, both at 1-2 and in search of getting off on the right foot in district play. That game can be heard live next Friday, September 28th, exclusively on the Gameday Radio Network, at Gamedaymagazine.com. Coverage begins at 6:45 pm.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(Game Recap Provided By Dominion Gameday Insider)

In a clash of 2 Titans programs in Maryland Thursday night, Tuscarora jumped out to a 20-7 halftime lead and never looked back as they defeated Dominion, 40-20, in the home opener for the MD school. THS Senior QB John Kelly ran for 3 scores and threw an 86 yard touchdown pass to lead his Titans (1-2).

With Tuscarora having only amassed 6 total points in 2 previous games, hopes were high for Dominion to get back on the winning track on this night. The game seemed to start well for the Sterling team, as they appeared to draw first blood on a 30 yard TD pass from Geoff McCowat to Todd Lancaster. However the effort was negated due to a holding penalty, and the DHS Titans would not recover.

In the 2nd quarter, Kelly hit Jakrie Jackson on a slant pattern for the 86 yard pass\run score at 8:57 in the 1st half. Kelly then scored on a 6 yard scamper 2 minutes later. In both cases the extra point attempts were no good. Later in the 2nd, Lancaster picked off a Kelly pass and Dominion took possession at the THS 16. Lancaster completed the drive by hitting freshman WB Deondre Reaves on a 2 yard TD pass to close the gap to 12-7 with 2:17 remaining in the half.

On the ensuing kick-off, Dominion attempted the onside kick, but it was controlled by THS at the 48 yard
line. Dominic Clarke capped a 10 play drive by scoring from 6 yards out with 17 seconds remaining in the half. The 3rd quarter was all THS as they added 3 more scores. Dominion finally came alive in the 4th quarter when McCowat completed a sustained DHS drive, tossing a 5 yard scoring strike to Ben Dickerson. Reaves rounded out the scoring for the evening when he broke free for an 80 yard touchdown run, making the final score 40-20.

Todd Lancaster had an outstanding evening for Dominion, throwing one touchdown pass and intercepting 2 THS balls. DeAndre Reaves led all rushers with 178 yards on 20 carries. Tuscarora's Dominic Clarke and John Kelly rushed for 123 and 122 yards, respectively.

Dominion (1-2) will try to get back on track next Friday night, as they open Dulles District play at Freedom.

Posted by Tom Whipple - Gameday Magazine Senior Editor at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CHANTILLY, VA - Heading into Thursday's clash with cross town rival Chantilly, the Westfield Bulldogs were hungry for vindication after last season's regional title loss to the Chargers. Bulldog quarterback Mike Glennon and crew were on fire offensively in their previous three games, but they hadn't faced a tough and physical defense like that of Chantilly's yet. While Westfield has always been known for the quick strike on offense, it was Chantilly's Austin Decker that hit the first big play of the game. Decker took the first offensive snap of the game for Chantilly and raced 64 yards for a touchdown to quiet the Bulldog faithful, and send the Charger fans into a frenzy.

With Chantilly leading 7-0, Westfield answered, moving the ball down the field behind the passing of Glennon and the running of Brian Kennedy. Glennon capped off the impressive drive with a touchdown pass to David Kruchko on a 1st and goal from the 1 yard line to knot the score at 7-7.

Chantilly's Torrian Pace then showed his speed after breaking free from 42 yards out to give the Chargers a 13-7 lead after the extra point attempt failed. On the ensuing drive, Glennon hit receiver Johnny Pickett on a slant route for a score to give the Bulldogs a 14-13 lead late in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs got the ball back with :33 seconds left in the 2nd quarter in their own territory, and they nearly pulled off the play of the game, executing the hook and lateral play perfectly. A 15 yard facemask penalty at the end of the play helped set the Bulldogs up for a field goal attempt, but the kick sailed wide and the half ended with Westfield holding onto a 14-13 lead.

Heading into the locker room, Westfield head coach Tom Verbanic told the Gameday Radio crew what his message was going to be to his kids.

"I'm going to tell them to play hard and to play fast, because it's going to be a war in the second half," Verbanic said.

The message Verbanic delivered at halftime worked because the Bulldogs looked sharp to open the 2nd half. Bulldog tailback Brian Kennedy extended the Westfield lead in the 3rd quarter on a bruising 10 yard run which ended with him diving for the corner of the end zone while stiff arming Charger linebacker Mike Quigg. Kennedy's run gave the Bulldogs a 21-13 lead, and Chantilly couldn't muster an answer except for a late field goal in the 4th quarter to make the score 21-16. Glennon then iced the game after a 30 yard run from Kennedy, by running a quarterback draw into the end zone to make the score 28-16.

Glennon isn't known for his speed, but he looked like John Elway in his prime while he ran for the deciding score. Glennon said the decision to run was actually a designed play that the Bulldogs had been practicing all week long.

"We practiced that play this week and I was excited about it. I think it surprised them, and my line did a great job of blocking, nobody touched me on the way to the end zone," Glennon said.

"I'm just so proud of the kids because I thought we really played hard," Verbanic said. "Our defense played well in the second half and our offensive line was outstanding. Probably the MVP's were the kids who played the scout team all week in practice, they did a great job in a tough short week of preparing for this game."

After the game, Chantilly Head Coach Mike Lalli graciously shared a few thoughts about the tough loss to the Bulldogs.

"They played very well, and we didn't do a very good job of stopping the run tonight," Lalli said. "This is just one game, and we have 6 more games and can still make the playoffs, and good things can happen still for us."

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 4-0 on the season and take the inside track on the Concorde District race. With the loss, Chantilly fell to 3-1 on the season.

Game Notes:

Westfield receiver Johnny Pickett had 10 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in the 28-16 win over Chantilly. Pickett continued his assault on defensive backs in the region and has become the go-to guy for quarterback Mike Glennon.

Bulldog tailback Brian Kennedy finished the night with 109 yards rushing and 1 touchdown and it was his 30 yard jaunt in the 4th quarter on a crucial 3rd down that helped to seal the victory. Kennedy continued to cause problems for the Chantilly defense and has now scored at least one rushing touchdown against Chantilly in the last three contests between the two teams.

Quarterback Mike Glennon threw for 2 touchdowns and rushed for another, finishing the night completing 15 of 22 passes for 177 yards.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 02:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - With Week 3 being the final tune-up before district play starts, we honestly don't know what to expect by season's end. Each district has its own surprises, and there is no real clear-cut favorite. Stone Bridge is no longer a dominant favorite in the Liberty, the Patriot is a logjam from the first through third positions, and Edison might have seemed to hit a roadblock on offense. Then there's the Concorde where, well, there's about five teams that can win it all.

So as district play starts and the non-district schedule comes to a close, we look back on Week 3 and evaluate who's looking strong and as a possible threat to walk away as a 'district champ.'

IMPROVING
West Springfield, Centreville, Fairfax, West Potomac, and Lake Braddock are all teams that have gotten significantly better since Week 1. Entering district play, all these teams have to be comfortable about where they now stand. Lake Braddock, Centreville, and Fairfax have taken their offenses from stagnant to efficient and all of them could now make some noise in their respective districts. West Springfield and West Potomac meanwhile have now elevated themselves as the top contenders in the Patriot where they have lethal offenses and a durable defense.

BRING IN MR. FIX-IT
Oakton, Robinson, Marshall, and Yorktown all have to be a little more apprehensive about this week than the other teams. All were expected to do fairly well, but have fallen a bit short of expectations. The beauty of the Northern Region is that all of them still have a quality shot at winning their district. So with these teams having obvious problems that need to be identified, now is the perfect time to fix whatever the problem is before it's too late.

BATTLE TESTED
The Lee Lancers have just finished running through a gauntlet that included the likes of Edison, Westfield, and Centreville. Yet that was their non-district schedule. Their district opener is against #9 West Potomac this week, so things don't get any easier for Lee. If there's one thing though that Lee head coach Rob Everett prides himself on, it's that he loves to play the best competition possible and he's certainly getting that wish this year.

THE CHANTILLY SHOWDOWN
So we all knew the Chantilly-Westfield game would be huge when we first saw it on the schedule, yet this could be the biggest Concorde district regular season game we've seen in a long time. All preseason predictions have these two teams pegged as the two premier teams in the Northern Region and Northern Virginia area. Now on Thursday, we get to see both Westfield and Chantilly get to do battle and see who is in fact number one.

Posted by Derek Lecomte at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ASHBURN, VA - In a special Thursday night event, the Stone Bridge Bulldogs (2-1) will host the Loudoun Valley Vikings (1-1) in a game that has all of Loudoun County buzzing. While transition has been more of the storyline with the Bulldogs and Vikings in years past, this game has turned into the last great rivalry between Loudoun schools. Stone Bridge may argue that you have to lose sometimes to your opponent to call it a true rivalry, but like the Vikings, the Bulldogs circle this game on the schedule every year. Thursday's match-up should be another hard fought, physical contest that could very well go down to the final play as it has in previous meetings.

Last Meeting:
Last year when these two teams met, Stone Bridge, led by All-Gameday quarterback Terence Glenn and All-Gameday Player of the Year Devon "Ylou" Brown, dominated the Vikings by a score of 35-14. The embarrassing loss for the Vikings came on their own turf, which didn't sit well with the Valley faithful. Head Coach Bruce Sheppard has fielded teams that have played Stone Bridge extremely well, but they have failed to finish the games and make the plays needed to win.

Inside the Game:
Loudoun Valley has been up and down so far this season. In their season opener, they were embarrassed by Forest Park, a team that has only won two games in the past two seasons, and went winless last season. The Vikings recovered last week to beat Woodbridge 24-7, a team that was ranked in the top 10 in the Gameday Power Poll. Stone Bridge Head Coach Mickey Thompson told Gameday this week that he believes his Bulldogs are preparing for the team that played well last week against Woodbridge, and not the one which lost to Forest Park. The biggest factor for the Vikings in this game will be their defense. While inexperienced, it is full of potential and the Vikings have traditionally given the single wing running attack a tough time.

The Stone Bridge Bulldogs have not lost a regular season home game since their inaugural season back in 2001. Loudoun Valley is in the one program that has had the Bulldogs on the brink of defeat several times at home, so don't expect the Vikings to be intimidated by playing in Ashburn. However, Stone Bridge typically plays well in this game, and that should be no different on Thursday night. If Stone Bridge can get their playmakers the ball early and often, this one could be another lopsided ending for Valley.

Nuggets of the Game:
Presented By Chick-fil-A

For Stone Bridge:
Be Prepared For Valley To Drop And Roll On Defense
Get Jeron Gouveia At Least 15 Carries On Offense
Stuff Valley's Spread Offense And Force Them Out Of Their Comfort Zone

For Loudoun Valley:
Create Turnovers and Score Early
Avoid Giving Up The Big Play
Finish The Game And Get That First Win Over Stone Bridge

Key Matchups:

For Stone Bridge: The key match-up in this game is most definitely the Stone Bridge offense vs the Valley defense. In years past, the Vikings have used a technique that includes dropping down and diving toward the feet of the Stone Bridge lineman. The technique has been effective at disrupting the Single Wing blocking schemes used by the Bulldogs. Stone Bridge head coach Mickey Thompson said this week that his offensive linemen will have a counter move to this, but also admitted that it could be a long night if they don't handle the Viking defensive line.

For Loudoun Valley: The Vikings will need their skill position players to man up with Stone Bridge's skill position play makers. This is the case on both offense and defense as Valley will have some speed advantage with tailback Brian Oden, but will be on the short-end of speed in some areas on the field. If the Vikings can neutralize the big play threat and make some big plays themselves, this game will be very close.

Game Outlook:
This game is a much bigger deal to Valley than it is to Stone Bridge, primarily because the Bulldogs have won every contest. The Vikings have to prove they can win against Stone Bridge, and that is a mental thing more than anything. Look for this game to be one of the hardest hitting games of the season, and it should be very close. Bulldog quarterback Patrick Thompson will have a major impact on the outcome and if he continues to throw the ball efficiently, Stone Bridge should come out on top. That being said, we like Stone Bridge in another instant classic.

Predicted Score:
Stone Bridge - 24
Loudoun Valely - 21

Projected Weather:
Clear Skies, highs in the low 80's, low's in the mid 50's. Light Wind......Perfect Football Weather!

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gameday Rewind...
With 3 weeks under the belts of most area football programs, non-league games are about at an end, and this week starts the push towards all important District play. Some teams are getting stronger, and seem to be ready to make a charge towards their respective crowns, while others are still finding their way. The Park View Patriots saw yet another big test this past Friday, as they hosted the Handley Judges, and prolific QB J.J. Dorsey. With the offense putting up very good numbers so far in the early season, the question this night would be how the Patriot defense would contain the high powered Judges, and Dorsey's 100 plus passing average per game, and equal running ability. On a rain soaked night, Dorsey was able to amass 199 yards passing and a touchdown, along with one rushing TD. But Park View "D" was able to clamp down late in the game, creating a key turnover, and seal the 34-20 home victory.

In Ashburn, Stone Bridge was able to bounce back from a disappointing loss the week before (at Robinson), and roll to a 35-0 drubbing of the Marsall Statesmen, behind a stingy defense, and strong running performance by Jerron Gouveia. In Sterling, the Titans fell victim to mistakes and key turnovers, and fell to Millbrook, 34-22, while the Loudoun County Raiders dropped to 0-3, losing to James Wood, 41-8.

Rolling Along...
The Briar Woods Falcons continued their undefeated run by muscling up, and handing Manassas Park the 26-6 loss in the Broadlands Friday night. QB Alex Munro showed he is one of the top signal callers in the area, with his 159 yard performance, on 14-22 passing, and 3 TD's.

The Thrill Of Victory, and the Agony Of Defeat.....
In a wild game in Prince William County, the Heritage Pride escaped with a closing minute, come-from-behind, 29-26 victory over Brentsville. With just over 2 minutes to go in the game, Pride PK Josh Thiel kicked a 37 yard field goal to take a 22-20 lead. On the ensuing kick-off, Brentsville's Justin Donnelly took it to the house, giving the visiting team the lead back, at 26-22. With the air seemingly out of the Pride balloon, Nick Cadwell would pump it all back up, when he took the Brentsville kick-off 82 yards to the other end zone, and the Pride escaped with the thrilling victory.

A Tale Of 2 Halves.....
The Potomac Falls Panthers fell victim Friday night to the old adage....."You Gotta Play All 4 Quarters to Be Successful," as they squander a 21-20 halftime lead, and fall to Jefferson (WV), 42-21. Don't blame the effort, however, as these Panthers still have several key players who play on both sides of the football. A tough task early in the season, and especially against a very tough Cougar team.

Gameday Radio Is Where It's At....
With Gameday Radio in full broadcast mode, and Gameday Rewinds the only place you can go and re-live anywhere from 5-7 games from Friday night, the word has gotten out that Gamedaymagazine.com is the place to go for High School football broadcasts and written re-caps, and High School sports stories. As of September 17th alone, over 12,000 people listened to Gameday Radio broadcasts of games across Northern Virginia. At the half way point, September has been a record month so far, with over 3 million hits, 1.5 million page views, and 60,000 unique visits to GamedayMagazine.com.

Each and every Friday night, you can log on and listen live to an assortment of games throughout the region, along with viewing our Gameday Live Scoreboard, presented by Paintworx, for the only Real-Time live scores in the state, right on the front page at GamedayMagazine.com. If you are at a game or out and about, you can also visit www.tccscores.com on your mobile phone to get the latest score updates. The scores refresh every 60 seconds. Below is a schedule for Friday's games on the Gameday Radio Network.

Thursday, September 20, 2007
Loudoun Valley @ Stone Bridge - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Fairfax @ Oakton - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Chantilly @ Westfield - (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Broad Run @ Brentsville - (coverage begins at 7:15 pm)

Friday, September 21, 2007
Sherando @ Warren County- (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)
Stafford @ Liberty- (coverage begins at 6:45 pm)

* All Games Are Available For On-Demand Re-Broadcast Listening Late Friday Night

The Rest of the Loudoun County Schedule....
Dominion @ Tuscarrora (MD)
King George @ Freedom

Chick-Fil-A Players Of The Week
Nick Cadwell - Heritage WR
Cadwell's 82 yard kick-off return for touchdown with just over a minute left in the game, elevated the Pride to a home victory against Brentsville, 29-26

Alex Munro - Briar Woods QB
Munro handled the rain and wet conditions all night long, going 14-22-159, and tossing 3 TD passes, leading his Falcons to a convincing 26-6 home win over Manassas Park.

The Picks-Of-The-Week
Every week, the Gameday Crew of Andy Hayes, Bruce Bornarth, and Tom Whipple, go head-to-head against each other, and a weekly invited guest prognosticator, and they will pick apart the teams and schedules, and come up with the Picks of The Week presented by GamedayMagazine.com, for your office pools. This week's challenger is Sr. QB Cole Shain, from the Broad Run Spartans. See how he fares against the "experts." This week's Picks from the guys are.....

* Do you think you can beat the "Gameday Crew?" Send an email to Gamedaymagazine@aol.com, and tell us you want to give it a shot! The Crew will pick one new guest "expert" each week.

Posted by Tom Whipple - Gameday Magazine Senior Editor at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CHANTILLY, VA - So who gets the advantage for this Thursday's huge game between #2 Chantilly and #1 Westfield? Well, at Gameday Magazine, we'll break it all down for you. From offense to special teams to the intangibles we'll take you through every aspect on what could be the most highly anticipated game of all time in the Concorde District.

OFFENSE: ADVANTAGE CHANTILLY
The Chargers come into this game scoring an average of 42 points a game, which is good enough for best in the region (although Westfield averages 41.3 ppg.). Each week, their offense continues to get better and they've put up those big numbers against the likes Langley and Annandale, both contenders in their respective districts. The Chargers also feature a three-headed monster in the form of running backs Torrian Pace, Antonio Cross, and Bugsy Urrutia. Factor in the stellar play of quarterback Austin Decker, and you have a ground game that is lethal. Stop the run, and you have to deal with the arm of Decker, who is plenty of capable of tearing a secondary apart.

DEFENSE: ADVANTAGE WESTFIELD
Statistically speaking, this was the best defense in all of the Northern Region last year. So far they've managed to again have the most stifling defense in the region as they've only allowed 13 points in three games. Led by linebacker Brian Kennedy, this team is solid all the way around, especially at the linebacker position. The secondary hasn't been tested much, so that might be a weak point, but expect safety Tucker Carl to hold down the fort. Gaining yards on this unit is no easy task, so the Chargers certainly have their hands full on Thursday night.

SPECIAL TEAMS: ADVANTAGE WESTFIELD
While we know Chantilly has big play threats on kickoffs and punt returns with Chris Gentile, we still give the edge to Westfield here mainly because of kicker David Skahn. Skahn has excellent range and has the potential to nail a 50-yard field goal. If this game comes down to the wire, Skahn will be a great weapon to have.

COACHING: ADVANTAGE CHANTILLY
Yes, we know head coach Mike Lalli has only been around for a short time, but what he's done in that short time frame is nothing short of spectacular. He has a Northern Region title, state championship appearance, and the label of hero after resurrecting what looked to be a dead program. Lalli has also proven that he can win the big game and knows how to adjust his gameplan when need be. Make no doubt about, Lalli is truly one of the best coaches this region has to offer.

INTANGIBLES: ADVANTAGE WESTFIELD
When you factor in that Westfield has home-field advantage and that there will be a full on 'black out' in effect, you can't help but think that Bulldogs will get an extra dose of adrenaline. Yet what really gives Westfield the edge in this department is that no one from Westfield has forgotten last year's loss to Chantilly in the region championship, making the revenge factor a huge one. From coaches to players, there is nothing Westfield would like more than to stick it to the Chargers on Thursday.

Posted by Derek Lecomte at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Chantilly Chargers @ Westfield Bulldogs
Thursday, September 20, 2007
6:30pm pre-game, 7:30pm kickoff
Chantilly, VA. Westfield High School

Broadcast Media:
TCC Sports Game of the Week
Live Worldwide On The Gameday Radio Network
Coverage Starts at 6:30pm Thursday at GamedayMagazine.com

CHANTILLY, VA - The Chantilly Chargers (3-0, #2) and the Westfield Bulldogs (3-0, #1) will square off Thursday night in what has quickly become a heated rivalry between the two cross-town rivals. Chantilly boasts convincing wins against Langley, Washington-Lee and most recently a 49-0 triumph of 2006 Patriot District champion Annandale. Westfield soundly defeated South County, Lee and Hayfield respectively to open their season. The two Concorde District powerhouses have outscored their opponents a combined 250-33. Westfield will be looking to avenge their loss to the Chargers in the 2006 Northern Region championship, while Chantilly will try to prove their run to the state championship was no fluke. This clash of Concorde titans is a must-see, as two teams with state championship aspirations compete for an early edge and a whole lot of bragging rights.

Key Match-up: The Chargers have three running backs who could start for nearly any Northern Region team. Seniors Antonio Cross and Bugsy Urrutia and junior Torrian Pace have been wreaking havoc on opposing defenses all season. The Bulldog defense, which has only allowed 13 points so far, will be the biggest, fastest and most disciplined group they have faced this season. If Westfield can stymie the Chargers ground game, Chantilly will have to resort to an unproven passing game.

Nuggets of the Game:
Presented by Chick-fil-A

For Chantilly:
- Establish the run game early
- Keep pressure on QB Glennon
- Win the possession battle

For Westfield:
- Force QB Decker to beat them with his arm
- Don't give up the big play
- Get the ball to WR's Kruchko and Pickett

Players To Watch:
Chantilly's Torrian Pace has been an absolute menace for opposing defenses this season. The junior running back has amassed 348 yards and six touchdowns on just 26 attempts. Even while splitting time with two other backs, Pace has still found a way to rack up huge numbers against three tough defenses. Westfield is going to need more than one player to bring this 220-pound back down.

Our Prediction: Both Chantilly and Westfield are so well-coached that it seems incriminating to say one won't be ready for this game. Chantilly opened its season against a tough Langley squad and is coming off a 49-0 win over a top 10 opponent in Annandale. Westfield has played a relatively easy schedule against second-rate teams South County, Lee and Hayfield. The trio of bruising Charger backs Antonio Cross, Torrian Pace and Bugsy Urrutia couldl catch the Bulldog defense off guard. Chantilly's defense will need to play its best game to have a chance as Bulldog QB Mike Glennon is as good as any signal caller in the state. This winner of this game will be the team that most likely has the ball last....

Projected Weather:
Mix of sun and clouds. Temperatures in the mid 60s.

Posted by Jon Battaglia - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 09:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - This week's edition of the Gameday Power Poll was extremely tough to assemble. Just when you think all the contenders are separated from everyone else, several more teams emerge as legitimate threats for a title. This past week's of games has gone to show that the Northern Virginia area is very deep this year. Classifying the ten best schools each week is certainly no easy task, but you can assure yourself that the Power Poll will include some very elite teams.

What it takes to stay in the Power Poll now or move up each week will require hard fought wins and near perfection. Any slip ups, and a team's stock will surely drop (see Robinson). With the way the area is shaping up, there are simply too many great teams worthy to be included. So for all of us at Gameday, excellence is now a pre-requisite in order to be included in the Power Poll.

With that said, enjoy this week's Power Poll, and expect changes in the coming weeks!

1. WESTFIELD
Previous: 1
Next up: vs. #2 Chantilly

Westfield is again in the top spot after they posted a 41-0 shutout of Hayfield. Next week however, the Bulldogs will have to work extra hard for their number one ranking as the second-ranked Chantilly Chargers come into town.

2. CHANTILLY
Previous: 2
Next up: at #1 Westfield

Chantilly keeps on rolling as they put down a very competitive Annandale team 49-0, proving that they are a true force to be reckoned with. The Chargers are hitting on all cylinders right now as they head into their showdown with #1 ranked Westfield.

3. SHERANDO
Previous: 4
Next up: at Warren County

Sherando continues to steadily move up the Power Poll as they dismantled Hedgesville (W.Va) 54-7. Metheny is on fire at this point and the Warrior offense is among the best in Northern Virginia.

4. PARK VIEW
Previous: 6
Next up: BYE

Park View leaps over Stone Bridge and into the number four slot in the Power Poll after their victory over Handley 34-20. Park View has now soundly defeated three very competitive football squads which is enough to validate their #4 ranking.

5. STONE BRIDGE
Previous: 5
Next up: vs. Loudoun Valley

Despite beating Marshall 35-0, Stone Bridge stays idle in the five spot mainly because of Park View's convincing win and Robinson's loss to West Springfield. Regardless, this team still showed a lot of resiliency in their 35-0 win over Marshall showing they are still the team to beat in the Liberty District.

6. WEST SPRINGFIELD
Previous: NR
Next up: at Hayfield

A week after scoring a monster road upset of Edison, the Spartans showed that they were in fact the real deal as they defeated then-#3 Robinson 21-7. West Springfield is also one abysmal third quarter away from being undefeated and a top five team in the Power Poll. This team is in every way a serious region contender.

7. MADISON
Previous: 7
Next up: vs. South Lakes

Madison stays put at number seven in the Power Poll after a 53-13 defeat of Wakefield. Tucker Barstow and the passing game still look to be very efficient, and they are on a collision course with #5 Stone Bridge.

8. ROBINSON
Previous: 3
Next up: vs. Anacostia (DC)

What a roller coaster Robinson has been on the past two weeks. After a huge 41-14 win over Stone Bridge, they suffered a crushing 21-7 loss to previously unranked West Springfield. The Ram offense and parts of their defense suddenly seem a bit more suspect than originally thought.

9. WEST POTOMAC
Previous: 10
Next up: vs. Lee

After a 42-21 victory over Yorktown, West Potomac moves up one spot. Josh Wells racked up nearly 200 yards rushing and this offense looks to be the real deal. Their match-up versus #6 West Springfield in two weeks will say a lot about this team.

10. STONEWALL JACKSON
Previous: NR
Next up: at Freedom-Prince William

The lone representative from Prince William County is the Stonewall Jackson Raiders. After a convincing 27-6 win over upstart Forest Park, Stonewall enters the Power Poll in the tenth position. With Ryan Williams back to full health, this team will likely sky-rocket in the Power Poll in the weeks to come.

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES:

POTOMAC- The Panthers are now 3-0 and ready to charge into the Power Poll with authority.

BROAD RUN- Broad Run slips out of the Power Poll mainly due to the stellar play of Stonewall Jackson and West Springfield.

EDISON- Their loss to West Springfield suddenly doesn't seem like much of an upset at all anymore. Combine that with their 46-7 thrashing of South County, and the Eagles suddenly don't seem like they lost as big a step as we originally thought.

OSBOURN- Back into consideration for the Power Poll is Osbourn. Their 33-13 dominating win over Culpepper has people thinking last week's loss was a mere fluke.

BRIAR WOODS- With Briar Woods' 3-0 record, it's tough to overlook them at this point. With a bye next week, they'll have plenty of time to prepare for Broad Run. A victory then could be enough to launch them into the Gameday Power Poll.

Posted by Derek Lecomte at 12:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Provided By Westfield High School

CHANTILLY, VA - The Westfield High School Sports and Entertainment Marketing classes have called for a "Blackout" for these fall sporting events by all of Bulldog Nation: Football, Field Hockey, and Girls Volleyball.

The first blackout event will be the upcoming football game against the #2 ranked Chantilly Chargers on Thursday, Sept. 20th at 7:00 pm. This is a rematch of the Regional Championship game in which Chantilly won 26-21 in stunning fashion with 14 seconds left in the game.

We are asking all members of the Bulldog community to come to our football game wearing black to show their support. The goal is to fill our stadium with a sea of black. Limited Edition promotional "Blackout" t-shirts will be available for purchase starting Monday, September 17th during all lunches and at the football game against Chantilly. (Subject to availability)

The promotional t-shirt will be used for all "Blackout" events during the 2007-2008 school year.

The cost of the blackout t-shirt is $10 and comes in limited supplies of Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and 3XL. All proceeds from the sale of the t-shirt will be donated to the NEW electronic marquee project on behalf of our S/E Marketing classes.

Future Fall Blackout Events
We have also called for a "Blackout" at these additional fall sporting events at Westfield High.
Field Hockey game against the Herndon Hornets on Friday, October 5th, 2007 at 7:30pm and the Girl's Volleyball game against the Chantilly Chargers on Friday, October 16th, 2007 at 7:15pm.

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BRENTSVILLE, VA - In a thriller at Brentsville in the pouring rain, The Heritage Pride came back in the 4th quarter to score 23 points to pull off their 2nd straight win of the season. Trailing 20-6 entering the fourth quarter, Heritage scored two touchdowns and hit a 37 yd field goal to take a 22-20 lead with under two minutes to go.

On the Ensuing kickoff Brentsville's Justin Donnelley returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to give Brentsville the lead back at 26-22 with 1:14 to go.

Heritage's Nick Cadwell then returned the favor by racing 82yds to the end-zone on the Brentsville kickoff to give the Pride a 29-26 victory. The lead changed hands three times in less than 30 seconds in this thriller.

The Pride improved to 2-1 and have a bye next week. They open up their league play on the 28th vs. Potomac Falls.

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(Game Recaps provided by Millbrook and Dominion Gameday Insiders)

The Dominion Titans lost at home Friday night to the Millbrook Pioneers 34-22 at rain drenched Titan Stadium. The conditions were sloppy all night long....both with the field, and with the play itself, by both teams.

The Titans drew first blood when Todd Lancaster took the opening kick off, and raced 90 yards for the score. The lead was short lived, however, as Pioneer Sr. RB Butch Kaczmarzewski scored on the Pioneer's 2nd play from scrimmage, on a 46 yard touchdown run. The bottom started to fall out on the Titan's on the ensuing kick-off, as they immediately fumbled the ball back to the Pioneers. QB Andrew Oates would then connect with WR Levon Williams on a 13 yard strike. Before the Titan's offense would touch the ball, they now found themselves trailing 14-7. Millbrook would stave off any attempt at a Dominion drive in the 1st quarter, as they recovered 2 Titan fumbles, and blocked a field goal attempt.

The Pioneers added 2 more scores in the 2nd quarter, on a trick play and another Titan miscue. Facing 4th and 26 from the Dominion 31, Millbrook coach Reed Prosser pulled out his playbook, turned to the little read "School Yard Plays" section, and found a gem. On the play, WR John Siepel would take the direct snap on the sweep, then pull up to find a streaking Oates.....the QB....down the sidelines, where he would haul in the toss for the 31 yard score. The PAT would fail, however, making the score Millbrook 20, Dominion 7. Then, with just over a minute left in the half, the Pioneer's Calvin Rodney would scoop up another Titan fumble, and run 42 yards untouched for the score, and the 27-7 halftime lead.

The Titan misfortunes in the 1st half were attributed to many factors. The offensive line had a difficult time holding off the Pioneer rush. In one series, QB Geoffrey McCowat was sacked on 3 consecutive plays. Freshman standout RB DeAndre Reaves could not get untracked (7 carries for 5 yards), and the unsure footing on the field arguably prevented at least 1 Dominion score, as a wide open Ben Dickerson was unable to set himself to haul in the McCowat pass. Add 5 fumbles (2 lost to Millbrook), and you have a steep mountain to climb, for sure. Don't think the miscues were all one sided, though. Milbrook was flagged 10 times for 115 yards, to add to the bizarre night.

However, the Titans offense began to jell in the third quarter, and show some spark. On an impressive, sustained drive, Reaves began the comeback with a 2 yard run, to bring the home team to within 27-14. However, Kaczmarzewski broke the game open for the Pioneers, with a 44 yard run, to make the score 34-14. In the 4th quarter, Dominion would get on the board again when Henry Lobo scored from the 1 yard line, and followed with the 2 point conversion plunge, to make the score a little closer at 34-22. But that is where it would end on this night, as the Titans were unsuccessful on several desperation passes as time ran out, and there would be no come from behind victory.

The Titans (1-1) will next travel to Frederick, MD, on Thursday night, to play Tucarora, at 7:30. The Pioneers (2-1) will play host to James Wood on Friday, at 7:00.

Chic-Fil-A Players of the Game

Millbrook - Butch Kaczmarzewski, Sr., RB; 18-146, 2 TD
Dominion - DeAndre Reaves, Fr., WB; 12-117 (109 in 2nd half), 1 TD

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

GARRISONVILLE, VA - The Liberty Eagles have fallen to 0-2 in 2007 after dropping a close game to the North Stafford Wolverines 18-12. Wayne Conner played extremely well in the wet conditions but was unable to lead the Eagles to their first victory of the year. Conner accounted for both scores for Liberty, and did a great job of escaping pressure throughout the game.

After North Stafford's Bruce Crawford scored on a 22 yard touchdown run four minutes in to the first quarter, Conner ran in from 8 yards out with 4:09 to go in the first quarter. After a failed attempt at an extra point the score stood at 6-6.

Faced with a 3rd and long, Conner escaped two Wolverine defenders and found Sam Ball-Whitfield streaking down the near sideline in what resulted in an 88 yard touchdown pass. After another failed attempt at an extra point, Liberty went in at the half ahead of the Wolverines, 12-6.

The Wolverine's spread offense accounted for 235 total yards, edging out the Eagles output of 211. Running Back Josh Fowler tied the game up with 3:29 to go in the third quarter from 1 yard out. Fowler's tough running and quickness proved a tough task for the Eagles as he helped the Wolverines amass 199 yards on the ground. Quarterback Bruce Crawford showed exceptional speed and did a good job of orchestrating the North Stafford attack. His 7 yard touchdown run with 4:08 to go in the 4th quarter proved to be the difference.

After Crawford's score, Corey Lillard returned the ensuing kickoff deep into Wolverine territory and put the Eagles in great shape to tie the game. Lillard was electric as usual laying big hits on defense and running over defenders when given the ball. Corey did drop a potential touchdown pass in the second half, but had a great night for the Eagles none the less.

Facing 3rd and goal from the 6 yard line, Conner rolled to his right and almost connected with Senior Thomas Novak on highly contested fade route that went in and out of Novak's hands. On 4th and goal Conner tried to hit Sam Ball-Whitfield on a 7 yard dig route, but the Wolverines were in the right position and the ball changed hands. Ball-Whitfield hauled in 4 passes for 145 yards, highlighted by the 88 yard strike, and played well on defense.

Liberty returns to Bealeton next Friday night the 21st, to face the Stafford Indians at Kip Hull Field. Last year's match up saw Liberty come out on top 14-13.

Posted by Derek Goode - Publisher Gameday Magazine at 02:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

HEDGESVILLE, WV--The Sherando Warriors (3-0) had their best offensive night of the young 2007 season against the Hedgesville Eagles (1-3). On the night the Warriors racked up over 500 total yards of offense and saw 6 different players score touchdowns during the course of the game.

The first quarter was quiet on both sides of the field as neither team could find the end zone, or seem to hold onto the football in the rainy conditions. In the quarter Sherando fumbled the ball three times but was able to recover all of them. As the 2nd quarter began so did the Sherando offense. Ross Metheny scrambled out of the pocket and scored from 33 yards out to make the score 7-0 in favor of Sherando. The Eagles did let the initial score bother them for too long as they answered on a Zac Clopper 1 yard run to even the score at 7 a piece. Markeith Briscoe continued his hot play scoring from 15 yards out toward the end of the half. Briscoe was injured on the play and did not see anymore action in the game. At the end of the 1st half Sherando had built a 21-7 lead.

The Warriors came out of the locker room on a mission. Ross Metheny hooked up with Brian Barlow from 51 yards out and followed that with another touchdown pass of 60 yards to Ryan Witt on back-to-back possessions. The 3rd quarter ended with Sherando on top by the score of 35-7. The 4th quarter saw Coach Bill Hall play most of his second team players to allow them some game experience. Sophomore running back Roger Smith, Jr. took full advantage of his opportunity to play in the 4th quarter, gaining 117 yards and 2 touchdowns to end the game as the Warriors leading rusher. A safety late in the 4th quarter pushed the score to 54-7 in favor of the Sherando Warriors.

Sherando will play at Warren County next Friday night in their first Northwestern District game of the 2007 season. The game can be heard live, worldwide online at www.GamedayMagazine.com on The Gameday Radio Network.

The Chick-Fil-A Player of the Game was Ross Metheny of the Sherando Warriors. Metheny threw for over 240 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also rushing for a score in the victory.

Posted by Derek Goode - Publisher Gameday Magazine at 02:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ASHBURN, VA - The Stone Bridge Bulldogs bounced back from a stinging defeat to smother the George C. Marshall Statesmen 35-0. On a muggy, rainy night the Bulldog defense was in no mood for fun as they limited the Statesmen to 46 yards of total offense, snapping up four turnovers in the process.

Marshall opened the game with the ball, and managed two first downs behind the running of Chris Hurlburt before bogging down at the Stone Bridge 37. The punt backed the Bulldogs up to their own 5, and a quick three-and-out by Stone Bridge turned the ball back over to Marshall near midfield.

Marshall pressed to the Bulldog 37, where a Statesman fumble was scooped up by Marshall and advanced to the Stone Bridge 18. As if to try and repeat the 19-yard gain, the Statesmen proceeded to put the football on the ground three more times in succession, recovering their own miscue each time until the last, when Jimmy Bradford finally jumped on it for the Bulldogs.

Stone Bridge then put together a drive, highlighted by a Kareem Alexander's 28-yard run, and moved to the Statesmen 38. On fourth-and-six, Jeron Gouveia broke free and scampered the rest of the way for the Bulldogs' first score. Ronnie Shaban, who was perfect for the night, added the PAT and Stone Bridge led 7-0

In the next series, Marshall was able to net only one yard after five plays from scrimmage. On third-and-nine, Michael Prince picked off an Aaron Gooding pass and raced 33 yards down the right sideline to score. The kick made it 14-0, and the Bulldogs seemed to gain control.

Again, in the next series, Marshall was unable to post positive yards, and a sack of Gooding by Mike Stancik left the Statesmen at their own nine. The punt brought the ball out just past mid-field where the Bulldogs took over. Patrick Thompson hit Ryan Moody for 21 yards three plays later, and Stone Bridge eventually worked to the Statesmen 13. But a holding penalty backed them up to the 27, and on the next play a fumble by the Bulldogs let Marshall escape for the moment.

It was a short-lived reprieve. On the next play, Gooding turned to throw a sideline pass to Jaimie Cleer when then ball struck the ground. Realizing that the pass was backwards and therefore a lateral, John Bladel pounced on the ball and recovered for Stone Bridge. Five plays later Stancik slammed in from the two and Stone Bridge led 21-0.

The Bulldogs opened the second half with the ball, and wasted little time. On the second play from scrimmage, Gouveia broke free to the outside and then romped in to score his second touchdown. The PAT made the score 28-0.

The Statesmen went three-and-out thanks to continued pounding by the Bulldogs, and again a punt left Stone Bridge backed up inside their own ten. Moody snuck behind the Marshall secondary for a long pass from Thompson and the Bulldogs were quickly near mid-field, but a second fumble tossed the ball back to Marshall. The Stone Bridge defense gave nothing back, and when Gooding's pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-11, the drive ended.

The Marshall defense showed some teeth of their own on the next series. Four straight runs by Alexander netted only four yards, and the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs. On third-and-long, Gooding was picked off by Gouveia, who raced 54 yards for an apparent TD, however it was called back for an illegal block during the return.

Stone Bridge went to the air for a short time with Thompson completing three of five passes, and pushed the ball to the Marshall ten before Alexander burst in for the touchdown. Shaban's final PAT completed the scoring at 35-0.

Overall, the Bulldogs got back on track with a no-nonsense conference win, and next face rival Loudoun Valley in a Thursday night match-up.

Prepared by, Dave and Suzy Barta
spbarta@aol.com

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 02:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This story was written by Charger Insider Jon Battaglia
Special to GamedayMagazine.com

CHANTILLY, VA - A steady rain and a formerly undefeated Annandale squad couldn't keep Chantilly from rolling to a 49-0 home win over the Atoms. The Chargers threw the ball a mere four times, but still managed to keep the Atom defense on its heels all night long with a combined 229-yards rushing from junior Torrian Pace and seniors Antonio Cross and Bugsy Urrutia.

"We had three guys who really carried the load tonight," Chantilly head coach Mike Lalli said. "What they [Pace, Cross and Urrutia] did was impressive, especially in this weather."

Pace lead the Charger ground attack with 73-yards rushing and two touchdowns, the first of which came on a 9-yard run just over five minutes into the game.

"We got the momentum early and never looked back," Pace said. "There was no stopping us after that first touchdown."

The second quarter began with an 18-yard touchdown by Cross and was followed by a fumble recovery in the end-zone by junior lineman Andrew Crawford. A 20-yard scamper by senior quarterback Austin Decker at the end of the first half gave the Chargers a 28-0 lead headed into half time.

As the second half began and the rain became steadier, the Chargers showed no signs of letting up. Senior Chris Gentile returned the opening kick of the second half 76-yards for a touchdown.

"The field was really wet, but all I had to do was keep my eye on the ball and make sure I brought it in," Gentile said.

Pace's second touchdown of the night came on a 1-yard run up the middle to solidify the Chargers lead at 42-0. The scoring was capped off in the fourth quarter with a 45-yard run from back-up quarterback Mike Fries.

Though the Charger offense made quite a splash scoring 49 points, coach Mike Lalli said it was the defense that was perhaps most impressive.

"The lines, both offensive and defensive, were superb tonight," Lalli said. "We dominated the line of scrimmage and it cleared the way for our backs to do some serious damage."

Linebackers Mike Quigg and Issac Sine kept Atom quarterback Cason Kynes at bay the entire game, never allowing the Atoms passed the Chargers 30-yard line.

"This is going to give us a lot of momentum going into the Westfield game," Gentile said of the 49-0 win. "I think we've been underrated in some of the preseason polls, but we're going to prove people wrong."

Posted by Jon Battaglia - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 01:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - The Park View Patriots have been disrespected by the experts including those from Gameday Magazine. The doubters have said it in print, on television, and on the radio airwaves that Park View can't be the same type of team they were a year ago. But after the third week of the 2007 football season, there are several dishes of crow being served. Park View dominated the Handley Judges in the trenches on both sides of the ball on a raining Friday night match-up in Sterling Park to improve to 3-0 on the season. The final outcome showed Park View 34 and Handley 20, but the score wasn't as impressive as the Patriot's defense.

Park View's Thomas Mulabah played like the All-State and All Gameday player he was a year ago and disrupted the Handley running game all night long. Star quarterback J.J Dorsey was neutralized by the Patriots and except for a handful of plays, the Judges were stuffed in a box on offense.

Park View scored first in the contest on their first drive of the game when quarterback C.J Leizear hit Tommy Sedeski on a 30 yard touchdown toss to make the score 7-0. Sedeski was wide open on a post route and Leizear put the ball on the money to give the Patriots the lead. Handley answered, but not on offense. The Judges forced a fumble inside Park View territory and cornerback Jeremiah Wilson scooped it up and raced 20 yards for the tying score. On the next drive, Park View's C.J Leizear was intercepted by Handley's Robert Galloway, and the Judges quickly converted the Patriot miscue into another touchdown when Dorsey ran it in from 1 yard out. The Judges missed the extra point to make the score 13-7.

Handley forced a 3rd turnover late in the 1st half but Park View held on defense and caused a turnover themselves to keep the 13-7 heading into halftime.

Whatever Patriot head coach Andy Hill told his players at the half worked because the Patriots took control of the game early in the 3rd quarter with Eric Johnston leading the way on the ground. The Patriots went to their bread and butter and played smashmouth football, running up and down the field on their first drive. C.J Leizear scampered 12 yards for a score after a long drive to give the Patriots a 14-13 lead.

Less than 3 minutes later, the Park View defense got into the scoring action when Patriot David Revsbeck raced 20 yards on a fumble that bounced right into his hands, to increase the Park View lead to 21-13.

With 1:34 left in the 3rd quarter, the Patriots added another score when Leizear hit receiver Ryan Pick on a 48 yard pass behind the Handley secondary. With the score 27-13, the Judges started the 4th quarter with a score when Dorsey hit Andre Rickets on a 20 yard touchdown toss to pull the Judges closer at 27-20.

The Patriots offensive line led by Edwin Guzman and Robbie Duncan then took over and tailback Eric Johnston punished the Handley defense, and finally scored from 2 yards out to give Park View a decisive 34-20 victory.

After turning the ball over 3 times in the first half, Park View head coach Andy Hill was excited about the way his team rebounded.

"I'm very happy with this win because we fought through some turnovers in the first half that hurt us," Hill said. "We need to get better though, and we have to eliminate the mistakes we are making on offense."

With the win, Park View improved to 3-0 and will next play on September 28th against Loudoun County. The Handley Judges dropped to 1-2 with the loss to Park View on Friday.....

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 01:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - Coming off two straight wins, the Park View Patriots are looking to continue their undefeated season with a huge win over the highly touted Handley Judges. However, their mission throughout the game will be to stop one of the biggest, if not the biggest, playmaker in the state of Virginia. He goes by the name J.J. Dorsey, and he has proved in the past two years that he can make plays for the John Handley Judges against any team in the state. He really showed off both his passing ability and ability to tuck it in and run the ball in a 42-12 rout of Loudoun County last week. However, running all over the Park View defense, led by Thomas Mulabah, won't be an easy task for the Judges or Dorsey.

Key Matchups:
While J.J Dorsey creates matchup problems in every way, the real key for Park View may be to limit the success of the other Handley athletes that seem to sneak up on you. Receiver Andre Ricketts is one of those players as is fellow wideout T.J Butler. Rickets caught 3 touchdowns last week and Butler has proven to be a clutch receiver as well.

For Handley, the chances of winning will go up significantly if they can limit Park View quarterback C.J Leizear's success through the air. Leizear threw for over 300 yards last week and led the Patriots back to a win over Jefferson. On the flipside, the Judges need to focus on creating turnovers as Leizear and the Patriots had 5 interceptions last week.

Nuggets of the Game:
Presented by Chick-fil-A

For Handley:
Get J.J Dorsey Outside The Tackle With A Run-Pass Option
Put pressure on C.J. Leizear and force bad throws
Make The Game A Shootout

For Park View:
Take advantage of Handley's weak pass coverage.
Keep Containment On The Ends And Pressure Dorsey.
Score Early and Often

Game Outlook:
While Park View has a lot of talent to put on the field, it may prove too big a task to stop Dorsey. If Handley is up at the half, expect the Judges to pull away with a win. If Park View can hit Dorsey and the Judges early with some sacks and some points on the scoreboard, the Patriots will have a great chance to win.

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This story was written by Pride Volleyball Gameday Insider Abbi Riley...

LEESBURG, VA - On Tuesday night, the Heritage Pride volleyball team continued their successful season by completing a 3-game sweep of the visiting Park View Patriots 25-18, 25-17, and 25-6. The Pride were led by Rebecca Presser, who registered 24 assists on the night. Presser's assists led to 29 kill shots. Gaby Galvan finished the night with 9 of those kills and fellow teammate Ashley Scott also had a strong night with 6 kills. Emma Le Maitre put together a strong performance with 5 kills and the Pride defense had 3 blocks in the match.

The Pride were led on defense by Megan Beck and Galvan as both girls combined had 21 digs. Scott also had 9 digs to round out a solid all around team performance.

With the win, the Pride moved to 2-0 in the district and 5-1 overall on the season.

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 01:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - For Week 2 in the Northern Region, we were able to see a lot about what each team had to offer. True, it's still early, but we're already starting to see what kind of hand each team is holding. Separation between the contenders and pretenders is already starting to take place, and they're certainly have been several surprises along the way. Either way, it's great to finally see football in the Northern Region finally start to take off. Next week again has some pretty good match-ups, but first let's get caught up on the happenings of Week 2 in the Northern Region.

AMAZING ATOMS
Who said Annandale was in a rebuilding mode this year? Well, head coach Dick Adams is at it again as he successfully put together another top-notch team that is capable of winning the Patriot District. Transfer Jordan Anderson from Arkansas looks to be the real deal and quarterback Cason Kynes is a capable replacement for do-it-all Nathan Cartagena. So far, all those two players have done is help the offense score 68 points in two games while also beating Concorde power Oakton. Safe to say Annandale hasn't lost a step.

THE REAL DEAL
Robinson last Friday asserted themselves as one of the top contenders for a region title with a 41-14 thrashing of highly-ranked Stone Bridge. Langley transfer Peter Ferrara has provided the necessary punch that Robinson needs on offense and his 167 yards and four touchdowns are evidence of that. The Rams also have that shut-down type of defense which should take them far in the Concorde.

LOOK OUT STONE BRIDGE?
Don't look now, but Madison is now 2-0 after soundly beating Oakton and Yorktown, who are both annual playoff participants. Their power running game is in high gear already, and this could be the year Madison can finally go toe-to-toe with Stone Bridge in the Liberty District. And with Stone Bridge looking a little shaky in their 41-14 loss to Robinson, never before have the Warhawk faithful had a better reason to believe.

THIS IS SPARTA!
Could it be that West Springfield has finally assembled a consistent defense? All signs indicate that they have. True, they did allow 42 points in one quarter against Stone Bridge, but just last week they shut down Ben Barber and the Edison offense, which is no easy task (just ask Stone Bridge). And take away that one terrible quarter of football and it's safe to say that the Spartan defense has played exceptionally well against two of the best offenses in the region. And when considering the fact that the Spartan offense is always one of the best in the Northern Virginia area, it's pretty scary to picture them with a good defense. This looks like a team that could come to surprise a few people this year.

FEELS GOOD TO WIN
Last week, Hayfield snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 12-0 win over Wakefield. Hayfield's student enrollment has taken a significant hit with the addition of South County Secondary School, and this is only their third win since South County opened.

Posted by Derek Lecomte at 06:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - What a crazy week we had in Week 2. Four schools in our Top 10 all suffered losses and as a result, the entire landscape of the Power Poll took a drastic change. Three brand new teams are being featured in this week's Power Poll and there are plenty of new up-and-comers who are ready to dive into the Top 10 as well.

In just two weeks, it looks like we're starting to see some serious contenders starting to emerge while we see several powerhouse programs experience a down year. So enjoy Week 2 of the Gameday Power Poll while you can, because if last week was any indication, this poll will completely change again.

1. WESTFIELD BULLDOGS
Previous Week: 1
Next up: vs. Hayfield

Westfield rolled to a 38-7 win over Lee in a nondistrict match-up last Friday. With Hayfield this Friday, expect Westfield to stay at the number one spot. Chantilly looms large for next week after they play Hayfield, so Westfield can't afford to play sloppy this Friday night.

2. CHANTILLY
Previous Week: 2
Next up: vs. Annandale
Chantilly cruised to a 42-7 win over Washington-Lee to keep them at the #2 position. Next week versus Annandale is a huge game for the Chargers and will say a lot about them before they take on #1 Westfield next week.

3. ROBINSON
Previous Week: 4
Next up: at West Springfield

Robinson moves up one spot after their huge 41-14 win over Stone Bridge. The Rams put together a dominant rushing attack and superb defensive effort that has Robinson looking like a serious Northern Region contender.

4. SHERANDO
Previous Week: 5
Next up: at Hedgesville (W.Va.)

All signs indicate that the Warrior offense is back on track after a 40-7 win over Musselman (W.Va.). Ross Metheny looked his usual self as he accounted for three touchdowns and 237 passing yards, which is enough for Sherando to move into the #4 slot.

5. STONE BRIDGE
Previous Week: 3
Next up: vs. Marshall

With Stone Bridge's loss to now #3 Robinson, the Bulldogs slip back two spots in the Power Poll. Losing by 27 points doesn't happen to often at Stone Bridge, so expect Stone Bridge to bounce back nicely against 2-0 Marshall.

6. PARK VIEW
Previous Week: 8
Next up: vs. Handley

Park View continues to roll after they beat Jefferson County (W.Va.) by a score of 35-22. C.J. Leizear continues to look sharp after he threw for four touchdowns, and looks to be a fine substitute for Deric Dudinski. The Patriots already look as if they took off right where they left off last year.

7. MADISON
Previous Week: 9
Next up: at Wakefield

Madison continued their great play after beating a strong Yorktown team 21-10 at home. Outside of Stone Bridge, Madison looks to be the top contender in the Northern Region Division 5. Look for them to continue their winning ways when up against 0-2 Wakefield.

8. GAR-FIELD
Previous Week: NR
Next up: at Battlefield

Entering the Power Poll this week is Gar-Field. After taking out an extremely talented Colonial Forge team two weeks ago, they showed why they need to be taken seriously after beating North Stafford 21-6 on the road.

9. BROAD RUN
Previous Week: NR
Next Week: BYE

Broad Run jumps into this week's Power Poll after a very surprising 40-0 victory over defending DCIAA champs Ballou. Ballou is known as a power in DC, and the fact that Broad Run whacked them around is enough proof that this team is for real.

10. WEST POTOMAC
Previous Week: NR
Next up: at Yorktown

West Potomac's 45-14 dismantling of Mount Vernon showed that they really are a legit contender this year in the Northern Region. A win over Yorktown next week can again solidify their claim as the team to beat in the Patriot District.

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES:

STONEWALL JACKSON: Stonewall has always been looking for a way to translate all their talent into wins, and with their victory over Hylton, it looks like the Raiders have finally found the right formula for success. It's early, but this is a very scary team.

ANNANDALE: Annandale's win over Oakton is evidence to the Northern Region that this team isn't in a rebuilding mode.

WOODBRIDGE: The Vikings fall out of the Power Poll after a tough loss to Highland Springs of Richmond. The Springers are a very talented team, so don't read into that loss a whole lot.

WEST SPRINGFIELD: If it wasn't for a third quarter collapse against Stone Bridge, the Spartans would have themselves a high ranking in the Top 10. Their victory over previous #6 Edison puts them in that category of contenders.

EDISON: Despite the loss to West Springfield, Edison still receives consideration for this week's Power Poll.

POTOMAC: The presence of Muku Kalokoh and Darius Brent has this team again thinking big.

Posted by Derek Lecomte at 08:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(Gameday Recap provided by Insider Jessica Lloyd)

CHANTILLY, VA - When the Robert E. Lee Lancers (0-2) won the pre-game coin toss and chose to give the ball to Westfield (2-0) on the opening kickoff, it was almost deja-vu for the Bulldogs, as senior Johnny Pickett caught the kick and ran it towards the opposite end zone. But, unlike the season opener last week, Pickett ran the ball in for the opening score. The score stayed 7-0 for the rest of the 1st quarter, as both teams were hungry for the ball on defense, battling back and forth.

With 8 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, Bulldog kicker David Skahn put one through the uprights, giving Westfield a 10-0 lead. Then, with just under 5 minutes left in the half, senior QB Mike Glennon found himself scrambling, and running out of options, so he tucked and ran from the 25 yard line, and trotted across the goal line, making the score 17-0, after the PAT. The Bulldogs would find the end zone one more time in the half, when Glennon hit Pickett with a touchdown strike, with just under 2:00 left to go, and making the halftime score 24-0.

The tide seemed to turn, however, in the beginning of the 2nd half. First, as Westfield's Skahn failed to connect with his second field goal late in the 3rd quarter. Then, after a sustained drive, Lee's Jazmier Williams scored a touchdown from the Westfield 44 yard line, lifting the Lancer spirits, and the score to 24-7. But the Bulldogs would not relent! In the first minute of the 4th quarter, Glennon dropped back to his own 22-yard line and connected another deep pass to Pickett, who took it and ran, untouched, into the end zone. With the score now at 31-7, the Bulldogs would tack on one final touchdown to seal the game with Brian Kennedy's 52 yard scamper into the end zone.

Final score, Westfield 38 -Lee 7

The Bulldogs will face Hayfield at home this Friday, while the Lancers travel to Centreville.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 02:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

WINCHESTER, VA - Week Two of High School football in Virginia saw its final game being played in Winchester, with the John Handley Judges playing host to the Loudoun County Raiders. Both teams came into this game looking for their first win of the season, but in the end, the Raiders couldn't find an answer for super talented Handley quarterback J.J Dorsey.

Dorsey accounted for 4 touchdowns, running for one and throwing for three in a 42-12 win over the Raiders. Loudoun County got off to a rough start when they fumbled the opening kickoff. The Judges took over on the 25 yard line and it was just a short time later when Dorsey hit Andre Rickets for the first score of the game.

Dorsey would connect with Ricketts yet again for another touchdown later in the 1st quarter to put the Judges up 14-0.

The Loudoun County Raiders started the second quarter on fire, scoring their first touchdown with 10:05 left in the half. Quarterback Kelly Reimers hit Joe Bushrod for the Raider score, but the two-point conversion failed and the score remained 14-6.

With 5:48 left in the half, J.J. Dorsey used his legs to find pay dirt as he raced 56 yards to increase the Handley lead to 21-6. The Judges added another score before the end of the half, as Dorsey hooked up once again with Ricketts for the third time.

Handley quickly went down the field on offense to start the second half and tailback Geremi Long capped the drive off with a touchdown run. Long scored again from 2 yards out later in the game to secure the win for Handley.

The final touchdown of the game was scored by Loudoun County's Kelly Reimers, who took a quarterback sneak into the end-zone in the final minutes. In route to a 42-12 win, the Judges looked like a team that was ready to turn the corner and contend for the Northwest District title. After the game, Dorsey thought his team showed plenty of determination.

"We came out hungry and we really gelled as a team," said Dorsey.

With the win, Handley improved to 1-1 on the season and will travel to Park View next week in the most anticipated match-up in Northern Virginia. The game will be broadcast on the Gameday Radio Network at GamedayMagazine.com with live coverage starting at 6:45pm.

The Raiders, who are now 0-2, must get ready for another tough Northwest District opponent as they will play James Wood next Friday.

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ASHBURN, VA - On Friday night the Broad Run Spartans unveiled a new weapon in their offensive armory, the speedy and elusive Breon Earl. Earl and the bruising trio of Billy Rocca, Sam Saidi, and Kenny McAdow combined for over 240 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns on the ground as the Spartans routed the defending DC champions, the Ballou Knights, 40-0.

The Knights came to Ashburn as the preseason favorite for the DCIAA championship and brought with them division I prospect, Emmanuel Yeager, and a big and explosive team. The Spartans were up for the task and played one of their most physical games in several years as the Knights never crossed into Spartan territory and were held to 102 yards of total offense.

The Spartans scored first at the end of the first quarter as Rocca ran in from the 2 yard line for the games first score. The Spartans defense forced a 3 and out and the Spartan Offense drove quickly down the field on a series of runs and passes as Earl scored from 5 yards out putting the Spartans up 12-0. Once again the Spartan D forced a quick departure of the Knights offense and the Spartans' Offense responded with a 12 play 61 yard drive capped off by a 5 yard run by Sam Saidi. A 2 point conversion pass from QB Cole Shain to WR Andrian Flemming put the Spartans a head 20-0 at halftime.

In the second half it was more of the same as the Spartans scored on their first possession on a 42 yard touchdown run by Earl. On the night, the sophomore gained 105 yards on 8 carries, two touchdowns and added another 66 yards in punt returns. Following a monster sack by Senior George Black on the Knights Yeager, the Spartans drove 60 yards for their 5th touchdown of the night, a 4 yard pass from Shain to Kenny McAdow. The Spartans capped off their scoring on a powerful fun from Tim Sanders as he plowed through several Knight defenders giving the Spartans their final margin of victory at 40-0.

Although turnovers were limited to one for each team on the night, mistakes were many, in the form of yellow hankies flying. The referees will definitely need to wash their penalty flats as the Spartans and Knights also combined for 26 penalties for 185 yards.

The Spartans have a bye week on the 14th and will travel to Brentsville to play the tigers on Thursday, September 20th

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CHANTILLY, VA - The Chantilly Chargers breezed by the Washington & Lee Generals with a 42-7 victory. The Chargers scored the first 42 points and held the Generals without a touchdown until late in the 4th quarter.

Senior running back Bugsy Urrutia got the scoring started early for the Chargers with a 90 yard kick-off return touchdown just 12 seconds into the game.

That return was foretelling of what was to be a long night for the Generals.
Junior Torrian Pace followed up Urrutia's long run with one of his own; a 98 yard dash later in the 1st quarter.

Antonio Cross became the Charger's third running back to score in the first half with a 20 yard run. Cross's score made the score 21-0 in favor of the Chargers.

Quarterback Austin Decker was once again able to lead the Chargers without having a big passing game. His only score came in the 2nd quarter on a 44 yard throw to senior wide receiver Chris Gentile.

Charger head coach Mike Lalli said senior linebacker Mike Quigg is the key piece of the puzzle for the Charger defense.

"He's [Quigg's] showed the most leadership on the team this year," Lalli said.
Junior wide receiver and linebacker Steve Gombos had a break-out game. Gombos blocked two of the General's punts, one of which junior Kevin McGrath returned for a touchdown.

The Chargers went into the half with a comfortable 35-0 lead.

No later had the second half started then when the Chargers got in the end zone again; Cross continued the Charger's dominance of the Generals with a 2 yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

The only General touchdown was late in the fourth quarter on a 2 yard pass from quarterback Alex Wicks to wide receiver Darryl Carpenter.

Although the Chargers came away with a victory, they also came away with an injury to a key player. Junior Max Jeffrey suffered a knee injury in the second half.

The 2-0 start to the season is reminiscent of the Charger's recent success. The Chargers were the Northern Region champions in 2006.

Lalli also said Quigg is one of the most football-smart players on the team.
"He's very intelligent and he uses instinct," Lalli said. "He has a lot of football knowledge."

Posted by Jon Roser - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STEPHENS CITY, VA - Markeith "Catch 29" Brisco helped kick start the Sherando offense as the junior running back found the end zone twice in the first quarter. His first touchdown came in the first few minutes of the game as Brisco ran untouched for a 34 yard score. He later found the end zone from 4 yards out to put the Warriors up 19-0 in a game that was dominated by Sherando on both sides of the ball. Brisco finished the night with 14 carriers for 114 yards and three touchdowns.

Ross Metheny was back to his old self in week two as he passed for two scores and ran for one. Metheny went 13-21 for 227 yards. If not for some penalties bringing back some huge gains, he would have easily surpassed 300 yards on the night. Late in the third quarter Metheny had a chance to show his running ability as he took an option keeper around the right side of his line for an 11 yard touchdown run putting Sherando up 40-0.

Musselman had a hard time getting much of anything going on offense as they lost the total yards battle 436 to 210. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Michael showed some signs of potential but suffered through some growing pains while going 4 for 20 for 74 yards and two interceptions. Senior Ethan French had the lone highlight for the Applemen as he ran for a 54 yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, long after Sherando's first team D had left the field.

The Warriors were without one of their captains tonight as Senior Brian Barlow sat out of tonight's action while recovering from a concussion in week one. Coach Bill Hall had ace in his sleeve in the from of senior wide out Doug Davis. The 6'3" Davis also found the end zone in the first quarter on a 6 yard touchdown pass and hauled in 6 balls for 109 yards.

Bill Hall's stout defense was led by Senior Brian Root who took an interception back 45 yards to the Applemen 4 yard line that set up Markeith Brisco's second touchdown of the evening. The Warriors were led up front by Juniors Hunter Taylor and Daniel Benoit as both young men played exceptionally well all night long.

The Warriors must travel into West Virginia next Friday night as they face a 2-0 Hedgesville team that edged out Potomac Falls 27-26 in other action in the area tonight.

Posted by Derek Goode - Publisher Gameday Magazine at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FAIRFAX, VA - The Stone Bridge Bulldogs suffered a rare regular season defeat Friday night, falling to a talented Robinson Rams team 41-14. The non-playoff loss was the first for Stone Bridge since losing to Oakton in the second game of the 2005 campaign.

Robinson used superior outside speed to scorch the Bulldogs for 391 yards of rushing, while clamping down on Stone Bridge's main weapon, Jeron Gouveia, with numerous double teams.

The Bulldogs opened the game with the ball, and a 41-yard run by Kareem Alexander put them in great position inside the Ram 25, but the drive stalled there when Patrick Thompson was unable to find a receiver on fourth-and-nine. Robinson took over but went three-and-out, punting to the Bulldog 44. Stone Bridge likewise could not tally a first down, and a fine punt by Thompson backed the Rams up to their own 15.

During the next series, Robinson found numerous holes in the Stone Bridge defense, and quickly moved down the field. Rushing seven times for 85 yards, the Rams scored first when Peter Ferrara shot in from the six. The extra point made it 7-0 Robinson.

Stone Bridge again had trouble establishing a drive, but another long punt by Thompson forced Robinson to start from its own 12. The Bulldog defense stiffened this time, and the Rams eventually punted from their own 16. Starting from near midfield, the Bulldogs simply could not dent the Robinson defense, and Thompson's third punt pinned the Rams inside the twenty.

The Stone Bridge defense was again up to the task and seemed to have the Rams' number, eventually driving them back to their own 5. A short punt gave the Bulldogs an excellent opportunity at the Ram 28, and this time they did not waste the chance. Two straight passes from Thompson to Ryan Moody, the second a 14-yard TD toss, put Stone Bridge on the board. Ronnie Shaban's PAT kick was good, and the teams entered the locker rooms tied at the half.

Coming out after halftime, the Bulldogs kicked off and attempted one of their normally dependable on-side kicks, but the ball only progressed nine yards and the Rams had excellent field position near midfield.

Similar to the first quarter, Robinson seemed to have their way with the Bulldog defense, particularly to the outside. Ferrara and Wynton Fox alternated rushes, and in five plays the Rams scored, taking the lead again 14-7.

Stone Bridge moved to the passing game, and a 34-yard strike from Thompson to Mike Stancik gave the Bulldogs life at the Ram 38. However, after a completion to Moody, the ball was stripped and Robinson recovered at the 25 and the drive was killed.

Robinson once more was tearing off large chunks of real estate with the rushing game, when Ferrara slipped behind the secondary and caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Timmy Meier. The extra point made it 21-7, and Robinson looked in control.

On its next series Stone Bridge was completely stymied, losing six yards before going three-and-out. The Rams took over on the Bulldog 39, and had a commanding lead when Ferrara scored his third rushing touchdown four minutes later from the six.

Stone Bridge seemed to bounce back in the next series. On third-and-three, Thompson hit Matt Irwin across the middle, and Irwin raced 66 yards for the TD. Shaban's PAT made it 28-14 Rams, but the Bulldogs felt they were within striking distance.

The Bulldog defense rose up on the Rams' next possession, and Stone Bridge found itself with the ball on its own 44. But the Robinson defense had ideas of their own, and sacked Thompson on successive plays to drive Stone Bridge back to the 23. Then on fourth-and-31, the Bulldogs tried to catch Robinson sleeping, and Thompson pulled up to pass, but was unable to find an open receiver and was sacked again. Two plays later Ferrara romped into the end-zone for the fourth time and with 6:27 left, the Bulldogs were in dire straits, trailing 34-14.

Forced to pass, Thompson found Moody again, this time for 56 yards to the Ram 18. But the Robinson secondary was lying in wait, and Thompson was picked off at the Ram 3, effectively ending the Bulldogs' night. During their last possession, Robinson QB Meier made a nice fake into the line before racing around the left side for the final score of the game.

The only bright spot for the Bulldogs was the passing statistics, particularly to Moody and Irwin. Gouveia was shut down offensively, many times with double coverage. The speed of Robinson was evident in the rushing game, as the Rams tallied over 400 yards of offense, nearly all of it on the ground.

Just as in 2005, the Bulldogs will find out what they are made of after a loss to a Division 6 power. They host Marshall next Friday, and experience would say to expect that a very unpleasant Stone Bridge squad will take the field.

Prepared by, Dave and Suzy Barta
spbarta@aol.com

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Welcome to this week's Gameday Power Poll where we feature teams all across the Northern Virginia area. This is the ONLY source to find out where the best in this area rank, so check back weekly to see where every team measures up. From Winchester to Fauquier to Fairfax, we have it all covered for you.

A lot has changed from our preseason rankings that were featured in our September issue of Gameday Magazine. Several Week 1 upsets and unexpected blowouts really changed the landscape of the top 10. So without hesitation, here is your Gameday Power Poll:

Biggest Mover: Edison, 3 spots
Biggest Decline: Oakton

1. WESTFIELD BULLDOGS
Previous: 1
Next up: at Lee

Coming in at #1 has to be Westfield. They did an extraordinary job of dismantling South County, who is a legitimate playoff team. All week 1 did was show just how scary this team can be. The nation's #31 ranked squad has made good on their pre-season hype so far and are clearly the team to beat.

2. CHANTILLY CHARGERS
Previous: 2
Next up: vs. Washington-Lee

The Purple Platoon must be starting to get a little annoyed at the fact that Chantilly is constantly ranked behind Westfield this year, but they looked spectacular in their first game. The 35-13 score against a very competitive Langley squad could have been much worse. The Chargers are in perfect shape for right now.

3. STONE BRIDGE
Previous: 3
Next up: at #4 Robinson

Stone Bridge came out slow against a very talented West Springfield team, but with their third quarter explosion, they showed just how great of a team they can be. Stopping the juggernaut that is the West Springfield offense is no easy task, so the 36 points allowed is no real concern for now.

4. ROBINSON
Previous: 5
Next up: vs. #3 Stone Bridge

Robinson did a great job on defense by shutting down Shane Halley and the Lake Braddock Bruins. A great defense is what carries teams in the Concorde, so they get the four spot here. Figuring out a more consistent lineup on offense will make this team even better.

5. SHERANDO
Previous Week: 6
Next up: vs. Musselman

Sherando did a good job of taking care of Jefferson County last Friday as they walked away with a 7-0 victory. Look for this team to really climb the rankings once their offense starts to click.

6. EDISON
Previous: 9
Next up: vs. West Springfield

Known for their aggressive, come-at-you style, Edison sure came out swinging against Lee as they dominated in a 29-3 win. What's even scarier is that highly touted wide receiver Ben Barber is taking direct snaps, so he'll be getting about three times the amount of touches he normally would see in a game. Think Brandon Hogan but in the Northern Region which is quite a scary proposition.

7. WOODBRIDGE
Previous Week: 8
Next up: vs. Highland Springs

Woodbridge moves up one spot with a shellacking of Riverbend. This week however, the Vikings will have their hands full with the Highland Springs who hail from the Richmond area. Highland Springs has six Division I prospects, so this will be a great test for Woodbridge.

8. PARK VIEW
Previous Week: NR
Next up: at Jefferson County

Park View absolutely dismantled Herndon by 30 points last week and that's enough to land them in this week's Power Poll. A win against Jefferson County will prove that this team is for real and the team to beat in the Dulles.

9. MADISON
Previous Week: NR
Next up: vs. Yorktown

A huge road upset of rival and previous #4 Oakton is enough evidence to prove that Madison is serious contender this year. District rival Stone Bridge should take careful note of the Warhawks.

10. OSBOURN
Previous Week: 10
Next up: vs. Brooke Point

Last year's state champs were idle last week, so they're staying put in the 10 spot. The Eagle's first contest against Brooke Point will be the first indicator of whether or not Osbourn is again a contender for the state championship or a worthy top 10 team.

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:

GAR-FIELD- The Indians were a tough team to exclude from this week's Power Poll after their stellar performance against Colonial Forge. Gar-Field is knocking on the door and could charge into the top 10 with another good performance against North Stafford.

OAKTON- The Cougars slip out of the Power Poll after a home loss to Madison. This is a young team, so towards season's end expect them to be right back on top.

WEST POTOMAC- A victory over Concorde powerhouse Centreville says a lot about this squad. Expect them to continue to climb up the rankings as the year continues.

LIBERTY- Like Oakton, a home loss to their rival was enough for them to be excluded from the top 10.

HYLTON- The Bulldogs open up this week against Stonewall Jackson and are out to prove that last year was a fluke. Hylton has dominated the Northern Virginia area over the past decade and a strong showing against Stonewall will certainly show that this team is back on track.

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FAIRFAX, VA - So what's going on in the Concorde? Is it already time to push the panic button for several teams? Who knows. But with four Concorde teams losing their opening game to non-district opponents, a lot of teams right now have a lot more question marks than answers it seems. It's still very, very early at this point, so of course these teams will get better, but several Friday night scores were very surprising. Fairfax and Herndon both lost by a combined score of 7-72 while Oakton and Centreville were upset by Madison and West Potomac respectively.

But maybe me and the other fans out there might be getting a little too ahead of ourselves here. Madison and West Potomac are very competitive teams. Madison is annually in the Division 5 playoffs while West Potomac is fresh off of a co-district championship. Then you have to factor into the equation that Herndon and Fairfax were playing with brand new coaches, so a slow start should be expected. Or maybe that speaks volumes to the strength of the Concorde when losing to Madison and West Potomac are considered 'upsets.' Nevertheless, still a very interesting weekend out in the Concorde.

Proving a point
The top two preseason favorites for the Concorde district title both did a great job proving their worth. Probably most dominant--and surprising--was Westfield. They came out and put to sleep a very good South County team by the score of 45-6. South County is expected to challenge for a playoff berth and Patriot district title, so they are certainly no first week cupcake.

On the other side of the token, Chantilly did a great job of handling Langley. Langley has arguably one of the biggest lines in the region as they do every year, which makes them a dangerous team. In fact, Langley nearly beat Westfield last year, so that says just how tough that team can be. Yet the Chargers did a great job of handling Langley's horses up front as they came out with a sure-handed 35-13 victory.

Wildcat Nation Uneasy
Sitting among the Wildcat Nation last Friday night, one couldn't help but notice there is a lot of anxiety in the stands. With the offense failing to score in Centreville's 14-9 loss to West Potomac, there is a lot of arm-chair quarterbacking going on. Yet the Centreville faithful will have to be patient with head coach Gerry Pannoni's new offense, however hard that might be. Remember, running back Andrew Morgan did rush for well over 100 yards, and quarterback PJ Dunegan isn't 100%. Coach Pannoni does know how to coach, so expect a few wrinkles in the offense to get that unit rolling.

Too Much Hype?
The Northern Region has put its non-district rivalry games in the opening week of the season this year, but the anticipation for those games didn't really match the results. Fairfax lost to their cross-town rival Woodson 35-0 while Herndon fell to Park View 37-7 for the second straight year. Then out in Burke, Robinson shut-out Lake Braddock by a score of 21-0.

Rivalry Week!
Meanwhile out in Oakton, the annual Outback Bowl certainly lived up to its billing. When it comes to rivalries, anything goes, as happened out in Oakton last Friday. Madison upset their rival by the score of 14-7 for the first time since the 2002 season. Over the past three years, Oakton has come to outright dominate this rivalry, and fans didn't expect much different this year. So when Madison walked off the field victorious, that certainly was a surprise to most in attendance, but it only adds more fuel to the fiery rivalry that is the Outback Bowl!

Concorde Broadcast Schedule for September 7th:
Stone Bridge at Robinson (Coverage starts at 6:45)
Oakton at Annandale (Coverage starts at 7:15)
Washington-Lee at Chantilly (Coverage starts at 7:15)

Complete Concorde Schedule for Friday night:
Centreville @ West Potomac 7:30 PM
Washington-Lee @ Chantilly 7:30 PM
Fairfax @ Marshall 7:30 PM
Herndon @ South Lakes 7:30 PM
Oakton @ Annandale 7:30 PM
Stone Bridge @ Robinson 7:00 PM
Westfield @ Lee 7:30 PM

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Stone Bridge Bulldogs @ Robinson Rams
Friday, September 7th, 2007 - 7pm Pre-game, 7:30pm kickoff
Fairfax, VA. Robinson Secondary School.

Broadcast Media:
TCC Sports Game of the Week
Live Worldwide On The Gameday Radio Network
Coverage Starts at 7pm Friday at GamedayMagazine.com

FAIRFAX, VA - This Friday night, the Stone Bridge Bulldogs, coming off a 56-36 win against West Springfield, will face off against a well polished and well prepared Robinson Rams team. The Rams won decisively against the Bruins of Lake Braddock in their season opener. Stone Bridge scored an amazing 42 points last week in the 3rd quarter against West Springfield, but struggled early in the game. The Bulldogs will need to put together four quarters of solid football if they are going to be victorious against one of the most successful Concorde District programs in the last decade. This game should provide a good look at how both teams will fare the rest of the season and possibly the post-season.

Key Match-ups:
As shown last week by his 300 plus yards of total offense last week, Jeron Gouveia is proving that he is comfortable carrying the Bulldogs on offense...a team that graduated five All-Gameday players (Andrew Nuss, Devon Brown, Terence Glenn, Robert Walther, Sean Moran). The Stone Bridge offense was able to amass 536 yards last week, despite the absence of Daniel Allen, who was expected to be the starting running back in week one. Instead, the tailback slot was filled by Gouveia. Kareem Alexander and Matt Irwin played extremely well and will again be counted on for big plays in the vaunted single wing attack. Junior Patrick Thompson played well in his debut behind center completely 8 of 11 for 211 yards and 2 scores in week #1. If the Bulldogs get similar production from the above mentioned players, it could be a long night for Robinson.

The Rams showed an impressive outing on the defensive side of the ball last Friday against Lake Braddock. Robinson is once again physical and big in the trenches, and they will match Stone Bridge's physical style of play. Quarterback Tim Meier, and running backs Alex Murray and Wynton Fox will be the key to success for Robinson against the Bulldogs. If Meier can manage the offense and lead the offense to scoring drives early, this game should be close all the way to the final seconds.

Nuggets of the Game:
Presented by Chick-fil-A

For Stone Bridge:
Avoid Turnovers And Score Early & Often
Give Gouveia At Least 20 Touches On Offense
Force Robinson To Throw To Win

For Robinson:
Force QB Patrick Thompson To Beat Them In The Passing Game
Read The Keys In The Bulldog Single Wing Scheme
Avoid Giving Up The Big Plays

All Gameday Players To Watch:
Stone Bridge's Jeron Gouveia racked up 151 yards on 7 carries last week including an 80 yard touchdown run in the second half. Gouviea also threw a touchdown and caught a touchdown in the 56-36 win over West Springfield. The Rams will need to find an answer for Gouveia quickly and remember that he also is one of the best safeties in the state on defense as well. He can hurt you from either side and usually makes about 3 big plays per game.

Our Prediction:
Robinson is hungry to return to glory, and their first big opportunity to do so is on Friday night against Stone Bridge. The Bulldogs are still trying to determine what they have, but if last Friday's 42 point 3rd quarter against West Springfield is any indication, they are once again one of the best teams in the state. This game will be close until the 4th quarter, but Stone Bridge has more speed and athleticism, and that should be the difference in this match-up.

Predicted Final Score:
Stone Bridge - 31
Robinson - 21

Projected Weather:
Friday (24 hours): More sun than clouds. Highs in the low 90s and lows in the mid 60s.

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - The high school football season officially kicked off last week with some surprises and some exciting finishes. One of the great stories on Friday night was found at Loudoun County High School, where Raider head coach Todd Hill made his debut on the sidelines. The Raiders were winless in 2006, but showed promise in a 21-7 defeat against Musselman, WV. Loudoun County will need to make major strides this week as they play host to Winchester power Handley and star quarterback J.J Dorsey. The Judges lost a close game to last year's state playoff team Harrisonburg 20-17.

Spectacular Frosh:
Dominion's Deandre Reaves looked like Barry Sanders in Thursday's game against Washington-Lee. Reaves finished the night with 180 yards on 24 carries and 2 touchdowns to help Dominion win 27-7. If the name sounds familiar, Deandre's brother C.J. was an All Gameday tailback a few years back and one of the better runners in Titan history.

Biggest Surprise:
The Park View Patriots stomped the Herndon Hornets 37-7 behind the running of Eric Johnston and passing of C.J Leizear. Leizear became the Patriot's all time career passing leader after raising is career total to 3,503 yards in Friday's contest. Junior Kenny Smith scored two touchdowns and senior Ryan Pick had 5 catches for 114 yards. The Patriots defeated the Hornets for the second consecutive year and showed no signs of demise after graduation some of the state's best players from a year ago.

Joining Park View with a surprise performance was Briar Woods, who destroyed Millbrook 40-14. Quarterback Alex Munro was 16 of 21 for 158 yards and 3 touchdowns in the contest. The Falcons are now 2-0 on the season and have the attention of the other Dulles District teams to say the least.

Just One Quarter Please:
Stone Bridge scored an amazing 42 points in the 3rd quarter of Friday's game at West Springfield in route to a 56-36 victory. The Bulldogs were led by Jeron Gouveia, who finished with 151 yards rushing and 2 interceptions. Gouveia broke the game open for the Bulldogs with a 80 yard touchdown run. Matt Irwin had 101 yards rushing on just 3 carries and Kareem Alexander scored twice for Stone Bridge in the route. Stone Bridge racked up 536 yards of total offense including 265 yards in the air. Junior Patrick Thompson was 8 of 11 for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns. Stone Bridge will face Concorde District power Robinson this Friday night in a game that will be broadcast live online at GamedayMagazine.com on the Gameday Radio Network.

Slow Starts:
The Heritage Pride played the South Lakes Seahawks on Friday evening and never could quite get the offense going. The Pride suffered a key injury to Kyle Nelson, and his absence was felt all night long. However, running back Ross Madison stepped in behind center and ran 21 times for 134 yards. The Pride was led on defense by Nick Cadwell, who registered 3 tackles and 2 sacks in the contest. Nelson returns this week and should boost the Pride's chances and production heading into week two.

Another Hokie Committment:
Stone Bridge junior David Wang has verbally committed to play football at Virginia Tech starting in 2009. Wang becomes the second Bulldog to commit to Virginia Tech this season with teammate Jeron Gouveia doing so earlier in the spring. Wang will join his brother Ed, who was slated to start at tackle before injuring his ankle this summer. Stone Bridge has sent an incredible 6 players to Division 1 programs in the past 3 years.

Gameday Radio Network Launches In Style:
The Gameday Radio Network broadcast six games live last Friday night online at www.GamedayMagazine.com and two on Thursday night. In addition, check out the Gameday Live Scoreboard presented by Paintworx for the only real-time live scores in the state right on the front page at GamedayMagazine.com. If you are at a game or out and about, visit www.tccscores.com on your mobile phone to get the latest score updates. The scores refresh every 60 seconds. Below is a schedule for Friday's games on the Gameday Radio Network.

Friday September 7th, 2007:
Stone Bridge @ Robinson (Coverage Starts at 6:45pm)
Ballou @ Broad Run (Coverage Starts at 7:15pm)
Park View @ Jefferson, WV (Coverage Starts at 6:45pm)
Oakton @ Annandale (Coverage Starts at 7:15pm)
Washington & Lee @ Chantilly (Coverage Starts at 7:15pm)
Musselman, WV @ Sherando (Coverage Starts at 6:45pm)

* All Games Are Available For On-Demand Listening Late Friday Night

Complete Schedule For Friday Night:
Septemeber 7th, 2007
Ballou @ Broad Run 7:30pm
Herndon @ South Lakes 7:30pm
Heritage @ N. Hagerstown 7pm
Park View @ Jefferson W.V. 7pm
Forest Park @ Loudoun Valley
Stone Bridge @ Robinson 7pm
Brentsville @ Freedom, 7:30
Hedgesville WV @ Potomac Falls, 7:30

September 8th, 2007 (Saturday)
Loudoun County @ Handley, 1:30pm

CHICK-FIL-A PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Adrian Flemming - Broad Run WR
Flemming scored 3 touchdowns in the Spartans 48-14 win over Wakefield.

Jeron Gouveia - Stone Bridge RB/S
Gouveia rushed for 151 yards on just 7 carries, threw a touchdown to teammate Ryan Moody, and also caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Patrick Thompson. Gouveia accounted for over 300 yards of total offense himself and 3 touchdowns.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 02:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

HAYMARKET, VA--The first game of the year in Prince William County was one that the Panther and Bobcat fans wont soon forget. The Panthers did just enough to hold off the Bobcats and pick up their first win of the season on a humid night in Haymarket. On a pivotal play late in the 4th quarter Coach Tony Lilly decided to go for it on 4th inches in Panther territory. Lilly made the right call as the Panthers converted and marched down the field en route to a 27 yard game clinching field goal by Jeff Samayoa.

Senior Mulku Kalokoh had a game to remember accounting for 236 all purpose yards. Kalokoh picked up two touchdowns through the air and one on the ground as he ran the ball 21 times for 121 yards and caught 2 passes for 115 yards. Darius Brent helped carry the load as well as the Panthers ran for 229 yards on 39 attempts. Sophomore quarterback DeAirius Thomas had a solid game going 10 for 14 for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Thomas did a great job of executing the play action pass finding open receivers all night long.

Senior wide receiver Erik Patterson scored Battlefield's first touchdown of the season on a 2 yard pass from Senior quarter back Corey Thacker. The two would later connect in the 4th quarter on a 10 yard score that brought the Bobcats within 6 points of the Panthers. Thacker managed the game extremely well by going 11 of 17 for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Potomac saw their lead swell to 27-7 after Kalokoh's 79 yard touchdown reception to open the 2nd half, but Battlefield battled back and played inspired football in the second half to give the team a chance late in the 4th quarter. Junior Adrian Ingram played well on both sides of the ball but was most effective on offense as he amassed 122 yards on 18 carries with one touchdown. Coach Mark Cox has to be happy with the way his team battled back against one of last year's state semi-finalists.

Potomac hosts Stafford next Friday September 7th at Chuck Coles Stadium in Dumfries. Battlefield gets next week off and looks to bounce back against Gar-Field on September 14th.

Posted by Derek Goode - Publisher Gameday Magazine at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BEALETON, VA - Despite losing their star quarterback to a potential serious knee injury in the 3rd quarter, the Fauquier Falcons made one more play than the Liberty Eagles to win the first edition of the Bird Bowl in 2007 by a score of 17-14 in overtime.

Liberty scored first on a Mark Simpson run that brought the home crowd to its feet. Simpson transferred to Liberty for his senior season and had a strong night running the football. The Eagles then added to their lead mid-way through the second quarter to make the score 14-0, but that lead didn't long. The Falcons came storming back behind the play of senior David Lewis. Lewis, a 6ft 4" inch wide receiver, did his best Randy Moss impression and leaped over Eagle cornerback Sam Ball-Whitfield for a score. Lewis and fellow wideout Pete Kidwell took over in the second half after quarterback Kyle McCarten was taken from the field with a knee injury. Junior Ryan Steves stepped in behind center and calmly looked like he had been playing for years. Steves hit receiver after receiver, completing 5 of his first 6 passes.

Late in the 4th quarter with Fauquier driving, the Eagles intercepted Steves inside the Eagle 3 yard line to force overtime. Derek Lee's turned the momentum back toward Liberty, but in overtime, the Eagles were stopped on 4th down on the 2 yard line.

Fauquier then wasted no time in sending out kicker Bryan Hoysa to take a shot at winning the game on 1st down. The Eagles called timeout to ice Hoysa, but it didn't work. From 27 yards out, Hoysa drilled the kick and sent the Fauquier bench and fans into a frenzy.

At the end of the game, head coach Greg Hatfield caught up with Gameday's Grant Paulsen, and was very excited with the win.

"It was a great game and an exciting win," Hatfield said. "Our kids came back from 14 points down and showed a ton of heart."

With the win, Fauquier improved to 1-0. In the loss, Liberty dropped to 0-1. Liberty will travel to Fauquier in the final game of the season with that game being considered a district game.

Game Notes:
Liberty was penalized 17 times on Friday night's game against Fauquier. Those 17 penalties accounted for over 169 yards in the wrong direction either on offense or defense.

Injuries:
Fauquier quarterback Kyle McCarten was seen on crutches after the game celebrating with his teammates. McCarten injured his knee in the 3rd Quarter after scrambling on a pass play that broke down.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(SPRINGFIELD, VA) - As Yogi Berra once said, "This is like déjà vu all over again." In a game that was eerily similar to the 2006 contest, the 2007 Stone Bridge Bulldogs fell behind West Springfield before exploding for 42 points in the third quarter and crushing the Spartans 56-36. West Springfield quarterback Bryn Renner made more than a few Spartan fans forget last year's signal caller, but Jeron Gouveia reminded everyone of why he is considered one of the top players in the state.

After taking the opening kickoff, West Springfield came out throwing but was unable get anything significant started. A fine punt backed Stone Bridge up to its own 33. On the Bulldog's side of the ball, Patrick Thompson made his first start at quarterback after playing receiver in 2006, and he may have been having second thoughts for a while. On the second snap, a fumble occurred and the Spartans jumped on the ball at the 24. Again they could not mount a drive, and an illegal procedure penalty backed them all the way to the Bulldog 28, where Tyler Bitancurt boomed a 45-yard field goal, putting West Springfield on the board first.

Starting from their own 20, the Bulldogs tried to establish the run, but Thompson was stuffed on three attempts. After the punt, West Springfield took over on the Spartan 45, with no success either. Another fine punt by Bitancurt pinned the Bulldogs on the one yard line.

Two plays later disaster struck again, and this time it was costly. Another fumbled snap rolled into the end zone where a Spartan pounced on it for the score. The extra point made it 10-0 and West Springfield was feeling good about their chances.

Stone Bridge felt some relief when on first-and-ten from the 20, Gouveia burst through and rambled 56 yards to the West Springfield 24 before being run down from behind. The Bulldogs, however, could not seem to break the Spartan defensive line. On fourth-and-four from the six, Matt Irwin was stopped short and West Springfield took over.

Backed up in their own end, the Spartans found lightning when Renner hit a streaking Josh Vallejos for 92 yards and a touchdown. The extra point made it 17-0 West Springfield, and the Spartans were wondering if this game could have different ending from 2006. But like that year, the Bulldogs were just waking up.

On the second play of the next series, Thompson hit Gouviea on a comeback route, when Gouviea spun, stiff-armed the defender, and tore down the right sideline for an 81-yard touchdown reception. Ronnie Shaban's first extra point of the season made it 17-7, and the contest was suddenly very interesting again.

Starting from the Spartan 23, Renner completed four of six passes for 46 yards, and added on his own 14-yard run, to bring West Springfield to the Stone Bridge 13, but the drive stalled there. Bitancurt nailed his second field goal from 30 yards out, and the Spartans increased their lead to 20-7.

Thompson then seemed to find his rhythm, hitting Irwin and Ryan Moody for a total of 73 yards before Kareem Alexander blasted over from the 4. Shaban's extra point made it 20-14, and the theme music from "The Twilight Zone" could be heard filtering through the night air. Stone Bridge held West Springfield on the next series, and moved to the Spartan 16 but ran out of time before the intermission.

Coach Mickey Thompson was clearly upset at the end of the half, feeling that the Bulldogs missed an opportunity to score before going in. His words at halftime were effective, to say the least. On the first play of the second half, Gouveia charged through the line and raced 80 yards for a touchdown, stunning the West Springfield crowd and sending the Bulldog faithful into frenzy. Shaban's PAT put Stone Bridge up 21-20 for the first time.

On the Spartans' first play, Mike Stancik picked off Renner and returned the ball to the West Springfield 17. Two plays later, Thompson found a leaping Moody in the endzone, and heads were starting to shake. The Spartans lost ground on their next series, and were forced to punt. A great return by Irwin brought the ball back to the Spartan 33, and on the very next play Alexander bolted in for the score. Shaban's extra point was good, but the fireworks were not over.

On the second play of West Springfield's possession, Gouviea robbed Renner again, taking the ball to the Spartan 17. Two plays later, Irwin broke several tackles and zipped up the left side for another score. The show was still not finished.

On the second play from scrimmage, Stancik ripped off Renner once again. Going for the cycle, on the first play, Gouviea raced to the left, pulled up and hit Moody with a pass, who then proceeded to fight his way to the end zone. Shaban's PAT made the score 49-20 with 6:44 left in the third quarter.

The teams traded punts before Renner took advantage of a soft Bulldog defensive stance, completing four of four for 61 yards and the TD. As if irritated by the score, on the second play of the next series, Irwin again screamed around the left end and outraced everyone for a 78-yard touchdown. Total damage by the Bulldogs in the third quarter: three interceptions, fourteen offensive plays for 299 yards, six touchdowns and 42 points.

The fourth quarter saw the Stone Bridge defense do a fine job of containing Renner before he connected with Vallejos with just 7 seconds left in the game. By that time both teams had combined for a staggering 1006 total yards and 92 points.

Jeron Gouveia rushed for 151 yards and a TD, caught two passes for 109 yards and a TD, threw one pass for 54 yards and a TD, and tacked on an interception, accounting for 314 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. Matt Irwin was nearly as impressive, with 169 yards of offense and two TDs. Patrick Thompson's inaugural night at quarterback was a fine one, going 8-11, 211 yards and two scores.

The Bulldogs travel next to Robinson to take on the perennially strong Rams.

Prepared by, Dave and Suzy Barta
spbarta@aol.com

Posted by Wire and Staff Reports at 01:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(STEPHENS CITY, VA) - The Sherando Warriors (1-0; 0-0) did not look like the team that went undefeated in the 2006 regular season. Despite struggling, the Warriors slipped pass the Jefferson Cougars (0-1; 0-0) 7-0 at Arrowhead Stadium Friday night. The lone highlight from the evening was a Ross Metheny to Derek Crosen touchdown pass that covered 65 yards with only 27 seconds remaining in the 1st half.

Both teams started slowly in the first half with turnovers ending threats for both the Warriors and the Cougars throughout the half. After the Sherando defense made an impressive stand with just over a minute left in the first half, junior Ross Metheny led a 4 play drive that resulted in the lone score on the night just before the end of the half.

The Jefferson Cougars came out of the locker room to start the 3rd quarter and again threatened the Warriors but fell short on an attempted 4th down play. Ross Metheny could not seem to find his touch through the air on this evening, throwing 3 interceptions to the Cougar defense. Despite Metheny's off-night the Shernado Warrior defense, led by Joey Christine and Brian Barlow, held the Cougar offense in check and out of the end zone throughout the second half to preserve the win for Coach Bill Hall and the rest of the Sherando Warriors.

The Sherando Warriors will take on Musselman, WV September 7th at Arrowhead Stadium in a game that can be heard on The Gameday Radio Network exclusively online at www.GamedayMagazine.com

Posted by Derek Goode - Publisher Gameday Magazine at 01:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)