Vikings Look To End Dry Spell Against Bulldogs
Loudoun Valley vs Stone Bridge
Thursday September 21st, 2006 - 7:30pm Kickoff
Purcellville, Virginia
(Purcellville, VA) - When routines are messed with, football teams can sometimes get thrown off in their preparation and focus. Both Loudoun Valley and Stone Bridge will have to deal with a short week of preparation as they face each other on Thursday night in Purcellville, Virginia. The Bulldogs storm into Purcellville riding an emotional high after thumping the defending Division 6 state champion Oakton Cougars 35-7 last week. Valley on the other hand, was on the wrong end of a thumping given out by the Park View Patriots. Loudoun Valley lost 35-14 in Sterling Park, but all memories of that game can be erased with a huge win on Thursday against a talented Stone Bridge squad that is hoping to continue their dominance over the Vikings.
Stone Bridge has owned Valley since the two began playing in 2001. The Bulldogs have won every meeting. Valley has played well in most of the contests, and if it wasn't for some late game heroics in a few of those meetings, the series would probably be even. Last season's game ended in a dramatic fashion with Stone Bridge quarterback Terence Glenn hitting tailback Shamar Knight-Justice on a 49 yard touchdown pass with less than a minute to go in the game to help the Bulldogs come from behind to win 17-14. That game left a bad taste in Viking Head Coach Bruce Sheppard's mouth, and when these two teams meet Thursday, you can bet that Sheppard will have his team ready to play.
If history is any indication, this battle between Loudoun County's two biggest schools should be close once again. The Vikings are hungry to prove that last week's debacle against the Patriots was a fluke, and Stone Bridge is a team on a mission.
Key Matchups:
Stone Bridge safety Jeron Gouveia will need to play one of his better games on Thursday night as he will be counted on to keep Viking tailback Brian Oden from breaking the big play. Oden scored twice against Park View last week and scorched the Loudoun County Raiders for 203 yards and 4 touchdowns in week one. Gouveia's presence should keep Oden in check.
Viking defensive lineman Josh Spring will go head to head with Bulldog offensive tackle Andrew Nuss on Thursday. These two are strong and two of the best in the state. The winner of this battle should help his team control the line of scrimmage.
Nuggets Of The Game:
Presented by: Chick-Fil-A
For Stone Bridge:
Force Valley To Throw The Football
Control The Line of Scrimmage
Don't Wait Until The 4th Quarter To Start Playing
For Loudoun Valley:
Keep the Stone Bridge Offense off the field by controlling time of possession
Play Turnover Free Football
Forget About The Past, End The Goose Egg With A Win
Extra Points:
Ryan Sheehan and Jeron Gouveia will keep a unique tradition alive on Thursday when Stone Bridge and Valley meet. This year's meeting between Stone Bridge and Valley will mark the 5th consecutive year that a member of one of these two families will play in this heated rivalry. Ryan has followed his two older brothers John and Stephen at Valley, and Jeron kept the tradition alive after his older brother Landon graduted in 2003. Both Ryan and Jeron have younger siblings that should keep this tradition going strong for the next few years.
Power Point Rebound?
Last week's loss against Park View will hurt the Vikings late in the season if power points become a deciding factor on whether or not Valley gets into the playoffs. However, a win over a highly touted Stone Bridge team could neutralize last week's damaging loss and set the Vikings back on the right track.
Vikings vs Bulldogs Rewind:
Valley and Stone Bridge met in the 2003 regular season and then again in the first round of the playoffs. The first contest ended in a 35-10 victory for the Bulldogs, but in the playoff rematch, Viking fullback Bret Motice nearly beat Stone Bridge himself, rushing for over 154 yards in the first half and finishing with 173 yards on 25 carries. Former Bulldog and All Gameday player Alex Runski intercepted a John Sheehan pass late in the 4th quarter, and then recovered a fumble from his teammate Ed Wang in the end-zone to help the Bulldogs advance in the playoffs with a 21-13 win.
Previous Meetings and Results:
2005: SB 17 LV 14
2004: SB 28 LV 14
2003: SB 35 LV 10 regular season, SB 21 LV 13 in playoffs
2002: SB 35 LV 20
2001: SB 35 LV 14
Stone Bridge holds a 6-0 record against the Vikings in the series.
All Gameday Returning Players:
Loudoun Valley:
Josh Spring – OL/DL
Patrick Conroy – LB/OL
Stone Bridge:
Terence Glenn – QB
Andrew Nuss – OL/DL
Jeron Gouveia – Safety/RB
Our Prediction:
This game will once again be decided by turnovers and coaching in the final quarter. Our prediction is that Valley will hang tough, but Stone Bridge has too much for this Viking team to conquer. Stone Bridge will win the game because they have too many playmakers in the backfield. Look for running back Devon Brown to have a breakout game and keep an eye on Terence Glenn, he had 3 touchdowns last week and is starting to play at the level he did a year ago.
Predicted Final Score:
Stone Bridge - 28
Loudoun Valley - 17
