Oakton Takes Care of Business, Advances
(Vienna, VA) - The Oakton Cougars needed to win in order to extend their season for one more week against Annandale on Friday night, and they needed a little help as well. The Cougars took care of business and the Atoms, and then got the news that their win and Robinson's loss to Westfield (12-7) put them into the post-season next week versus Chantilly.
Oakton scored first in the game after a Jonathan Kedrock 5 yard touchdown run. Kedrock carried the ball 5 times in 6 plays and compiled 33 yards on the drive that helped the Cougars take a 7-0 lead. Oakton scored again on a Orlando Bryant touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter, but a missed extra point made the score 13-0.
Annandale's Nathan Cartagena scored on a 5 yard touchdown run, his 10th rushing TD of the season to make the score 13-7 with a few minutes left in the second quarter. At the half, Oakton led 13-7 but the Atoms had momentum going into the locker room.
The 2nd half started much like the end of the 2nd quarter. The Atoms brought the score to 13-10 with a field goal with 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and looked like they were going to make the game interesting.
With the game tightening and score updates coming in from Chantilly that weren't promising, the post-season didn't look like a given. That was until Oakton's Ervin Garner made the play of the game. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Harris opened the 4th quarter on 1st and 10 by dropping back and pump faking to teammate and wideout Jared Green. Harris then fired the ball down the right sideline to hit a streaking Garner for a 75 yard touchdown pass and catch. The Cougars extended the lead to 20-10 and that is how the game ended after Oakton forced a Cartagena fumble late in the 4th.
With the win, Oakton finished the regular season 6-4 and because Robinson lost to Westfield, the Cougars will face Chantilly next week in the opening round of the playoffs.
Annandale will travel to Westfield to face the top ranked Bulldogs in the 1st round and fell to 6-4 as well.
