Osbourn-Chantilly State Final Preview
Sterling, VA - Two years ago, it would have been the most unlikely of match-ups.
One program had just suffered through a winless campaign, while the other had gone 3-7 and was just two years removed from a 32-game losing streak.
So when Northern Region champion Chantilly (10-3 overall) takes on Northwest Region champion Osbourn (13-0) in the Group AAA Division 6 state championship game at 12:30 p.m. in Hampton on Saturday, it will mark a complete reversal of fortunes for both programs.
The Chargers enter Saturday's final riding a defense that produced two touchdowns in last weekend's 17-7 victory over Varina in the semifinals. Under second-year coach Mike Lalli, a core group of three-year starters has helped to erase the memory of the 0-10 season in 2004 by winning the school's first regional title since 1996, which was also the last time Chantilly made the postseason.
The availability of Chargers senior quarterback Nate Worek, who missed the last Saturday's game due to the effects of a concussion suffered in Chantilly's 26-21 regional semifinal victory over Westfield on Nov. 25, will weigh heavily on the Chargers' chances. Junior Austin Decker, who played well against Westfield, struggled mightily against Varina, completing just 2-of-9 passes for 22 yards while being intercepted twice and losing two fumbles.
The Eagles, meanwhile, have one of the state's most electric players in senior quarterback Brandon Hogan, who has signed to play at West Virginia University. The 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pound Hogan has accounted for 3,817 yards (2,235 passing, 1,582 rushing) from scrimmage and 52 touchdowns (29 passing, 23 rushing) this season. He has won 22 of his 25 starts over the past two seasons and has accounted for 8,707 yards from scrimmage in his three-year varsity career.
The Chargers' ability to contain Hogan will be key if they are to bring the Division 6 state crown back to the Northern Region for the ninth time since 1993. The best dual-threat signal caller Chantilly faced this season, Annandale's Nathan Cartagena, had 97 yards on 8-of-14 passing and 149 yards and one touchdown rushing back on Sept. 4. But in last week's win over the Blue Devils, the Chargers limited an athletic tandem of quarterbacks, Justin Thorpe and Davon Morgan, to just 27 yards on 23 carries and held Thorpe to 6-of-16 passing for 101 yards while picking off two of his passes.
The game figures to be a classic match-up of Chantilly's power versus Osbourn's wide-open style of play, and one team will complete a run that seemed so improbable just two falls ago.
OSBOURN EAGLES
Coach: Steve Schultze, fifth year (32-23 (.582) at Osbourn)
Playoff History: The Eagles are making their first state playoff appearance after winning their first-ever Northwest Region championship. In 2005, Osbourn made its first postseason appearance and advanced to the region final before falling to Hylton, 35-28.
Team Statistics: Points Scored - 451 (34.7/game); Points Allowed: 155 (11.9/game)
Player to Watch: Senior QB Brandon Hogan - Has accounted for 8,707 total yards from offense in his three-year varsity career, including 3,817 total yards and 52 touchdowns this season. Has signed with West Virginia University.
Individual Leaders
Passing: Senior QB Brandon Hogan - 122-of-234 (52 percent), 2,235 yards, 29 TD, 11 INT
Rushing: Senior QB Brandon Hogan - 256 carries, 1,582 yards, 6.2/carry, 23 TD
Receiving: Senior WR Julian Beale - 33 catches, 710 yards, 21.5/catch, 10 TD
2006 Schedule/Results
9/8 at Brooke Point W, 27-10
9/15 Forest Park W, 34-7
9/21 at Potomac W, 14-13
9/29 Freedom W, 56-0
10/9 Woodbridge W, 21-17
10/14 at Osbourn Park W, 29-6
10/20 at Stonewall Jackson W, 44-14
10/30 Battlefield W, 42-21
11/3 Culpeper W, 51-8
11/9 at Fauquier W, 41-17
11/17 Gar-Field W, 42-14
11/24 Woodbridge W, 24-7
12/2 Salem W, 27-21
CHANTILLY CHARGERS
Coach: Mike Lalli, second year (14-9 (.609) at Chantilly)
Playoff History: The Chargers enter Saturday's game riding a seven-game postseason winning streak dating back to 1996, when they won the state championship and last made the playoffs. Chantilly is 9-6 all-time in Virginia High School League (VHSL) playoffs.
Team Statistics: Points Scored - 281 (21.6/game); Points Allowed: 162 (12.5/game)
Player to Watch: Senior DE Zach Hally - Has 13 sacks on the season - including three in last Saturday's 17-7 victory over Varina in the state semifinals - and has been a terror for opposing quarterbacks all season.
Individual Leaders
Passing: Senior QB Nate Worek - 74-of-145 (51%) for 962 yards, 13 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Junior RB Antonio Cross - 182 carries for 1,003 yards, 5.5/carry, 4 TD
Receiving: Senior TE Danny Simms - 30 catches, 445 yards, 14.8/catch, 4 TD
2006 Schedule/Results
9/4 at Annandale W, 7-6
9/11 Lake Braddock L, 14-7
9/15 at Washington-Lee W, 32-7
9/21 Madison W, 19-6
9/29 at Oakton W, 21-0
10/13 Fairfax W, 41-0
10/20 Herndon W, 10-7
10/30 at Robinson W, 27-20
11/3 Westfield L, 34-28
11/10 at Centreville L, 26-23
11/18 Oakton W, 23-14
11/25 at Westfield W, 26-21
12/2 Varina W, 17-7
