Bulldogs Roll Past Lee 42-13 to Advance....
ASHBURN, VA - The Stone Bridge Bulldogs opened the 2007 playoffs in convincing fashion, wasting little time in tossing aside the R.E. Lee Lancers 42-13 on a cold and wet Friday night. The number-one-seed Bulldogs needed only the first half to make the case that they are the team to beat in the Northern Region.
Lee kicked off to start the game and, in what looked like an attempt to beat Stone Bridge at its own game, tried an onside kick. The strategy was not successful as Tom Olson covered for the Bulldogs, and Stone Bridge began with excellent field position. Faced with third-and-17 a short while later, quarterback Patrick Thompson found Daniel Allen with a well-executed screen pass, and Allen galloped in from there. Ronnie Shaban added the PAT kick and Stone Bridge was first on the board.
The Bulldogs attempted an onside kick of their own, but the ball scooted out of bounds before the fifty yard line was reached. Lee started at the Stone Bridge 49 and came up empty, gaining no yards in three plays. The subsequent punt pinned the Bulldogs back at their own 15.
Stone Bridge stayed primarily on the ground, but Thompson managed to find Ryan Moody for two key completions during the drive. The second, a 25-yard strike, brought the ball to the Lancer 15. Two plays later, Thompson bulled his way in for the score, breaking several tackles in the process. With 2:29 left in the first quarter, Stone Bridge led 14-0.
Lee began from its own twenty, but again could not generate any offense. A punt just before the quarter ended gave the Bulldogs the ball on the Stone Bridge 39. A 28-yard run by Allen carried the ball all the way to the Lancer 33, but the drive stalled soon after at the 29. On the next play, Lee running back Pierre Williams was hit hard by Zach Thompson, lost the handle, and the ball was recovered by Bulldog Ben Palmer. Patrick Thompson hit Jeron Gouveia, who muscled his way to the nine, and two plays later Kareem Alexander raced in untouched to give Stone Bridge a 21-0 lead.
On the next possession, Lee went for the first down on fourth-and-two at its own 35, with bad results. QB Kelly Fitzgerald's pass fell incomplete, and the Bulldogs took over deep in Lancer territory. A holding call backed Stone Bridge up to the Lancer 47, but using some well-run misdirection on the next play, Nate Ingersoll blasted through a gaping hole and rumbled in for the touchdown. Shaban's fourth extra point made the score 28-0 Stone Bridge.
Starting from their own 16, the Lancers were stymied once again. After another three-and-out, Lee punted and Stone Bridge began at the Lancer 45. Thompson found Ryan Moody for twelve yards across the middle, then two plays later found him again, this time down the sideline for a 33-yard TD.
The Lancers took over at their own 14 after the kickoff, and managed to eventually tally their initial first down of the game. But on first and 19, Fitzgerald was picked off by Kevin Elliott, and the drive was over. The Bulldogs went for the finishing blow, with Thompson finding Matt Irwin on the next play for the score. The PAT made it 42-0 Stone Bridge, and that's how the half ended.
The second half saw the Bulldogs reserves trade blows with the Lancer starters. Lee took advantage of great field position at one point, and drove to the Stone Bridge 12, but a fine tackle in the backfield by Brian Burnett killed the effort.
Stone Bridge took over on the Bulldog 14, but was unable to muster a first down. On fourth-and-two, a bad snap gave the Lancers outstanding field position on the Bulldog 13. Lee needed only two plays before Gregory Lopez found Tad Dickman from the fifteen, and the Lancers were on the board 42-7.
Stone Bridge put together a twelve play drive, and pushed to the Lee three, but another bad snap and a fumble on fourth down gave the ball back over to the Lancers on the Lee 6. The Lancers then put together their only significant drive of the evening, marching 94 yards in eleven plays and ending with Jazmier Williams scoring from the one. The PAT was no good, and the final was 42-13.
In the first half, Stone Bridge racked up 42 points while limiting Lee to less than 40 yards of offense and three first downs, one by penalty. Patrick Thompson was eight of eleven for 183 yards and three TDs, while running for another score.
The Bulldogs move on to the semi-final round of the regional playoffs with a 10-1 record to meet the Marshall Statesmen. Stone Bridge defeated Marshall 35-0 on September 14th.
