One For The Ages: Spartans Win Dulles Title
ASHBURN, VA - When Broad Run and Park View meet, it is always a big deal, but if history had shown anything, the rivalry wasn't much of a rivalry with the Patriots holding a 26-5 advantage in the last 31 years. However, the 32nd meeting between the arch rivals was nothing like the previous 15 meetings that Park View had won in a row. Broad Run entered the contest 9-0, already with the best record in school history and a playoff berth secured, the Spartans were looking to change history while starting a new streak of their own.
The Park View Patriots got on the scoreboard first with an Eric Johnston touchdown run in the 2nd quarter from 2 yards out. The Patriots drove 96 yards in 9 plays while chewing up over 4 minutes on the clock to take a 7-0 lead. The big play on the scoring drive came when quarterback C.J Leizear hit tight end Danny Foley for a huge gain down the middle of the field. Foley split the Spartan secondary and made a great catch to put the Patriots in the red zone and Johnston did the rest to get Park View on the scoreboard.
Broad Run answered back with an impressive drive of its own, and junior Breon Earl got the Spartans on the board with a touchdown pass to a wide open Kevin Sandersen in the end zone. The Graham Allen extra point tied the game at 7-7, and the 1st half ended with both teams back to even.
On the first play of the second half, Park View's C.J Leizear threw a long pass in the direction of receiver Ryan Pick, but Broad Run's Chris Jessop made a diving interception to give the Spartans great field position. The Spartans capitalized on the Park View mistake when Breon Earl scored from 3 yards out. Broad Run's Cole Shain set the scoring drive up with a big pass play to Adrian Flemming, and Earl's touchdown run gave the Spartans a 14-7 lead.
Park View answered right back with another long drive and Leizear scored on a keeper from two yards out to tie the game back at 14-14.
Then, in the most telling sign that the Spartans were destined to be Dulles District Champions, the Broad Run offensive line started to wear down the Patriot defensive front seven. With the running game starting to gain good yardage on first and second down, Spartan head coach Michael Burnett decided to go to the bag of tricks. Burnett called a reverse pass with junior Chris Jessop taking the reverse from tailback Breon Earl, then tossing it back to Earl down the far sideline. Jessop's arm strength was the biggest reason the play worked, and Earl made several Patriots miss to get the Spartans inside the Park View 15 yard line. A few plays later, Spartan Kenny McAdow carried the ball over the goal line to give Broad Run a 21-14 lead, one they would never relinquish.
When the final gun sounded, the Spartans had won their first Dulles District championship in school history, finished undefeated for the first time in school history, and at the same time, secured the #2 seed in next week's Group AA playoffs.
An ecstatic Burnett was tackled by his players as they celebrated on the field with each other, and the second year coach from Broad Run wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
"We told our guys to just keep playing hard, and they hung in there," Burnett said. "This is a moment you remember for the rest of your life."
With the win, Broad Run improved to 10-0 and will most likely face Park View again next week in the first round of the playoffs. Park View fell to 9-1 and will be the #3 seed in the playoffs. The Sherando Warriors appear to have locked up the #1 seed in the Group AA playoffs because of Broad Run's win.
Chick-fil-A Players of the Game:
Breon Earl - Broad Run Running Back
Earl threw for a touchdown and ran for a touchdown and his reception late in the game on the reverse pass from Chris Jessop helped the Spartans secure the win.
