Westfield Rides Stallions To 1st Round AAA Rout
CHANTILLY, VA - The cold and rainy weather may have kept a good majority of the "Westfield Faithful" away from the Bulldog's opening round AAA Northern Region playoff game, Friday night, at Bulldog Stadium, but it surely didn't damper the enthusiasm and play of the football team, as the Bulldogs rolled to a 40-14 victory over the South County Stallions.
The season ended much as it began for the Stallions. These two teams met to open their season, at Westfield, and although the weather was a complete 180 degree opposite from Friday, the result was almost déjà vu'. In that contest, the Bulldogs thumped South County 45-6, on their way to an 11-0 season.
Sr. tailback Steven Tabot began the scoring for the home team, busting up the middle on a 22 yard run for the only score by either team in the 1st quarter. Then it was the Mike Glennon Air Show in the 2nd quarter. The NC State bound senior struck for 3 out of the 4 touchdowns in the stanza, hitting Sr. Ross Lavin from 12 yards, Sr. Brandon Ferrell on a 4 yarder, and Sr. David Kruchko for another 12 yard connection. Sr. Brian Kennedy added his own 17 yard scoring scamper, and the Stallions saw their upset hopes all but dashed at the half, trailing the home team 34-0.
The 2nd half saw South County stiffen on defense, and perk up on offense. After stopping the Bulldogs in their 1st two possessions, Sr. Stallion QB, Chris Mitchell, capped an impressive 61 yard drive with a 4 yard plunge, to narrow the score to 34-7. The Bulldogs answered right back, however, and methodically moved the ball down field on 12 plays, and it was Tabot who ended the drive on an 11 yard sweep around end. The extra point failed, making the score 40-7. Not to be left for dead, the Stallions marched right back. Behind the determined running of Sr. RB Tim Pennington, and a nice 58 yard, hard fought, option run by Mitchell, South County put it in the end zone on Mitchell's 2 yard QB Sneak, increasing the score to 40-14.
The 4th quarter was silent for both teams, with no scores coming from either side. The Stallions were obviously worn down, and lacked enough juice to sustain any more drives, and Coach Tom Verbanic installed fresh bodies for the majority of the quarter, who were able to keep the South County team from mounting any further threat, and the game would end 40-14.
This was the 1st appearance in the playoffs for the Stallions, in this their 3rd year in existence. An impressive fete, and season. The Bulldogs advance to the 2nd round of the AAA Northern Region, Division 6 playoffs, and will host the West Potomac Wolverines, who defeated the Lake Braddock Bruins, 13-9, Friday night. That game will start at 7:30, Friday night, and will be broadcast live on the Gameday Radio Network, beginning at 6:45, with a replay of the Dawg Pound, with Coach Tom Verbanic.
