Briar Woods Survives Patriots to Win 14-6
The Briar Woods defense limited the Patriots to lass than 70 yards on thr ground in the Falcons win.
Photo By: Jan Johnson
Jeremy Gray returns this first half kickoff 55 yards deep into Park View territory. The Falcons with the win, move to 5-2 on the year...
Photo By: Jan Johnson
ASHBURN, Va. - Before a fired up Homecoming crowd, the Briar Woods Falcons used their trademarks - a punishing rushing attack and a stingy defense - to post a 14-6 win over the visiting Park View Patriots Friday night at Falcon Stadium.
The Falcons improved to 6-1 overall with their first-ever victory over the Patriots and stayed in contention for the Dulles District title with a 3-1 league mark. Park View fell to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in district play.
The game started well enough for Park View, as it forced a quick three-and-out and started its first drive on its 46-yard line following a Briar Woods punt. The Patriots needed just four plays to move deep into Falcon territory, but
quarterback Brandon Lee fumbled on the fifth play and J.T. Bailey recovered for the Falcons at their own 11.
Briar Woods then set out on a 15-play, 89-yard scoring march that was capped by Billy McDonald's four-yard run. The Falcons ran 12 times in the drive and - more impressively - were a perfect 4-for-4 on third down. Quarterback Austin Frattali turned in the biggest play of the drive when, on third-and-12, he scrambled 29 yards down to the Patriot four-yard line. McDonald rumbled in on the next play, and David Clements booted the extra point to give Briar Woods a 7-0 lead with 1:49 left in the first quarter.
Park View answered quickly, taking a page out of the Briar Woods playbook with an 11-play, 86-yard scoring drive. The Patriots used a fake punt on fourth-and-nine from their own 32 to spur the drive, with Lee hitting Brandon Absher with a 12-yard pass to continue the march. Lee later connected with Josh
Jones on a 39-yard pass on third-and-14, and Lee hit Tommy Sedeski with a 20-yard scoring pass on the next play. However, the extra point sailed wide right and Park View trailed 7-6 with 8:37 left in the first half.
Jeremy Gray brought the Falcon faithful to their feet when he returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the Patriot 29, but the great field position was for naught as a 32-yard field goal try by Clements had the accuracy but not the
distance.
The teams then traded punts and, after holding Park View on fourth down near midfield, Briar Woods ran out of time in the first half and took its slim 7-6 lead into the break.
Park View got the first opportunity in the second half but managed just two yards on three plays and was forced to punt. Starting at its own 37, Briar Woods turned to Matt Eisenman, who sandwiched runs of 16 and 20 yards around a 15-yard pass from Frattali to Gray as the Falcons moved to the Patriot six. Two plays later, Ray Taliaferro dashed into the end zone from three yards out and Clements nailed his second PAT of the night to give Briar Woods a 14-6 advantage with 7:50 left in the third quarter.
From there, the Falcon defense took over, holding Park View to just 49 yards on its final five drives of the night. Three drives ended in punts, while the other two stalled on downs. The Patriots looked to have something going offensively early in the fourth quarter, moving from their own nine out to the 41, but Lee was sacked by Andrew Davidson for a loss of 11 yards and Park View was forced to punt.
The Patriots had a final chance when they forced a Briar Woods punt and took over at their own 41 with 2:30 remaining. However, a three-yard run by Daryus Beale was followed by three straight incompletions, and the Falcons regained possession and ran out the clock.
Seven Falcons combined to carry the ball 44 times for 191 yards. Eisenman led the way with 45 yards on just six carries, while Taliaferro earned a hard-fought 44 yards on 21 attempts.
Lee ran 14 times for 22 yards for the Patriots, who were held to just 65 rushing yards on 27 carries and converted just 2-of-12 third downs. Lee was also 11-of-27 for 162 yards and a touchdown.
Briar Woods hosts Heritage next week in another key Dulles District game, while Park View welcomes Dominion.
