Gameday Notebook - P.W.C. (7th Ed)
Quarterback Frank Buckley threw for 238 yards and 4 TD's last week against Forest Park.
Photo By: Mark Rodgers / Woodbridge Football
Gar-Field's John Portee caught the game winning touchdown against the Potomac Panthers last week in overtime.
Photo By: Gar-Field Football
Hylton's Joel Himan threw for 2 scores in the Bulldogs win last Friday night. Hylton is currently sitting at the #3 spot in the Northwest Regional playoff race.
Photo By: Barry Schifflin / C.D. Hylton Football
DALE CITY, VA - The playoff picture is starting to take shape as we head into the last three weeks of the regular season. In case you don't know how the playoff system works, let me explain how it does for the teams in the Cedar Run and Cardinal Districts.
The AAA Northwest Region is made up of teams from four different districts, the Cedar Run, Cardinal, Commonwealth and Western Valley. There are 28 total teams in the Northwest region, 14 teams are in division 5 while the other 14 are division 6 teams. Four teams make the playoffs in both divisions; teams that win their district title gain an automatic berth in the playoffs.
For example, if three division 6 teams win the district title the remaining playoff spot goes to the team with the highest power point. The fourth district title goes to a division 5 team and the three other playoff spots in division 5 go to the teams with the highest total power points. Simple enough right?
At this point these are the top 6 teams in power points in division 6:
1. Battlefield - 31.1 (Leading Cedar Run)
2. Woodbridge - 29.4 (Tied for lead in Cardinal)
3. Hylton - 25.3 (Tied for lead in Cardinal)
4. Osbourn - 23.7
5. Osbourn Park - 23.7
6. Gar-Field - 22.7
At this point these are the top 6 teams in power points in division 5:
1. Brooke Point - 26.7
2. William Fleming - 25.4 (Leading Western Valley)
3. Colonial Forge - 24.1 (Leading Commonwealth)
4. Potomac - 24.1
5. Fauquier - 24.1
6. Liberty - 23.7
A lot can change over the next three weeks so I will be updating this in each edition of the PWC notebook and Ill also throw out some hypothetical playoff pairings. If you want a more in depth look at the playoff picture check out the "Gameday All-Access" show from 10/22 as Andy Hayes, Derek Lecomte and Justin Waddle broke down the power point picture.
So now, let's take a look at the week that was in Prince William County.
BOBCATS TAKE CONTROL OF THE CEDAR RUN
Down 14-6 with just 1:46 left in the fourth quarter Battlefield took the field at their own 32-yard line. After a few plays the Bobcats (7-0, 4-0) faced a make or break fourth and 23 from the Osbourn 41. Junior QB Bo Revell found James Robinson for the first time this season for the 41-yard score. Revell then ran for the 2-yard conversion to tie the game at 14.
The Osbourn Eagles (3-4, 3-1) got the ball first in overtime and looked to win the game on a 30-yard attempt from Tyler Schultze, unfortunately for Eagles fans the kick sailed wide. Battlefield then took over and moved the ball down the field to setup Ben Burden's 25-yard game winner.
Battlefield senior RB Gerald Khosa had another solid game filling in for the injured Adrian Ingram. Khosa ran the ball 25 times for 104 yards against a tough Osbourn defense.
Osbourn QB Thomas Keith had another big game as he threw for a touchdown (27-yarder to Rodney Whitehead) and ran for another (8-yard run). Keith accounted for 161 yards of total offense as he ran for 80 yards on 25 carries and completed 6 of 10 passes for 81 yards. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, this is the team to beat in the Cedar Run in 2009.
BUCKLEY'S BIG NIGHT
Woodbridge's Frank Buckley had a monster game as he threw four touchdowns in the Vikings 53-19 victory over Forest Park (3-4, 1-1). Buckley was extremely efficient as he completed 7 of 9 passes for 250 yards. Kelvin Lewis has on the receiving end of four of the passes and took two for scores of 56 and 65 yards respectively.
Forest Park did a good job of slowing down Rocket Williams as they held the talented senior to 83 yards on 14 carries. Williams scored two touchdowns on the night as he ran for a 46-yard score and caught a 74-yard pass from Buckley.
Keyon Wade scored two defensive touchdowns for Keith King's crew as he recovered a bad shotgun snap in the end zone and returned an interception 59 yards for the score. The Vikings are now 7-0 on the season and have a huge game this Friday night.
BULLDOGS KEEP ROLLING
The Hylton Bulldogs improved to 5-2 on the season as they knocked off Freedom (1-6, 0-2) 23-3. The Bulldogs have now outscored their last three opponents 115-3. QB Joel Himan continues to play at a high level as he threw for two touchdowns and finished the night 7 of 18 for 197 yards.
Himan got Hylton (5-2, 2-0) on the board first when he connected with Khyree Blake for a 52-yard score. Blake added a 40-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.
Bulldog senior RB Bill Nyantaki ran for 80 yards on 16 carries. His counterpart Deon Jones carried the ball 32 times for 115 yards. Jones is one of the best backs in the county unfortunately his team hasn't had much success this season.
PORTEE'S BIG CATCH
Gar-Field sophomore WR John Portee hauled in a 5-yard pass from Aaron Jackson in overtime to beat Potomac 26-23. Portee also scored a touchdown late in the first half. The Indians (3-4, 1-1) showed a lot of character after losing badly to Hylton last week. Most people, including myself, assumed that Potomac would roll at home for their homecoming game. The Panthers (4-3, 0-2) have now dropped two straight games after being dismantled by Woodbridge last week 50-21.
TERRELL GOES DOWN
Dominique Terrell will be dazzling Yellow Jacket fans for the next two years with his superior quickness and breakaway speed. The sophomore sensation scored two big touchdowns in the first half to give Osbourn Park (4-3, 2-2) a 16-0 lead early in the second quarter. Terrell returned a punt 67 yards and ran for a 65 yard score. At that point the big homecoming crowd expected a huge night from Terrell.
On the Yellow Jackets next offensive possession following the 65 yard run Terrell was knocked out of the game by Liberty's Wayne Fleming. After Terrell left the game the Yellow Jackets were unable to move the ball efficiently.
Liberty came back from a 16-8 deficit at the half to win 27-22 in this important Cedar Run match-up. Senior LB Corey Lillard forced two fumbles and ran for 78 yards and a score in the Eagles (5-2, 2-2) biggest win of the year to date.
OTHER SCORES
Manassas Park 27
Strasburg 12
Fauquier 30
Stonewall Jackson 17
Skyline 26
Brentsville 7
CEDAR RUN DISTRICT STANDINGS
1. Battlefield (7-0, 4-0)
2. Fauquier (6-1, 3-1)
3. Osbourn (3-4, 3-1)
4. Liberty (5-2, 2-2)
5. Osbourn Park (4-3, 2-2)
6. Stonewall (1-6, 1-3)
7. Loudoun Valley (1-6, 1-3)
8. Culpeper (0-7, 0-4)
CARDINAL DISTRICT STANDINGS
1. Woodbridge (7-0, 2-0)
2. Hylton (5-2, 2-0)
3. Forest Park (3-4, 1-1)
4. Gar-Field (3-4, 1-1)
5. Potomac (4-3, 0-2)
6. Freedom (1-6, 0-2)
PWC NOTEBOOK GAME TO WATCH
Hylton (5-2, 2-0) vs. #2 Woodbridge (7-0, 2-0)
Woodbridge is as complete a team as you'll find in the state. I've wrote plenty on how solid this team in previous editions of the notebook, so lets focus on Hylton.
After barely losing to Battlefield 27-21 back on September 19th Hylton has rattled off four consecutive victories. Lake Taylor and Battlefield are the only two teams that have defeated Hylton this season have a combined record of 15-0 so needless to say this team is legit. QB Joel Himan and RB Bill Nyantaki have been playing great football and have been leading the way on offense this season. Talented senior RB Khyree Blake has been making noise as well.
The Bulldogs only returned three starters from last year's team so going into this season no one really knew how the unit would pan out. The defense has held their last four opponents to just 17 points and senior leaders Iatezaz Tariq, Rex Willis and Jamar Hilton have been a big reason why.
After dismantling Forest Park last week the Vikings have now won at least seven games in five straight seasons. Coach Keith King has done a tremendous job with his program and is as nice a guy as you'll meet in the coaching ranks. This will be Woodbridge's biggest test since they handed Highland Springs their only loss of the season in week two.
This will be the 15th match-up this decade between these two teams. Hylton leads the series 10-4 but have lost the last two games by a combined score of 44-9. I've got a feeling you're going to see these two teams play again in November. Well at least I hope so!
I think this is going to be a good game, as always I wish I could be there. The Vikings are the clearly the better team but its hard to count out a powerhouse program like Hylton still trying to show everyone that last year's 3-7 record was a fluke. I think its going to come down to the final possession.
Gameday Prediction: Woodbridge 28 - Hylton 20
OTHER GAMES IN PRINCE WILLIAM THIS WEEK
Fauquier
Battlefield
Gameday Prediction: Battlefield 35, Fauquier 27
Osbourn
Loudoun Valley
Gameday Prediction: Osbourn 42, Loudoun Valley 10
Osbourn Park
Stonewall
Gameday Prediction: Stonewall 21, Osbourn Park 17
Forest Park
Potomac
Gameday Prediction: Potomac 20, Forest Park 14
Gar-Field
Freedom
Gameday Prediction: Gar-Field 16, Freedom 13
Brentsville
Sherando
Gameday Prediction: Sherando 42, Brentsville 14
Clarke County
Manassas Park
Gameday Prediction: Clarke County 28, Manassas Park 21
