Gameday Power Poll - Week 9
With a monster win on the road against #9 Westfield, the Oakton Cougars improve to 9-0 on the year and claim the Concorde District title while also maintaining their #4 ranking...
Photo By: Marc / Gold
James Wood's defense kept a tough Skyline squad under wraps last Friday to help them climb into the Power Poll for the first time this season with an 8-1 record...
Photo By: Jeff Schryver / Gameday Magazine
We always figured district play would shakeup the Power Poll, and we were right. Three ranked teams lost last week, while two new frontrunners emerged in Oakton and Broad Run.
The pieces of the puzzle are slowly starting to come together as some teams enter the last week of play, but one picture which remains a bit cloudy is a game involving our #7 and #8 ranked teams, not to mention a huge match-up set to take place out in Chantilly which will put divisional and district bragging rights on the line.
Here's how the pieces lay for now, but the most exciting time of year, the Second Season, awaits us in just one week...
1. STONE BRIDGE (9-0)
Previous: 1
Last Week: 70-7 win over Jefferson
This Week: vs. Stone Bridge
The Bulldogs continue to scorch opponents with their offense, this time putting up 70 points on the Jefferson Colonels. The ten touchdowns mark a new school record for the Ashburn school, as they now move to 9-0 on the year and are one game away from finishing out the regular season undefeated. Standing in their way of a perfect record are the upstart Woodson Cavaliers, who stand at an impressive 7-2 on the year and could win the Liberty District if they were to find a way to upset our #1 ranked team, whose closest margin of victory has been by 14 points.
2. WOODBRIDGE (8-0)
Previous: 2
Last Week: 35-6 win over Hylton
This Week: vs. Freedom
In what was tabbed as a matchup between two of the best teams in the Cardinal District, Woodbridge set out and destroyed a very tough Hylton squad 35-6. In the win, De'Antwan "Rocket" Williams ran for an incredible 280 yards on just 26 carries, moving him within 600 yards of the all-time VHSL rushing record. With Freedom and Gar-Field remaining on the schedule for the Vikings, look for them to run their record to 10-0 and go into the playoffs with a full head of steam.
3. BATTLEFIELD (8-0)
Previous: 3
Last Week: 36-31 win over Fauquier
This Week: at Culpeper
Over the past two years, one thing which has remained a constant for Battlefield is to win close ballgames. That was evidenced last week when they overcame Fauquier to win by less than a touchdown. For those keeping score at home, that makes four teams this year by which Battlefield has beaten their opponent by a touchdown or less. More importantly is the fact that this team hasn't lost a regular season game since August of last year.
4. OAKTON (9-0)
Previous: 4
Last Week: 30-18 win over #9 Westfield
This Week: vs. Herndon
Oakton made quite the statement to the rest of the area when they won in convincing fashion on the road against Westfield. The 30-18 win also gave the Cougars the Concorde District championship, a prize which certainly does not come too easily. Now Oakton must avoid a hangover when they go to face Herndon, a team which beat Westfield two weeks ago. Yet Oakton may be out for a little revenge, as it was Herndon who kept Oakton out of the playoffs last year after they converted a two-point conversion late in last year's contest.
5. EDISON (9-0)
Previous: 5
Last Week: 51-0 win over Washington-Lee
This Week: at #10 Chantilly
Scoring six touchdowns in the first half, Edison cruised on past Washington-Lee to clinch their seventh National District title of this decade. Now comes Edison's biggest test on the year when they square up against #10 Chantilly, a team which beat Edison last year by just one touchdown. Not only would the win be a huge boost to the National District in general, but it would surely give the Eagles loads of momentum going into the playoffs, not to mention homefield advantage against likely opponent Stone Bridge.
6. BROAD RUN (8-0)
Previous: 7
Last Week: 38-0 win over Potomac Falls
This Week: vs. Freedom
After thumping previously #6 ranked Potomac Falls 38-0, the Spartans move up to take their spot in this week's rankings. While scoring a whopping 35 of their points in the first half, maybe more impressive was their defensive performance, as they prevented the high-flying Potomac Falls offense from getting on the scoreboard all night. As the highest ranked AA team in the Power Poll, last week's performance has helped establish the Spartans as frontrunners to take the Region II crown.
7. HANDLEY (7-1)
Previous: 9
Last Week: 40-7 win over Warren County
This Week: at #8 James Wood
The Judges move up two spots this week in the Power Poll, but now must play in their biggest game of the year when they square off against #8 James Wood. The winner of this contest would most likely win the Northwestern District title, while also making a very strong case for being considered a top contender for the region crown. But to do that, they have to stop a James Wood squad that has recently caught fire, winning back-to-back games against two of the district's best teams in Sherando and Skyline.
8. JAMES WOOD (8-1)
Previous: NR
Last Week: 27-6 win over Skyline
This Week: vs. #7 Handley
Head coach Mike Bolin has brought this team a long way since the start of the year when they won by one point over single A Clarke County and then lost to Loudoun County in overtime. Yet since that loss, this team has been on a tear, winning six straight, including back-to-back wins over Sherando and Skyline. That's impressive enough to land this team at #8 in the Power Poll. Now they face their biggest game of the year, where they must face #7 Handley, a team with explosive offensive weapons in the backfield.
9. WESTFIELD (7-2)
Previous: 8
Last Week: 30-18 loss to #4 Oakton
This Week: vs. Centreville
Westfield continues to slide in the Power Poll as they lost last week for the second week in a row, this time to #4 Oakton. However, Westfield stays in the Power Poll due to the fact two other Power Poll teams lost, but also because this most recent loss was to such a highly ranked opponent. The Bulldogs close out the year against Centreville, a game which still carries with it a big sense of rivalry.
10. CHANTILLY (7-2)
Previous: NR
Last Week: 34-14 win over Centreville
This Week: vs. #5 Edison
Chantilly finds themselves back into the Power Poll, but in the dreaded #10 spot. So far on the year, the #10 ranked team has lost six of the eight times the poll has been released. The two teams which have won as the #10 team have then gone on to not even be ranked in the poll at all. Cursed? We think so. But aside from rankings, the Chargers have a huge test in front of them when they host #5 Edison. The two schools boast a ton of talent, but play with totally contrasting styles, not to mention they compete in two different divisions and districts. This game, by far, holds the most intrigue and anticipation on the whole week.
HONORABLE MENTION:
11. Briar Woods (7-1): Briar Woods is making a very strong case to join the Power Poll, but first must get by Potomac Falls, a team which up until last week had rolled on through their district schedule.
12. Sherando (6-2): Despite two losses on the year, this is still a team which could sneak into the playoffs. At 6-2, this is still a very formidable football squad.
13. Mount Vernon (7-2): The Majors notched a huge win last week when they defeated Yorktown. They currently stand as the biggest threat in Division 5 to either Stone Bridge or Edison, although they did lose by over 30 points in their previous meeting with the Eagles.
14. Woodson (7-2): Woodson on the year has flied completely under the radar, and standing at 7-2, they have a shot at now being crowned Liberty District champs if they were to upend #1 Stone Bridge this week.
15. Potomac Falls (7-1): The Panthers took a hard fall following last week's 38 point loss to #6 Broad Run. A win, however, against Briar Woods would put this squad back on the map, not to mention giving them a huge boost of confidence heading into the postseason.
