The Huddle: The Panthers Are For Real!
Potomac Falls QB\DB Greg Woodlief has flourished this season, with many weapons he can go to to get the job done. Woodlief captains both the offensive and defensive units for the Panthers.
Photo By Jeff Schryver \ Gameday Magazine
Senior RB Michael Baker is one of many potent offensive, and defesnive, weapons for the Potomac Falls Panthers. The Panthers are 5-0 at the half-way point of the season, and have the Broad Run Spartans in their sights for a Dulles title.
Photo By Marc Le Maitre \ Gameday Magazine
Head Coach Scott Woodlief told the press that his 2008 Potomac Falls Panthers will contend for the Dulles District title this season...many chuckled, but no one is laughing now!
Photo By Marc gold \ Gameday Magazine
STERLING, VA - All season long, everyone trying to be a prognosticator in how the Dulles District race would shape up, pretty much agreed that it was the Broad Run Spartans' title for the 2nd year. They also agreed that the Potomac Falls Panthers and Heritage Pride would be good teams; good enough to put a scare into the Spartans, but their wheels would fall off along the way.
Well, what a difference a few weeks can make! Although the Pride have dropped from contention, look at those Panthers! Having witnessed their last 2 games, both against formidable opponents Heritage and Loudoun County, I am impressed. I watched first hand the Panthers dismantle both teams with relative ease, while piling up big points. It is very clear that these Panthers are for real, and they are now standing on top of the pile, shouting to all who will listen, "That crown belongs to us!"
Head Coach Scott Woodlief raised a lot of eyebrows going into the 2008 season, when he claimed during his Gameday Media Day press conference, that the Panthers would be a contender for the Dulles District title. Many of us just shrugged it off as "coach speak." Simply a coach trying to incite a little positive charge into the Potomac Falls football community. Well who's crazy now?
Even after the Panthers rattled off big, non-district wins, many still said those wins came against lesser teams; that the real Potomac Falls team hadn't emerged yet. They would be the team that, once Dulles District play began, would play hard, but falter in big games. Not necessarily due to underachieving, but with injuries that had plagued the team over the course of the last 4 seasons.
Their first Dulles test would come in week 1 of District competition, when they played host to the Heritage Pride. The Pride was another team that was undefeated, and also pretty much dismantled their competition along the way. Some so-called experts said that this team couldn't match up against the powerful running game of the Pride, nor outlast the tough Heritage defense. However, after 28 unanswered, 1st quarter points by Potomac Falls, along with Heritage coughing up the ball on key drives, and some blown special teams coverages, the game was over in a hurry. Final score: Potomac Falls 48 - Heritage 21.
Still, the nay-sayers weren't buying the Panther brand! Enter the Loudoun County Raiders. The Panthers traveled to Leesburg Friday night to do battle and keep a share of the Dulles lead. Loudoun County, riding on a newfound, winning emotion, was looking for some respect, as well. But they wouldn't get it from Potomac Falls. The Panthers created six Raider turnovers, and converted three of them into touchdowns. Once again, the Panthers routed yet another opponent, 47-14.
With another big game coming up this week at cross-town rival Park View, and a date with Broad Run looming on the horizon, quite possibly for the Dulles District crown, people are now starting to believe what coach Woodlief claimed at the beginning of the season...that this year's Potomac Falls Panthers will contend for the title. I can just see coach Woodlief, in my mind's eye, sitting in his office, saying to all the doubters, "How do you like us now?!?" And all I can do is smile, admit that I was as wrong as the rest of you, and say with conviction that the Panthers ARE for real!
