Baker Rallies Potomac Falls Past Briar Woods
POTOMAC FALLS, VA. - Senior Michael Baker continued to make his case for Dulles District Player of the Year honors, running for 289 yards and three touchdowns to help Potomac Falls rally past visiting Briar Woods 42-27 on Senior Night Friday at Panther Stadium.
Potomac Falls improved to 8-1 overall and 5-1in the Dulles District. The eight victories are the most in school history. Briar Woods fell to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in district play.
With his team trailing 27-13 midway through the third quarter, Baker provided a much-needed spark when he dashed 55 yards for a touchdown to pull the Panthers to within 27-21.
Fellow senior Tarrell Owens then put Potomac Falls ahead for good just 1:22 later when he returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown. Owens jumped a short out route and stepped in front of an Edwin Mends pass before racing into the end zone.
Baker then added fourth-quarter scoring runs of two and 42 yards, the last coming with exactly two minutes remaining, to seal the win. The three touchdowns on the night gave Baker a school-record 18 for the season.
In a battle of teams that had already locked up playoff berths in their respective divisions (Potomac Falls in Division 4, Briar Woods in Division 3), the Panthers set the tone early when they took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in nine plays. Senior Greg Woodlief capped the march when he connected with senior Chad McMichael on a 44-yard touchdown pass which gave Potomac Falls a 7-0 lead at the 7:58 mark.
Briar Woods went three-and-out on its first possession, but its defense came through on the Panthers' ensuing drive, as senior Jeremy Gray picked off Woodlief and raced 41 yards into the end zone. However, an unsportsmanlike penalty turned the extra point into a 35-yard attempt, and the kick by freshman David Clements hit the crossbar.
The Falcons used another Panther miscue later in the opening quarter to score their second touchdown of the night. A high punt snap gave Briar Woods the ball at the Potomac Falls 14, and senior Ray Taliaferro capped the short scoring march with a two-yard run to give Briar Woods a 13-7 lead.
Potomac Falls looked to answer right back when Baker ripped off a 61-yard run down to the Falcon six, but the Panthers came away empty as a pass into the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the three was off the mark to start the second quarter.
Later in the second, the Falcons kept the Panthers from converting another fourth down attempt - this time on fourth-and-11 from the BW 34 - and put together their best drive of the night, marching 70 yards in 12 plays. Junior Billy McDonald ran in from two yards out to complete the drive, and Briar Woods held a 20-7 advantage with 3:44 left in the half.
Woodlief then led his squad down the field in the final moments of the first half, connecting on a 14-yard pass to McMichael and a 31-yard pass to Owens before running the final three yards himself. The score cut the Falcon lead to 20-14 at the break.
Taliaferro helped Briar Woods push its lead back to 13 points, 27-14, with a six-yard run just over three minutes into the second half, but Potomac Falls needed just four plays to counter as Baker broke through the line and outran several Falcon defenders for a 55-yard score.
Owen's 18-yard interception return for a touchdown put Potomac Falls ahead for good, and the standout almost had another score on his team's next possession as he looked to haul in a 23-yard strike in the end zone from Woodlief. However, Falcon senior J.T. Bailey wrestled the jump ball away from Owens on the way to the ground for a touchback.
Trailing 28-27 early in the fourth quarter, Briar Woods forced a Panther punt and got a nice return by Kyle Haufler that would have given the Falcons the ball near midfield. However, Briar Woods was whistled for a roughing-the-punter penalty and Potomac Falls continued its drive, which was eventually capped by Baker's two-yard plunge.
Briar Woods went three-and-out on its next possession, and the Panthers chewed up over three minutes of clock before Baker raced in from 42 yards out to wrap up the win.
Potomac Falls rolled up 440 yards of offense while holding Briar Woods to 195 yards. The Panthers also dominated time of possession, 28:53 to 19:07.
Woodlief completed just 5-of-17 passes for 108 yards, but the Panthers compiled 332 rushing yards against a Falcon defense that entered the game allowing just 66 yards per game on the ground.
Taliaferro had another outstanding night for the Falcons, carrying 21 times for 104 yards and two scores. He has now surpassed the 100-yard mark in four of his last five games.
