NW Region Final Is Battle of Eagles
Liberty and G.W. Danville knocked off the #1 and #2 seeds in the region last weekend.
Photos By: Larry Middleton / Chuck Sexton
Coach Tommy Buzzo has the Liberty Eagles in their first regional title game since 2003, when they played the Stone Bridge Bulldogs.
Photo By: Larry Middleton
GW-DANVILLE @ LIBERTY
WHERE: Kip Hull Field Liberty High School
WHEN: Friday, November 21st, 2008
KICKOFF: 7:30pm
PREGAME: 7:15PM
MEDIA COVERAGE:
Gameday Radio Regional Finals Broadcast Live Worldwide Online at www.GamedayMagazine.com
BROADCAST TEAM:
Derek Goode (Play by Play)
Miller Bennington (Color Commentator)
BEALETON, VA - Kip Hull Field will be rocking Friday night when the #3 Liberty Eagles (9-2) return home to take on #4 GW-Danville Eagles (7-4) in the AAA Division 5 Northwest Region final. Liberty will make their first appearance in a AAA Regional Final, Danville on the other hand will be playing in their second consecutive and third this decade.
Liberty traveled to Roanoke last Saturday afternoon to take on the William Fleming Colonels and came away with a 35-6 victory. Liberty's defense played outstanding as a unit, allowing the Colonels only 39 yards of total offense. The Eagles possess quality depth across the board and are especially tough up front. Ends John Washington and Stefan Ross have been applying constant pressure and playing well against the run.
The GW-Danville Eagles upset the Brooke Point Black Hawks 27-21 last Friday night at Thomas W. Berry Memorial Field. Danville defeated Brooke Point last year in the semis as well and ended up losing to eventual state runner-up Potomac 27-14. Senior RB David Wilson scored all four touchdowns for the Eagles as he ran for scores of 53, 24, and 35 yards and caught the game winning 67-yard touchdown pass with just 1:38 to go in the game.
Wilson committed to Virginia Tech before the start of the season and has been wreaking havoc all year long. Wilson averages 12.1 yards per carry and currently has run for 2,231 yards, scoring 33 touchdowns along the way. This talented young man will also be running track at Tech next year and is the defending national indoor champion in the triple jump.
Wilson is not the only talented runner in the Eagle backfield. Fellow senior Tahron Goods has run for 1,258 yards and has scored 9 touchdowns on the year. The combination of Wilson and Goods is as potent a 1-2 punch as you will find in the state of Virginia.
KEY MATCHUPS:
Liberty Run Defense vs. GW-Danville Running Game
Danville has rushed for nearly 4,000 yards this season and have ran for at least 200 yards in ten of their eleven games this year including four games of at least 427 yards. Of the 476 plays that Danville has ran this season only 53 have been passes. Liberty boasts a stout defensive with tackles Chris Foddrell and Kory Gough anchoring the middle of the line. Linebackers Damien Dodson, Cortez Carter and Corey Lillard pack a big punch and rarely miss a tackle. If the Eagles of Liberty can stop the run, they will win this game. Advantage: GW-Danville
Liberty Passing Game vs. GW-Danville Pass Defense
Nick Potts has been on fire recently throwing three touchdowns in back to back games, arguably the school's two biggest games in the last five years. Potts has a quartet of quality receivers in Derrick Lee, James Rogers, Stefan Ross and Kenny Tapscott. Lee was named 1st team Cedar Run at WR and has been finding his way across the goal line on a weekly basis. On the other hand, Danville has intercepted 13 passes this season and has great quickness in their defensive backfield with Jamel Ferrell, Richard Ferrell and David Wilson. Liberty has been making big plays through the air over the last two weeks and if Danville can eliminate the big pass play they will have a better chance on knocking off the Eagles. Advantage: Liberty
KEYS TO VICTORY
FOR LIBERTY:
Contain David Wilson
Establish the Run
Limit Penalties
FOR GW-DANVILLE:
Get Up Early
Stop the Run
Play Mistake Free
OUTLOOK:
192 miles separates Danville from Bealeton in what will be the first meeting between these two division 5 programs. That alone will be a tough hurdle for Danville to get over. Danville is coming off of a major upset and should be riding an emotional high after the big win.
These two teams share only one common opponent this season, the William Fleming Colonels. While Liberty dismantled the Colonels, Danville lost 20-17. Fleming scored all three touchdowns on big pass plays, sound familiar?
I think this will be a close game as both teams are playing at a high level at this point but I believe Liberty is the better all around team and will benefit from playing at home. Add in the fact that only one of the 7 teams that Danville has beat this year has a winning record and you really start to believe that the Liberty Eagles should win this game.
GAMEDAY PREDICTION: Liberty 27 - G.W. Danville 20
