Gameday Notebook - P.W.C. (9th Ed)
Demetrius Quarles has been Frank Buckley's go to receiver in 2008
Photo By: Mark Rodgers / Woodbridge Football
Battlefield's Bo Revell looks to lead the Bobcats to their first perfect regular season.
Photo By: Gar-Field Football
QUANTICO, VA - For the majority of the young men that play high school football in Prince William County, Friday night will mark the last game of the season, and for all of the seniors, the last game of their high school careers. No matter what the team record may be for each player, no one wants to go out a loser.
Some of the games this Friday night that you think may be a shoo-in for one team could end up going the other way due to the pride and passion displayed by seniors playing on their final Friday. Not every player is facing their final Friday however...
We have a few teams that have locked down playoff spots and a few others that will have to fight their way into the post season. So this week we will take a deeper look at what needs to happen for each team to get into the playoffs.
AAA DIVISION 6 NORTHWEST REGION POWER POINTS
1. Battlefield - 32.9 (Leading Cedar Run)
2. Woodbridge - 31.6 (Leading Cardinal)
3. Hylton - 26.9
4. Osbourn - 25.9
5. Mountain View - 24.7
6. Franklin County - 24.1
Battlefield will clinch the # 1 seed with a win over Loudoun Valley Friday night, which is a near certainty. Woodbridge and Hylton would fall at number two and three respectively irregardless of whether or not both lose on Friday. At that point its going to be very close between Osbourn and Mountain View if both teams win Friday. If they both fall, then the door opens up for Franklin County, Osbourn Park and Gar-Field.
AAA DIVISION 5 NORTHWEST REGION POWER POINTS
1. Brooke Point - 28.6 (Tied for lead in the Commonwealth)
2. William Fleming - 28 (Leading Western Valley)
3. Fauquier - 26
4. Potomac - 25.8
5. GW-Danville - 25.3
6. Liberty - 25.1
7. Colonial Forge - 24.8 (Tied for lead in the Commonwealth)
Potomac is the only team in the county that has a shot in this division. If they beat Freedom they will most likely get in as the four seed. Brooke Point will take the number one seed if they beat Colonial Forge or if William Fleming loses. The "Bird Bowl" in Fauquier County will decide the number three seed as the winner of the game will advance to the second season. I will break that game down more later.
Now, like we do each week, let's take a look at the week that was in Prince William County!
MARSHALL DOES IT ALL
Senior Miguel Marshall led the Forest Park Bruins past the Gar-Field Indians 23-14. Marshall is known as a receiver by most people around the county and he played well in that facet of the game by catching four passes for 68 yards. The bulk of those yards came on a 49-yard touchdown pass to give the Bruins a 10-0 lead at the half.
Marshall switched over to quarterback in the second half and went off. He ran the ball just eight times for 117 yards. His 43-yard touchdown run with 5:10 to go in the game iced the game at 23-14. Marshall also intercepted two passes in the game. A performance like this usually locks up a spot on the all-district team.
Gar-Field QB Aaron Jackson had a game to forget as he threw five interceptions and finished the game 9 of 29 for 130 yards. Fullback C.J. Johnson scored both Indian touchdowns from 2 and 1 yard(s) out respectively.
A lot of praise has to go to the Forest Park defense. Not only did they pick off Jackson five times they also held talented Gar-Field RB Bryce Miller to just 78 yards on 20 carries. Miller has not been getting the same numbers he did last season but is still just a junior and most likely has his best days ahead.
BULLDOGS LOCK UP PLAYOFF BERTH
Bill Nyantaki has had solid game after game in his senior campaign. Friday night's performance may have been his best yet as the senior carried the ball 27 times for 135 yards. The Bulldogs have now doubled their win total from last season and have earned a spot in the AAA Division 6 Northwest Region Playoffs.
Jabari Dukes filled the shoes of injured QB Joel Himan as he went 6 of 10 for 83 yards. Dukes' 9-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Wheeler in the first quarter gave Lou Sorrentino's squad all the points they needed as they shutout Potomac 17-0.
Wheeler is arguably the best receiver in the county and had another good game by hauling in four balls for 67 yards. This team could make some noise in the playoffs and it wouldn't surprise me one bit of they were able to fight their way into the Division 6 Northwest Region Finals. Potomac's Samuel Bennett was the lone bright spot offensively as he ran for 82 yards on 17 carries.
MCFADDEN OUTDOES THIGPEN
It may have been senior night at James J. Leo Stadium in Manassas but the night belonged to talented Junior RB Jerrell McFadden as he helped the Osbourn Eagles blow out Stonewall Jackson 48-21. McFadden had an amazing performance by rushing for 218 yards on 23 carries. McFadden ran for 213 of those yards in the second half after QB Thomas Keith left the game with a foot injury.
Keith made some noise in the first half however as he threw two touchdown passes to his brother Timmy from 28 and 52 yards out respectively and another 20-yard score to junior Steve Slayton Keith finished the night 5 of 14 for 142 yards.
McFadden took over at quarterback and ran the single wing offense to perfection as he ran for four touchdowns after taking over for Keith. McFadden scored from 2, 46, 12, and 61 yards cementing himself as one the best athletes in the county.
Stonewall's Damien Thigpen also ran well as he carried the ball 29 times for 130 yards and a score. It's too bad oach Mike Dougherty didn't have Thigpen the entire year. Quarterback Brandon Simmons got the Raiders on the board just 14 seconds into the game when he found senior Jordan Baird streaking behind the defense for a 60-yard touchdown.
REEDY'S TIGERS WIN AGAIN!!!
When I say win again, I mean for just the second time this season...(Insert sad trumpet sound, wah wah waahhhhh)
As a proud alum of Brentsville District it's been hard writing this notebook each week without being able to boast about the Tigers and revel in big wins. Well this week they finally came through with a big win as they knocked off Central-Woodstock 47-20.
Running back Phillip Johnson found the end zone twice and finished the game with 102 yards on 17 carries. Two other backs for the Tigers ran for scores as well. David Hammond scored on a 32-yard run and Matt Cummins ran in from 10 yards out.
Senior QB P.J. Borko in typical Tiger fashion only passed the ball 5 times. Borko connected on 4 of those passes and finished the game with 80 yards passing. Scotty Crane was on the receiving end of one of those passes as he hauled in a 55-yard touchdown pass near the end of the first half.
Chris Spinks led the Tiger defense with two interceptions, taking one to the house for a 58-yard score.
OTHER SCORES
Woodbridge 45
Freedom 20
Buckley 14-20 169 2 TD's
Battlefield 45
Culpeper 0
Ingram 16 carries for 93 yards and 4 TD's
Berkeley Springs 10
Manassas Park 7
CEDAR RUN DISTRICT STANDINGS
1. Battlefield (9-0, 6-0)
2. Osbourn (5-4, 5-1)
3. Liberty (7-2, 4-2)
4. Fauquier (7-2, 4-2)
5. Osbourn Park (4-5, 2-4)
6. Stonewall Jackson (2-7, 2-4)
7. Loudoun Valley (1-8, 1-5)
8. Culpeper (0-9, 0-6)
CARDINAL DISTRICT STANDINGS
1. Woodbridge (9-0, 4-0)
2. Hylton (6-3, 3-1)
3. Gar-Field (4-5, 2-2)
4. Forest Park (4-5, 2-2)
5. Potomac (5-4, 1-3)
6. Freedom (2-7, 0-4)
PWC NOTEBOOK GAME TO WATCH
Fauquier (7-2, 4-2) vs. Liberty (7-2, 4-2)
This week I decided to expand the notebook into Fauquier County to include the match-up between the Fauquier Falcons and the Liberty Eagles. This game will determine the # 3 seed in the Division 5 Northwest Region. The 'Bird Bowl' is always a highly contested game that brings out most of Fauquier County. Liberty officials are expecting the biggest crowd for an event in the history of the county Friday night, so if you plan on going to the game make sure you get there very early.
There have been 14 Bird Bowls since Liberty opened their doors back in 1994, but none have had the implications that Friday night's game does. The winner makes the playoffs, the loser goes home. As a player if you can't get up for this game, you might as well turn in your pads and call it a career.
The Eagles hold a 10 to 4 edge in the Bird Bowl and have a 15-7 lead in the overall series. Needless to say Coach Buzzo's Eagles have dominated this county rivalry. Last year these two faced off twice with Fauquier winning the first meeting 17-14 at Liberty and Liberty winning the second game 33-27 at Faquier.
Fauquier made the playoffs last year and lost in the first round to eventual state runner-up Potomac 17-7. After the season Coach Greg Hatfield left and some people began to wonder if the Falcons would regress back to a four win team like they had been the four previous seasons. Well new coach Mark Scott picked up where Hatfield left off and has the Falcons on the verge of their second consecutive 8 win season.
The Falcons are led by Virginia commit Connor McCartin on defense. The senior linebacker is the heart and soul of the D and is as complete a linebacker as you will find in the area. On offense QB Kyle Neumann directs the Falcons spread attack and has thrown for over 1500 yards this season. Receiver Derrick Edwards is without question Neumann's favorite target as he has seven touchdowns on the year. Running back Shawn Blount has had a nice season as he has ran for 12 touchdowns.
Liberty on the other hand missed out on the playoffs for the third straight year despite going 7-3 last season, 9-1 in '06, and 8-2 in '05. The seniors are hungry to get their first taste of post season football. Corey Lillard (UVA) and Kory Gough (VT) lead an impressive senior class that also includes FB/LB Damien Dodson, WR/S Derrick Lee, WR/DB Kenny Tapscott and QB Nick Potts among others. These young men are playing outstanding football right now and look primed to win this big game in front of the home crowd at Kip Hull Field.
The measuring stick for this match-up has to be comparing both teams in their losses to Battlefield and Osbourn. Fauquier played both close as they lost to the Bobcats 36-31 and Osbourn 26-24. Liberty on the other hand did not play the two as well, losing to Battlefield 40-21 and Osbourn 27-14. If you based your opinion off of this you would most likely take the Falcons in this game.
Being the play-by-play guy for Liberty I can tell you this much. The Battlefield game was much closer than the score indicated as the Bobcats pulled away late on a few critical turnovers in the fourth quarter. Osbourn on the other hand had their way with the Eagles. I can't wait to get in the press box for this game on Friday night. I'm expecting a high scoring game, back and forth game that ends with the Eagles carrying Coach Tommy Buzzo off the field. One can dream right?
Gameday Prediction: Liberty 36, Fauquier 33
OTHER GAMES IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY THIS WEEK
Loudoun Valley
Battlefield
Gameday Prediction: Battlefield 35, Loudoun Valley 7
Osbourn
Osbourn Park
Gameday Prediction: Osbourn 27, Osbourn Park 13
Culpeper
Stonewall Jackson
Gameday Prediction: Stonewall Jackson 42, Culpeper 6
Forest Park
Hylton
Gameday Prediction: Hylton 23, Forest Park 21
Potomac
Freedom
Gameday Prediction: Potomac 21, Freedom 16
Woodbridge
Gar-Field
Gameday Prediction: Woodbridge 40, Gar-Field 10
Handley
Brentsville
Gameday Prediction: Handley 27, Brentsville 14
Madison County
Manassas Park
Gameday Prediction: Madison County 33, Manassas Park 14
