Vikings, Eagles Vie For NW Region Title
Woodbridge has won 6 of the last 10 games between the 2 teams, but Osbourn won the last time these two faced off for a regional title.
Photos By: Mark Rodgers / Woodbridge Football
Woodbridge's Frank Buckley has playes solid all season long and he gives the Vikings a tough 1-2 punch with Rocket.
Photo By: Mark Rodgers / Woodbridge Football
PRINCE WILLIAM, VA - When the Woodbridge Vikings and Osbourn Eagles take the field this Friday night it will be the 11th time in 9 years. Woodbridge has won 6 of the past 10 games the teams have played, including the last two. The Vikings and Eagles met for a regional title in 2006, with the Eagles winning 24-7 on their way to the Group AAA Division 6 state title. The teams have changed personnel for the most part since that game but the prize at the end of the journey is exactly the same.
Woodbridge is trying to make it back to the state title game, which they lost just a year ago. Osbourn is in the playoffs for the 3rd time in the past 4 seasons, and would love nothing more than to replicate their 2006 feat this year. The Vikings have dispatched each and every team that crossed their path this season, currently sitting at 11-0 and #2 in the Gameday Power Poll, while the Eagles are 7-4 and #10 in the Gameday Power Poll. Osbourn lost to 3 playoff teams, including Brooke Point, Battlefield, and these Vikings. The Eagles are currently on a 4 game winning streak and may be getting hot at the right time.
Woodbridge enters the game averaging 39.5 point per game, while giving up just 10.6 per game. Osbourn has been able to outscore their opponents by just 62 points over the course of the year, averaging 25.8 points a game versus giving up 22.2.
Key Match-ups
Frank Buckley vs. Osbourn Secondary
Buckley has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Vikings throwing for 1,482 yards and 15 touchdowns to only 4 interceptions. Buckley has been asked to lead Woodbridge on more than one occasion and he has risen to the challenge, allowing the Vikings to lighten the load for De'Antwan "Rocket" Williams when necessary. The Osbourn secondary is one of the quickest to the football. They are also able to able to cover a large portion of the field with Jerell McFadden and C.J. Jackson. Both corners are shut-down types with big play abilities, and if not for dropped interceptions a week ago, the Eagles may have convincingly won against Battlefield. Buckley will have to be able to hit his spots Friday, or he may see the Eagles coming away with some big plays in the secondary.
Osbourn's Spread vs. Woodbridge LB's
The Eagles use the spread offense for the most part, and unlike some spread games Osbourn uses this offensive scheme to run the ball more than throw it. Both McFadden and Thomas Keith can get the job done in the backfield; each has amassed over 1,300 total yards of offense, with Keith just under 1,800 yards. The Woodbridge linebacking corps is one of the toughest and fastest in the region. Daryl Haley has led the way for most of the season, compiling some impressive stats. Haley has 134 total tackles, 8 sacks, 6 pass deflections, and 22 tackles for a loss. Meanwhile, another force for the Vikings has been Trey Garvey. Garvey has topped 100 tackles with 10 sacks and 29 tackles for a loss. The Eagles' offensive line will have to make sure these two are blocked if their ground attack is going to be effective in this contest.
Overall, Woodbridge has been dominant all season long including the 31-3 win over Osbourn earlier in the season, but this is the playoffs where you have to win or go home. This game Friday night will be competitive on both sides all night long and whoever comes out as the Northwest Region Division 6 champion will have won a hard-fought contest, and they will be better prepared for next week's state semi-finals.
The winner of this game will play the Central Region champion at home. The two remaining squads in the Central Region are Meadowbrook which has a record of 9-2, and Varina who sits at 11-0. The state semi-finals will be held next Saturday with game times determined after the conclusion of all games this weekend.
The Varina Blue Devils lost to the Chantilly Chargers in the 2006 state semi-finals, and have also appeared in the state title game twice, losing to C.D. Hylton both times.
The Meadowbrook Monarchs are making their 5th playoff appearance in the past 6 years, including 2004 when they won the state title for Group AAA Division 5.
**THIS FRIDAY'S CONTEST BETWEEN WOODBRIDGE AND OSBOURN WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON THE GAMEDAY RADIO NETWORK BEGINNING AT 7:00PM**
