Chargers Riding Powerful Late-Season Current
The Chantilly Chargers learned a lot from their early exit in the post-season last year. By putting together the toughest schedule they could this year and taking some risks, the Chargers are reaping the benefits at the right time as they claim the Northern Region Title and prepare to make a run in the state tournament...
Photo By: Marc Gold / GamedayMagazine
CHANTILLY, VA - Chantilly stocked away a few moral victories during a brutally competitive early-season stretch, and its now paying dividends. A lesson learned after failing postseason expectations and exiting early in 2009.
"We kind of thought last year at the end of the year, that we hadn't prepared them well," Chantilly Coach Jim Smith said. "... So we tried to put together the toughest schedule we could this year."
This would come at the cost of opening the season 3-3 after entering the Gonzaga D.C. Classic and facing Hayfield -- a team that went undefeated during the regular season. Soon thereafter, the Chargers' fell in a heavyweight out-of-conference bout with Mount Vernon.
"We lost some games," Smith said. "I think though, in the long run, we learned what our weaknesses were, We learned what we had to address and, although our record is not as good as it was last year, we're a much better tournament team than we were last year."
Center John Manning showed a glimpse of how tough he could be during that stretch, highlighted by an eye-wiping 15-block stat line against Mount Vernon. Chantilly's force in the paint came up huge again in No. 3-seeded Chantilly's 50-43 win over No. 1 Langley in the Northern Region Finals, earning Best Buy Player of the Game honors from the Gameday Magazine Webcast.
"I love these big games," Manning said. "And the refs did a great job of letting us play, and not making it such a hard environment for the big guys to play in."
"He's been, from day one, the hardest working kid in our program," Smith said. "(Manning) continues to add things to his game."
Chantilly must now turn their focus to a first-round states meeting with Garfield this afternoon.
The white-hot Chargers have claimed victories in nine of their last 10, with a Concorde District Finals loss to Oakton their only blemish in that span. Six of those wins have come during the postseason, which would only be five if Chantilly had been able to even secure a first round bye in districts.
"At the beginning we couldn't finish our games," forward Matt Howerton said, "But now we're playing our whole game and we're able to finish."
A major key to their win over Langley was hitting free throws late and timely outside shooting from Adam Fridy, who tied for Chantilly's scoring lead with both Manning Kethan Savage at 14 on the night.
"I really couldn't have done it without my teammates, Kethan and (point guard) Devin (Ballam) and everyone (who) comes out giving me the ball, and even John (Manning's) presence inside so I can get outside and get some open looks."
After really starting to click in early February, this year's underdog squad looks more comfortable than 2009's highly hyped group.
"It feels so good to finally accomplish what we were supposed to," senior Matt DeWitt said. "It feels so good to finally get over the hump...
I know a lot of us seniors-- me, Adam and Howie especially -- we're coming together, and we're not letting this team lose. We're going to keep rolling. Keep it going."
The Chargers will try to continue the dream a bit later than initially scheduled for today, now at 5:45 p.m. against Gar-field at Robinson Secondary School.
