By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area
*Games are listed alphabetically. Scroll to a team’s name to read the preview for that game.
**Click here for final scores!!
Email pmurphy@digitalsports.com with scores.
**Updated PowerPoints to be posted at midnight Friday!**
NORTHERN REGION WEEK 9: BY THE NUMBERS
12 – Wins for the home team in the most-recent meetings of current teams playing this week.
149 – Points in the last four games for Hayfield. They most it has scored in any four-game span since 1992.
19 – Times Westfield senior Aaron Scoville was targeted last week against Chantilly. He caught 13 passes.
10.1 – Percent of touches resulting in touchdowns for Robinson quarterback Mike LoPresti and running backs Connor Riley and Jared Velasquez.
731 – Combined non-passing yards for Falls Church tailback Marcus Hughes and the Hayfield trio last week. They play in Week 9.
55 – Second-quarter points for Woodson in the last three weeks. It has allowed 17.
4 – Games in which Chantilly has held second-half leads against top-five PowerPoint teams that resulted in losses.
9 – Consecutive seasons in which Lake Braddock and West Potomac have traded wins. The Bruins beat the Wolverines last year.
CONCORDE DISTRICT
Westfield (4-4, 3-0) at Centreville (3-5, 1-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Westfield – 5th (Div. 6); Centreville – 13th (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Westfield – 10th (Div. 6); Centreville – 6th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Westfield – 4th (Div. 6); Centreville – 11th (Div. 6)
Last Week: Westfield beat Chantilly, 17-14; Centreville won at Oakton, 21-7
All-Time Series: Westfield leads 7-1
Last Meeting: Westfield beat Centreville, 58-40, on Oct. 31, 2008
Last week, Bulldog senior Aaron Scoville had 13 receptions for 102 yards and the game-winning touchdown with 8:53 remaining. He was targeted on 19 of senior quarterback Danny Fenyak‘s 26 pass attempts.
Wildcat senior receiver Warren Denny has 33 receptions for 460 yards and two scores this year, but was held to two grabs against Oakton all-state defensive back Andrew Leonard last week.
He was only targeted three times, but a way to contribute with a key interception on defense.
With Oakton eyes on Denny, Centreville senior Adam Garrity erupted for 7 receptions — on seven targets — for 106 yards.
Westfield has won the last seven games in this series.
Chantilly (4-4, 1-2) at Herndon (4-4, 1-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Chantilly – 7th (Div. 6); Herndon – 10th (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Chantilly – 4th (Div. 6); Herndon – 7th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Chantilly – 9th (Div. 6); Herndon – 13th (Div. 6)
Last Week: Chantilly lost at Westfield, 17-14; Herndon lost at Loudoun Valley, 19-7
Series Since 1998: Herndon leads 6-5
Last Meeting: Chantilly beat Herndon, 28-10, on Sept. 26, 2008
Chantilly’s four losses are all to teams ranked in the top five in Division 6 and only one was by more than seven points. That came, 26-14, at Woodson when it allowed 19 unanswered points in the final 8:11.
In fact, the Chargers held second-half leads in all four losses.
Since a 3-0 start, the Hornets struggled both stopping the run and replacing injured quarterback Zack Ozycz. In last week’s loss at Loudoun Valley, Herndon allowed touchdown drives of 99, 89 and 93 yards.
For Chantilly, look for senior Kris Martin to test Herndon’s talented secondary. Last week, Martin was targeted on six of senior quarterback Carson Romine‘s eight first-half passes, catching five for 136 yards and a long touchdown.
He was targeted on just one of Romine’s nine second-half attempts.
Oakton (4-4, 1-2) at Robinson (7-1, 2-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Oakton – T8th (Div. 6); Robinson – 2nd (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Oakton – 12th (Div. 6); Robinson – 1st (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Oakton – 6th (Div. 6); Robinson – 2nd (Div. 6)
Last Week: Oakton lost to Centreville, 21-7; Robinson won at Madison, 21-7
Series Since 1998: Robinson leads 7-5 (6-3 regular season)
Last Meeting: Oakton beat Robinson, 43-31, on Oct. 17, 2008
Despite recent eruptions by Lake Braddock and Woodson, Robinson maintained the top scoring offense Division 6. That’s with good reason.
Ram junior quarterback Mike LoPresti is 36-for-73 passing this year for 671 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. Senior running back Connor Riley has 133 carries for 787 yards and 14 scores. Junior running back Jared Velasquez has 131 carries for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns.
So, LoPresti gets 9.19 yards per pass attempt, Riley swings 5.92 yards per rush and Velasquez grabs 6.78 yards per carry. The trio scores on 10.1-percent of their offensive touches.
And those numbers come with a somewhat one-dimensional passing game. Of LoPresti’s 36 completions, 28 are to junior receiver Matt Zanellato, as have six of his eight touchdowns.
For Oakton to rebound, its own offense has to improve from recent weeks. The Cougars’ only scoring drive in last week’s loss to the Wildcats required just 15 yards.
The key is simple. When Oakton is held under 2.80 yards per carry, it is 0-4. When the Cougars cross 2.80 yards per carry, they are 4-0.
LIBERTY DISTRICT
Fairfax (4-4, 3-2) at Marshall (1-7, 1-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Fairfax – T8th (Div. 6); Marshall – 12th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Fairfax – 8th (Div. 6); Marshall – 14th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Fairfax – 10th (Div. 6); Marshall – 12th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Fairfax beat McLean, 55-17; Marshall beat Jefferson, 35-0
All-Time Series: Fairfax leads, 21-6
Last Meeting: Fairfax beat Marshall, 26-7, on Sept. 5, 2008
Even with its 35-0 home win over Jefferson last week, Marshall’s offensive, defensive and PowerPoint rankings did not change.
Fairfax, meanwhile, pasted McLean for 55 points and moved up six positions in offensive ranking and into the Division 6 playoff picture. The Rebels need to win out to make the playoffs, but their final two opponents are 1-15.
The only feasible way Fairfax would not qualify for the playoffs if they beat both Marshall and Jefferson is if Herndon beats Westfield, Oakton beats Chantilly and Robinson, Westfield beats Centreville and Chantilly beats Herndon.
Even still, the Rebels could qualify with help.
This team has the Delaware Wing-T down to — well — a T. And senior receiver Alex Young is making a strong case for the all-region team, posting 29 receptions for 476 yards and nine scores in the last six weeks alone.
For Marshall to spring the upset, senior running back Victor Vanegas needs to equal his numbers from the last two weeks. In Weeks 7 and 8, Vanegas has 43 carries for 318 yards and six scores.
That’s about 22 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns per game.
Madison (4-4, 3-2) at Jefferson (0-8, 0-5), 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Madison – T5th (Div. 5); Jefferson – 13th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Madison – 11th (Div. 5); Jefferson – 15th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Madison – 1st (Div. 5); Jefferson – 15th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Madison lost to Robinson, 21-7; Jefferson lost at Marshall, 35-0
Series Since 1998: Madison leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: Madison beat Jefferson, 42-15, on Sept. 26, 2008
The Warhawks were five total yards from cracking 4.0 yards per carry against the third-ranked scoring defense of 30 in the Northern Region — Madison has the second-ranked D.
Now, it looks for a turnaround against the team ranked 30th.
Jefferson had a chance to take an early lead last week at Marshall, but pulled a 30-yard field goal wide left. The Statesmen closed the game with 35 unanswered points.
In order to avoid their seventh shutout in nine games — let alone pull out the win — the Colonials must capitalize on opportunities like that.
Madison’s defense, anchored by linebackers Eric Leeson, Ryan McGuire and Kevin Sampson, held Robinson to its second-lowest rushing total of the season last week.
Since Jefferson joined the Liberty District in 2005, the margin of victory for Madison ha s never been less than 21 points.
The Colonials never scored more than 15, Madison less than 42 just once.
Langley (3-5, 2-3) at South Lakes (5-3, 4-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Langley – 14th (Div. 6); South Lakes – T5th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Langley – 15th (Div. 6); South Lakes – 6th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Langley – 8th (Div. 6); South Lakes – 6th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Langley lost to Stone Bridge, 17-14; South Lakes lost at Dominion, 46-20
Series Since 1998: Langley leads, 7-1
Last Meeting: Langley beat South Lakes, 35-14, on Oct. 17, 2008
Maybe Langley has been this good all along, we were just too **** to realize.
Run with me.
Its first three losses were to Lake Braddock, Chantilly and Madison, or the No. 3 team in Division 6, the No. 7 team in Division 6 and the No. 5 team in Division 5
The Saxons beat full-strength Herndon handily on the road before losing to Fairfax — almost certainly a playoff-team — in overtime.
Senior tailback Abe Yi has been integral to the turnaround.
South Lakes is looking to get back on track after a pair of hard-to-swallow losses. It gave up the game-winning score to Fairfax last week with 1:20 to go before getting Deandre-ed at Dominion last week.
The Saxons look more like the Rebels than the Titans, though schematically are different than either.
Though a loss to a Double-A team is devastating for PowerPoints. South Lakes still owns the tiebreaker over Madison and would finish ahead if both win out.
In the last four weeks, Saxon junior quarterback Braden Anderson is 40-79 passing for 777 yards with six touchdowns to three picks. That is 9.84 yards per pass attempt.
Stone Bridge (7-1, 4-1) at McLean (5-3, 3-2) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Stone Bridge – 1st (Div. 5); McLean – 7th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Stone Bridge – 4th (Div. 5); McLean – 5th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Stone Bridge – 2nd (Div. 6); McLean – 7th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Stone Bridge won at Langley, 17-14; McLean lost at Fairfax, 55-17
All-Time Series: Stone Bridge leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: Stone Bridge beat McLean, 51-13, on Sept. 26, 2008
In four all-time meetings, the Highlanders have scored 19 total points against the Bulldogs.
But this is the best McLean team in that span. And it may be the most human Stone Bridge team.
The Bulldogs rode junior Marcus Harris to 43 carries for 208 yards and a touchdown last week, but still needed a game-saving field goal block by Spenser Rositano — his second this season — to win at Langley.
McLean, meanwhile, had no answer for the Wing-T run by Fairfax. That’s a minor issue since Stone Bridge runs a single-wing offense on steroids.
The Highlanders, to have success Friday, need better gap assignment defensively and to make the first tackle, especially on the speedy Harris, who has 1,097 yards and 12 touchdowns this year.
McLean senior Riley Beiro looked healthier last week than he had in nearly a month, finishing with 53 yards and two scores. But his 14 carries are still one-third of his per game average through four weeks.
NATIONAL DISTRICT
Edison (6-2, 4-1) at J.E.B. Stuart (3-5, 2-3) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Edison – 3rd (Div. 5); Stuart – 11th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Edison – 2nd (Div. 5); Stuart – 9th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Edison – 3rd (Div. 5); Stuart – 9th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Edison won at Washington-Lee, 32-23; Stuart lost at Hayfield, 49-21
Series Since 1997: Edison leads, 12-0
Last Meeting: Edison beat Stuart, 57-6, on Oct. 10, 2008
Since a 3-2 start, Stuart is all but eliminated from playoff contention with three-consecutive losses.
To stay mathematically alive, it must beat Edison, against whom it is 0-12 since 1997.
In those 12 meetings, the Raiders were held to single-digit scoring eight times. The Eagles never less than 20 points and cracked 35 points eight times, all within the last nine years.
This is the best Stuart team in that time, but it is the same one that yielded 437 rushing yards to Hayfield last week. Now, it faces the third-ranked running back in the region in yards, Edison senior Angus Harper. Then, it closes with the running back ranked first in yards, Falls Church senior Marcus Hughes.
The Raiders have to keep Harper below 120 yards if they are to have a chance.
Falls Church (4-4, 3-2) at Hayfield (6-2, 5-0) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Falls Church – 10th (Div. 5); Hayfield – 4th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Falls Church – 8th (Div. 5); Hayfield – 1st (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Falls Church – 12th (Div. 5); Hayfield – 5th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Falls Church beat Mount Vernon, 42-32; Hayfield beat Stuart, 49-21
Series Since 1997: First meeting in over 12 years
Last week, the Hawks played inspired football. With head coach Billy Pugh hospitalized Monday after suffering a stroke, Hayfield rolled up 437 rushing yards under wrestling coach and varsity football assistant Roy Hill. It beat Stuart, 49-21, at home.
Senior Anton McCallum led the charge with 13 carries for 203 yards and five touchdowns, including 152 yards and four scores on his first five attempts.
That output was only outdone by Falls Church senior Marcus Hughes, who carried 33 times for 300 yards and three scores in a 42-32 home win over Mount Vernon. Hughes leads the region with over 1,400 rushing yards this season.
The is most likely the make-or-break game for Jaguar playoff hopes, given its relative lack of schedule strength compared to 4-4 Madison, Washington-Lee and Yorktown.
To be playing in November, Falls Church’s physical defensive front needs to stay disciplined against the Hayfield triple option. In addition to McCallum, sophomore Steve Lynch and senior Rayshawn Rigans can all break a big one.
If too many defensive assignments are missed, it could spell curtains for the Jaguars. The Hawks have scored 149 points in the last four games, the most they in any four-game stretch since 1992.
Both teams enter with three-game winning streaks.
Wakefield (0-8, 0-5) at Washington-Lee (4-4, 3-2) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Wakefield – 14th (Div. 5); Washington-Lee – 9th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Wakefield – 12th (Div. 5); Washington-Lee – 10th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Wakefield – 15th (Div. 5); Washington-Lee – 10th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Wakefield lost at Yorktown, 51-18; Washington-Lee lost to Edison, 32-23
Series Since 1998: Washington-Lee leads, 6-5
Last Meeting: Washington-Lee beat Wakefield, 21-20, on Oct. 10, 2008
The Generals had their four-game winning streak snapped last week to the Eagles, allowing three first-half passing touchdowns. The Warriors enter with an underrated passing game, led by sophomore quarterback Drew Powell and senior receiver Aaron Hunt.
Last week, the Warriors hung close with the Patriots, but allowed three fourth-quarter turnovers — 27 points in the period — to make the final lopsided in Yorktown’s favor.
This week, Wakefield must key on the running game if it is to secure its first win. Washington-Lee junior Anthony Taylor has multiple touchdown runs in three consecutive games.
He has 623 rushing yards and nine scores in his last five games.
Wakefield gives up 40.0 points per game, more than any team in the Northern Region and 294th of the 304 public schools in Virginia.
To be fair, all eight of its opponents are in the top 10 in scoring in Division 5.
Yorktown (4-4, 3-2) at Mount Vernon (0-8, 0-5) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: Yorktown – 8th (Div. 5); Mount Vernon – 15th (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Yorktown – 3rd (Div. 5); Mount Vernon – 13th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Yorktown – 8th (Div. 5); Mount Vernon – 13th (Div. 5)
Last Week: Yorktown beat Wakefield, 51-18; Mount Vernon lost at Falls Church, 42-32
Series Since 1998: Yorktown and Mount Vernon tied, 6-6
Last Meeting: Mount Vernon at Yorktown, 22-20, on Oct. 24, 2008
Mount Vernon had its most promising showing of the season last week at Falls Church, but yielded 300 rushing yards to the Jaguars’ feature back, plus a 67-yard run that was called back by an illegal shift.
Yorktown only led Wakefield by six through three quarters, but used three fourth-quarter turnovers for a 27-point, late-game eruption, punctuated by an amazing tipped-screen pick six from senior Charles Banks to senior Erik Cardillo.
This game will come down to the play of the Patriots interior defensive line, anchored by emotional senior Nicholas Vaughan. The Majors’ triple option needs to work inside if they expect to be able to get outside the tackles beyond the first mesh point.
Yorktown senior Sam Nottingham will be his usual, dual-threat self. An improved defensive effort will set up the Pats for a playoff play-in game next week against the Generals, who Yorktown has beaten 28 straight times.
PATRIOT DISTRICT
T.C. Williams (4-4, 2-3) at South County (6-2, 3-2) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: T.C. Williams – T10th (Div. 6); South County – 4th (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): T.C. Williams – 9th (Div. 6); South County – 11th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): T.C. Williams – 7th (Div. 6); South County – 1st (Div. 6)
Last Week: T.C. Williams beat West Potomac, 38-37; South County won at Lee, 10-7
All-Time Series: South County leads, 3-1
Last Meeting: South County won at T.C. Williams, 20-14, on Oct. 3, 2008
Last week, the Titans welcomed senior quarterback Joe Hargrove back from a broken wrist in his non-throwing hand and rewrote the record books in his first career start.
He completed 17-of-35 passes for a school-record 297 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. The four passing touchdowns tied the T.C. single-game record.
This week, he gets the top-ranked scoring defense in the Northern Region — Division 5 or Division 6. Against Lee last week, South County yielded just 40 passing yards outside of the Lancers’ lone scoring drive.
The Stallions are 6-0 when averaging more than 3.0 yards per carry.
With a win, they’d set a single-season record for wins.
West Potomac (2-6, 1-4) at Lake Braddock (6-2, 4-1) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: West Potomac – 15th (Div. 6); Lake Braddock – 3rd (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): West Potomac – 13th (Div. 5); Lake Braddock – 11th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): West Potomac – 14th (Div. 6); Lake Braddock – 1st (Div. 6)
Last Week: West Potomac lost at T.C. Williams, 38-37; Lake Braddock won at Annandale, 48-3
Series Since 1997: Lake Braddock leads, 7-6
Last Meeting: Lake Braddock won at West Potomac, 36-29, on Oct. 10, 2008
The Bruins and Wolverines feature players with two of the more eye-popping individual performances last week.
Lake Braddock junior quarterback Michael Nebrich accounted for six touchdowns — three rushing, three passing — in a rainy road win over Annandale. He completed 19-of-30 passes for 290 yards with those three scores and no picks through the air, including seven completions for 108 yards and two scores to senior Brandon Johnson on just eight targets.
West Potomac senior receiver Daryl Copeland caught seven passes himself, but for 245 yards and four touchdowns, three of 66 yards or longer. Senior quarterback Colin Mathewson, returning from a knee injury, completed 17-of-29 passes for 438 yards, five touchdowns and one pick.
Expect Lake Braddock senior Thomas Stickford — a near-lock for first-team all-region — to be assigned Copeland, as he’s already locked down Annandale junior Melvin Robinson and Robinson junior Matt Zanellato this year. Last week, Robinson caught three passes for 54 yards on 11 targets and Zanellato caught four passes for 59 yards in Week 5 on eight targets.
The Bruin run defense has forced season-low rushing totals — at the time of the respective game — to seven of eight opponents this year, including 19 carries for 13 yards last week by the Atoms.
The teams have traded wins in each of the last nine meetings. Lake Braddock won last year.
West Springfield (4-4, 3-2) at Robert E. Lee (5-3, 2-3) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: West Springfield – 8th (Div. 6); Lee – 2nd (Div. 5)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): West Springfield – 5th (Div. 5); Lee – 7th (Div. 5)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): West Springfield – 15th (Div. 6); Lee – 4th (Div. 5)
Last Week: West Springfield lost at Woodson, 44-31; Lee lost to South County, 10-7
Series Since 1998: West Springfield leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: West Springfield beat Lee, 46-12, on Oct. 31, 2008
Though they outgained the Stallions last week, the Lancers committed a pair of untimely turnovers and lost at home, falling to 0-3 with senior running back Idreis Augustus sidelined due to a pulled groin.
Despite three-straight losses, Lee remains second in PowerPoints in Division 5, thanks to wins over Hayfield (6-2), Woodson (7-1) and Westfield (4-4) that loaded up its strength of schedule.
West Springfield brings a balanced passing attack to the table, that will test Lee’s gifted defensive backfield. Spartan junior Matt Prokop targeted junior Lee Gleason and senior T.J. O’Connell 10 times apiece, completing 12 passes to them for 165 total yards and a score.
Whether or not Augustus gets his carries — just seven for 12 yards last week — the Lancers hope to move the ball better than they did against the top-ranked defense in the region last week.
West Springfield yields 28.0 points per game, more than any team in Division 6. It gave up 439 total yards at Woodson last week.
The Spartans force a lot of turnovers, though, and are very opportunistic when the ball is loose. The winner of the turnover battle will win this pivotal late-season game.
W.T. Woodson (7-1, 4-1) at Annandale (3-5, 1-4) 7:30 p.m. Friday
PowerPoints: W.T. Woodson – 1st (Div. 6); Annandale – 12th (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): W.T. Woodson – 3rd (Div. 5); Annandale – 14th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): W.T. Woodson – 5th (Div. 6); Annandale – 12th (Div. 6)
Last Week: Woodson beat West Springfield, 44-31; Annandale lost to Lake Braddock, 48-3
Series Since 1998: Annandale leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Annandale beat Woodson, 31-0, on Sept. 11, 1998
Since its 7-6 win at South County, Annandale has lost five straight games.
In possibly the worst remedy of all-time, it draws Division 6 top seed Woodson, arguably the most complete team in the region.
Cavalier senior James Johnson scored touchdowns in all four quarters last week against the Spartans, carrying 20 times for 190 yards. Senior quarterback Connor Reilly only had one pass hit the ground, going 12-for-14 through the air for 144 yards, a touchdown and a pick on top of 15 carries for 81 yards.
The key for this game is the interior line play when the Atoms have the ball. Annandale runs the Michigan zone read, which requires strong gap accountability by defensive tackles and inside linebackers.
Woodson senior defensive tackle Patrick Bulger forced a second-quarter fumble and a fourth-quarter safety last week. That fumble was recovered by senior linebacker Josh Hogan recovered that fumble and took an interception 37 yards for a score.
That came a week after Hogan had a team-high 12 tackles, an interception, a fumble forced and a fumble recovery at T.C. Williams.
The Cavaliers outscored opponents 55-17 in the second quarter in the last three weeks.
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