Football: Stone Bridge Clocks Sixth Regional Title in Eight Years

Stone Bridge senior linebacker Connor Calderwood who had a fumble recovery and interception in Friday's regional title win over R.E. Lee


By Dan Sousa
VivaLoudoun.com Editor

Ashburn (Nov. 27, 2009) - Perhaps the first game you learn as a kid is "keep away" and nothing is more frustrating than being the one that can't get the ball. That is how the R.E. Lee football team surely felt
Friday afternoon as Stone Bridge kept the ball basically for all but one minute of the first 16 minutes of the second half and ground out a 21-10 win in the AAA Northern Region Division 5 title game.

For Stone Bridge (12-1) it was a sixth regional title in eight years and the Bulldogs will host the winner of Massaponax vs. Osbourn next Saturday in the state semifinals.

Lee trailed just 14-10 at the half but the Lancers were able to run just three plays from scrimmage in the second half until seven minutes remained in the game. Stone Bridge, on the other hand, behind the hard running of Marcus Harris, who scored all three Bulldog touchdowns in the win, ran 32 plays during that same stretch and scored an insurance touchdown, a Harris 2-yard plunge with 7:13 left.

Stone Bridge opened the game strong, almost recovering a Lee fumble at the Lancer 4 before driving 40 yards on six plays, with Harris busting a run from 14 yards out on 4th-and-1, to make it 7-0 with 7:17 to go in the first quarter.

Lee came right back but their drive stalled at the SB 5 and the Lancers settled for a field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.

Stone Bridge answered with a time-consuming 12-play drive with yet another Harris score on fourth down, this time on a 29-yard great catch on a pass from Brian Rody. A failed Bulldogs onside kick left Lee in good field position and the Lancers, utilizing the option, got two big runs from Idreis Augustus, 24 yards to start the drive, and 26 yards to end it in the end zone.

That left the score 14-10 at the half and it would stay that way until Stone Bridge's second big drive of the second half resulted in a 21-10 Bulldog lead


Stone Bridge 21, R.E. Lee 10
Game played Nov. 27, 2009 in Ashburn


R.E. Lee         3  7  0  0  - 10
Stone Bridge   7  7  0  7  - 21

1: SB - Harris 14 run (Shaban kick) 7:17 (drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 2:47)
1: RL - Lewis 22 FG 2:54 (drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 4:23)
2: SB - Harris 29 pass from Rody (Shaban kick) 9:16 (drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 5:38)
2: RL - Augustus 26 run (Lewis kick) 6:43 (drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 2:33)
4: SB - Harris 2 run (Shaban kick) 7:13 (drive: 13 plays, 51 yards, 5:25)

Stone Bridge junior Marcus Harris scored three times for the Bulldogs in Friday's regional title win


Rushing
Lee: Augustus 19-74, Lopez 5-27, Williams 6-17, Team 1-(-22). Totals 31-96.
Stone Bridge: Harris 32-124, Gouveia 12-36, Girdy 3-10, Rody 5-6, Rositano 2-4. Totals 54-180.

Passing
Lee: Lopez 7-17-1 77.
Stone Bridge: Rody 5-8-0 68, Gouveia 3-4-0 31. Totals 8-12-0 99.

Receiving
Lee: Jackson 3-47, Johnson 3-28, Augustus 1-2.
Stone Bridge: Lambke 3-37, Harris 1-29, Rositano 2-18, White 1-13, Gouveia 1-2.