Football: Stone Bridge’s Defensive Stands Tall in Season-Opening Win at Westfield

By Dan Sousa
VivaLoudoun.com Editor

Chantilly (Sept. 4, 2010) – The Stone Bridge High School defense opened and closed their 2010 football season-opener Friday at Westfield with a pair of big defensive stands and that was just enough to allow the Bulldogs to escape with a 7-3 victory.

“This was a big win for us against a great team,” said Stone Bridge senior running back Marcus Harris, who finished with 130 yards on 24 carries and a 52-yard kickoff return.

While the Stone Bridge offense sputtered most of the night against a hard-hitting Westfield team – the Bulldogs had two turnovers, missed two field goals and racked up 70 yards in penalties – their experienced defense, returning seven starters from last year’s Division 5 state runner-up squad, held Westfield to a field goal on their first series after they had 1st-and-goal from the 7 and on Westfield’s final series of the night the Bulldogs held after allowing the hosts to reach the Bulldog 32.

Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson played down the importance of the early-season game against at team that has won two Division 6 state titles in the past decade but said it was important in the terms of respect for his program and after the game he complimented his players on their toughness.

“That was real football,” said Thompson. “We showed a lot of heart tonight.”

In between the two defensive stands, Stone Bridge stymied Westfield, holding the host Bulldogs to just 77 yards on 33 plays while forcing three turnovers. It was Westfield’s lowest points total since they were shut out by Oakton, 33-0, on Nov. 19, 2004 and a nice official return for Stone Bridge defensive coordinator Mike Skinner, who stepped down as assistant athletic director this summer to return fulltime to teaching and coaching.

Harris, who set a school record with 2,125 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior, started the season off on the right foot as he took the opening kick and sprinted 52 yards before being hauled down on the Westfield 41.

The Bulldogs, however, couldn’t take advantage of the field possession and turned the ball over on downs. Two plays later, Westfield junior running back Kendall Anderson broke to the outside over right tackle and raced 46 yards along the Stone Bridge sidelines before being tackled at the 7.

Stone Bridge’s defense stuffed a run up the middle, defended a pass and then flushed junior quarterback Matthew Pisarcik out of the pocket to force a 23-yard field goal by Matt Delaney.

Even though Anderson finished with 145 yards on 23 carries, he had trouble breaking free the rest of the evening and after that first big run, Stone Bridge’s defense limited Westfield to 15 total yards on their next six possessions.

The Bulldogs front four of seniors Rob Burns, Calvin Hollenhorst and John Cheretis and promising sophomore Jon Allen, not only played the run well but they were a big reason that Pisarcik had a miserable night, going 4 of 16 for 29 yards. The Stone Bridge defensive line got their hands on two throws that were both deflected and then intercepted by senior Kyle Gouveia.

“Those were huge plays,” said Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson, who gave credit to his secondary who were able to handle single coverage and allow Stone Bridge to crowd the line of scrimmage.

It was Gouveia who finished off Stone Bridge’s 80-yard touchdown drive that answered the Westfield field goal. Harris had six carries on the 12-play drive including a big 25-yard run that moved the ball from the Stone Bridge 18 to the Westfield 42 after a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty was tacked onto the end of the play.

Facing 3rd-and-12, Stone Bridge senior quarterback Brian Rody (5-14-1, 77 yards) hit Gouveia on a 21-yard pass play that put the ball on the Westfield 12. Harris moved the pile forward to the 5 for a 7-yard gain the three plays later, Gouveia bulled in for the score. Ben Jamison’s point after made it 7-3.

And that is where the scoring would stay.

Westfield’s best opportunity to get in the end zone after the first quarter, came in the third quarter after Stone Bridge fumbled away the ball on their own 42. Anderson went 22 yards on the next play and Westfield had the momentum but Anderson lost the handle on the ball while fighting for a first down on the next play. Allen for Stone Bridge was near the ball at least once as the Bulldogs picked up the loose ball, appeared to fumble it themselves, only to come up with the turnover at their own 20 when all the players were untangled.

Rody’s numbers at quarterback might have looked better if not for a couple of dropped passes including at least two that might have resulted in scores. Stone Bridge did manage a pair of nice second-half drives but Westfield stiffened in the Red Zone and Spencer Rositano missed a 36-yard field goal wide left and then Jamison missed a 31-yard attempt wide right.

The second miss came with 7:25 to play in the contest and Westfield, finally getting its passing game going, moved the bal down to the SB 33 with 2:29 to play. The Bulldogs defense then held Anderson to one yard, forced Pisarcik into an incompletion and then dragged down Anderson for a 3-yard loss on a swing pass. After a penalty forced 4th-and-12, Westfield threw one final incompletion.

Stone Bridge needed one first down to essentially end things and Harris picked it up in two carries.

It was Stone Bridge’s lowest scoring output since a 28-6 loss to Oakton on Sept. 16, 2005. Stone Bridge finished with 250 total yards and 15 first downs to Westfield’s 163 yards and eight first downs.

Stone Bridge 7 0 0 0 – 0
Westfield 3 0 0 0 – 3

1st: WF – Delaney 23 FG
1st: SB – Gouveia 2 run (Jamison kick)

Rushing
SB: Harris 24-130, Rositano 4-23, Gouveia 6-21, Rody 4-(-1). Totals 38-173.
WF: Anderson 23-145, Monticue 7-(-3), Pisarcik 4-(-8). Totals 34-134

Passing
SB: Rody 5-14-1, 77.
WF: Pisarcik 4-16-2, 29.

Reciving
SB: Rositano 3-47, Gouveia 1-21, Johnson 1-9.
WF: Morton 3-32, Anderson 1-(-3).

Turnvoers:
SB 2
WF 3

First Downs
SB 15
WF 8

Check back for video interviews with Marcus Harris and SB coach Mickey Thompson as well as a full photo gallery!