Football: McGrath's Vikings Spoil His Alma Mater's Homecoming as Valley Beats Herndon, 35-14

Herndon (Oct. 23, 2010) - Loudoun Valley High School varsity football coach Danny McGrath was honored before Herndon's Homecoming game Saturday with the 2000 Herndon graduate handed a Hornets jersey, but once the game started it was all Viking green as McGrath's men used a big first quarter to spoil Herndon' special day, 35-14.

The non-district win improved Loudoun Valley to 6-2 on the season and fortified their AAA Northwest Region Division 5 playoff position. It also assured the Vikings of a second straight winning season as the team went 6-4 last season and just missed the playoffs after struggling to a 1-9 record in McGrath's first year in Purcellville.

"We would love to be 8-0 right now but we will take 6-2," said McGrath, who at 27 years old is still one of the youngest head coaches in the state.

Valley didn't waste any time in taking the large Herndon Homecoming crowd out of the contest as the Vikes recovered a squib kickoff to start the game and needed just five plays for junior Donald Devine to take it over from the 1.

On Herndon's next series, Loudoun Valley senior R.J. Allison stepped in front of a receiver, picking off the ball, and racing 57 yards for a score to make it 14-0. Allison wasn't done as he did it again on Herndon's next possession, this time returning the ball 40 yards before being brought down at the Hornet 9.

Valley couldn't take advantage as the Vikes fumbled the ball away but after the defense held and forced good field position, the Vikings needed just three plays to score again, this time as senior quarterback found senior David Mellstrom all alone on the post pattern for a 39-yard touchdown as time ran out in the first quarter, making it 21-0 Valley.

Herndon fought back with a nice drive in the second quarter to make it 21-7 and Valley kept the Hornets in the contest as Taylor was picked off in the end zone with less than two minutes to go in the first half and then the Vikes fumbled the ball on their own 24 on the second play of the second half.

"I was here two years ago for Homecoming on a Saturday against Westfield and Westfield kept Herndon in the game and then lost in overtime. I was thinking about that game," said McGrath.

The Viking defense was up to the task as they forced a fumble on 4th-and-1 on their own 14 and then had to do it again after Herndon drove all the way to the Viking 3 where they had 1st-and-goal, this time senior Kevin Wiley stripped a ballcarrier and senior Allen Beam recovered at the 7.

Having just face the prospect of a 21-14 game, the Vikings went up by three scores as Wiley took a handoff around the right end, broke a tackle and raced 87 yards up the sidelines to make it 28-7.

After Herndon cut the lead to 28-14, Valley put together a time-consuming 12-play, 65-yard drive that was a mixture of Devine and Wiley running and Taylor throwing to Mellstrom and junior Harrison Jackson.

After a holding penalty had the Vikes facing 2nd-and-23 from the Herndon 31, Taylor hooked up with Jackson for the final score of the afternoon.

After the game, one Vikings assistant told the player: "It smells like playoffs" and McGrath said he not only wants to get his team to the playoffs but be successful in the playoffs. If Valley does punch their playoff ticket, it will be the school's first return to the playoffs since 2005.

And Homecoming turned out to be special for McGrath as he told his players: "What made today special for me today was being on the visitor's sidelines with this group."

Loudoun Valley 35, Herndon 14
LV -  21  0  7  7 - 35
H -      0  7  7  0 - 14

1: LV - Devine 1 run (Kiani kick)
1: LV - Allison 53 interception return (Kiani kick)
1: LV - Mellstrom 39 pass from Taylor (Kiani kick)
2: H - Reynolds 12 run (McLaughlin kick)
3: LV - Wiley 87 run (Kiani kick)
3: H - Schow 5 run (McLaughlin kick)
4: LV - Jackson 31 pass from Taylor (Kiani kick)

Valley Stats
Rush: Wiley 6-107, Mellstrom 4-34, Devine 18-33, Taylor 2-0. Total: 30-174.
Pass: Taylor 11-16-1 141 yards.
Receive: Jackson 6-79, Mellstrom 4-67, Beam 1-17.

Turnovers: Valley 3, Herndon 4