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VivaLoudoun Editor
(Oct. 29, 2011) - The Stone Bridge High School football team is leading a double life.
On one hand you have a team with an 8-1 record after defeating Madison Friday night, 35-20, to clinch a share of the program's seventh consecutive Liberty District title. That makes 47 district wins in 48 games since joining the Liberty in 2005 and Stone Bridge is now just two wins away from an unheard of 10 consecutive seasons with 10+ wins.
On the other hand, Stone Bridge demonstrated Friday that they are a ways away from making a fourth trip to the VHSL Division 5 finals in five years. Despite the win over the Warhawks, which came into the game 6-0 in district, the Bulldogs were left ruminating over a litany of miscues -- interceptions, fumbles on their own goal line, blocked field goal attempts, onsides kicks not covered and key penalties.
"Disjointed," was how Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson summed up his team on the eve of the postseason.
The Bulldog offense bulldozed its way to 300 yards rushing in the win including 169 hard-earned yards and two touchdowns by senior Stephen Trivieri who carried the ball a mind (and body) numbing 36 times. Juniors Rassaun Goldring and Cameron Reynolds also combined for 110 yards on 13 carries with each finding the end zone.
In the air, Stone Bridge struggled at times with junior Ryan Burns going 8 of 21 for 180 yards. He connected with senior Stan Johnson on a 25-yard score and had a 75-yard pass play to Johnson that set up another score. There were two interceptions and a fourth quarter sack at the goal line that Madison recovered for a touchdown.
Defensively the Bulldogs picked off four Warhawk passes including three takeaways by senior Mike Tompkins in the second half. Madison was unable to establish a running game against the Bulldogs defensive front, attempting just 19 runs for a total of 74 yards. On a night where a cold, icy rain fell from the opening kickoff, Madison junior quarterback Dan Powers went just 9 of 28 for 124 yards and two short touchdowns.
Stone Bridge sophomore James Manning also had an interception and recovered a fumble on the Madison 24 on the game's opening kickoff. Despite the great field position and momentum from the early turnover, the Bulldog offense couldn't move the ball and Ben Lambourne's 42-yard field goal attempt from the left hashmark was blocked. Warhawk senior Max Ehrsam alertly scooped up the bouncing football and rambleed 60 yards before being brought down at the 5.
Three plays later, Powers found senior Evan Jacquez on a 3-yard TD pass to make it 7-0 Madison with 8:43 left in the first quarter.
Stone Bridge went right to work to tie the game with Reynolds taking a direct snap on a 4th-and-1 call from the Stone Bridge 34 and sprinting 59 yards before being dragged down at the Madison 7. Three plays later the Bulldogs caught a break as Goldring fumbled the ball in the backfield and the ball bounced right back into the running backs hands. He took advantage of the good fortune and broke contain around the left side and scored from 7 yards out to tie the game with 5:45 left in the first.
Madison moved the ball 45 yards on their next drive but settled for a punt that pinned Stone Bridge back on their 6. On the first snap, Burns utilized a nice play action and found Johnson behind the secondary for a 75-yard catch and run to the Warhawk 19. Three plays later, Reynolds muscled in from 9 yards out to make it 14-7 Stone Bridge with 2:39 still left in the first quarter.
Typical for the night for Stone Bridge's offense was a plodding drive in the second quarter that saw the Bulldogs run off 13 plays, yet advance the ball only 35 yards before punting away. On the first play after that punt, Manning picked off Powers to give Stone Bridge the ball at the Warhawk 30.
On the very next play, however, Ehrsam was on the spot again, intercepting Burns on the Warhawk 12.
The Stone Bridge defense forced a 3-and-out and the Bulldog offense put together what would become the most important drive of the night as the team went 84 yards on 13 plays, eating almost six minutes off the clock before Trivieri scored with 51 seconds left in the half to make it 21-7.
On that drive, Stone Bridge converted another huge 4th down call with Burns connecting with Goldring for 18 yards on 4th-and-8 from the Madison 23. Thompson then inserted the Bulldogs heavy package with junior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and senior linebacker Aaron Palmer lead blocking for Trivieri and it two plays they blasted a 7-yard path to the end zone for the senior transfer from Canada.
Stone Bridge received the ball to start the second half but on the first play, Warhawk senior Salvatore Rahner intercepted Burns at the Bulldog 29. Madison just missed making it a one-touchdown game when a Warhawk receiver was ruled out of bounds on a nifty catch along the back of the end zone on 4th down.
Towards the end of the third quarter, Stone Bridge went up 28-7 with a drive that started on the Warhawk 46. Burns found his favorite target, Johnson, for 23 yards to start things rolling and then the two connected again as they split coverage down the middle of the field for a score on 3rd-and-12 from the Madison 25.
When Tompkins intercepted Powers on the next two Warhawks drive, the game appeared out of hand, but Madison put the Stone Bridge Senior Night crowd on edge in the fourth quarter.
First the Warhawaks got the ball back on downs on their own 36 and then put together a 7-play, 64-yard drive that was aided by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Stone Bride and a Bulldog pass interference penalty in the Red Zone. Powers found junior Ben Sanford from the 5 for a score to make it 28-14 with 6:20 left in the contest.
Madison continued its gutsy comeback by recovering the ensuing onsides kick. A roughing the passer penalty by Stone Bridge put the ball on the Bulldog 40 but Tompkins intercepted his third ball of the night at the Bulldog 8. Just two plays later, however, Burns dropped back to pass and was sacked at the 1 with the ball spurting loose on the hit. Warhawk junior Matt Arndt picked up the ball and stepped into the end zone for the stunning score with 5:13 remaining.
Stone Bridge did take solace when Allen broke through the line and blocked the point after kick to make it 28-20 Stone Bridge.
Madison then recovered an onsides kick for a second straight time but after conferring the officials ruled that the ball was touched before it went 10 yards and Stone Bridge was given possession. That signaled Trivieri time and even though Madison knew that the Stone Bridge running back was going to get the ball, they couldn't stop the Stone Bridge line surge and Trivieri's downhill running style as he carried the ball nine straight times for a total of 47 yards.
The only non-run in the series was a bit of a heart-stopper for Stone Bridge fans as the Bulldogs opted to throw on 2nd-and-goal from the 2 and Burns' pass near the right pylon of the end zone was nearly picked off by a Warhawk DB who made a break on the pass but had the ball slip through his fingers. On the next play, Trivieri bulled in with just 47 seconds left to make it a 35-20 final.
Stone Bridge finishes the regular season at Fairfax next week. Madison hosts Marshall.
Box for the game.
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