News: Vigil to be Held Tonight at 5:30 at Briar Woods for Cameron Carter

(Feb. 21, 2012)- The Briar Woods High School community is holding a vigil tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the Falcons football field for Cameron Carter, young teen daughter of Tom and Renee Carter, who passed away this morning. Her friends are asking people to wear purple.

Cameron Carter is the 14-year-old younger sister of Briar Woods senior Alex Carter, high school football All-American and Virginia state player of the year headed to Stanford next year. Her father Tom is a former Washington Redskin.

Read this article from Ashburn Patch with insight into Cameron's life.

Editor's note: Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Carter family and the Briar Woods community.

Football: Briar Woods Celebrates Alex Carter's Signing with Stanford

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(Feb. 15, 2012) - Briar Woods High School celebrated last week the college signing of senior football standout Alex Carter with Stanford University. Carter, a defensive back, wing back and kick returner, led the Falcons to back-to-back VHSL Division 4 state football title.s

Carter, who was named the Gatorade Virginia State Player of the year and was tabbed a Parade All-American, officially signed the week before while in San Antonio for the International Bowl all-star game. He also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl earlier this year.

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Football: Briar Woods SR Alex Carter to Play in International Bowl Wednesday in Texas

(Jan. 31, 2012) - Briar Woods High School senior and Stanford-bound Alex Carter has a good reason for missing the football college signing day Wednesday as the Virginia state player of the year will be in Austin, Texas representing the United States in the third annual International Bowl.

Carter, a defensive back, receiver and kick returner, will be playing for the U.S. Under-19 national team in the game that was formerly billed as Team USA vs. The World.

Football: Briar Woods JR Matt Rolin Gets Offer from Virginia and SR Alex Carter Named Parade All-American

(Jan. 17, 2012) - Back-to-back VHSL Division 4 state champion Briar Woods High School continues to have a big football off-season with junior linebacker Matt Rolin picking up an offer Tuesday from the University of Virginia and senior defensive back/wide receiver Alex Carter named as a Parade All-American.

It was just the latest honor for the Stanford-bound Carter who played earlier this month in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl all-start game in Texas and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Virginia.

For Rolin, the UVa offer came on the heels of an offer from Virginia Tech and he has three other offers already from Boston College, Washington and Tennessee.

Football: Briar Woods' Alex Carter Named Gatorade Virginia Football Player of the Year

(Dec. 1, 2011) - The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Alex Carter of Briar Woods High School as it 2011-12 Gatorade Virginia Football Player of the Year. The Award which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Carter as Virginia's best high school football player.

Carter will play at Stanford next year and he leads the Falcons into the Division 4 state semifinals this weekend against Grafton in Williamsburg. More on the award and Carter.

Carter is the second player from Loudoun to win the award since it started in 1986 with Ed Wang of Stone Bridge earning it in 2005.

Previous Virginia Gatorade Football Player of the Year
1986 - Ron Carey (Hermitage)
1987 - Matt Darby (Green Run)
1988 - Chris Hart (Harrisonburg)
1989 - Terry Kirby (Tabb)
1990 - B.J. Hawkins (Potomac)
1991 - Aaron Sparrow (Woodrow Wilson)
1992 - Tommy Edwards (Radford)
1993 - Antonio Prosise (Sussex Central)
1994 - Ken Oxendine (Thomas Dale)
1995 - Maurice Daniels (Annandale)
1996 - Thomas Jones (Powell Valley)
1997 - Ronald Curry (Hampton)
1998 - Ronald Curry (Hampton)
1999 - Daniel Davis (Brooke Point)
2000 - Raymond Mann (Hampton)
2001 - Bryan Randall (Bruton)
2002 - Kai Parham (Princess Anne)
2003 - Vince Hall (Western Branch)
2004 - Chris Long (St. Anne's-Belfield)
2005 - Ed Wang (Stone Bridge)
2006 - Evan Royster (Westfield)
2007 - Tyrod Taylor (Hampton)
2008 - Mike Glennon (Westfield)
2009 - David Wilson (George Washington-Danville)
2010 - Phillip Sims (Oscar Smith)
2011 - Demetrious Nicholson (Bayside)
2012 - Alex Carter (Briar Woods)

Football: Briar Woods Celebrates Alex Carter's Selection to U.S. Army All-American Bowl

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Ashburn (Nov. 1, 2011) - Briar Woods High School senior WR/DB Alex Carter has been selected to play in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, joining an elite group of All-Americans. Those selected will play in the game on Saturday, January 7, 2012, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The annual East vs. West match-up will be televised live on NBC at 1 p.m. EST and will be presented by American Family Insurance. The game will feature the nation’s top 90 high school football players.

“Alex is a talented athlete whose leadership and teamwork qualities have made him a standout at Briar Woods High School,” said John Myers, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “Only the strongest wear the Army colors, and Briar possesses similar mental, emotional and physical strengths to Army Strong Soldiers. We are proud to honor all of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl players and congratulate each of them on their selection.”

Carter, who will play at Stanford next year, was selected by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee, which consists of All American Games’ network of regional directors and Rivals.com. U.S. Army All-Americans are eligible for the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award, the Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, the American Family Insurance Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Pete Dawkins Game MVP Award, and the Felix “Doc” Blanchard and Glenn Davis Awards.

As a result of Carter being selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, his head coach Charlie Pierce is invited to travel to San Antonio and attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, an elite three-day learning experience featuring NFL and NCAA coaches, as well as participate in game-week activities.

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Football: Briar Woods' Carter Selected for U.S. Army All American Bowl in San Antonio

(Aug. 7, 2011) - Briar Woods High School senior standout, Stanford-bound Alex Carter, has been selected to play in the U.S. Army All American Bowl game on January 7, 2012 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The history and tradition of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is unparralled, highlighted by Heisman Trophy winners and more than 100 current NFL players counted among the Bowl’s alumni. Looking back on the extraordinary players and incredible moments each of the previous U.S. Army All-American Bowls have provided, this year’s Bowl promises to provide the thousands in attendance and millions more watching on NBC an unforgettable look at the future of college and professional football.

Football: Briar Woods Junior Alex Carter Commits Early to Stanford

Carter makes leaping grab in state title win

Ashburn (Apr. 5, 2011) - Briar Woods High School junior Alex Carter visited made his third visit to Stanford University over the weekend for the Cardinal Junior day and decided that he wanted to play for the West Coach school and made a verbal commitment.

Carter, son of former Washington Redskins defensive back Tom Carter, already had offers from a handful of NCAA Division I schools, including his father's alma mater Notre Dame.

The big play wide receiver/defensive back helped Briar Woods capture the school's first ever state title in December.

More on Carter's big decision:
From the Washington Post
From ESPN
From Scout with FoxSports.com/The Bootleg

Football: Briar Woods Big Playmaker Junior Alex Carter Drawing College Interest with Six Verbal Offers

Carter makes leaping grab in state title win

(Feb. 24, 2011) - Briar Woods High School big playmaker Alex Carter, a junior WR/DB that helped the Falcons to the school's first ever state football title in December, is drawing bigtime interest from NCAA Division I schools with six verbal offers already from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Stanford, Duke and Kansas State.

Falcon coach Charlie Pierce says that Tennessee and Notre Dame are close to making their offers soon.

"Alex has a lot to offer to these programs on offense, defense or special teams," said Pierce.

Carter, son of former Washington Redskins defensive back Tom Carter, led Briar Woods in all-purpose yards and in total receptions with 48 for an average of 15.8 yards per catch.

Averaging 4.6 yards per rush, Carter was electrifying on returns, averaging 38.5 yards per kickoff return and scoring two touchdowns including a school-reocrd 98-yarder. He finished second on the team with 11 total touchdowns.

On defense, he had 50 total tackles with two interceptions and 10 pass break ups.

"The one thing that really stands out with his play is his ability to come up with big plays when the team needed it," said Pierce.

Those big plays in the playoffs included a 65-yard field-reversing catch-and-run TD against Liberty in the regional playoffs that was the game's only score and a leaping grab that he turned into a 77-yard touchdown in the state title game against Harrisonburg. That catch from freshman quarterback Trace McSorley came with Briar Woods trailing and turned the game around as the Falcons went on to win 41-21. On the defensive side of the ball he had an interception return of 38 yards for a score in the state semifinals.

In the classroom, Carter tackles AP and honor classes while carrying a 4.10 GPA leading Pierce to label him truly an "outstanding student athlete."