Football: Stone Bridge Runs to State Finals with Hard-Fought 28-21 Win Over Hanover

By Dan Sousa
Viva Loudoun Editor
Mechanicsville (Dec. 3, 2012) - Perhaps the biggest play in Stone Bridge's undefeated football season came midway through the third quarter Saturday at Hanover High School in the VHSL Division 4 state semifinals. The Bulldogs, tied 14-14 with the Hawks after watching a 14-0 first quarter lead evaporate, faced 4th-and-2 from their own 40.

Stone Bridge called upon 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior quarterback Ryan Burns to make a play and even though the Stanford recruit holds the school-record for passing yards in a season with 2,423 (including 28 touchdowns), it wasn't his arm but his legs the Bulldogs used as the hard-nosed Burns bulldozed his way for six yards.

"They were basically daring us to (run Burns)," said Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson.

And run Burns did as he carried the ball more times in the second half (12 rushes for 66 yards) than he did the entire regular season to lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back touchdown drives for a 28-21 win over Hanover. Stone Bridge finished the contest with 31 consecutive run plays in a lightning fast second half that saw each team with just three possessions.

"It wasn't the prettiest thing but we got it done," said Thompson.

Stone Bridge (14-0) now faces unbeaten Lake Taylor (14-0), a 23-21 winner over North Stafford Saturday on a last-second field goal, in the state finals at 12:07 on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the University of Virginia. It will be Stone Bridge's fifth state final since 2005, and third trip in four years, with the Bulldogs lone state title coming in 2007.

Football: Advance Tickets on Sale for Stone Bridge State Semifinal at Hanover

(Nov. 27, 2012) - Advance tickets are on sale Wednesday and Thursday at Stone Bridge High School during lunch shifts (12:13 to 2:13 p.m.) for the Bulldogs Division 5 state semifinal football game scheduled for  4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 at Hanover High School in Mechanicsville.

Ticket price is $10.00. Children under 6 may be admitted free if accompanied by a paying adult. Senior citizens do not get in free per Virginia High School League (VHSL) policy. Hanover’s stadium seats 4,000 and they have plenty of parking. 

Stone Bridge also has 25 seats available on the cheer charter bus for $15 each.  Gates open at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday.