BROAD RUN FOOTBALL 2018 SEASON IN REVIEW CONFERENCE CHAMPS
2018 Varsity Football Date Opponent Location Time W/L Score AUG 24 POTOMAC FALLS HOME 7:00 WIN 31-0 AUG 31 TUSCARORA AWAY 7:00 WIN 23-7 SEPT 7 WOODGROVE HOME 7:00 WIN 33-7 SEPT 13 JOHN CHAMPE AWAY 7:00 WIN 21-13 SEPT 21 ROCK RIDGE HOME 7:00 WIN 41-0 OCT 5 BT WASHINGTON HOME 6:00 WIN 40-3 OCT 12 PARKDALE HOME 7:00 WIN 54-0 OCT 19 FREEDOM AWAY 7:00 WIN 59-7 OCT 26 BRIAR WOODS AWAY 7:00 WIN 20-0 NOV 1 STONE BRIDGE HOME 7:00 WIN 26-20
NOV 8 EDISON HOME 7:00 WIN 57-24 NOV 16 TUSCARORA HOME 7:00 WIN 28-14 NOV 23 STONE BRIDGE HOME 2:00 LOSS 35-6
BROAD RUN VARSITY FOOTBALL ROSTER 2018
1 Boakye, Philip HB/LB 10 52 Smedley, Tyler OL/DL 10 2 Busser, Jake WR/DB 10 55 Lalayan, Robbie OL/DL 11 3 Price, Ryan WR/DB 12 56 Gorey, Ryan OL/DL 12 4 Barry, Sean RB/LB 10 57 Allison, Chaz OL/LB 11 5 Dyson, Kesean HB/LB 11 58 Fielding, Jack OL/DL 11 6 Wilson, Alon RB/LB 10 59 Kante, Mamadou OL/LB 11 7 Drake, Everett WR/LB 12 60 Casella, Justin OL/DL 10 8 Brazina, Dominic WR/DB 12 62 Lee, Paul OL/DL 10 9 Millar, Bennett WR/DB 12 63 Mosqueira, Rudy OL/DL 10 10 Sudki, Ryan WR/DB 10 64 Johnson, Connor OL/LB 12 11 Miner, Romy WR/DB 11 65 Ramfos, Tim OL/DL 11 12 Griffis, Mitch QB 11 66 Thomas, Zach OL/DL 12 13 Chambers, Cam WR/DB 11 70 Hineman, Josh OL/DL 12 14 Besecker, Braydon WR/DB 11 71 Asiama, Zion OL/DL 12 15 Rollinson, Christian WR/DB 10 72 Karagiorgis, Peter OL/DL 11 16 Rollinson, Christopher WR/DB 10 73 Deavers, Anthony OL/DL 12 17 Gaus, Michael WR/DB 10 74 Rivas, Jason OL/DL 12 18 Garzo, Jonas WR/DB 10 76 Doster, Danny OL/DL 10 19 Bryson, Andrew WR/DB 11 77 Gaus, Mark OL/DL 11 20 Lindenfeldar, Luke WR/DB 12 78 Yost, Dylan OL/DL 12 21 Swamy, Nikhil WR/DB 11 81 Lemmond, Isaiah WR/DB 9 22 Griffis, Brett QB 9 82 Wozniak, Ryan WR/LB 9 23 Mahay, Mrigank WR/DB 10 83 Anderson, Payton WR/DB 11 24 Lacny, Lance WR/DB 11
25 Susi, Dominic WR/DB 10 Managers: Bella Binder, Riley Benjamin, Willow Holle y, Lyndsay 26 Hunter-Horton, Jonathan WR/DB 10 Goodwin, Jordan Timbers 27 Meyer, Christopher QB 11 Head Coach: Matt Griffis 28 Baldwin, Tim RB/LB 11 Assistant Coaches: Terry Glenn, Myron Curtis, Chris DeVault, 29 Jones, Daelyn HB/LB 11 Bob Lackey, Chad Obzud, Ed Abner, Lorance Tisdale, 30 Cummings, Joey HB/LB 10 Connor Gorey, Joe Walter, Mike Mattingly, Tanner Cooley, Dan Aeverman, Sean Eddings 31 Metzger, Jeremiah WR/DB 10
32 Traxler, Dylan WR/LB 11 Principal: David Spage 33 Anderson-Jessup, Josh RB/LB 12 Athletic Director : Ryan Young, CAA Assistant Athletic Director: Claire Collins 34 Smith, Zangar RB/DL 12 Athletic Secretary: Bonne Abner 37 Darbyshire, Maurice HB/LB 11 38 Thornhill, Jayden HB/LB 11 Athletic Trainer: Craig Veazie Team Doctor: Broadland Family Practice, 39 Hundley, David RB/DB 9 NSMI Dr. Timothy Johnson and Dr. David Johnson 41 Young, Dylan K 12 Team Physical Therapist: Andrew Dombeck, AID Performance 43 Lattimer, Isaac K 11 44 Solano, Alec HB/LB 12 Team Moms: Lara Bryson and Jessica Cummings
48 Fujimoto, Kai K 11 Team Photo grapher: Todd Fielding Video Crew: Bill Bryson, Roger James, Gary Evans 49 Chou, Michael HB/LB 10
Broad Run Pitches Shut Out in Opener against Potomac Falls, 31-0
Since he took over the reins of the Potomac Falls football program three years ago, Panthers Head Coach Paul Barnes has tried to turn Loudoun County's "Big Three" into the "Gang of Four". Based on their five consecutive playoff appearances and a 15-9 record over the past two years, it appears as though the Panthers are knocking on that exclusive door. The Broad Run Spartans however, led by seventh year Head Coach Matt Griffis, had other ideas as the two teams met at Broad Run on Friday night to open the 2018 season.
The Panthers won the toss and elected to defer. This brought out the high-powered Spartan's offense, led by junior quarterback Matt Griffis and junior running back Tim Baldwin. The two wasted little time as the Spartans drove down the field in eight plays covering 80 yards. Griffis hit three different receivers totaling 50 yards, and Baldwin went for 36 yards on his four carries, including a 9-yard run for the first touchdown of the season.
On their first drive, the Panthers could only muster a yard before being forced to punt. Once again relying on a balanced attack, the Spartans marched 93 yards on seven plays. A Griffis toss to senior Dominic Brazina for 47 yards did most of the damage, with Baldwin adding 40 more yards on 5 rushes, including his second touchdown.
Potomac Falls was once again able to only gain a yard on their second possession. On the next Spartan possession, Griffis was faced with a 3rd and 17, but found sophomore Jake Busser for a gain of 28. A swing pass to Baldwin went for 19 more before Griffis scored on a keeper from 3 yards out.
Finding themselves down 21-0 midway through the second quarter, the Panthers did manage a first down, but were unable to consistently string anything together. On the defensive side, the Panthers had some success in pressuring Griffis, including a sack by junior linebacker Owen Kitcoff. The Spartan offensive line, which returns only one starter from last year (senior captain Josh Hineman), regrouped in time for Griffis to hit senior tight end Everett Drake for a 32-yard gain. With only a few ticks left on the clock before halftime, Griffis hit Busser in stride in the back of the end zone for a 28-0 lead.
The Panthers came out on offense to start the third quarter and put together their best drive of the night. After being flushed out of the pocket, junior quarterback William Misch was able to roll to his left and hit a long pass for 35 yards. Later, facing a 4th and 16, Misch was able to convert by scrambling for 17. The Panther's drive stalled, however, and the Spartans took over on downs.
Three straight holding calls on the Spartans left them with a 2nd and 35 from their own 12. Griffis found Luke Lindenfeldar streaking down the sideline for an apparent 88 yard touchdown. A block in the back call against the Spartans brought back the touchdown, but the play still resulted in a 39-yard gain. Junior Romy Miner then made a diving catch for 40 yards to put Broad Run in field goal range. Spartan's placekicker Dylan Young ended his perfect night by banging home a 29-yard field goal that would complete the scoring with 1:23 left in the 3rd quarter. Senior Connor Johnson recovered a fumble for the Spartans on the Panther's last drive to preserve the shut out for Broad Run.
Griffis looked more than sharp in completing 18 of 21 passes for 306 yards and a touchdown, while running for another. Baldwin totaled 116 yards rushing on 15 carries and added two touchdowns rushing. Things aren't all bad for the Panthers, as their young lineman on both sides of the ball played more consistently in the second half. They are a young team who had to play without their unquestioned leader, senior Dean Ferguson, a Virginia Tech commit who will line up on both sides of the ball for Potomac Falls.
For the Spartans, senior Alec Solano quickly made his presence felt in his first game with the Spartans at linebacker, as did junior transfer Romy Miner. Spartan captain Ryan Gorey was effusive after the game, praising Coach Terrance Glenn on his first game as defensive coordinator, "We love Coach Gordon, but we really wanted to get the shut out for Coach Glenn. It feels good to look up and see a zero up there for his first game.” Gorey realizes that he and his mates need to clean up a few things, especially before they venture to Leesburg next Friday to face the defending regional champions on their home turf. "We have to cut down on the penalties and play disciplined football, especially against teams like Tusky."
The Panthers will host their cross-town rivals next week as the Dominion Titans, coming off a comeback win against Clarke County, come to town. The Spartans know their next opponent well, as they and the Huskies have met four times over the past two seasons. Tuscarora is coming off an impressive win of their own in their opener, a 35-7 win over King George, and will host Broad Run on Friday.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 17 134 1 Griffis, Mitch 4 4 1 Anderson-Jessop, Josh 7 32
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 18 23 302 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 2 22 Brazina, Dom 2 54 Busser, Jake 5 56 1 Drake, Everett 2 54 Lacny, Lance 1 8 Lindenfeldar, Luke 2 44 Miner, Romy 4 64
Spartans Overcome Weather and Huskies for Huge 23-7 Win!
It may have been the claps of thunder that caused the overnight delay in the highly anticipated rematch between the Tuscarora Huskies and the Broad Run Spartans on Friday night, but it was lightning in the form of a quick pass from junior quarterback Mitch Griffis to senior receiver Luke Lindenfeldar that propelled the Spartans a 7-0 lead less than 20 seconds into the game. The explosive Lindenfeldar set the tempo on that first play from scrimmage and outran the entire Husky defense to the house for a 62-yard touchdown. The two 5A powerhouses played evenly the rest of the first half before the weather delay. Forced to come back to Fortune Field twelve hours later, the Spartans played close to a perfect second half as they thwarted the Huskies for the 23-7 win. “That first play really sparked our energy, but I told the guys not to get complacent,” said Griffis. “We weren’t going to score on just one play again. It was going to take some long drives. So let’s keep our foot on the gas pedal.” After the quick Spartan start, Tuscarora had re-gained some momentum of their own heading into the half, and found themselves trailing by only a field goal as the two teams parted for the night, 10-7. Despite a calmer weather pattern on Saturday morning, lightning struck again for the Spartans on the first series of the second half, as Griffis connected with sophomore receiver Jake Busser for a 59-yard touchdown pass. Perhaps one of the only question marks coming into the season would be the Spartan's ability to hold their own on both sides of the line. Although the season is but two games old, it appears as though that question has been answered in the affirmative. “It starts with those five guys up front on the offensive line. They do a great job blocking and so do our tight ends and H- backs,” Griffis said. “Having those guys blocking for me – and having Tim in the backfield – makes my job a lot easier.” For just the second time in two years, Broad Run junior running back Tim Baldwin was held scoreless. But the attention he drew from the Tuscarora defense allowed Griffis and company to go to work through the air. “People are going to try to stop Tim, and I would too,” Coach Griffis said. “Defenses are filling up the box to stop Tim, which makes him such an effective player with or without the ball in his hands.” Despite all of the emphasis Tuscarora put on containing Baldwin, the junior was able to rush for 128 yards on only 14 carries. With all of that attention paid to his running back, Griffis was able to complete 11 of his 14 throws for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns. Broad Run (1-1) looks to stay hot when they host non-district foe Woodgrove (1-1) in Ashburn on September 7 before resuming Potomac District play on September 14 against John Champe (0-2). Tuscarora (1-1) will try to bounce back as the Huskies travel to T.C. Williams in Alexandria on September 7. “Tuscarora is such a great ball club,” Mitch Griffis said. “It’s great to get the first reading of them, because we’re probably going to see them again.”
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 17 128 Griffis, Mitch 4 3 Anderson-Jessop, Josh 2 14
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 11 14 209 3
Receiving Catches Yards TD Brazina, Dom 1 13 Busser, Jake 4 76 1 Drake, Everett 1 2 Lacny, Lance 1 18 Lindenfeldar, Luke 1 62 1 Miner, Romy 3 38 1
Spartans Impressive Once again, Shut Down Woodgrove 33-7
So, you look at your schedule and see that you have to open the season against district opponent Potomac Falls. A well-coached, solid team. No walk in the park to be sure, but you play beautifully and get the W.
Next up, you find yourself matched up against your bitter rivals from Tuscarora. You come out flying and impose your will on them down the stretch for a big victory.
Your reward for that impressive start is a non-conference game against... the Wolverines from Woodgrove? Are you kidding? Your "breather" comes against a team that has gone 45-15 over the past five years?
A team with visions of playing well into December in this year's 4A playoffs? Oh, and let's throw in a lightning delay postponing the second half of the game until the next day for the second straight week, shall we?
Throw all the wrenches you would like against this year's Spartan team. They are resilient. They can handle whatever it is they are called upon to accomplish. Case in point? How about their methodical dismantling of Woodgrove over the course of two days for an impressive 33-7 victory?
The Broad Run coaching staff came into this game believing that the Wolverines were going to try and slow down the Spartan's passing game. Woodgrove is very long, especially at wide receiver and defensive back. Coach Griffis and company thought that Coach Skinner and his crew would come out throwing to test the Spartan secondary, while attempting to apply pressure on Broad Run quarterback Mitch Griffis and blanket his talented receivers with their 6'4" and 6'5 corners. In theory, that sounds good and might have been the way to go. However, by committing to stopping the Spartan passing game, you leave yourselvesvulnerable to the run. And that is what Tim Baldwin (24 carries for 151 yards and 3 touchdowns) and the Spartans did all game.
The two teams took a while to get started, feeling each other out, but Baldwin eventually got things going in a hurry with a blast up the middle from 37 yards out. The junior was almost tripped up by the last man, but kept his feet and rumbled into the end zone for the 7-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Woodgrove's quarterback Graham Walker, who started the game off with five straight incompletions, kept on firing. The problem for Walker is that when he did finally connect with a receiver, it was Broad Run's Luke Lindenfeldar. The explosive senior hauled in the errant throw at the Woodgrove 46 and weaved his way into the end zone. The Spartans lead stood at 13-0 and that is when the thunder and lightning came .
It is tough for a high school football team to have to retreat to their locker room and wait out a lightning delay. It is doubly difficult to have to return the next day to finish. However, it is a little easier when you have to come back with a 13-point lead.
Baldwin continued to rip off long gainers, none more important than a 35-yrd run following a Walker keeper for a touchdown that had cut the lead to 13-7. The Spartans added to their 20-7 lead on their next possession when Mitch Griffis scored on a keeper from a yard out to push the lead to 26-7.
The emerging Spartan defense took care of the rest as they held the powerful Woodgrove offense to under 200 yards. Broad Run seems to have found something with the additions of Romy Miner and Alec Solano and the continued development/dominance of returning contributors such as Zanger Smith, Ryan Gorey, Kesean Dyson, Cam Chambers, Chaz Allison, Everett Drake, and Anthony Deavers.
The Spartans travel to Aldie next week to take on John Champe. It would be a shame if you missed the game. This team has something to say this year.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 24 151 3 Griffis, Mitch 10 42 2 Anderson-Jessop, Josh
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 7 15 83
Receiving Catches Yards TD Brazina, Dom 1 14 Busser, Jake 3 42 Miner, Romy 3 27
Spartans Grind Out a Tough One, Defeat John Champe 21-13!
Following tough losses against Friendship Collegiate (D.C) and Centerville in their first two games, the John Champe Knights put it all together last week with an impressive 40-6 victory over the previously undefeated Heritage Pride. The Knights, led by the only head coach the program has ever known, Jason Dawson, hoped to build on that success when they played host to the Broad Run Spartans in Aldie Thursday night.
The Knights, sensing that it would be tough sledding trying to run against the impressive Spartan front seven, came out firing. Sophomore quarterback Zack Jackson hit five different receivers on their first two drives, with four of the tosses covering 20 yards or more. The Spartan defense, which had given up only 14 points over their first three games, bent, but would not break and held the Knights to two field goals by senior Jacob Morrill before the offense found their footing.
Stifled on their first two drives, the Spartans put together a long drive to start the 2nd quarter. Spartan quarterback Mitch Griffis found fellow junior Romy Miner on a beautiful back shoulder fade for a 42-yard gain to put the Spartans in the red zone. Griffin followed with a nifty scramble on 3rd and 7 and found Miner in the corner of the end zone. Dylan Young's extra point put the Spartans ahead 7-6 as the two teams went to the half.
The Spartans extended their lead on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that took up half of the 3rd quarter. Once again faced with a 3rd and 7, Griffis this time turned to Luke Lindenfeldar, and the explosive senior took the short pass, broke a couple of tackles, and went 25 yards for the score.
Trailing by 8 as the 4th quarter began, Champe fumbled the ball for their only turnover of the game. Broad Run linebacker Chaz Allison both caused the fumble and recovered it. The Spartans then turned to their ground game and Tim Baldwin (23 carries for 80 yards). The junior, who had been held in check for the most part by the gritty Knights, finally found some running room. Given the ball on four straight plays, Baldwin eventually powered it in from 13 yards out to put Broad Run up 21-6 with 8 minutes left in the game.
The Knights refused to go quietly into this night. Taking advantage of the prevent defense employed by the Spartans, Jackson (22 of 36 for 219 yards) marched the Knights down the field, finally finding the end zone with a 6-yard toss to junior Tyler Savage (7 catches for 57 yards) with 62 seconds left. A well-executed onsides kick was snared by Lindenfeldar and the Spartans went into victory formation and celebrated their hard-fought victory.
Things don't immediately get any easier for the Knights, as they travel to Stone Bridge next week before the schedule becomes more friendly. For the Spartans (3-1), Coach Griffis has to be pleased with their play on the field. His Spartans have now outscored four quality opponents by a combined score of 108 - 27. The swarming defense and multi-faceted offense have folks excited in Ashburn.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 23 80 1 Griffis, Mitch 4 19
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 14 22 206 2 2
Receiving Catches Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 1 -4 Brazina, Dom 1 6 Busser, Jake 4 54 Lindenfeldar, Luke 3 62 1 Millar, Bennett 3 40 Miner, Romy 2 48 1 Spartans Shine on Both Sides of the Ball, Shut Out Rock Ridge, 41-0
The numbers 27 and 28 might not mean much to you upon first glance, but what if I told you that the first number is how many points the Spartans defense has given up over the first half of the season, and the second number was how many points the offense scored during the first half of the game during Friday night's victory over the Rock Ridge Phoenix.
The Spartans continued their impressive march through their schedule against Rock Ridge without their starting running back,as junior Tim Baldwin sat this one out after getting banged up in last week's victory over John Champe. With Baldwin out, Coach Griffis turned to his quarterback to get things rolling. Following an interception by Kesean Dyson on the initial Rock Ridge possession, Mitch Griffis completed three consecutive passes, the third one an 11-yard strike to Romy Miner, to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead.
Dyson then picked off his second pass in less than five minutes to once again give the Spartans a short field. Griffis again completed three consecutive passes, the third one a 9-yard touchdown to senior Luke Lindenfeldar.
Remembering that the Phoenix had scored 34 points against them last year, seniors Alec Solano and Ryan Gorey each had tackles behind the line of scrimmage for the fired-up Spartans on the next possession. This time Rock Ridge was at least able to get off a punt as opposed to a turnover.
Griffis completed a quarter to remember with his third touchdown pass of the quarter, finishing 12 for 15 with 125 yards for the first twelve minutes. On the next Phoenix possession, Solano and Gorey followed up with consecutive sacks for the Spartans. Griffis would then add a rushing touchdown to push the lead to 28-0 as the first half drew to a close.
Rock Ridge came out throwing in the second half, but that simply gave Dyson, who was all over the field, a chance to pick off his third pass of the game. This time the junior took it to the house. Two-way starter Lindelfeldar showed that he is a special teams star as well, nailing his drop kick down the middle for the extra point to push the lead to 35.
Sophomore Jonas Garzo took advantage of his number being called as he pounced on a Rock Ridge fumble in the fourth quarter for Broad Run. The Spartans turned things over to senior captain Josh Anderson-Jessup. from there. Anderson-Jessup (12 carries for 76 yards) scored from 5 yards out to complete the scoring for the Spartans.
With the shutout victory, Broad Run moves to 4-0 on the field headed into their bye week. It is still early, but there seems to be something special brewing in Sparta. Early returns are that this is the best defense that Coach Griffis has had in his tenure, and the offense is both talented and balanced. The Mighty Bookers from Booker T. Washington (4-2) in Norfolk are up next for the Spartans.
Rushing Att Yards TD
Anderson-Jessop, Josh 12 76 1 Griffis, Mitch 7 35 1 Meyer, Chris 3 10
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 21 29 227 3 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Brazina, Dom 3 37 Busser, Jake 2 27 Lacny, Lance 3 12 Lindenfeldar, Luke 3 35 1 Millar, Bennett 2 33 Miner, Romy 8 83 2
Broad Run Breezes Past Bookers, 40-3
There were reasons for optimism for the Mighty Bookers of Washington as they boarded their bus in anticipation of their non-conference matchup with the Spartans of Broad Run. To begin with, they returned an impressive 17 of their 22 starters from a year ago. The Bookers are off to a 4-2 start on the season and had drubbed Churchill by the score of 41-18 just a week before. They also had sophomore Rodney Hammond in their backfield. The Spartans saw firsthand the talent of the heavily-recruited Hammond last year on his 73-yard touchdown run in Broad Run's 54-19 victory at Norfolk.
There were also a few reasons for optimism in the Broad Run camp as well. The Spartans had just pitched their second shutout of the season the previous week and teams were finding it next to impossible to shut down their balanced offense. This balance was on full display from the outset as the Spartans covered 79 yards on six plays in just 2:28 on their initial drive. Quarterback Mitch Griffis alternated between handing the ball off to junior Tim Baldwin and completing passes to senior Dom Brazina. Following a rare incompletion, Griffis hit Brazina on a 15-yardstrike to give the Spartans the early lead.
Not wanting to leave all of the glory to the offense, the Broad Run defense got into the act on the Booker's first possession. Junior Romy Miner picked up a blocked punt and rumbled 33 yards for the score.
Following the ensuing kickoff, Washington quarterback Larry Parker Jr. found the aforementioned Hammond open on a beautiful wheel route that covered 60 yards. However, following a deflection, Kesean Dyson came up with his fourth interception in two weeks for the Spartans.
Senior captain Josh Anderson-Jessop, filling in for Baldwin, then covered 40 yards on five carries and punched it in from the 1-yard line. Quickly finding themselves trailing by 20, the Mighty Bookers saw things go from bad to worse on their next possession. The opportunistic Miner recovered a fumble and the Spartans took over on the Washington 27-yard line. Griffis eluded several hard-charging Bookers on the next play and found sophomore Jake Busser in the corner of the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown.
If the Bookers thought things were going badly before, imagine how they felt when senior nose guard Anthony Deavers pounced on the ball following a fumble on the snap on 4th down. Deavers and Zanger Smith were effective in controlling the middle throughout the game.
Washington's Hammond showed his defensive prowess on the next series as he picked off a Griffis pass. He followed that up with a 48- yard reception to move the ball down to the Spartan 25. Once again, the Spartan defense was up to the challenge and stopped the Bookers on 4th down. The wind was completely taken out of the Washington sails as the Spartans then went 96 yards in less than 60 seconds, as Griffis found Miner from 27 yards out, stretching the lead to 33-0 as the first half came to an end.
The second half was more of the same, as Miner picked off a Washington pass midway through the 3rd quarter. Griffis would later find Luke Lindenfeldar for a 5-yard touchdown, his fourth touchdown toss on the night.
With the starters finished early on this night, it fell to the "next man up" to preserve the shutout. The depth of the Spartans was evident as the fourth quarter was played evenly. In fact, had the Mighty Bookers not decided to attempt a field goal down by 40 with two minutes left in the game, their slot on the scoreboard would likely have concluded the same way in which it began the night.
This was a convincing win against a talented and physical team from the 757. Broad Run's Zach Thomas was effusive in his praise for his fellow lineman after the game. "That team was big, strong and fast " said the senior. "We knew that they would present some challenges but we also knew that with our receivers if we gave Mitch just a little time, he would pick them apart."
And so it goes for the Spartans as they run their on-the-field record to a perfect 6-0 with the Parkdale Panthers of Prince Georges coming to town next week. The Spartan's mantra has been to focus on the task at hand and not worry about anyone else but the next team on the schedule. However, as Griffis (18-22 for 260 yards and 4 TD's) and Brazina (10 catches for 136 yards and 1TD) walked off the field, you can't blame them for peaking ahead just a bit. "Three weeks until Stone Bridge." was all Griffis had to say.
Rushing Att Yards TD Anderson-Jessop, Josh 9 66 1 Griffis, Mitch 3 9 Baldwin, Tim 2 27 Smith, Zanger 2 5
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 18 22 260 4 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Brazina, Dom 10 136 1 Busser, Jake 3 79 1 Lindenfeldar, Luke 1 5 1 Millar, Bennett 1 8 Miner, Romy 3 32 1
Spartans Pound Parkdale Panthers, 54-0
If you look up the word "blitzkrieg" in the dictionary, you will see that it is defined as "an intense, rapid, lightning attack". For the visiting Parkdale Panthers, it sure must have seemed like a blitzkreig, as the Broad Run Spartans set a school record by putting up an incredible 48 points in the 1st quarter, on their way to a 54-0 victory. The Panthers of Riverdale, Maryland, came into the game with a 3-3 record and hoped to give improve upon their performance last year when they fell to the Spartans by the score of 44-6. Unfortunately for the Panthers, their hosts unleashed an attack on them unlike anything they had ever seen.
The Spartans kicked off and immediately recovered the pooch kick. On their first play from scrimmage, Mitch Griffis found Luke Lindenfeldar streaking behind the last line of defense and hit him in stride for a 37- yard touchdown.
The Panthers didn't have any better luck on the second Spartan kick and Broad Run recovered once again. Following a terrific, spinning catch by senior tight end Everett Drake that went for 22 yards, Josh Anderson-Jessop pushed the lead to 14-0 less than a minute into the contest.
The third time was the charm for Parkdale as they were able to corral the next Spartan kick. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Lindenfeldar immediately intercepted a Ta'Ron Hewan pass and returned it 45 yards for the score. The Panthers now found themselves trailing by three scores with less than two minutes off the clock.
Senior linebacker Alec Solano alertly jumped on a fumbled lateral on the next Panther possession and the Spartans found themselves back in business. Griffis again turned to Drake, who dove into the end zone for a 22 yard touchdown.
The Panthers did manage to punt on their next possession, but a 65-yard sprint for a touchdown by Anderson-Jessup did little to cut into the game clock.
Just when things had settled down just a bit, Broad Run corner Romy Miner picked off Parkdale's Hewen again. Miner's return for a touchdown would end the scoring, as the 2nd half saw a running clock throughout.
After the game had ended, linebacker Alec Solano wanted to talk about his new teammates. "Man, this is fun" said the DeMatha transfer. "I couldn't have hoped for a better year." Solano has teamed with junior Chaz Allison to give the Spartans a formidible presence in the middle. "I mean, where are you going to go on this defense? We've got the boys up front plugging everything up, and Chaz and I just mop up. If anything gets by our front seven, you have the best tackling secondary in the county behind us."
There seems to be some truth to what the senior had to say. With the shutout, this year's Spartans have moved into some rarified air. No other Spartan team has given up fewer points (30 points, 32 if you count the 2-0 forfeit) over seven games in team history. Their points allowed is second in the state, having given up only more than the 27 allowed by the three-time defending state champions from Highland Springs. "We play for each other." Solano said as he was beckoned by his teammates to come and join them in the circle for their post-game prayer, "It feels good to be a part of."
Rushing Att Yards TD Anderson-Jessop, Josh 10 148 2 Meyer, Chris 8 49 Wilson, Alon 5 8 Smith, Zanger 3 4 Barry, Sean 3 15
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 11 19 212 3 Meyer, Chris 0 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Busser, Jake 1 24 Drake, Everett 2 32 1 Lacny, Lance 4 53 Lindenfeldar, Luke 1 37 1 Millar, Bennett 2 51 Miner, Romy 1 15 1
Spartans Flying High, Overwhelm Eagles, 59-7
To say that Broad Run was coming into their Potomac District matchup against the Freedom Eagles on a roll might have been a bit of an understatement. The Spartans, winners of six straight, had outscored their last three opponents by a combined score of 135-3!
So it looked to be a tall order for the host Eagles as they tried to slow down the hard-charging Spartans. Second- year Head Coach Jason Belser and his Eagles had to little to lose, so it was not surprising that he called for a fake punt of 4th and 14 on the first series of the night. Unfortunately, the call did not surprise the Spartan defense either, as what looked to be the entire unit sniffed out the fake and gave the ball to the offense on the Freedom 35-yard line.
The game plan for the Spartan's offense coming in had to be to keep quarterback Mitch Griffis upright. The best way identified to achieve this was to neutralize Freedom's best player, defensive lineman Garrett Dunn-Ford. This meant a lot of three-step drops and a quick delivery from Griffis to his sure-handed receiving corps. On their first possession, Broad Run was able to execute their plan perfectly, as Griffis hit senior Luke Lindenfeldar on three consecutive completions totaling thirty yards to start the game. Jake Busser hauled in Griffis' fourth toss for a 5-yard touchdown and the Spartans were off to the races.
The Eagles went backwards once again on their second possession as the Spartan offense took over at midfield. Following his fifth consecutive completion to start the game to junior Lance Lacny, Griffis then turned to senior Josh Anderson-Jessop. The Spartan co-captain gained 25 yards on three carries before punching it in from eight yards out. A second consecutive point after try failed, so the lead remained 12-0.
Former Spartan Xavier Johnson gave the Eagles their first 1st down of the night on a 15-yard reception, but Freedom was unable to convert on 4th down and the Spartans were back in business at midfield. Griffis spread the wealth on the next drive, hitting four different receivers before finding junior Romy Miner wide open in the end zone for a 6-yard score. This time the extra point by Dylan Young was good as the Spartans ran their lead to 19-0.
The ubiquitous Luke Lindenfeldar would next add to the Spartan tally with a pick 6. The explosive safety, who also added 7 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown at wide out, bobbed and weaved his way into the end zone to give the Spartans a 25-0 lead as the 1st quarter came to an end.
Junior Robbie Lalayan made sure that Freedom wouldn't seize momentum on their next possession, as his sack on 3rd down forced the Eagles to punt. Anderson-Jessop would then go untouched for a 20- yard touchdown. The 31 - 0 lead quickly grew as another fake punt proved disastrous for Freedom. Griffin next found Lacny on 3rd and 15 as the junior made a diving catch and secured the ball at the goal line for a 37-0 lead. Another quick stop by the defense allowed Griffis to find Miner yet again for a 5-yard touchdown pass as the Spartan lead ballooned to 43.
As impressive as the offense looked in marching down the field, the defense looked every bit as imposing. On the rare occasions when the Eagles were able to cross midfield, the Spartans defense would knock them back into their own territory. If it wasn't defensive end Zangar Smith wrecking the play in the backfield, it was linebackers Alec Solano or Chaz Allison. If the Eagles were able to give their quarterback enough time to throw, the pass was invariably picked off, just as Cam Chambers did on the next possession.
Taking over on the Freedom 41-yard line with two minutes left in the 2nd quarter, Griffis found Miner for 34 yards before turning to Lindenfeldar for his fifth touchdown pass on the night from 7 yards out. The Spartans went into the half up by the score of 51-0.
Broad Run emptied their bench in the second half but that didn't stop the Spartans from going on a drive that consumed 10:30 to open the 3rd quarter. The Spartans looked to be on their way to the longest drive in school history when Chris Meyer found a seam and went for a 39-yard touchdown. Alon Wilson punched in the two- point conversion to complete the Spartan scoring at 59.
The only blemish on the night came in the form of a 62-yard touchdown pass from Freedom quarterback Aiden Doherty to Ethan Herschel that made the final 59-7.
With the suffocating performance, the Spartan's defense has entered unchartered territory. Coach Glenn's unit has now given up the second fewest points in the state, trailing only the three-time defending 5A state champions Highland Springs. The unit's rating of 115 on the VHSL-Reference website is the highest in school history and currently sits in the Top 15 of all time. To put this lofty rating in perspective, the back-to-back State Championship defenses of Broad Run in 2008 and 2009 had defensive rankings of 88 and 87, respectively.
Of course, this is no time for any of the Spartans to stop to pat themselves on the back. Next week the Spartans travel to face the improving Briar Woods Falcons in the Annual Battle for a Better Cause. A win will likely vault the Spartans into the # 1 seed headed into the season finale against the Stone Bridge Bulldogs.
Rushing Att Yards TD Anderson-Jessop, Josh 7 57 2 Griffis, Mitch 2 14 Meyer, Chris 8 74 1 Wilson, Alon 12 55 Barry, Sean 3 10
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 18 26 228 5 Meyer, Chris 0 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Busser, Jake 2 16 1 Lacny, Lance 3 43 1 Lindenfeldar, Luke 7 70 1 Millar, Bennett 1 13 Miner, Romy 4 73 2 Price, Ryan 1 6
Broad Run Shuts Out Briar Woods in Battle for a Better Cause, 20-0
If Broad Run Head Coach Matt Griffis was concerned that his Spartans might be overconfident coming into their annual showdown with Briar Woods, he need only remind them of last year's contest, which saw the Falcons enter the game with just one win. The Falcons scratched and clawed all night, giving the then-undefeated Spartans all they could handle before falling by just two points, 16-14.
On a cold and rainy Senior Night in downtown Brambleton, it became apparent early on that this, too, would once again be another hard-fought contest. "Coach warned us that every time we play Briar, no matter what the records are, that we will be in for a battle all night. " shared senior Spartan captain Ryan Gorey.
Things did start out tough early on for the Spartans, as the Falcons recovered a fumble on the Spartan's third play from scrimmage. However, Briar Woods was only able to muster a single yard on three plays before settling for a field goal attempt. Broad Run's Kesean Dyson blocked the kick however, and the Spartans came out for their second possession of the night.
This time it was consecutive penalties that doomed the drive, but once again the Spartan defense was up to the task, as the Falcons were unable to return the ball to the line of scrimmage for three consecutive plays and were forced to punt.
Taking over on their own 24-yard line, Broad Run then turned to junior tailback Tim Baldwin. Looking fully recovering from an injury that caused him to miss the past two games, Baldwin (29 carries for 199 yards) ripped off runs of 20, 15, and 6 yards before breaking free for a 30-yard touchdown. Dylan Young's extra point gave the Spartans a 7-0 lead that they would take with them into the locker room at halftime.
"To be honest", said Gorey, "we weren't feeling comfortable at halftime. We wanted to come out and set the tempo to start the 3rd." To that end, the Spartans were successful, as junior Lance Lacny recovered the 2nd half kickoff. This time it was the Falcons defense, led by Logan Kotter and Connor McCarthy that was up to the task as they quickly forced the Spartans to punt. Broad Run senior Everett Drake then made two of the biggest plays of the night. He first sacked Briar Woods quarterback Christian Greene on third down, and then got loose behind the Falcons' secondary for a 38-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Griffis. Midway through the 3rd quarter, the Spartans were now up by 14.
The Spartan's explosive safety, Luke Lindenfeldar, picked off the Falcons on the very next play. Lindenfeldar returned it for an apparent touchdown, but a block in the back brought the ball back to the 23-yard line. Baldwin, who had rumbled for 110 yards in the first half alone, found things more difficult in the second half as the Falcons stacked the box and held.
With the third quarter drawing to an end, Falcons first year Coach Daniel Burton made a change at quarterback, switching out his strong- armed sophomore in Greene, and bringing in senior Justin Rutkowski. Rutkowski, the more powerful runner, converted on two fourth downs deep in his own territory, but Spartan linebacker Chaz Allison, who had been making big plays all night along with fellow linebacker Alec Solano, made one more as he pounced on a fumble.
As the rain continued to pour down, the Spartans once again turned to Baldwin. The junior gained 49 yards on the next drive before Griffis found junior Romy Miner in the end zone from 23 yards out. A missed extra point would keep the score at 20-0, which would also serve as the final tally.
"It is fun playing these guys, but it is also tough" said Gorey. "I played on the same AYFL team with Justin (Rutkowski) and Luke (Lindenfeldar) won a championship with Camden (Gillie). They play hard. We have a lot of respect for them."
The win by the Spartans, coupled with Stone Bridge's victory over Freedom on Thursday night, means that next week's Battle for the Burn will be not only the Potomac District championship, but for the overall # 1 seed in the region headed into the playoffs and home field advantage for as long as you keep winning. This is a game that really needs no hype, but hype there will be.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 33 199 1 Griffis, Mitch 6 21
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 4 5 62 2
Receiving Catches Yards TD Miner, Romy 2 27 1 Drake, Everett 1 38 1 Lindenfeldar 1 -3
Broad Run Bullies Bulldogs in the Battle of the Burn, Clinches District Title!
The latest chapter in the rivalry that is the “Battle of the ‘Burn” turned out to be one of the best yet - and it might not be the last one this season.
With a history of comebacks, nailbiters and postseason showdowns, the 2018 edition of the Ashburn clash between the Broad Run Spartans and the Stone Bridge Bulldogs was an advanced-level competition of big plays and momentum swings under an electric atmosphere.
This one ended with Broad Run powering their way to a 26-20 win over the Bulldogs and securing the Potomac District title. Afterwards, the Spartans celebrated with hundreds of family and friends on their home field.
Quarterback Mitch Griffis was one of many to pose for photos holding aloft the silver “Battle of the ‘Burn” trophy. Broad Run last claimed it in 2016.“These are my 64 best friends,” he said. “There’s no better feeling than playing for your community, playing for Broad Run, playing for your dad, playing with your best friends, beating those guys across the street. Nothing better than that.
“We work hard all season for this game,” he went on. “This game is our motivation to work harder, to do one extra rep. We work to get these memories right here.”
Senior Zanger Smith was among the many Spartans’ defensive standouts, registering a sack and a tackle for loss. “I love playing them every year. Always such a great opponent. But I’m so happy right now. We brought it back to the house!” Smith said.
Despite dominating much of the second half, the Spartans needed to make the victory-clinching defensive stop on a Bulldog fourth down as the final seconds ticked off. With the crowd on both sides cheering wildly after a timeout Tim Baldwin, playing defense, shot through a gap in pursuit of quarterback Mason Tatum, forcing him to dish it to Jared Cole, whom Baldwin proceeded to run down and tackle from behind.
The Spartans’ defense holding the Bulldog offense (averaging more than 44 points per game coming in) to 13 points was the key said Broad Run head coach Matt Griffis. He praised his first-year defensive coordinator Terence Glenn. “He’s killing it,” said Griffis of Glenn, who was a quarterback at Stone Bridge some 12 years ago when Griffis was offensive coordinator there. “He’s doing a helluva job on defense.”
“That’s a tough one, because you know how much your kids want it. This is an important game for our kids,” Thompson said. He begrudgingly acknowledged that his team struggled running the ball against Broad Run’s tenacious defense.
In a season affected by the weather, it was no surprise that the start time for this one had to be moved up due to the soggy forecast. Still, both sides of the stadium were filled before kickoff.
They saw action right away. On their first possession, the Bulldogs drove down the field, highlighted by sophomore Tai Felton’s leaping catch of a 31-yard pass. A hold and a sack nearly killed the drive, but Zeke Morris took a handoff through a hole up the middle and raced 40 yards for the game's first score.
The Spartans’ defense strengthened their resolve from that point on. They forced a punt, a turnover on downs and two interceptions, one by Jonathan Hunter-Horton to quickly end the Bulldogs’ second possession, the other by Romy Miner to end the first half.
The Broad Run offense scored on its second and fourth possessions, as Griffis ran it in from 24 yards out on a read-option. Later, Griffis found Miner on a crucial fourth-down for a TD strike.
But the Spartans’ third possession made the halftime score 14-14. Griffis’ screen pass was tipped, then Stone Bridge's Skylar Martin picked it off and ran it back 28 yards for the score.
The second half’s opening set the tone for the remainder of the game. Griffis scrambled to buy time, setting up a 20-yard scoring pass to senior wideout Luke Lindenfeldar.
Staked to their first lead, Broad Run’s defense responded with a fourth-down stop of the Bulldogs, as senior Anthony Deavers made the tackle for loss.
Two plays into the fourth quarter, the Spartans extended their lead to 26-14 when Baldwin powered in from three yards out.
The Bulldogs wouldn't quit. Three fourth downs were converted as Stone Bridge pushed across a touchdown, with Morris running it in from a yard out to cut the lead to six.
The Spartans had the opportunity to salt the game away on their next possession, but they could not. With two minutes left, Stone Bridge moved the ball into the Broad Run red zone. The Spartan defense tightened, and a sequence of incomplete passes set up fourth down.
That’s when Baldwin made the decisive play, clinching the victory for the Spartans.
The big win means that Broad Run will maintain its No. 1 ranking entering the Region 5C playoffs. Stone Bridge will finish as the region's # 2 seed.
Officially the Spartans’ record stands at 9-1, with the sole loss a season-opening forfeit to Potomac Falls for use of an ineligible player during a 37-0 win. Coach Griffis accepts the loss yet disagrees.
“It’s a 10-0 season. That loss wasn’t a loss. But we’ll let the Virginia High School League have it. In our mind, we’re ‘nine-and-won,’” the Broad Run coach said, spelling the last word out for reporters.
Both squads will open the postseason on November 9 with home dates versus Region 5C opponents. In the case of Broad Run, the contest against the Edison Eagles will serve as Senior Night, while Stone Bridge will host the Lee Lancers.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 17 61 1 Griffis, Mitch 11 67 1 Lindenfeldar, Luke 1 11
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 19 28 170 2 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Miner, Romy 6 26 1 Drake, Everett 2 10 Lindenfeldar, Luke 5 46 1 Baldwin, Tim 2 48 Busser, Jake 4 40
Broad Run Flies High Over Edison, Hands Eagles 57-24 Defeat
Following his team's 57-24 playoff victory over the visiting Edison Eagles, Broad Run quarterback Mitch Griffis acknowledged that his Spartans had some difficulty focusing after last week's victory over their arch-rivals from Stone Bridge. That victory, which clinched the Potomac District championship and the #1 seed in the 5A Region C, took every ounce of energy, which is why, in its aftermath, everyone was spent. Griffis, named the Potomac District Offensive Player of the Year earlier in the week, said "That game drained a lot out of everyone that coached or played in it. That was a very emotional, intense football game." Recovering from that, and matching that energy level would prove to be difficult for the Spartans as they faced the Edison Eagles from Alexandria.
Things started out well enough on Senior Night for the Spartans. Seniors Alec Solano and Ryan Gorey met at the quarterback for a sack on 3rd down on the Eagles' first possession. On their first offensive play from scrimmage, Griffis found sophomore standout Jake Busser, first for a 31-yard gain and then for a 14-yard touchdown. Tim Baldwin plunged in for the two-point conversion and the Spartans led 8-0. On the Eagles' next possession, junior Romy Miner made a diving catch of an Edison pass for his fourth interception of the year. This gave the ball back to the Spartan's on their own 32-yard line. The Spartans wasted little time in covering the 68 yards on three plays. Another reception by Busser, this one for 34 yards, was sandwiched by two Baldwin runs, the second of which resulted in a 16-yard touchdown. Dylan Young's extra point put the Spartans up 15-0. Senior Luke Lindenfelder scooped up an Edison fumble on the next possession for the Spartans, but a sloppy series on offense prevented the Spartans from adding to their total. With things getting chippy on the field, the Spartans momentarily allowed themselves to lose focus. First, Edison quarterback Peyton Jones found his brother, Nick, open for a 37-yard touchdown. Now trailing by just eight, the Eagles recovered a well-executed onsides kick. Baldwin, accruing some reps on defense as well, took away any momentum that the Eagles might have had with a big sack on 4th down. Following the change of possession, Baldwin had five straight carries, bringing the ball down to the 18- yard line. Griffis then turned to Everett Drake, and the senior hauled in Griffis' second touchdown pass of the night. Trailing by the score of 22-7 with ten minutes left in the half, the Eagles came out slinging the ball. A long pass from Jones to senior Kesean Smith gave the Eagles a first and goal from the Spartans' 5-yard line. The Broad Run defense held and Edison had to settle for a field goal, cutting the lead to 22-10. Busser continued to wreck havoc on the Eagles, returning the kick-off to the Edison 46. Broad Run co-captain Josh Anderson-Jessup, giving Baldwin a breather, made the most of his two carries by covering 54 yards. His touchdown pushed the score to 29-10. Anderson-Jessup also scored for the Spartans on their next possession, this time from 16 yards away. This made the score 36-10 as the two teams went to their locker rooms. If the Eagles held out any hope heading into the 3rd quarter, Baldwin snuffed it out as he broke free for a 44- yard touchdown run on the Spartans' first possession of the second half. Another defensive stop for the Spartans gave Griffis the ball on his own 36. Griffis found senior Ryan Price, junior Lance Lacny, and junior Romy Miner to march down the field, with the final completion to Miner going for 32 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles continued to battle, as evidenced by a 50-yard touchdown from Edison's Jones that not only cut into the 40-point lead but put an end to the running clock. By this time, the Spartans had turned the game over to their talented youngsters. Broad Run's junior varsity, who also finished the regular season undefeated on the field, took over to close out the game. Freshman David Hundley closed out the last Spartan drive of the night, finding the end zone from 27-yards out. The Eagles would tack on a touchdown on the ensuing kick-off to make the final 57-24. With a playoff victory now under their belts, the Spartans will next turn their attention to the Tuscarora Huskies, who defeated John Champe 21-13 to advance to the 5A Region C semi-finals. It was just one year ago when the Huskies withstood a furious 4th quarter drive by the Spartans to win 14- 12 and advance all the way to the state finals. These two teams are more than familiar with one another and next week will add another chapter to their rivalry, which fortunately will continue next year as both teams move down to 4A.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 12 103 2 Anderson, Josh 7 82 2 Hudley, Dave 13 74 1 Traxler, Dylan 3 6
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 13 19 221 3
Receiving Catches Yards TD Miner, Romy 5 76 1 Drake, Everett 1 19 1 Busser, Jake 5 104 1 Lacny, Lance 2 22
Broad Run Knocks Out Huskies With 4th Quarter Comeback, Advances to Regional Championship!
To those on the Broad Run sideline or in the stands during last year's regional semi-final against the Tuscarora Huskies, the numbers on the scoreboard at the beginning of the fourth quarter on Friday night must have looked eerily familiar. Like last year, the Huskies clung to a 14- 12 lead entering the final quarter. Unlike last year, however, the Spartans left nothing to chance and dominated the final 12 minutes while scoring the final 16 points of the game to defeat the Huskies by the score of 28-14. With the victory, the Spartans not only avenged last year's loss, but with it earned a spot in the regional championship game against their cross-town rivals from Stone Bridge.
Spartans head coach Matt Griffis gave credit to his top-ranked defense for shutting down the talented Huskies. “Our defense played great all day,” Griffis said. “When you hold that team to just 14 points, your defense did a good job. They kept scrapping and giving us a chance.” It was his defensive unit that forced Tuscarora into three third-quarter punts, with junior linebacker Kesean Dyson also recovering a Huskies fumble. In the fourth quarter, senior linebacker Alec Solano batted away a fourth-down pass, foiling any Tuscarora comeback. “It was awesome,” Solano said. “Our defensive line with Zangar Smith, Ryan Gorey, they all do a great job. It’s just a brotherhood. We love playing together.”
It was actually Tuscarora's defense that made their own momentum- swinging play to open the game. Mitch Griffis and Broad Run quickly drove deep into the red zone on their first offensive series, but senior defensive back Owen Cary intercepted a pass for the Huskies at the goal line and returned it 22 yards. Tuscarora senior quarterback Justin Allen then engineered a drive featuring two third-down conversion passes. On fourth-and-inches from the 11, Allen dashed through a hole and bolted for the end zone, stretching across the plane while being tackled. The Huskies kept their 7-0 lead as both teams’ offenses managed only punts and turnovers on downs until Broad Run finally got on the board in the final seconds of the first half. Griffis, inches from the goal line, took a leap over the right side of the line for the touchdown. It must have felt like deja vu to the Spartan faithful, however, as the extra point missed by inches and the Spartans went into their locker room trailing 7-6. The Spartans would take their first lead in the third quarter after Kesean Dyson’s fumble recovery. Griffis found senior wide receiver Luke Lindenfeldar on consecutive passes, the second for 22 yards and a score. Just when it looked like the Spartans had seized momentum, Allen lofted a deep pass to junior wide receiver Jevonn Gilyard, who was wide open after the defender fell down. The 62-yard strike put Tuscarora up 14-12 and the Spartans found themselves trailing for the first time in the second half of any game all year. It was all Broad Run from there. The defense locked down the Huskies’ offense, while Griffis and junior running back Tim Baldwin kept the chains moving. The Spartans took the lead for good when Griffis found junior wide receiver Lance Lacny, who stiff-armed a defender and burst into the end zone. Griffis also converted the two-point conversion to give the Spartans a lead that they would not relinquish. Broad Run added the finishing touch with less than two minutes remaining. Griffis again ran right for a three- yard score, then converted the two-pointer with another right-side run. After the game, Dyson spoke of his defensive teammates with pride. "We came into this game with confidence, but we knew that we would be in for a fight. They are talented and well- coached but everyone on this team does their job" Dyson said. "If you line up and do what you have been taught to do, you might not make the tackle, but you will force something to happen so someone else can make the play." Dyson also shared how it feels to play under first-year defensive coordinator Terry Glenn. "I have known Coach Glenn since I was little and he used to play football with my uncle. As a young coach, we can relate to him. When we make a play, he is out on the field jumping with us. He makes the right calls, brings life to the defense and his energy spreads like a virus." “We’re in a good place right now,” Coach Griffis said. “This really is a tight-knit group that truly cares about one another. That’s what makes this group special.” Griffis and his top-seeded Spartans (11-1) will host the Bulldogs (10-2) next week in Broad's Runs first trip to the regional finals since 2014. With the win, the Spartans will have accomplished two of their pre-season goals. First, they rolled to the District Championship and now, they will find themselves practicing on Thanksgiving in preparation for the second Battle of the Burn this year, with the winner advancing to states.
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 25 55 Griffis, Mitch 12 14 2 Anderson, Josh 1 0
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 22 32 268 2 1
Receiving Catches Yards TD Miner, Romy 9 80 Drake, Everett 1 8 Lindenfeldar, Luke 4 66 1 Busser, Jake 7 90 Lacny, Lance 1 24 1
Magical Season Comes to an End as Spartans Fall to Stone Bridge
To call the postseason rematch between Ashburn foes Stone Bridge and Broad Run "highly anticipated" would be an understatement of epic proportions. The two Potomac District powerhouses have split their past four meetings. The Spartans lay claim to two of the last three District titles, while the Bulldogs have won either the District or Region in each of those years. Heading into this Regional Championship, the most important fact was thought to be that the Spartans had dispatched the Bulldogs on this very same field just three weeks ago to earn the Battle of the Burn trophy. Things could not have started any better for the Spartans as junior Cam Chambers fell on a fumble on Stone Bridge’s second play from scrimmage. Broad Run however, was unable to convert on 4th and 2 and you could feel the momentum switch across the field.
The Bulldogs took that momentum and raced out to 14-0 lead. Senior quarterback Mason Tatum lobbed a deep pass that Tai Felton ran under for a 45-yard touchdown. Then Oakton transfer Jared Cole - who had fumbled on the Bulldogs’ first possession - atoned with a fumble recovery at the Broad Run 21-yard line. Senior back Nick Mell was able to dive in from the one for the second Stone Bridge touchdown.
Stone Bridge continued to apply pressure up front and disrupt the Spartan passing attack. Senior Tay Davis next made a diving interception of a Mitch Griffis pass over the middle. A possession later, Broad Run's Tim Baldwin broke loose for a long run, but Cole caught him from behind. The Spartan drive stalled without any points as the first quarter came to an end.
For most of the second quarter, the Spartans looked like the better team. It appeared as though they had taken the Bulldogs' best shot and were still standing. Broad Run made it a one-score game with its next possession. Griffis rolled right, avoided a couple of defenders and hit Jake Busser near the sideline. The sophomore made a brilliant move past the defender at the 5-yard line and calmly lay the ball down after crossing the goal line.
With under two minutes left in the half and trailing by the score of 14-6, the Spartans drove down the field once again and had a chance to tie things up in the last seconds before the half, set up by senior Luke Lindenfeldar’s 26-yard reception to the 9. Bulldog defensive end Paul Moore proceeded to sack Griffis as the first half came to a crushing end for the Spartans. Still fired up when they came out, Stone Bridge came out and scored on its second possession of the second half. Cole took a handoff and burst up the middle for a 30-yard touchdown. After senior defensive back Payton Hunter made a diving catch for another Bulldog interception, Cole dazzled again with a 36- yard run into the red zone, setting up a two-yard touchdown by Mell . Cole added to his dominant performance early in the fourth quarter. He took a handoff, avoided the Spartan defenders, and sprinted for a 45-yard touchdown. The Spartans were unable to muster any answers following the score.
The Stone Bridge side of the stadium celebrated as the Bulldogs were handed the region championship trophy. “We worked really hard to prepare for this game,” Moore said. “The emotions always run high when we play Broad Run. It’s our crosstown rival and the best game I’ve ever been a part of.” It is always difficult when the curtain comes down on the season, but the end this year seems to hurt just a little bit more. Coming into the year, this was a team that few outside the locker room thought could or would contend for the District championship. This was a group that persevered through early-season adversity, grew stronger, and emerged victorious for twelve straight weeks before finally falling to a team that they had already defeated. They played for one another. They loved each other like brothers. The bonds and relationships formed this year will last a lifetime. High school football has always been about building a foundation for a young person’s life, based on principles and experiences that can only be taught through the game. It's about cultivating genuine relationships between players, coaches and their community of family and friends. There's nothing like high school football. Thank you to the coaching staff and players this year for taking us along for the ride. It sure was special.
Rushing Att Yards TD Griffis, Mitch 11 31 Baldwin, Tim 19 92 Busser, Jake 1 9
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 12 19 150 1 2
Receiving Catches Yards TD Miner, Romy 4 28 Drake, Everett 2 19 Lindenfeldar, Luke 2 51 Baldwin, Tim 1 0 Busser, Jake 2 37 1 Price, Ryan 1 15
DEFENSIVE STATS
Name Tackles Assists Total TFL Sack PBU Int CF FR Allison 70 34 104 4 2 1 2 1 Lindenfelder 38 25 63 2 6 5 2 Z. Smith 51 20 71 14 6 3 2 Gorey 33 14 47 6 3 Brazina 24 7 31 1 2 1 1 Lacny 2 2 1 Anderson-Jessup 1 1 2 Bryson 4 3 7 1 1 Solano 59 46 105 18 2 2 1 Dyson 43 19 62 8 2 4 2 2 Miner 39 5 44 13 3 3 Chambers 36 6 42 4 10 2 1 2 Baldwin 11 6 17 1 2 Drake 30 14 44 8 1 5 Gaus 7 8 15 1 Johnson, Connor 0 1 Deavers 8 5 13 1 1 Millar 13 1 14 Heinman 1 2 3 1 Busser 2 2 Darbyshire 11 3 14 1 1 Hunter-Horton 13 6 19 1 2 1 Lalayan 4 1 5 Thornhill 6 4 10 2 Garzo 2 2 4 1 Rollinson 1 1 Jones, D 3 2 5 Asiama 1 2 3 1 Price 2 1 3 Kante 3 3 1 1 Ramfos 1 1 Besecker 1 1 Price 3 1 4 Mahay 1 1
OFFENSIVE STATS
Rushing Att Yards TD Baldwin, Tim 199 1030 9 Anderson-Jessop, Josh 55 475 7 Griffis, Mitch 74 259 7 Meyer, Chris 19 133 1 Wilson, Alon 17 63 Hudley, Dave 13 74 1 Barry, Sean 6 25 Smith, Zanger 5 9 Traxler, Dylan 3 6 Lindenfeldar, Luke 2 11 Busser, Jake 1 9
Passing Comp Att Yds TD Int Griffis, Mitch 188 275 2598 31 8 Meyer, Chris 0 2
Receiving Catches Yards TD Miner, Romy 54 619 11 Busser, Jake 42 633 6 Lindenfeldar, Luke 30 453 8 Brazina, Dom 18 260 1 Lacny, Lance 15 180 2 Drake, Everett 12 182 3 Millar, Bennett 9 145 Baldwin, Tim 6 66 Price, Ryan 2 21
BROAD RUN FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE RECORDS
TOTAL POINTS ALLOWED SEASON 57 2018 TEAM
FIRST HIT TACKLES SEASON 89 MATT MEIER 2014
CAREER 203 MATT MEIER 2013-2015
TOTAL TACKLES SEASON SEASON 132 MATT MEIER 2014
CAREER 330 MATT MEIER 2013-2015
INTERCEPTIONS SEASON 8 JOE COSTELLO 2004
CAREER 9 JOE COSTELLO 2003-2004
9 MEECH HEMBRY 2014-2016
9 LUKE LINDENFELDAR 2017-2018
SACKS SEASON 11 STEPHEN HARRISON 2017
CAREER 15 JASHAWN BANK 2012-2014
15 STEPHEN HARRISON 2016-2017
PASS BREAKUPS SEASON 13 ROYCE BRYSON 2017
13 ROMELLO MINER 2018
CAREER 14 ROYCE BRYSON 2016-2017
FUMBLE RECOVERIES SEASON 4 CHRIS MOORE 2015
CAREER 7 MATT MEIER 2013-2015
CAUSED FUMBLES SEASON 4 COREY HILBERATH 2013
4 MEECH HEMBRY 2015
CAREER 5 BRANDON GONZALEZ 2015-2016
BROAD RUN FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE RECORDS POINTS SCORED SEASON 460 2014 TEAM RUSHING YARDS GAME 336 MEECH HEMBRY 2015 VS YORKTOWN SEASON 2199 TJ PEELER 2009 CAREER 3643 MEECH HEMBRY 2014-2016 RUSHING TDS GAME 5 MEECH HEMBRY 2015 VS CENTREVILLE 5 TIM BALDWIN 2017 VS WAKEFIELD SEASON 29 TIM BALDWIN 2017 CAREER 44 MEECH HEMBRY 2014-2016 PASS RECEPTIONS GAME 10 DOM BRAZINA 2018 VS BOOKER T WASHINGTON SEASON 54 ROMY MINER 2018 CAREER 102 ADRIEN FLEMMING 2007-2009 RECEIVING YARDS GAME 136 DOM BRAZINA 2018 VS BOOKER T WASHINGTON SEASON 810 CHUCK DAVIS 2014 CAREER 1608 CHUCK DAVIS 2011-2014 RECEIVING TDS SEASON 11 ROMY MINER 2018 CAREER 23 ADRIEN FLEMMING 2007-2009 PASSING YARDS GAME 322 CONNOR JESSOP 2010 vs SHERANDO SEASON 2598 MITCH GRIFFIS 2018 CAREER 5496 BRADY REITZEL 2011-2014 PASSING COMPLETIONS GAME 25 CONNOR JESSOP 2010 vs SHERANDO SEASON 188 MITCH GRIFFIS 2018 CAREER 345 MITCH GRIFFIS 2016-2018 PASSING TDS GAME 5 CONNOR JESSOP 2011 VS FREEDOM 5 BRADY REITZEL 2014 VS FREEDOM 5 MITCH GRIFFIS 2018 VS FREEDOM SEASON 31 MITCH GRIFFIS 2018 CAREER 57 BRADY REITZEL 2011-2014 TOTAL TDS GAME 6 MEECH HEMBRY 2015 VS YORKTOWN SEASON 38 MITCH GRIFFIS 2018 CAREER 79 BRADY REITZEL 2011-2014