2002 looks to be shaping up as the year of the Concorde District. The five Concorde teams have a combined 17-3 record so far this year. Including 4-0 Centreville, Westfield, and Chantilly. With only five teams in the district every district game is huge in determining the champion.
The Centreville Wildcats have built their own little dynasty in the District over the last half decade. Centreville has gone undefeated in the district in claiming the last 5 championships. During that span they have also won 3 Northern Region Championships and a State Championship. Centreville is the top dog in this yard until someone proves otherwise.
Tonight the district schedule gets underway with a doozy of a game. The Wildcats host Oakton (runner up in the district in 4 of those 5 district championships) in a game that should be a dog fight. Both teams have built a reputation recently for being very stingy on defense. Both are led by All-Region candidate linebackers and both want to prove that their the best defense around. Centreville is replacing 7 starters from last year's defense that was the key to their 10-0 regular season. MLB Brett Warren is the key that drives this bus. Warren is an athletic linebacker who's strength is his ability to run sideline to sideline. On the defensive line Centreville is led by two way starter Tom Murphy who will attempt to plug up the running lanes on the Cougars. In the defensive backfield they are going to play man to man all over the field and they are led by returning starter Josh Burns who is a lock down corner.
Oakton's defense is an agressive physical bunch that has made a reputation of shutting down other teams running attacks in recent years. 4 year starter and all-region MLB Danny Prentice is the heart and sould of the Cougars defense. His emotion and physical play get the Cougars going in the right direction. OLB Dan Bauers has stepped up his play of late (including a 15 tackle, 1 sack performance against West Springfield) and will be key in keeping Centreville runners in the box where the defensive linie and inside linebackers can make the tackles. The defensive line is led by All-Region defensive tackle Craig Torbett. Torbett's quickness and physical play will attempt to wreak havoc in the Centreville backfield. Cornerbacks Terry Kiminer and Michael Harn will have the difficult job of keeping speedster WR Daniel Bailey in front of them and out of the end zone.
On offense Centreville will get bheind their big offensive line and fullback Greg Simon. RB Richard Taylor will get most of the carries for Centreville. He's a quick back who can make you miss and isn't afraid to run over you to get a first down. QB Dan Mellies will attempt to throw the ball to WR's Daniel Bailey and Stepehn Tate. Bailey is a track champion in the state and can really scoot. Tate is a taller reciever that can still pressure the defense deep.
Oakton's offense is led by the little dynamo Pat Day. Manning the quarterback duties in Oakton's option offense Pat has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last two weeks. He also returns punts, kicks, throws the ball, and occasionally lines up at half back or wide reciever and catches passes. The Cougar offensive line is much improved from the beginning of the year and will look to open up holes for fullback Danny Prentice and running backs John Petiford and Mike Baggetta. In the passing game Day will look to go to his main man Dan Phipps. Phipps had 2 catches last week against Fairfax for 113 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a 69 yard touchdown pass last year against Centreville.
Both teams are physical and both will be led by defense that want to impose their will on the game. Look for the team that can run the football to have the advantage as the game gets moving. Special teams often play a big role in games like this. In the kicking game Day seems to be a weapon to watch out for. For Centreville it's key that they get Taylor and Bailey the ball in the open field where they're at their best.
It should be a great football game and a great kick-off a district schedule which should include more gems like this through-out the year.
