If South Lakes' football team harbored any bad memories from the past two losing seasons, including last year's 1-8 trial-by-fire, the Seahawks probably buried them completely by winning four of their first six games this year and establishing themselves as serious contenders in the Liberty District.

But while last year is firmly behind them, there was one thing missing before the Seahawks could truly confirm that they belonged among the elite Division 5 teams in the Northern Region: A victory against one of those teams.

That landmark win came in dramatic fashion on Friday night as South Lakes fought off Madison at home, 22-16, with the decisive play coming at the final whistle as linebacker William Bussey knocked down Warhawk quarterback Johnny Ayers' desperation toss into the end zone, setting off a wild celebration in Reston.

``That's the biggest win for us since I've been in high school," defensive lineman Jon Volpe said. ``We came in here, reading the [newspapers] and [everybody] said we were going to lose. But we knew in our hearts that we were going to win."

The victory was especially sweet for the Seahawks (5-2, 4-1 in the Liberty District) because they had lost a heartbreaker in their last game, two weeks ago at a neutral site against W.T. Woodson, the leader in the Liberty District, in four overtimes. But that 40-34 setback only fueled the team's desire to win this week and place itself in sole possession of second-place in the district.

``This is a big victory for us because we've been working hard all week and all we've been thinking about is playing Madison," Bussey said. ``We had a very bad taste in our mouth after [playing Woodson]. The rage, a pent up rage built up and we unleashed it tonight."

With games remaining at home against Langley and Marshall, teams with a combined two victories this year, the Seahawks' playoff prospects are excellent. The only road game will be a short trip to face rival Herndon in the Baron Cameron Bowl next Monday.

It is a favorable schedule to say the least.

``Like I told the kids, in 28 years of coaching I've never had a team with the opportunity to play three out of four home games for a chance to make the playoffs," said first-year South Lakes head coach Joe Trabucco.

Madison's postseason hopes are still in its own hands. The Warhawks are 5-2, but are now a game behind Fairfax and in fourth-place in the Liberty District with a 2-2 district record. Madison faces Fairfax in the final regular-season game. Prior to that it plays Marshall and McLean, neither of which has a Liberty District win this year.

It wasn't exactly a shootout, but the story of this game early on was the offenses. Madison pounded the Seahawk defense for the entire first half, finishing with 100 yards rushing on two extended drives, one of which ended on an Andrew Baird touchdown run.

Running backs Baird and Carl Gravette both ran for more than 70 yards for the Warhawks. Fullback Omar Hashish added 59. During the lengthy second-quarter drive that culminated in Madison's first touchdown, several Seahawk defenders came off the field during a time out yelling in frustration that the Warhawks were stuffing the ball down their throat.

Trailing 8-3 at halftime, some adjustments were clearly needed. They were quickly made. On the first play of the second half, one designed to take advantage of Madison's crowding the line of scrimmage, Bussey caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dan Cidone for a momentum-changing touchdown that gave the Seahawks a 10-8 lead.

From that point on it was a see-saw third quarter. The Warhawks answered right back with another five-minute drive that ended on a 4-yard touchdown run by Baird to make it 16-10 after the two-point conversion.

Then it was South Lakes' turn again. Junior running back Charles Mayah, who finished with 150 yards on 9 carries, broke off two more long runs to set up Cidone's touchdown throw to Kenneth Curry and, after the extra-point was blocked, the game was tied at 16.

Just when it seemed like neither offense could be stopped, the Seahawks defense responded, stopping Madison on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 situations near midfield to get the ball back in good position and begin the drive that culminated in Bussey's go-ahead touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

``We found it within ourselves to step up," Volpe said. ``Some of us broke down on some plays but we knew that if we stayed together as a defense we'd get the win."

There was still one more crucial play to be made, however. Madison's final drive got to the 12-yard line with a minute to play before South Lakes stoned Baird for no gain on 2nd-and-8 from the 10 and then forced Ayers to make a wild scramble for a minimal gain. That set up the final play with 17 seconds left, one doomed from the start when Seahawks senior defensive lineman David Lansdowne broke through unblocked and lunged at Ayers. The quarterback spun away deftly, but he had to heave an unaimed throw into the end zone where Bussey was waiting.

``It was like something in a movie where it's in slow motion at the end to win the game," Bussey said. ``I said, just knock it down. I just had to get it. I had to."

He knocked the ball away in front of a Madison receiver in the end zone and the Seahawks had the victory they wanted against the defending district champions, proving to themselves, and everyone else, that they not only can compete in big games, they can win them, too.

``You have to earn your respect," Trabucco said. ``I think we probably earned some respect tonight."

Rebels back in race

Fairfax kept pace with the leaders in the Liberty District on Friday with a convincing 41-0 win at McLean. The Rebels (3-4, 3-1 in the Liberty District) are now in sole possession of third place after Madison's loss to South Lakes and, looking down the road, have a meeting with the Warhawks on Nov. 16, the final night of the regular-season, in a game that could decide the fourth and final Division 5 playoff spot.

Rebel running back Owen Schmitt continued his brilliant senior season, rushing for 146 yards against McLean (2-5, 0-4 in the Liberty District) and passing the 1,000 yard mark for the year. Schmitt ran for three touchdowns and caught another.

``Owen, he's been doing that all year for us," Fairfax head coach Bill Rechin said. ``We can always count on him."

Fairfax has also counted on senior Landaux Scott, who added 88 yards on the ground. Senior corner back Aaron Montgomery grabbed his third interception in two games.

The Rebels scored 27 points in the second quarter to break the contest open. Sophomore Michael Britt and senior Nick Worek split time at quarterback. Britt has been the starter for most of the year, winning the job in the preseason. Worek was projected to be the starter coming into the season, but he tore his ACL playing for the school's lacrosse team last spring and only made his first appearance two weeks ago against Marshall. Rechin plans to alternate the two the rest of the way.

Several Rebel defenders have had big individual performances this year, including A.J. Skolnitsky, who notched five sacks in the game against Langley. Add linebacker Donel Souse to the list. Souse twice intercepted passes thrown by McLean quarterback Justin Cotter and returned them for touchdowns of 25 yards and 55 yards.

``Donel is one of our best athletes...he's our punter, too," Fairfax head coach Bill Rechin said of the versatile senior, who has played everything from defensive line, to linebacker, to safety this season.

After a rough start to the season, the Rebels, still a game below .500, now have their postseason destiny in their own hands. But the schedule is about to toughen again. Fairfax hosts Lee on Wednesday, a team right behind it in the district standings and one that also still holds postseason hopes, before traveling to rival and No. 9 Woodson and finishing with Madison. With a schedule like that it's almost like being in the playoffs a few weeks early.

``We'll let the chips fall where they may, but the good thing is we control our selves right now," Rechin said.

W-L gets Beached

Edison running back Mark Beach had his most productive game of the season in his team's 38-0 win against Washington-Lee, rushing for 245 yards on 20 carries and recording three touchdowns. The Eagles (6-1, 4-0 in the National District) were ahead 21-0 after the first quarter on the way to their fifth straight victory and appear to be on cruise-control heading toward the National District title and a Division 5 playoff berth.

In the process, Beach is making a strong case for district Player-of-the-Year honors with 833 yards rushing in what amounts to six games. He had two carries in the Yorktown game before leaving with a hip injury. Edison's defense notched its third shutout of the year and has now allowed just 12 points during its current win streak.

Lee keeps playoff hopes alive

Like Fairfax, the Lancers have quietly remained in the postseason chase despite losses to Madison and South Lakes. Friday's 28-18 victory over Langley sets up a must-win contest against the Rebels this Wednesday. Lee (3-4, 3-2 in the Liberty District) finishes with Hayfield and Woodson.

``The kids know that, they realize how big a game it is for us," Lancer head coach Gerry Pannoni said. ``I think we have three winnable games left on our schedule. We'll take them one at a time and if the kids play well and we do the things we know we can then there is no reason we can't win them all."

Lee has had a habit of starting strong in recent weeks and then fading. It led Centreville two weeks ago, 14-13, before giving up three second half touchdowns and losing. The Lancers, led by Robert Spalding's 161-yard performance at running back, held a 28-6 lead over Langley heading into the fourth quarter. But a couple of big pass plays by Saxons quarterback Josh Carr got his team back in the game and Lee found itself holding on down the stretch.

With P.J. Cameron again playing at running back, teaming with Spalding, sophomore Eddie Robinson, who has had several big games this year, has moved to wingback. He replaces Dan Tillotson, who in turn moved to receiver. The change allows the Lancers to get all of their top offensive weapons on the field at one time.

Jaguars rebound

Matt Jenkins threw a few touchdown passes, Thomas Fawehinmi caught a few and Frank Berchie had another big night rushing. Pretty much what always happens when Falls Church wins.

The Jaguars (3-4, 2-2 in the National District) broke a two-game losing streak by blasting Wakefield, 44-18. This time the big pass play went not to Fawehinmi but to senior Anthony Hayduk, who caught a 90-yard touchdown pass from Jenkins to put Falls Church ahead for good. Hayduk also blocked a punt, a play that resulted in a safety. The win places the Jaguars in a four-way tie for third place in the National District with Jefferson, Yorktown and Washington-Lee. Berchie had 179 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 56 and 50 yards, giving him 10 touchdowns for the season. Fawehinmi's two touchdown catches gives him 10 touchdown receptions on the year to go with one rushing score.

Mistakes doom Patriots

One of the biggest themes in football has always been that the team with the fewest mistakes usually wins the ball game. Friday night's game between Yorktown and visiting Mount Vernon proved to be no exception to that rule. The Patriots (2-5, 2-2) committed five turnovers, helping the Majors escape with a district road win.

Yorktown didn't have a problem moving the ball on the Majors (4-3, 3-1) in the first half, but the Patriots had problems holding on to the ball.

Three of Yorktown's four drives in the first half resulted in two fumbles and an interception. Mount Vernon turned two of those turnovers into its two touchdowns.

"We killed ourselves in the first half with the turnovers,'' Hanson said.

Not much changed for the Patriots after halftime, as senior wide receiver Anthony Ford muffed a punt, resulting in another turnover.

Yorktown finally got back into the contention, thanks in large part to junior running back John Crone, who paced the Patriots with 97 yards on the ground. Trailing, 15-0, in the fourth quarter, senior fullback Dustin McDonald cut into the lead by scoring on a 6-yard touchdown run.

Yorktown got the ball back with 1:23 remaining, and junior quarterback Joe Albrittain drove the ball down to the Majors 10 by playing pitch-and-catch with Ford, Duane Tigney, and Martin Couric.

On Yorktown's last play from scrimmage from the 10, Albrittain, unable to find an open receiver, took off for the goal line. But he was greeted by Mount Vernon senior linebacker Robby Valentine at the 1.

"I was really proud of my guys for hanging in there and not giving up after some first half miscues,'' Hanson said.

Majors get healthy

After losing to National District frontrunner Edison two weeks ago, Mount Vernon got back on track against Yorktown. The Majors (4-3, 3-1) needed this win to keep their playoff hopes alive in Division 5.

"Every win is big right now but we can't begin to look ahead at playoff situations,'' Mount Vernon coach Jody Stone said. "We have three more games in the next two weeks that we need to get ready for.''

With so many games in such a small time span, the Majors are healing at just the right time. They left this week relatively healthy, with only a minor injury to senior defensive back Brandon Bailey.

"We will be able to spread it around,'' Stone said. "Our depth is going to be to our advantage as the season winds down.''

Mount Vernon got things started Friday night with a strong defense headed by linebackers Ryan Troupe and Valentine, who each forced a turnover. Defensive linemen Juwan Barron and Justin Bell were constantly in the Patriots' backfield.

Offensively, sophomore running back Mario Coleman, who recovered from a knee injury earlier in the year, opened up the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The Majors faked the extra point, as quarterback Chris Spencer - the holder on the play - found Bell wide open uncovered in the end zone.

The trickery surprised the Patriots.

"We hadn't see anything like that in film,'' Hanson said.

The next scoring drive for the Majors was a brotherly affair, as some hard running by sophomore running back Kevin Bell set up his brother Justin's 12-yard touchdown catch with just three seconds remaining in the half. Slavenko Drincic's extra point made it 15-0.

Thanks to their opportunistic defense, the Majors held on in the second half.

"I am just happy for this win,'' Stone said. "We were able to capitalize on some mistakes and then just stay ahead.''