NORTHWEST REGION DIVISION 6 SEMIFINALS: Osbourn Park at Woodbridge
Welcome to the News & Messenger Friday Night Football Game Time Blog.
By DAVE UTNIK
Game: Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets (9-2) vs. Woodbridge Vikings (10-0)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
PREVIEW
WHO’S #1?: According to many zealous Osbourn Park High School football fans, the Yellow Jackets have the No. 1 ranked defense in the state. While there is nothing definitive to prove or dispute that assessment, the belief is apparently based on the fact that OP has allowed 89 points in 11 games. Of course, those numbers are skewed given that three of those games were shutouts against horrible teams from Stafford, Freedom and Potomac. OP has yielded 62 points to the four playoff teams it has played—that’s more than two touchdowns per game.
WHO’S NEXT?: The winner of tonight’s game plays either Battlefield or Franklin County in next weekend’s Northwest Region, Division 6 championship game.
WHO’S GOT THE BALL?: No matter how good the defense is, Osbourn Park will only go as far as Dominique Terrell takes them. He is one of the top juniors in Virginia with 1,085 yards rushing and another 740 passing. Woodbridge has many more weapons, including running backs Jaylen Avent and Michael Ford, who have combined for more than 1,200 yards. Quarterback Frank Buckley has thrown for 1,450 yards but the Vikings are without question a running team.
SCORE UPDATE: OP won the coin toss and deferred possession until the second half. The No. 1 ranked defense in the state forced a punt on Woodbridge’s first possession, but just allowed the Vikings to go 97 yards for the game’s first score—a 26-yard flea flicker pass completion from Buckley to junior tight end Michael Herrity. A bad snap on the PAT resulted in a failed conversion so with 1:13 remaining in the opening quarter it’s 6-0 Woodbridge.
BLOG UPDATE: Through one quarter of play, the Woodbridge defense appears to be far superior to Osbourn Park’s. The Jackets have minus-1 total yards of offense. But a fumbled punt has just given OP the ball back at the 24 yard line so it’s 1st and 10.
BLOG UPDATE: Demetrius Quarles nearly intercepted a Terrell pass at the 15, but the ball fell incomplete, setting up a 3rd and 5…. And, after a run for no gain by Terrell it’s now 4th down at the 26. It’s field goal time.
SCORE UPDATE: Zach Roy connects on a 36-yard field goal to get the Jackets on the board. With 9:48 remaining in the second quarter, it’s WOODBRIDGE 6, OP 3.
BLOG UPDATE: 8:56, 2nd quarter. Frank Buckley to Michael Herrity once again. The No. 1 ranked defense in the state just gave up a 31-yard completion on 1st and 21. That would be a first down for Woodbridge at the Jackets 25 yard line.
BLOG UPDATE: The Twilight Saga: New Moon, starring Kristen Stewart, has just replaced OP as the No. 1 ranked defense in the state. It is No. 1 in the box office, too. Not a bad weekend for vampires.
SCORE UPDATE: Actually it’s a non update because Woodbridge’s Chris Drisko just missed a field goal from 31 yards out, giving OP the ball at the 15 yard line. It’s still 6-3 Woodbridge, 5:08 to go in the first half.
BLOG UPDATE: Osbourn Park senior Travis Marion intercepted a Buckley pass and returned it to the 40, giving the Jackets one final first-half possession to take the lead. There’s 1:52 remaining in the second quarter. Marion, as you know, is a member of the state’s #1 ranked defense (or #2 if you count The Twilight Saga: New Moon.)
BLOG UPDATE: Woodbridge’s special team’s unit is NOT ranked #1 in the state. The Vikings have botched another punt and this time Collin Frazer, the best public school defensive player in the county, is injured.
BLOG UPDATE Given a chance to take the lead, OP turned the ball over on one play. Terrell was intercepted by Jaylen Avent in the end zone for a touchback. And Frazier is back on the field. There is less than a minute to go in the half.
STATS UPDATE: Stay tuned for halftime stats from all-star sports writer Joe Conroy. The numbers will include a 40-yard pass completion from Buckley to Frazer. The Vikings are at the OP 21 yard line with 27 seconds left.
SCORE UPDATE: Chris Drisko’s field goal attempt from 38 yards out was not even close. The Vikings might want to abandon the kicking game tonight. At the half it’s still a three-point game: WOODBRIDGE 6, OSBOURN PARK 3.
HALFTIME STATS: The much anticipated halftime numbers, courtesy of Joe Conroy.
RUSHING: Woodbridge, Zayd Hamilton 2-29, Jaylen Avent 13-27. Osbourn Park, Dominique Terrell 9-25.
PASSING: Woodbridge, Frank Buckley 6-14-1, 132 yards, 1TD. Osbourn Park, Dominique Terrell 1-7-1, 1 yard
RECEIVING: Woodbridge, Michael Herrity 2-57, Collin Frazer 2-56. Osbourn Park, Travis Marion 1-1.
The No. 1 ranked defense in the state has allowed 202 yards, but only six points.
OP has 32 yards of total offense
BLOG UPDATE: Osbourn Park has first possession of the second half and is making some noise as Terrell just broke free for a 51-yard gain. The Jackets are threatening to take the lead with a 1st and 10 at the 19.
SCORE UPDATE: Gary Jackson scores on a 19-yard run. OP has its first lead of the game at 10-6 with 10:29 remaining in the third quarter.
BLOG UPDATE: The Vikings may have to attempt a comeback without Frazer, who was injured again during OP’s scoring drive. He is being examined by trainers on the Woodbridge bench. In addition to being Woodbridge’s best defensive player, he is also the team’s primary kick returner and a top receiver.
BLOG UPDATE: Without Frazer on the field, the Vikings appear to have lost their swagger. OP’s defense forced a punt and the Jackets have possession at midfield with a chance to put this game away.
BLOG UPDATE: The Vikings are self destructing. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty just gave OP a first down at the 30 yard line. Woodbridge doesn’t look much like a 10-0 team right now. Maybe that’s because OP has the No. 1 ranked defense in the state.
SCORE UPDATE: Dominique Terrell just found Travis Marion for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Suddenly, the Yellow Jackets are unstoppable. At least, Terrell is. We are seeing why he has a dozen or so Division I college scholarship offers. It’s 16-6 OP with 6:46 remaining in the third quarter. Start getting ready for Battlefield.
BLOG UPDATE: Collin Frazer has his helmet back on and is back on the sideline. He is not taking the field, however, with the offense, which suddenly can’t move the ball against OP’s top-ranked defense, which just forced a fumble. Marion recovered and the Jackets are back in business. This game is OVER folks. OP’s going to the region finals.
BLOG UPDATE: Woodbridge has turned the ball over four times, twice on punts. Good playoff teams do a much better job hanging onto the ball.
SCORE UPDATE: The Yellow Jackets have done it again with a Zach Roy 27-yard field goal and are on the verge of handing Woodbridge its first loss of the season with a 19-6 lead. Of course, the Vikings played nobody of consequence during the regular season so 10-0 was probably a bit deceiving, anyway. Only two teams on the Vikings’ schedule reached the postseason and Colonial Forge was bounced in the opening round.
BLOG UPDATE: The No. 1 ranked defense in the state just picked off another pass. That’s five turnovers—three for OP’s defense and two for the special teams unit. The Vikings’ meltdown is now complete.
BLOG UPDATE: Woodbridge’s Jaylen Avent just intercepted his second pass of the night. For some reason, the Jackets felt compelled to throw the ball with a 13-point lead. Wierd. You’d think they’d want to run out the clock by keeping the ball on the ground. The Vikings have the ball at their own 39 yard line.
BLOG UPDATE: Collin Frazer is back on the field. 38.1 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
END THIRD QUARTER: OSBOURN PARK 19, WOODBRIDGE 6
BLOG UPDATE: Decision time. The Vikings face 4th down at the 34 yard line. 8:38 remaining. The No. 1 ranked defense in the state comes up with a stop and the Jackets can now pretty much run out the clock—if they keep the ball on the ground.
BLOG UPDATE: The Jackets used up about two minutes. Good for them. But they eventually had to punt it away again. Still, it’s looking pretty good for OP. The Vikings have to go 87 yards against the No. 1 ranked defense in the state. That’s not going to happen tonight.
BLOG UPDATE: The No. 1 ranked defense in the state can now start preparing for Bo Revell.
BLOG UPDATE: Woodbridge just turned the ball over again. Six turnovers in a playoff game by a 10-0 team. Really? That is just bad football.
FINAL SCORE: OSBOURN PARK 19, WOODBRIDGE 6. BRING ON THE BOBCATS
Posted by Dave Utnik at 08:35 PM. Filed under:
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