By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area

**Click here to see other previews from around the region!**

West Springfield (4-3, 3-1) at W.T. Woodson (6-1, 3-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last Week: West Springfield beat Annandale, 30-27; Woodson beat T.C. Williams, 20-6
PowerPoints: West Springfield - 5th (Div. 6); W.T. Woodson - 1st (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): West Springfield - 6th (Div. 6); W.T. Woodson - 4th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): West Springfield - 11th (Div. 6); W.T. Woodson - 3rd (Div. 6)

With its dominant defensive effort at T.C. Williams Saturday and Robinson's overtime loss Monday, Woodson controls its own destiny for the top seed in Division 6.

The rain crippled the Cavaliers' offense against the Titans, but senior middle linebacker Josh Hogan anchored the stingy defense with a game-high 12 tackles, an interception, a fumble forced and a fumble recovery.

Junior outside linebacker Logan Hancock also had his signature on the win. He blitzed on virtually every down and finished with nine tackles, four for loss. T.C. Williams gained three yards on 34 plays in the second and third quarters combined.

But, this week, Woodson locks horns with West Springfield in a rematch of the record-breaking playoff game last year, a 72-47 Spartan win -- that's a 72-47, football win.

The 119 combined points were a record for the VHSL playoffs.

Spartan running back Dan Collins carried for 350 yards, as part of a 742-yard eruption for West Springfield's offense. That was 12 yards short of a single-game VHSL record.

The key for Cavalier success is slowing the Spartan passing game, with senior receiver T.J. O'Connell as its centerpiece. O'Connell has 39 grabs for 703 yards and five touchdowns this season, with averaging over 18 yards reception and over 100 yards per game.

That includes 361 yards in the last three games, 131 with two house calls last week in the rain.

With one-half of the two-quarterback system sidelined, junior quarterback Matt Prokop has proven more than capable as a solo act. He averaged 10.4 yards per attempt last week with the two aforementioned touchdown tosses. That will need to continue, as the Spartans have lost two defensive starters for the season.

He shares the spotlight with the midseason favorite for first-team all-region honors at quarterback, Woodson senior Connor Reilly. The rain drowned his streak of stellar starts last week, but he orchestrated the option more-than-effectively.

His handling of the West Springfield pass rush is key to moving the ball Friday.

The Cavaliers beat the Spartans in both ends of a home-and-home series in 1999 and 2000 before falling in last year's opening-round thriller.

Cute side note that some local paper will certainly beat to death: Woodson head coach Trey Taylor is a West Springfield graduate.

This probably should have been typed earlier, but I like how things flowed so far. Cavalier sophomore Jonathan Stokes is getting a heightened role in this offense, tallying 20 carries for 129 yards -- both game-high marks -- and a touchdown last week against the Titans.

Adding another weapon to that backfield isn't fair.

Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com