By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C.
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It may not have been the shutout the Hornets buzzed about for 46 minutes on Friday — a late seven-yard touchdown run by Wildcat quarterback Cam Walter burst that bubble — but Herndon made believers of many with its 21-7 home win over Centreville.
“We’ve been close to it all year,” said Hornet Coach Joe Schaeffer, whose team was 2 minutes, 8 seconds away from Herndon’s largest shutout victory since the season finale in 2006. “Our defense has been doing what we’re preaching: We’re not giving up big plays. And we feel like if we can do that, we can stay in the game and not give up many points.
“They’re working hard for [the shutout], we just ran out of gas there at the end. … They want it.”
Added senior defensive end Jake Feldman: “We wanted it bad, that’s what we’ve been working for in every game. We’ve come so close, we just can’t get it. But we’ll get it next game.”
The Hornets (3-1 overall, 1-0 Concorde District) forced seven turnovers on nine Wildcat possessions — three on downs, three on fumbles and the last on an interception by junior Randell Anane, which he returned 40 yards to the Wildcat 17-yard line.
All 21 Herndon points came off those turnovers, and the defense – which allowed Langley senior David Helmer to rush 35 times for 159 yards and a touchdown in their only loss last week – held Centreville (1-3, 0-1) to 29 yards on 12 carries in the first half.
“This was a team effort,” said Feldman, who recorded a sack, fumble recovery and even a pass defended. “The DBs can’t do anything without the d-line and the d-line can’t do anything without the DBs.
“We provide the pressure; they provide the coverage.”
Added Centreville Coach Gerry Pannoni: “We had opportunities and we didn’t take advantage of them. You can’t just not score when you have the opportunities.”
With its defense holding firm, the Hornet offense played frugal football, only turning the ball over twice in 10 possessions, both occurring in Wildcat territory.
Junior quarterback Zack Ozycz was a perfect 9-for-9 through the air for 169 yards and a 13-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Jake Stewart.
Junior running back Devon Thompson, meanwhile, paced the ground game with a game-high 76 yards on 13 carries and two scores.
“We’ve been working hard at practice before the games come up,” Thompson said. “Everybody has been clapping it up on the sidelines. And now everyone has to be louder and more hyped the whole game.”
Said Schaeffer: “It didn’t matter who we were going to play, we had to play well tonight. … If we’re going to try to compete for the district championship, we had to win this game.”
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
Centreville 0 0 0 7 — 7
Herndon 7 0 0 14 — 21
1Q – HN – Thompson 20 run (Eftekhari kick)
4Q – HN – Thompson 5 run (Eftekhari kick)
4Q – HN – Stewart 13 pass from Ozycz (Eftekhari kick)
4Q – CV – Walter 7 run (Eftekhari kick)
Team Leaders
Passing
CV – Walter – 19-for-29 passing, 199 yds, INT. HN – Ozycz- 9-for-9 passing, 169 yds, TD.
Rushing
CV – Walter – 18 carries, 76 yards, TD; Conway – 12 carries, 55 yards. HN – Thompson – 13 carries, 76 yards, 2 TD; Moore – 15 carries, 60 yards; Ozycz- 12 carries, 35 yards.
Receiving
CV – Denny – 7 receptions, 100 yards; Glatter – 5 receptions, 64 yards; Conway – 3 receptions, 18 yards. HN – Stewart – 3 receptions, 70 yards, TD; Leach – 1 reception, 32 yards; T. Johnson – 3 receptions, 29 yards.
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