The two high-school football teams — Broad Run and Potomac Falls — set to meet in this Friday night’s Region II, Division 4 championship game in Ashburn met earlier this season.
That contest ended in a lopsided 38-0 Broad Run home win, a victory that helped the Spartans secure their second-straight Dulles District crown.
Potomac Falls, which has experienced a breakthrough season this fall, looked like an overwhelmed team that night and a squad lacking big-game experience.
The Panthers should be revved up to play a better game when they travel to Broad Run again with a state playoff berth on the line. But they will have to be at the top of their game in order to have a chance of defeating the defending district champs.
<b>BOTH BROAD</b> Run and Potomac Falls went into that late season game Oct. 24 with perfect 7-0 records. The two teams realized going in that the winner would be the clear front runner for the district title.
But it was the Spartans’ night as they built a 35-0 lead by halftime and coasted to the win.
Following that game, Potomac Falls coach Scott Woodlief said his team lost the game at the line of scrimmage.
"They won the battle of the trenches, they beat us up front," Woodlief said. "It was two good football teams playing. …They jumped on us so quick and then continued to roll."
Broad Run coach Mike Burnett said, following his team’s win that night, that his team had experienced an outstanding week of practice leading up to the contest. And the Spartans, during the game, looked like a fine-tuned machine as they ran the football effectively on offense (196 yards rushing) while their defense shut down a good Panthers’ offense, which was held in check with 38 rushing yards.
<b>IT WAS A</b> game in which Broad Run running backs TJ Peeler and Breon Earl continually ran for huge chunks of yardage behind a Spartan offensive line that was firing off the ball. Earl ran for three touchdowns and Peeler two, all five of them coming in the first half.
"Our backs really had a heck of a night," Burnett said. "TJ and Breon were up for the game and really ran hard."
Earl said afterwards that Broad Run was determined to start the game out fast and the Spartans did so by driving for a touchdown on their first drive. Earl capped the possession off with a 20-yard scoring run off a pitchout play.
"We knew if we could score on our first drive, the fans would get into it and we’d win," Earl said.
It was a dominant night for the home team Spartans and it all started with their ability to move Potomac Falls’ defensive line backwards.
"I told our guys Broad Run would try to test us up front and if we didn’t stop it, they’d continue to do it," Woodlief said. "I don’t think we made tackles. We just didn’t play fundamental football tonight."
<b>WHILE POTOMAC</b> Falls had a difficult time running the football that night, it had marginal success throwing as senior quarterback Greg Woodlief completed nine passes for 130 yards.
Coach Woodlief, Greg’s father, was pleased that his team kept playing hard that game right to the end.
"Tonight was a test of adversity," he said afterwards.
Since the loss, Potomac Falls has won three straight, including last week’s playoff game victory over James Wood. But Broad Run has continued to roll as well.
The first meeting this season was a blowout Broad Run win. This Friday night, Potomac Falls will have a chance to see just how far it has come since that tough setback.