Sports
Ashburn Football: Bulldogs, Falcons Seek State Titles
Briar Woods welcomes Courtland at home, while Stone Bridge heads to Hanover; wins would send each team to championship.
Ashburn’s high school football fans are in for a treat Saturday, with Briar Woods facing a AA Division 4 state semifinal at home against Courtland High School, and Stone Bridge heading south to play Hanover High School in the AAA Division 5 semifinal. Wins would send the Bulldogs to the state championship for the fifth time in the eight years and the Falcons to a third straight championship in their respective divisions.
Briar Woods Welcomes Past Foe to Brambleton
The Briar Woods game kicks off in Brambleton at 1:30 p.m. The Falcons (13-0) enter the contest after thumping Loudoun County 31-0 to claim a third straight Region 2 championship. Courtland (9-4) comes to town after winning a tightly contested 18-15 Region 4 title game over Smithfield. The teams met in the state semifinals two years ago and Briar Woods overwhelmed the Cougars 52-8 en route to the school’s first state title. Expect a similar result today, with the experienced and talented veterans such as Cam Serigne, Trace McSorley, Trei Germany, Cory Colder and Darryll Gadsden vying for another crown.
Prediction: Briar Woods 45 Courtland 10.
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Stone Bridge Heads to Richmond to Face Mechanicsville
Meanwhile Stone Bridge (13-0) heads to Mechanicsville, just outside Richmond, for 4 p.m. showdown against the Hanover Hawks (9-3), a team that advanced to the state playoffs with a convincing 35-7 win over Hopewell High.
Directions to Hanover High and other game information can be found here.
Find out what's happening in Ashburnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Bulldogs faced perhaps their toughest challenge of the season last week with a wild 69-50 win over previously undefeated Yorktown High School. Expect the Bulldog defense – led by Alabama bound Jonathan Allen, who was just named the Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year – to come out angry and determined to top last week's performance. The Stone Bridge high-powered offense – led by quarterback Ryan Burns, running back Sterling Dailey, and wide receivers D'Ante Yarborough and Jimmy Higgins – will look to continue their explosive ways after notching a third 60-plus point scoring outburst this season in last week's win.
Prediction: Stone Bridge 52 Hanover 21.
Tickets to both games cost $10. Can't make it to the games? Follow me on Twitter, @locosportsbeat, for score updates and highlights; I'll be on the sidelines of the Stone Bridge game and updating both.