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Sports

Stephen Trivieri is Stone Bridge's Canadian Express

Toronto import has adjusted well to life in Ashburn and on American football fields.

The Stone Bridge football team faced a formidable task entering the 2011 season. The offense returned just one starter from the talented and senior-laden unit that led the Bulldogs to the state finals last year. Gone were the likes of Marcus Harris, a workhorse running back who compiled more than 2,000 rushing yards in each of the last two seasons, and all-everything wide receiver, kicker and kick returner Spenser Rositano.

The missing pieces were evident during the first few games of the season. The Bulldog offense slogged through a 3-0 win over Robinson, and lost a game at Chantilly after piling up more turnovers than points in the game's fourth quarter. The offense needed someone to emerge as a leader, and fast.

Then, like an Alberta clipper plunging across the Great Lakes, senior running back Stephen Trivieri exploded onto the scene. A recent arrival to Ashburn after his family moved to the United States from Canada, Trivieri was a solid contributor during the first three games of the season. But against cross-town rival Broad Run, Trivieri delivered a flurry of touchdowns and highlight reel runs to lead Stone Bridge's improbable comeback victory over the Spartans. That performance cemented Trivieri as the Bulldogs’ primary offensive weapon, and helped turn the team’s fortunes, and season, around.

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"When we first started [this season], Stephen did not complain, he just wanted to know what he could do to get onto the field," said Bulldog coach Mickey Thompson, "He stayed with it, kept working, and when he got in games, we started to say ‘wow, look at what he did there, look at the cut he made there.’"

Thompson and his coaching staff aren't the only ones saying "wow" about Trivieri these days.

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Born in the town of Whitby, Ontario – which coincidentally has its own community called Ashburn – Trivieri most recently lived in Toronto before making the trek stateside. Like many kids growing up in Canada, Trivieri played hockey, but quickly took to football once he started playing for a club team in the sixth grade. After trying various positions for several teams, Trivieri found his niche at running back during his sophomore year at Lawrence Park High School, where he helped lead the Panthers to a 9-0 record and a city championship.

"Football in Canada is pretty big, and it's getting bigger," said Trivieri about his experiences playing the sport as a youth. "I like hockey, but I like football a lot more. I'd like to succeed and go further in football than hockey."

In addition to the change in latitude, Trivieri has had to adjust to the differences between the Canadian and American versions of football. The Canadian field is longer and wider, with twelve players on the field for each side compared to eleven in the U.S. Offenses get three downs per series in Canada as opposed to four in the American game, and rumor has it that the only singer permitted during breaks in action in Canada is Celine Dion (Note: Out of respect for his homeland, I did not ask Trivieri to confirm or deny this rumor).

But these differences are not what Trivieri has noticed most during his inaugural campaign in the U.S. brand of football.

"The main differences are the coaching and the determination of everyone on the team. From training camp I could tell it wasn't necessarily the skill set of players, it was how everyone was so much closer together and working hard for everyone."

Whatever the differences may be, Trivieri has adjusted well. The hard-running Canuck has eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground this season, including at least 100 yards rushing in five of the Bulldogs last six games. The standout performances by the Canadian expat are starting to garner a lot of attention, including that of NBC 4 celebrity newscaster Hakem Dermish, who is preparing a feature on Trivieri that will run this Friday.

Even with his attention grabbing performances, Trivieri remains grounded and focused on team goals during his one and only chance at American high school football.

"We have a really great group of guys playing football here, a really strong team. It would be a crazy experience if we could win states after moving here and playing one season."

This week, the Bulldogs head to Fairfax High School to play to the Rebels (6-3).

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