Ashburn, Va. — Most high school football coaches will tell you that in order to win in November and December, you need to be able to establish the run, play good defense, and take care of the football. The Stone Bridge High School football team did just that in their Black Friday matinee on November 25 in Ashburn.
Led by junior running back Troy Marquez and senior quarterback Zeke Wimbush, the Bulldogs rushed for 201 yards and six touchdowns; held Mountain View to -12 yards rushing; and snagged three interceptions to dominate the VHSL Region 5D Championship, 42-0, earning yet another trip to the VHSL Class 5 State playoffs.
“I was really impressed by our guys, and I can’t be any happier with how we played,” Stone Bridge head coach Mickey Thompson said. “We came out in the first half and our defense, offense, and special teams were really on it. That’s where we want to be when we make a run at the end.”
[adrotate banner=”46″]Less than two minutes into the game, Stone Bridge was already on the board as Wimbush carried in a keeper from six yards out.
“It feels great that we’re hitting our stride at the right time,” Wimbush said. “We wanted to get on Mountain View early and keep our foot on the gas, and that’s what we were able to do.”
Following their first score, the Bulldogs certainly kept their foot on the gas as Wimbush scored six minutes later on a 3-yard touchdown run. Less than two minutes after that, Marquez added a 23-yard touchdown run as the Bulldogs had created a 20-0 lead before the end of the first quarter.
The 20-0 lead proved unnecessary as the Stone Bridge defense was determined to keep the Wildcats off the board.
I’m excited about the win, but now, it’s on to Highland Springs. I’m locked back in.
—Stone Bridge senior defensive end Micah Smith
Following a three-and-out on the first Mountain View series of the game—which resulted in -15 rushing yards—the Wildcats gained just 4 yards on their second series.
Mountain View started to move the ball a little bit more late in the first quarter, but their third drive ended with an interception on the second play of the second quarter.
“The way the defense played set a tone for the whole game,” Thompson said. “Mountain View had a hard time getting positive yards.”
Led defensively by senior linebacker Jakob Lawyer, senior defensive end Micah Smith, and senior defensive lineman Liyu Yang, the Bulldogs created pressure after pressure as the Wildcats rushed for -12 yards on 18 carries and went 13-for-32 through the air, including three interceptions.
The Stone Bridge defensive effort was highlighted early in the fourth quarter when Lawyer tackled Mountain View in their own endzone to force a safety and put the game completely out of reach at 42-0.
For the fifth straight season, Stone Bridge hoists the region championship trophy, and for the fifth time in eight years, the Bulldogs will tango with the Highland Springs Springers in the state playoffs.
“I love these games,” Thompson said. “We finally got our share of wins, and now, it’s really a rivalry, where before we were struggling for that respect. I’m just looking forward to playing them.”
The Springers beat the Bulldogs in the 2015, 2016, and 2018 Class 5 State championship games, but the Bulldogs have had more success of late, defeating Highland Springs in the 2020 Class 5 State championship and a 2021 Class 5 State semifinal.
“I’m excited about the win, but now, it’s on to Highland Springs,” Stone Bridge senior defensive end Micah Smith said. “I’m locked back in.”
Mike Ferrara captured 250+ photos at the game!
Scoring Plays
| Period | Time | Team | Play | Score |
| 1Q | 10:07 | Stone Bridge | Zeke Wimbush 6-yard TD run (Dylan Dastejerdi PAT) | 7-0 |
| 1Q | 3:53 | Stone Bridge | Zeke Wimbush 3-yard TD run (Dylan Dastejerdi PAT) | 14-0 |
| 1Q | 2:07 | Stone Bridge | Troy Marquez 23-yard TD run (PAT blocked) | 20-0 |
| 2Q | 9:55 | Stone Bridge | Zeke Wimbush 2-yard TD run (2pt failed) | 26-0 |
| 2Q | 7:47 | Stone Bridge | Tyson Miller 12-yard TD run (Dylan Dastejerdi PAT) | 33-0 |
| 3Q | 6:12 | Stone Bridge | Colton Hinton 52-yard TD run (Dylan Dastejerdi PAT) | 40-0 |
| 4Q | 11:05 | Stone Bridge | Jakob Lawyer safety | 42-0 |
1 Comment
Great article Owen!