LIVE Updates - Westfield (7-0) at Centreville (6-1)

[matthew328826]

It's a big battle in Northern Virginia tonight between two longtime Concorde District rivals playing for a chance at the top seed in Class 6, Region D as the Centreville Wildcats at 6-1 overall play host to the unbeaten, reigning two-time State Champion Westfield Bulldogs (7-0).

Follow along for updates and via Twitter @ hatfieldsports ...

 

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[matthew328826]

Three second half takeaways by Centreville propelled the Wildcats to a comeback road win over South Lakes a month ago. Their defense comes up with a huge takeaway on Westfield's first offensive possession, in Wildcats territory.



Couldn't quite tell who had the hit, but looked to me like #11 Nick Kuzemka.

 

[matthew328826]

Excellent sweep play for Jordan Wright of Centreville, gaining 13 yards into Westfield territory following a penalty by the Bulldogs. Cashing in on this turnover is important, so much so that Coach Chris Haddock burned an early time-out to get the right play in.

 

[matthew328826]

On third down, Centreville goes deep and they draw a pass interference with Taylor Morin - the usually rock solid defender on the back end for Westfield - flagged trying to defend Sean Tilliard. Better that Morin gives up a PI than a TD.

However, it's the second 15-yard penalty for Westfield in the opening quarter and now Centreville has it at the 25-yard line of the Bulldogs.

 

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[matthew328826]

Westfield begins its second series at their own 18-yard line and QB Noah Kim finds Taylor Morin, who shows his toughness by gaining 14 off the screen, dragging a defender with him as he moves the chain.

The drive stalls on third down when sophomore defensive end Kalin Jean of Centreville drives Westfield ball carrier Eugene Asante backwards for a loss of 2. Bulldogs punt.

 

[matthew328826]

Centreville is doing an nice job offensively of mixing it up on the ground with Jordan Wright and Bassie Kanu as well as using the flats while not being afraid to take a shot, which they've done twice deep down the field (once resulting in a penalty).

We'll be looking at 3rd & 7 from the Westfield 39 with under a minute left in the opening period.

 

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Officials call for a holding penalty and then an unsportsmanlike, which was Anunay celebrating after his tremendous TD catch.

That backs Centreville back to their own 28-yard line. Stings severely and flips field position in Westfield's favor.

 

[matthew328826]

Kanu runs for 9 on the draw play on the 3rd & forever... then Griffin Greer with bout a 40-yard punt.

Westfield begins its third possession with just over 10 minutes to go, from their own 22 yard line.

 

[matthew328826]

Timing is just off by a hair for Westfield as they go 3 and out on their third possession. Noah Kim is moving well in the pocket, but he misses a receiver by a hair and they can't pop off a big play with Taylor Morin, Gavin Kiley or RB Eugene Asante just yet. You sense it's coming though if their defense can force a quick three and out.

 

[matthew328826]

Centreville goes 3 and out on their fourth series that starts at their own 37-yard line. DE Nolan Cockrill and LB Israel McClain were strong on that sequence.

Taylor Morin fields the punt at the 29-yard line with 9:08 left in the second period.

Consecutive quick 3 and outs. These two defenses are bringing it tonight.

 

[matthew328826]

Eugene Asante breaks off a 21-yard play and that's the drive starter that Kyle Simmons and his Bulldogs were looking for to break this scoreless tie in the second period.

Noah Kim goes to TE Nolan Cockrill, the All-State utility performer, who puts forth a bit of a Rob Gronkowski as he runs forward with power and a stiff-arm on his way to gaining 16 yards down to the Centreville 30.

The Bulldgs look sharp on this drive.

 

[matthew328826]

Kim did a superb job that drive of spraying the ball to different receivers - Nolan Cockrill, Taylor Morin (15-yarder down to the 2 set up his QB's TD run) and Bizzet Woodley - in putting his Bulldogs out in front on the road.

Woodley had a juggling catch for just a gain of 2, but also converted a key 3rd & 4 from the 24 of Centreville with a pick up of 7 yards.

That was a drive where the Bulldogs used the run play by Asante to set up the passing game, which is now in command after Centreville was probably throwing the ball a smidge more effectively with Presley Egbers prior to that scoring drive.

 

[matthew328826]

Westfield's defense is doing a really good job on first and second down of getting stops. But Centreville has converted third downs at a solid rate in this first half. Now can they finish the drive?

That post pattern was run real well by Anunay. This is the Wildcats second trip into the red zone on their fifth possession of the night. Penalties (4 for 43 yards) have kept them from scoring thus far.

 

[matthew328826]

A bad snap on 2nd down that resulted in Presley Egbers basically falling on it and forward for just a yard put Centreville in another 3rd down. They were fortunate the pass on 3rd down didn't get picked off as Gavin Kiley almost came up with it...

We've seen the Wildcats move the ball on Westfield's defense fairly well, better than most, but finishing the drive and scoring on them has been a chore.

 

[matthew328826]

I've been thoroughly impressed with how Kim has performed in this second quarter - he's completed eight straight passes after a 1 for 3 start to this game. He's hit Taylor Morin four times, Bizzet Woodley three and twice found TE Nolan Cockrill, who is a major matchup problem for any defense with his ability to run and catch at his size.

Westfield with 1:04 until the half is at the Centreville 14-yard line with a fresh set of downs.

 

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Centreville finally gets a pass rush with Kenny Wilson coming across the blind-side of Kim to make him hurry the third down throw. FG coming for Westfield.

 

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Tough break for Westfield to orchestrate its 2-minute offense about as well as they had hoped, then see a 30-yard field goal go wide.

The past few years, that would've been pretty much an automatic kick from Brian Delaney, the All-State kicker who graduated and moved on to the University of Virginia.

So we go to the break with Westfield up 7-3, but Centreville probably feeling good that the deficit wasn't more. It will be Westfield's football to begin the second half.

 

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[matthew328826]

Stats at the Half...

Westfield 7:
Noah Kim - 9-13 for 90Yds; 2Car. 4Yds. TD
Eugene Asante - 12Car. 76Yds.
Taylor Morin - 4Rec. 43Yds.
Bizzet Woodley - 3Rec. 14Yds.
Nolan Cockrill - 2Rec. 33Yds.
Dylan Winesett - 7 Total Tackles (2 Solo)
Darby Macon - 5 Total Tackles (2 Solo)
Russ Steinhilber - 4 Total Tackles

Bulldogs with 27 plays for 170 yards (90 pass yards, 80 rush yards on 14 carries); 1 turnover on a lost fumble; 3 penalties for 45 yards.

Centreville 3:
Presley Egbers - 6-11 for 72 pass yards
Bassie Kanu - 7Car. 29Yds; 3Rec. 27Yds.
Jordan Wright - 3Car. 16Yds.
Keenan Anunay - 2Rec. 43Yds.
Deondre Edmonds - 4 Total Tackles, Fumble Recovery
Kalin Jean - 3 Total Tackles, 1.5TFL

Wildcats with 27 plays for 123 yards (72 pass yards, 51 rush yards on 16 carries); 0 turnovers; 4 penalties for 43 yards.

 

[matthew328826]

Westfield begins at its own 13 to start the second half. Keenan Anunay and Tre Maxwell with two solid hits to begin the third period for Centreville's defense.

But on 3rd & 9 from their own 14. Noah Kim rolls right and then fires it to Gavin Kiley for an 86-yard touchdown pass. Kiley got the defender to bite, thinking it would be a bubble screen and then was gone.

That is a sock to the gut to Centreville. And it's the score Westfield was looking for before the half. They get an important one to gain some breathing room against their archrival.

 

[matthew328826]

A much-needed, solid drive being put together by Centreville. But they've done this throughout the night and only have 3 points to show for it so far.

On that run by Wright - credit to Westfield's Israel McClain for the stop. Ordinarily against most teams, that would've been a TD run of about 49 yards. But Westfield just doesn't miss tackles, at least they seldom do.

 

[matthew328826]

Credit Westfield's Gavin Kiley for that fumble recovery after the hit Cockrill laid on Anunay, who is being helped off by the Centreville training staff.

Cockrill is such a force for Westfield - he's caught a couple of passes, been a disruptive player setting the edge on defense and then he's also been involved on a special teams tackle. He's Mr. Utility for the Bulldogs.

 

[matthew328826]

How about Kim tonight - 12 of 16 for 233 yards passing, 2 touchdowns through the air and a TD run.

Westfield is now starting to pull away in this one.

5:42 left 3rdQ - Westfield 20, Centreville 3.

 

[matthew328826]

Centreville's offense, minus Anunay, goes 3 and out.

This Westfield defensive front with Nolan Cockrill, Darby Macon, Dakota Beach and Davonte Roberts has been extremely impactful against a very large Centreville o-line, not allowing the Wildcats to push them around at all.

Westfield takes over at its own 49, leading 20-3 following Griffin Greer's punt.

Centreville has 3 trips inside the Westfield 25 yard line tonight with just 3 points to show.

 

[matthew328826]

Simply put, Cockrill is a BEAST.

Other teams around Class 6 will take offense to this - and they definitely have the right to - but the two best two-way guys I've seen this year are Josh Sarratt from Colonial Forge and Nolan Cockrill from Westfield. Would be a fun matchup with those two in the State Final, should it take place in December...

 

[matthew328826]

Asante is now at 17 carries for 94 yards and a TD to go with Kim's exceptional evening of 15 of 19 passing for 263 yards, 2TD's and a TD run.

 

[matthew328826]

Kim is a sophomore QB for those wondering. So Northern VA defenses will have fun - not really - dealing with him the next two years.

Good to note that Keenan Anunay has returned for Centreville after the tough hit from Nolan Cockrill.

 

[matthew328826]

That time it was a Westfield 15-yard penalty extending the Centreville drive and a really terrific scramble by Presley Egbers for the TD.

It's a two-possession game now. They need a quick three-and-out forced by their defense to have a chance at a rally. Westfield's offense has been pretty unstoppable so far in this second half. Too early to try an onside kick in my opinion.

 

[matthew328826]

Centreville's defense with a good stop, sending Westfield backwards on 2nd down thanks to Nick Kuzemka and Tre Maxwell. Then on 3rd down, the near-flawless Kim sees his pass on an out pattern bounce off that of an intended receiver.

That not only gets the ball back for the Wildcats, but it stops the clock. Good move by Coach Haddock not to try the onside kick, which wasn't needed there. Now, depending on the next series and how quickly they score - should they do so - an onside try could come into play.

 

[matthew328826]

Pocket collapses with that stout d-line of Westfield and Presley Egbers had nowhere to go practically. The Westfield defense with a Championship-level sequence there after the score by the Wildcats and 3 and out.

Westfield takes over with under 6 minutes to go at their own 38 yard line.

 

[matthew328826]

Now it's time for the Westfield offensive line - anchored by veteran center Brian Jewel and Army commit Harmon Saint Germain - to salt this game away as the Bulldogs lead it 27-11 with time ticking down in the 4th quarter and Centreville now needing to burn time-outs to stop the clock.

Eugene Asante rips off a 7-yard run and then a time-out by C'ville is called.

 

[matthew328826]

Woodley has become a reliable target for Kim, complementing the weapon in the middle of the field of Cockrill as well as outside the hash threats Gavin Kiley and Taylor Morin.

 

[matthew328826]

Eugene Asante has a knack for getting in the hole, then hitting the 'B' button (that's a spin move) as the kids would say on the Madden video game. Asante up to 22 rushes for 128 yards after his latest puts Westfield inside the 5 with under three minutes to go in this one, the Bulldogs ahead comfortably 27-11.

 

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Curiously, Westfield decides with under 2 minutes to go to throw the ball on 2nd & Goal from the 3. It's incomplete. Then Asante, who has some nice footwork, gets a bit too fancy. Loses 7 as Tre Maxwell brings him down at the 10.

Can't say enough about the job of this Westfield offensive line. Those guys up front have given Kim a clean pocket and the running room for Asante to do his thing as well.

The Bulldogs have to like their chances of closing out the regular season 10-0 - I know, they have two more regular season games to go - and securing the No. 1 seed for Region D in Class 6.

 

[matthew328826]

Some quick numbers...

Noah Kim with 279 pass yards on 16 of 22, two touchdown strikes through the air, another rushing score

Eugene Asante runs for 115 yards and a score on 24 carries.

Centreville 2 of 7 on third downs in the first half; 1 of 3 on third downs in the second half.

 

[matthew328826]

Final Stats:

Westfield 27: (8-0 Overall)
Noah Kim - 16-22 for 279Yds. 2-0TD/Int. ratio; 3Car. 7Yds. TD
Eugene Asante - 24Car. 115Yds. TD
Bizzet Woodley - 5Rec. 87Yds. TD
Gavin Kiley - 2Rec. 86Yds. TD
Nolan Cockrill - 3Rec. 58Yds; 5 Tackles (3 Solo)
Taylor Morin - 4Rec. 43Yds; 4 Tackles (3 Solo)
Aron Dishun - 9 Tackles (4 Solo)
Dylan Winesett - 8 Tackles (2 Solo)
Davonte Roberts - 7 Tackles (2 Solo)
Dakota Beach - 6 Tackles (4 Solo), Sack

Bulldogs = 51 plays for 416 total yards (29Car. 137Yds; 16-22 for 279 pass yards, no intercepts); 6 penalties for 79 yards; 1 turnover on lost fumble


Centreville 11: (6-2 Overall)
Presley Egbers - 11-19 for 94Yds; 5Car. 11Yds. TD
Jordan Wright - 9Car. 67Yds; TFL
DaeQuan Williams-Person - 7Car. 55Yds.
Bassie Kanu - 10Car. 35Yds; 5Rec. 29Yds.
Keenan Anunay - 3Rec. 51Yds; 4 Tackles
Sean Tilliard - 2Rec. 12Yds.
Tre Maxwell - 7 Tackles (5 Solo), 1.5TFL
Deondre Edmonds - 6 Tackles (5 Solo), 0.5TFL, Fumble Recovery
Nick Anderson - 6 Tackles (3 Solo)

Wildcats = 54 plays for 255 totla yards (35Car. 161Yds; 11-19 for 94 pass yards, no intercepts); 5 penalties for 53 yards; 1 turnover on lost fumble; 3-10 on third downs

 

[1amishfootballfan]

Thanks for covering this game Matthew. Reading this was just like being there (and I was).