With many good games on the NOVA schedule I finally settled on checking out the Madison Warhawks (3-0) @ Stone Bridge Bulldogs (2-0) matchup. Stone Bridge is no stranger to success with 13 District Championships, 10 Regional Championships, 1 State Championship and 7 State Runner-ups in the 17 seasons since the school opened in 2000. Madison has seen a resurgence in their program – going 19-4 the last two seasons and defeated Stone Bridge last year in a 19-15 upset.
Stone Bridge won the coin toss and put together a nice drive into Madison territory highlighted by a couple of big receptions by #2 TE Mark Williams and #9 WR Daniel Thompson. A fumble at the Madison 26 yard line however ended the drive.
Madison opened their offensive game with a 16 play, 60 yard drive that finally stalled at the Stone Bridge 14 yard line. The Warhawks picked up four first downs with a mix of 8 runs and 7 passes. Madison #13 WR John Finney caught 3 passes on this drive. Madison’s field goal try was successful giving them a 3-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived. After a touchback, Stone Bridge’s first play was an 80-yard touchdown pass from #12 QB Mason Tatum to #9 Thompson. Stone Bridge 7 – Madison 3.
The Bulldog defense stopped Madison’s next drive, forcing a punt after two short runs and an incomplete pass.
With 1 minute remaining in the first quarter, Stone Bridge began their next drive on their 33-yard line. After two pass completions for first downs and a short run, the first quarter came to end. The first play of the second quarter resulted in an interception by Warhawk defender #1 Alex Jalloh. Jalloh had a decent return but a personal foul penalty pushed Madison back to their own 11-yard line.
Madison ran three times for a first down and a late hit out of bounds gave them another 15 yards. But an interception by the Bulldogs #31 Cole Gordon turned the ball back over to Stone Bridge.
Two plays after starting at the Madison 16-yard line, QB Tatum found #2 Williams in the end zone for a 12-yard TD. Stone Bridge 14 – Madison 3.
Madison found it difficult to solve the Bulldog defense as their next drive which started at the 29-yard line was another 3 and out.
Stone Bridge took over at their 46-yard line now with 8:09 remaining in the first half. After a first down incompletion, Tatum quickly found his rhythm, completing three consecutive passes – the last one being 31-yard touchdown to #9 Thompson. Stone Bridge 21 – Madison 3.
The Warhawk offense had some success on their next possession – helped by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Stone Bridge sideline. The 10 play drive – fueled by 6 runs – was stalled by 3 incomplete passes and an illegal procedure penalty. Madison was forced to punt again.
With about two minutes left in the half Stone Bridge passed their way into Madison territory but an incomplete pass left Madison with the ball on their own 29-yard line with 5 seconds left in the half. And so it ended.
The Warhawk offense got the ball first after intermission and immediately proceeded to put together an impressive 7 play, 70 yard drive – scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run by backup QB #2 Patrick Berry (Madison’s starting QB was injured last week and did not play). #13 Finney caught two long passes for first downs on this drive. Stone Bridge 21 – Madison 10.
Stone Bridge’s first possession of the second half was equally successful. It was an 8 play, 68 yard drive. After throwing the ball a very un-Stone-Bridge-like 21 times in the first half, the Bulldogs put the ball on the ground running their more familiar single-wing offense. #32 RB Josh Lawyer ran it in from 9 yards. Stone Bridge 28 – Madison 10.
Madison got the ball back and feeling the need to score quickly put the ball in the air with QB Berry completing three passes – including a long gainer to #15 WR Johnny Hecht. Madison ultimately turned the ball over on downs when a QB sack on a fourth-and-five play from the Stone Bridge 10-yard line ended the drive.
The Tatum to Thompson lightening then struck for a third time as the big and speedy TE overpowered the Warhawk defense and scored a 78-yard touchdown on a catch-and-run. Stone Bridge 35 – Madison 10.
Much to my surprise this ended the scoring. Madison’s next three drives were 3-and-out, interception (#31 Gordon again), 5 plays and punt. Stone Bridge’s next three possessions were 3-and-out, 8 plays and turnover on downs, 3-and-out.
Madison did get to the Stone Bridge goal line on their last drive of the game but an interception in the end zone left Stone Bridge with the ball on their 20-yard line with 12 seconds remaining in the game.
Final score: Stone Bridge 35 – Madison 10.
I thought Madison held their own in the trenches with Stone Bridge pretty well. But the Bulldogs speed and size in the skill positions was decisively superior. Was very impressed with the play of SB’s QB Mason Tatum. Stone Bridge #7 WR Tyrese Johnson + Williams and Thompson make a formidable receiving corps. Stone Bridge has no real weaknesses that I observed – honestly, this team compares favorably with the Centreville Wildcat team of 2013. I could easily see them going 15-0.
Madison has a very good football team. Their special teams were quite solid – excellent night of punting by #15 Hecht. They are going to win a lot of games this year and I would not be surprised to see them win the Concorde District. They just were outmatched by a dominant team this outing.
Stone Bridge won the coin toss and put together a nice drive into Madison territory highlighted by a couple of big receptions by #2 TE Mark Williams and #9 WR Daniel Thompson. A fumble at the Madison 26 yard line however ended the drive.
Madison opened their offensive game with a 16 play, 60 yard drive that finally stalled at the Stone Bridge 14 yard line. The Warhawks picked up four first downs with a mix of 8 runs and 7 passes. Madison #13 WR John Finney caught 3 passes on this drive. Madison’s field goal try was successful giving them a 3-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived. After a touchback, Stone Bridge’s first play was an 80-yard touchdown pass from #12 QB Mason Tatum to #9 Thompson. Stone Bridge 7 – Madison 3.
The Bulldog defense stopped Madison’s next drive, forcing a punt after two short runs and an incomplete pass.
With 1 minute remaining in the first quarter, Stone Bridge began their next drive on their 33-yard line. After two pass completions for first downs and a short run, the first quarter came to end. The first play of the second quarter resulted in an interception by Warhawk defender #1 Alex Jalloh. Jalloh had a decent return but a personal foul penalty pushed Madison back to their own 11-yard line.
Madison ran three times for a first down and a late hit out of bounds gave them another 15 yards. But an interception by the Bulldogs #31 Cole Gordon turned the ball back over to Stone Bridge.
Two plays after starting at the Madison 16-yard line, QB Tatum found #2 Williams in the end zone for a 12-yard TD. Stone Bridge 14 – Madison 3.
Madison found it difficult to solve the Bulldog defense as their next drive which started at the 29-yard line was another 3 and out.
Stone Bridge took over at their 46-yard line now with 8:09 remaining in the first half. After a first down incompletion, Tatum quickly found his rhythm, completing three consecutive passes – the last one being 31-yard touchdown to #9 Thompson. Stone Bridge 21 – Madison 3.
The Warhawk offense had some success on their next possession – helped by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Stone Bridge sideline. The 10 play drive – fueled by 6 runs – was stalled by 3 incomplete passes and an illegal procedure penalty. Madison was forced to punt again.
With about two minutes left in the half Stone Bridge passed their way into Madison territory but an incomplete pass left Madison with the ball on their own 29-yard line with 5 seconds left in the half. And so it ended.
The Warhawk offense got the ball first after intermission and immediately proceeded to put together an impressive 7 play, 70 yard drive – scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run by backup QB #2 Patrick Berry (Madison’s starting QB was injured last week and did not play). #13 Finney caught two long passes for first downs on this drive. Stone Bridge 21 – Madison 10.
Stone Bridge’s first possession of the second half was equally successful. It was an 8 play, 68 yard drive. After throwing the ball a very un-Stone-Bridge-like 21 times in the first half, the Bulldogs put the ball on the ground running their more familiar single-wing offense. #32 RB Josh Lawyer ran it in from 9 yards. Stone Bridge 28 – Madison 10.
Madison got the ball back and feeling the need to score quickly put the ball in the air with QB Berry completing three passes – including a long gainer to #15 WR Johnny Hecht. Madison ultimately turned the ball over on downs when a QB sack on a fourth-and-five play from the Stone Bridge 10-yard line ended the drive.
The Tatum to Thompson lightening then struck for a third time as the big and speedy TE overpowered the Warhawk defense and scored a 78-yard touchdown on a catch-and-run. Stone Bridge 35 – Madison 10.
Much to my surprise this ended the scoring. Madison’s next three drives were 3-and-out, interception (#31 Gordon again), 5 plays and punt. Stone Bridge’s next three possessions were 3-and-out, 8 plays and turnover on downs, 3-and-out.
Madison did get to the Stone Bridge goal line on their last drive of the game but an interception in the end zone left Stone Bridge with the ball on their 20-yard line with 12 seconds remaining in the game.
Final score: Stone Bridge 35 – Madison 10.
I thought Madison held their own in the trenches with Stone Bridge pretty well. But the Bulldogs speed and size in the skill positions was decisively superior. Was very impressed with the play of SB’s QB Mason Tatum. Stone Bridge #7 WR Tyrese Johnson + Williams and Thompson make a formidable receiving corps. Stone Bridge has no real weaknesses that I observed – honestly, this team compares favorably with the Centreville Wildcat team of 2013. I could easily see them going 15-0.
Madison has a very good football team. Their special teams were quite solid – excellent night of punting by #15 Hecht. They are going to win a lot of games this year and I would not be surprised to see them win the Concorde District. They just were outmatched by a dominant team this outing.
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