Sideline Report This Week in Northern Region Football
Sideline Report This Week in Northern Region Football
Westfield celebrates its 58-34 victory over West Springfield High School in the Northern Region championship.
(By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Virginia AAA Division 6 Semifinal
No. 2 Westfield (13-0) at Oscar Smith (13-0)
in Chesapeake, Saturday, 3 p.m.
Last meeting: None.
Last time in state semis: Westfield beat Hylton 24-14 in 2003. Oscar Smith has advanced for the first time.
The winner: Advances to face the Woodbridge-Hermitage winner in the state final at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.
Of note: Oscar Smith's field is named after three graduates who played in the NFL: Ed Beard (linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers from 1965-72), Steve DeLong (defensive lineman for the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears from 1965-72) and Kenny Easley (safety with the Seahawks from 1981-87).
Westfield Coach Tom Verbanic's assessment of Oscar Smith: "Extremely athletic," he said with a chuckle.
It's not just coachspeak. The Tigers, with a big-play offense and attacking defense, boast three Division I receivers -- Todd Harrelson (North Carolina), Kerry Boykins (Maryland) and Jamal Wilson (Marshall or Northern Illinois, his coach said).
A fourth receiver, junior Tim Smith, is receiving similar attention, giving sophomore quarterback Phillip Sims plenty of targets and senior running back Lonnie Andrews ample help.
That receiving quartet also makes up the secondary and returns kicks. Oscar Smith Coach Richard Morgan said his team has scored about 10 touchdowns on special teams this season.
This much is certain: If Westfield players exit the field to the sound of bells, they lost. One of the Tigers' traditions is to huddle near the "victory bell" after a game, and each player rings it after a win. An older bell cracked, apparently from too much ringing in recent years. Oscar Smith won 61 of its past 70 games.
The trip of more than 200 miles to Chesapeake is one that some Westfield players have taken before. The Bulldogs scrimmaged at Oscar Smith in 2005, the kind of preseason road trip that Verbanic likes to schedule just to give his players a taste of what it's like to travel a long distance to a playoff game. Because of that distance, the starting time for Saturday's game was changed to 3 p.m. from 1:30.
