Woodbridge's Defense Gets Its Due

Interception Return Caps Easy Victory: No. 9 Woodbridge 50, Potomac (Va.) 21

Woodbridge lineman Austin Brown walked slowly off the field and plopped down on a steel bench Friday night, nodding his head as the crowd behind him chanted his name.

The black face paint smeared on his cheeks was running in all directions, and his bulky arms were covered in maroon scratches, green blades of grass and red specks of blood. Teammates and coaches approached Brown and slapped him on the shoulder pads and bumped their chests with his.

Brown soaked in the moment. He had just scored his first career touchdown while showcasing his versatility as a defender: He had bulled into the backfield, swatted down an attempted pass, caught the ball and taken it 16 yards into the end zone. The play had put the finishing touches on ninth-ranked Woodbridge's 50-21 victory over visiting Potomac (Va.) in what was both teams' Cardinal District opener.

As cheers rained down, Brown -- and the Woodbridge players, for that matter -- had finally gotten at least a measure of the credit they deserved.

"Our defense is fast. Our defense is strong," Brown said. "We're always watching film. Every day at lunch, we're all watching film. It's a very dedicated group."

Although Woodbridge (6-0, 1-0) has grabbed attention behind a prolific offense led by running back De'Antwan Williams, who rushed for a career-high 318 yards and five touchdowns against Potomac (4-2, 0-1), the team's defense has quietly thrived. The Vikings have given up 37 points this season, and their starters had not yielded any points until Friday night.

Brown (6-foot-2, 280 pounds) has led that defense, which has nine starters back from last year's unit, which helped Woodbridge advance to the Virginia AAA Division 6 title game.

"I'm not happy about giving up points, but more than that I know the kids aren't happy about getting scored on," Woodbridge Coach Keith King said. "When those kids come off the field, they're livid. They're extremely mad. That's the kind of mentality they have, and that's the kind of mentality they need to have."

Woodbridge's defense also allows its offense flexibility. Four times the Vikings went for it on fourth down during the first three quarters, twice in their territory. The Viking defense had two interceptions and forced a fumble.

"I'd rather get scored on now than later in the season," Brown said. "We're playing well, but there are always ways to improve."