Atoms Reach New Heights

At 3 p.m. on many weekdays, Annandale senior quarterback Cason Kynes and his receivers report to their home field to get their timing and communication down.

There were times last night in the Atoms' 28-7 home victory over South County that must have resembled those workouts. Kynes threw four touchdown passes, two to promising sophomore Melvin Robinson, to lift the Atoms to a share of the Virginia AAA Patriot District title and push them into the Division 6 Northern Region playoffs on a five-game winning streak.

Kynes, whose team scored 21 unanswered points in the second half, also threw touchdown passes to senior tight end Pete Herring and to junior Rob Potts (on fourth and 22), a baseball player the Atoms (7-3, 6-1) coaxed out for football for the first time this season.

The 6-foot-2 Robinson, with a significant height advantage over South County senior defensive back Karlos Morgan, who stands 5-5, hauled in his two scores in the third quarter, the first on a juggled reception in the end zone. The second one, his 11th touchdown of the season, came on third and goal from the 15-yard line after delay of game and illegal procedure penalties threatened to squelch the scoring opportunity.

Morgan had picked off Kynes, a former Braddock Road Youth League teammate, twice in the first half, including on a fake punt to set up South County's first touchdown. Kynes said Morgan is the best defensive back the Atoms faced all season.

"It's fun when you've got receivers who are excited about running routes and are always working to improve," said Kynes, who threw for 245 yards. "My goal throwing Melvin the ball is to give him a chance. When he makes up his mind that he wants the ball, no one's going to take it from him."

Robinson "went from being a guy who could run straight down the field and catch it to a guy that could make some different moves," Annandale Coach Dick Adams said. "We challenged him at halftime and he came back and made three or four plays that were incredible."

South County (6-4, 5-2), which had a chance to earn at least a share of the district title and still has hopes of making the playoffs depending on results from last night, had chances early.

The Stallions came up short on fourth and goal from the 1 on a fumbled pitch with the game scoreless in the first quarter, and another possession that started at the Atoms 37 after Morgan's second interception stalled at the 30.

Annandale 28, South County 7 For the Record: Entering last night, Annandale's three losses, and South County's three losses, were to teams that had a combined 22-5 record. Winning Tradition:"After 55 years, we're still competitive," Annandale Coach Dick Adams said. "We just won't let the past go."