Sideline Report A look at the Northern Region playoffs

When Herndon travels to Westfield tomorrow for the first round of the Virginia AAA Division 6 playoffs, the seventh-seeded Hornets will be looking to prove that their Oct. 18 victory over the Bulldogs wasn't a fluke.

Herndon's 29-28 double overtime victory over Westfield was the Hornets' first win over the Bulldogs since 2001. It also snapped reigning state champion Westfield's 22-game winning streak and ended Herndon's seven-game losing streak to Westfield, during which the Hornets were outscored 220-26.

"If we can do it once, we can definitely do it again," said Herndon junior quarterback Zack Ozycz, a 6-foot-4, 190-pounder who threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score in the upset. "The Westfield week, we were ready. We weren't scared to play Westfield. We didn't care about their record or that they had a 22-game winning streak. We just came out and played with full confidence, and it showed."

The victory gave Herndon (6-4) its fifth playoff berth in school history and gave Westfield (8-2), which had four turnovers in the loss, motivation for this week's playoff rematch.

"We are happy to be playing in a game where maybe we can atone for something that didn't happen the first time," Westfield Coach Tom Verbanic said. "We think Herndon played very well, and they're a good team. But on the other hand, we don't think we played as well as we should have the last time."

Westfield quarterback Danny Fenyak was intercepted three times by Herndon linebacker Zach Leach, and the Bulldogs lost one of two fumbles and failed on a two-point conversion pass that clinched the victory for the Hornets.

Since the victory over Westfield, Herndon lost two straight to Robinson and Oakton by a combined score of 79-36. The Hornets came into those two losses allowing just 14 points per game.

"We can't be satisfied with the win we had and go out like that," said Ozycz, who has thrown for 852 yards and 11 touchdowns. "We have to keep going."

Westfield followed the Herndon loss with a loss to No. 3 Oakton (10-0), its first consecutive losses since it went 5-5 in 2001. The Bulldogs then defeated Centreville to clinch the tournament's No. 2 seed.

One of the most dominant programs in Virginia High School League history, Westfield is 82-13 since 2001, having twice posted undefeated seasons (2003 and 2007) en route to state championships.

"Everybody is excited and is ready to work because it's a brand new season, and you are happy to be where you are, and you want to get a little further and, of course, it's a do or die situation," Verbanic said.

Air Traffic Control

West Springfield quarterback Bryn Renner spent Sunday morning eating breakfast in front of the television, breaking down game tape of W.T. Woodson.

"He's a very good quarterback and has a strong arm, what's his name again? Connor Reilly?' " Renner asked.

When fifth-seeded W.T. Woodson (7-3) travels to fourth-seeded West Springfield (7-3) tomorrow, the game will pit Renner, who has led West Springfield to consecutive Patriot District titles and playoff berths, against a relative unknown in junior Connor Reilly, who transferred to Woodson from Tennessee this summer and has since lifted the Cavaliers into the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Renner is a 6-foot-4, North Carolina-bound senior who leads the area in passing, with 2,438 yards, 26 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Reilly is the area's 10th-leading passer, with 1,558 yards, 21 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Renner and Reilly have helped to make their teams' offenses two of the best in the area. The Spartans are the area's third most prolific offense, averaging 41.2 points per game. The Cavaliers are posting 30 points per game, making tomorrow's game a potential shootout.

West Springfield, which earned its first district title and playoff berth in 13 seasons last year, fell to eventual state champion Westfield in last season's Northern Region championship.

"Back-to-back [district titles] was our first goal, and getting back to the region final was our next goal," Renner said.