Virginia AAA Nonleague
Rositano Lifts Stone Bridge to Win
Junior Scores 2 TDs, Blocks Field Goal Attempt in Final Minute
Stone Bridge junior wide receiver Spenser Rositano, who also rushed for a touchdown, hauls in a 66-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
(By Richard A. Lipski -- Washington Post)
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Saturday, September 5, 2009
On the Stone Bridge roster in the school's fall sports program, the first position listed for junior Spenser Rositano is "ATH" for athlete.
Rositano lived up to that designation on Friday night, rushing for a short touchdown, hauling in a 66-yard scoring pass and blocking the would-be tying field goal in the final minute of a 21-18 home win over No. 15 Westfield.
On that decisive play, Westfield senior James Crossett attempted a 24-yard field goal that Rositano was able to get a hand on, much to the delight of one Bulldogs sideline and much to the disappointment of the other Bulldogs sideline.
"I wasn't even supposed to blitz, but I . . . just read it and just found a hole and just jumped as high as I can, and I tipped it," said Rositano, one of the few varsity-proven Stone Bridge players back this season.
The other highlight-reel play was the winning touchdown midway through the third period. Junior quarterback Brian Rody threw out wide to junior Kyle Gouveia, who heaved the 66-yard toss to a streaking Rositano, matching a double-pass touchdown Westfield had converted on its first play from scrimmage.
The gem of the night for Stone Bridge, though, was an 18-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that bridged the first and second quarters and gobbled up 8 minutes 29 seconds. Along the way, the Bulldogs weathered consecutive penalties and converted on a fourth and five and on a third and 17. Gouveia capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run.
For Westfield, senior Danny Fenyak threw for 108 yards and a touchdown, and senior Gary Turner had 119 receiving yards and a score. Sophomore Kendall Anderson had a 42-yard touchdown run.
It was the first meeting for the schools, which both opened in 2000 and have quickly become two of the more successful programs in Northern Virginia, if not the state. The teams have combined to go 161-19 the past seven years.
Both entered this season in rebuilding mode. Stone Bridge installed the first pillar on Friday night.
"I don't know where our two teams are," Stone Bridge Coach Mickey Thompson said. "We've got a lot of work to do on both sides, both of us, but just to win a game like this against an opponent like that and a tradition like that, that says a lot for our kids. It's a great lift for us."
Stone Bridge 21, No. 15 Westfield 18 Double Vision: Westfield's season last year ended on a double-pass attempt in a playoff loss. This season began with a 70-yard double-pass touchdown, with senior quarterback Danny Fenyak connecting with junior Mack Spees, who found senior Gary Turner deep on the first play of the game. Busy Night: Stone Bridge junior Marcus Harris, who returned a kickoff 57 yards to start the Bulldogs' first possession, carried on six of his team's first eight plays. He finished with 27 carries for 91 yards and had three catches for 37 yards.
