Virginia AAA National
Yorktown secures spot in playoffs
Yorktown 28, Washington-Lee 10
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A year ago on a night like Friday, when temperatures dipped into the 30s, Yorktown's C.J. Bartholomew would do his best to stay warm on the sidelines. As the team's kicker and punter, he saw limited playing time.
This season, Bartholomew has added wide receiver and safety to his duties and in a 28-10 win over Arlington rival Washington-Lee Friday night, his hot hands were instrumental in securing a AAA Division 6 playoff berth for the Patriots.
"I wore a lot of Under Armour last year," said Bartholomew, who finished with four catches, 75 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on defense. "Now, I'm playing every down, I'm running all over the field, and I'm making plays, so I'm warm all the time."
His two biggest plays came with time winding down in the first half and Yorktown nursing a 14-10 lead. After Coach Bruce Hanson deployed his timeouts when Washington-Lee was simply trying to run out the clock, Yorktown received the ball on the Generals 49-yard line with 50 seconds remaining.
On third and eight, Bartholomew broke free of the Generals' secondary to reel in a 35-yard catch. Two plays later, he made a remarkable leaping catch with his fingertips for a 12-yard touchdown that gave Yorktown (6-4, 5-2) all the momentum it would need.
"Those two catches were big," said Hanson, who has never lost to Washington-Lee in his 25 years at Yorktown. "He's just a tremendous athlete and he had a great game."
Bartholomew also got things started in the first half, when he intercepted Washington-Lee quarterback Richard Lewis in the first quarter to set up the Patriots' first touchdown of the game, a one-yard plunge by running back Khalil Doles (61 yards, two touchdowns).
On Washington-Lee's next possession, Lewis was intercepted by the Patriots' Jordan Smith, who returned it 20 yards for another Patriots touchdown. The Generals (5-5, 4-3) responded with 10 consecutive points of their own, but Bartholomew made sure this rivalry would stay one-sided for one more year. Washington-Lee has not beaten Yorktown since 1982.
"This is the biggest win I've been a part of," said Bartholomew.
"Playoffs on the line, Arlington championship, and 26 years of rivalry, it's a great win, a great feeling."
