Woodbridge Takes A Surprising Turn
By Preston Williams and Tarik El-Bashir
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, November 11, 2002; Page D09
All but written out of playoff contention earlier this fall, Woodbridge
reentered the postseason picture in a big way Saturday night by surprising
then-No. 4 Hylton, 12-6, in double overtime in a Virginia AAA Cardinal
District game.
If Woodbridge (5-4, 3-2) can upend Gar-Field (6-3, 3-2) on Friday, the
Vikings would sneak into the playoffs, an unlikely notion for a team that
had gone 12-28 the past four seasons. But eight of the team's 12 losses
the past two years have come by a total of 44 points, including nine- and
one-point setbacks to Hylton last year, so perhaps Woodbridge was due for
a breakthrough.
"It was good to see our kids really start believing that they could
beat quality teams," said Vikings Coach Keith King, whose Potomac squad
two years ago ended Hylton's 39-game winning streak, the last time the
Bulldogs lost in the regular season. "They deserved to win a game like
this."
Woodbridge senior lineman Donald Diop recovered a fumble at the 1-yard
line in the final seconds of regulation to thwart a Hylton drive, then
Vikings senior James Terry bounced outside to score on a 10-yard run on
the first play of overtime.
The Bulldogs (8-1, 4-1), who defeated Woodbridge last month, 35-7, answered
with a touchdown pass on fourth and 11, but they failed to score in the
second overtime, stalling at the 3-yard line. Woodbridge won on an eight-yard
run on third down by senior quarterback Adam Rotruck.
Woodbridge stuns Hylton in 2OTS
By Lacy Lusk
llusk@potomacnews.com
Potomac News
Nov 10, 2002
WOODBRIDGE -- On a soggy Saturday night, Woodbridge's football program
came forth with its day in the sun.
After dueling with undefeated Hylton through four scoreless quarters,
the Vikings dealt with a series of twists and turns in a double-overtime
thriller. In the end, senior quarterback Adam Rotruck's 8-yard bootleg
catapulted Woodbridge to a 12-6 stunner over the Bulldogs.
For the first time since 1997 -- after six straight defeats -- the Vikings
toppled Hylton.
"Woodbridge has been waiting a long time for this," said Rotruck, who
earlier this year thought he would be unable to quarterback again because
of an injury to his right shoulder.
With regular starting quarterback Andre Bratton out with an ankle injury,
Rotruck played the position Saturday night in a game that was a struggle
for both offenses.
Neither Hylton (8-1 overall, 4-1 in the Cardinal District) nor Woodbridge
(5-4, 3-2) could keep enough footing to score in regulation. In the first
halftime, the teams combined for seven punts and just six first downs.
More opportunities came in the second half, but neither side scored.
Woodbridge nearly sprung a 57-yard touchdown pass on a tailback pass from
James Terry, but Kevin Locke couldn't haul in the throw. Later, Terry just
missed reeling in a pass on a dive into the back right corner of the end
zone. On Andrew Kodsi's ensuing 26-yard field-goal attempt, he slipped
and barely brushed the ball along the ground.
Hylton's best chance in regulation was in the final seconds, but quarterback
Tristen Simmons fumbled a snap with 10 seconds left and Woodbridge defensive
lineman Donald Diop recovered at the Viking 1-yard line.
In the first overtime, Woodbridge scored on a quick burst and Hylton
tied the game on a last-ditch effort. Terry scored from 10 yards out on
the first play of the Vikings' possession.
"I think the first time we scored, that's when we went from believing
in ourselves to really thinking this would happen," Diop said. "This win
is so big for us. It brings us to another tempo."
Three plays after Terry's score, the Bulldogs were faced with a 4th-and-11
on their try. Simmons, though, dropped back and narrowly avoided slipping
before finding Jeff Overton for an acrobatic touchdown reception.
Hylton was on offense first in the second overtime, but failed to score
as Overton gained seven yards on four carries.
On Woodbridge's second-overtime possession, Terry carried twice for
two yards. Suddenly, Rotruck and Woodbridge offensive coordinator Felix
Addo had the exact same idea.
"They had been keying on Terry, so after that second play I went over
to the sideline," Rotruck said. "Coach Addo said 'Bootleg,' and I was thinking
the same thing."
Rotruck proceeded to fake a handoff to Terry, then make his way to the
left sideline. He dived onto the pylon and a wild celebration, complete
with high-fiving coaches and dog-piling players, ensued. No rain fell Saturday,
but the field was worn from having a game Tuesday night and added precipitation
during the week.
"Tonight was too big of a game for me not to give it a shot at quarterback,"
said Rotruck, who had offseason surgery on his shoulder and has since suffered
two more separations. "I didn't want to come out for anything. This is
one of the best feelings I've ever had. It's so sweet."
After a first half in which he had minus-2 rushing yards on two attempts,
the Virginia-bound Terry carried 13 times for 67 yards. He was a decoy
on the final play, but his tough yardage helped make the call happen.
"James Terry was very valuable; it was nice to know we could hand off
to someone who's 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds and can hit the pile," Woodbridge
coach Keith King said. "Everyone had to trudge in the mud, and James came
up big at running back and linebacker."
King, in his second year at Woodbridge, also coached the last Cardinal
District team to defeat Hylton in regular-season play. Since his 2000 Potomac
team handled the Bulldogs in a regular-season finale, Hylton had won 10
consecutive district games.
"I think the kids tonight played for once as a team without any individualistic
thought whatsoever," King said. "I think that's the first time we've really
done that since I've been here."
Meanwhile, Hylton coach Lou Sorrentino endured his first defeat since
leaving Culpeper for Prince William County prior to this season.
"They played on the same track that we did, so we're not going to use
that as an excuse," Sorrentino said. "I'm not upset with our kids. They
played hard, but Woodbridge really played a great game and made a nice
call on that winning play." |