By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area
Thomas Dale (11-2) vs. Lake Braddock (11-2), Saturday, 4:07 p.m.
Points Per Game Scored: Thomas Dale – 27.7; Lake Braddock – 32.2
Points Per Game Allowed: Thomas Dale – 13.0; Lake Braddock – 15.5
State Championship Appearances: Thomas Dale – 1992, 2001; Lake Braddock – never
State Championship Titles: Thomas Dale – never; Lake Braddock – never
It took a pair of overtime thrillers, but the only remaining unbeaten teams in Division 6 both fell in the state semifinals.
Thomas Dale beat Oscar Smith, ranked in the top 10 nationally by USA Today and ESPN Rise, Saturday in Richmond, 20-17. Lake Braddock followed suit, beating Battlefield, 27-24, in one of the most exciting games conceivable.
The Bruins rode junior quarterback Michael Nebrich to 415 of their 419 yards from scrimmage. Nebrich scored the apparent game-winning four-yard touchdown run with :14.2 seconds left to put Lake Braddock ahead, 21-14.
Lake Braddock kicked off and, with Kip Hill Stadium emptying, Battlefield junior Bobo Beathard fielded the kickoff at his 32-yard line. He was almost immediately wrapped up by Bruins, but flipped the ball to senior Blaine Mason.
With the clock racing towards zeros, Mason got an alley and sprinted for a game-tying touchdown with less than one second left.
The Stanford-Cal reenactment was followed by a Battlefield field goal on their first overtime possession. Lake Braddock was pushed back to a 3rd-and-goal from the 15, needing a field goal to tie, a touchdown to win.
Nebrich, who completed 17 of 32 passes for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, was flushed toward the boundary and floated a pass towards junior receiver Chris Williams in the end zone.
Williams did not have a career touchdown reception before Monday.
That changed.
Williams came down with the 15-yard grab to lift Lake Braddock to its first-ever state title game appearance.
This season, Nebrich, the Northern Region Offensive Player of the Year, accounted for 4,276 yards and 43 touchdowns, 23 rushing.
The Bruins ran 45 plays Monday. Nebrich ran or threw on 42 of them.
Lake Braddock can expect a similar time of possession disadvantage against Thomas Dale to the one it had in the semifinals. The Bruins had the ball for just 14 of the 48 minutes Monday.
They run a no-huddle and strike quick. Their three scoring drives in regulation lasted 1:30, 1:14 and :36 seconds, respectively, at an average of 65 yards.
Battlefield ground out the clock with a power-running game. The Bobcats’ 8-minute, third-quarter drive was longer than the Bruins held the ball in either half.
The Knights employ a similar, between-the-tackles style, which was advantageous in adverse conditions against the Tigers.
Dale outgained Oscar Smith 173-48 in the first two quarters, limiting the Tigers to 16 first-half plays.
Gatorade Player of the Year, senior Philip Sims, committed to Alabama, was held to 3-for-11 passing for 46 yards, largely a product of horrendous conditions Saturday as Oscar Smith’s 28-game winning streak was snapped.
Dale took a 14-0, first-quarter lead on a 48-yard touchdown run by Demetrick Jackson and a 1-yarder by Mike Edmunds.
On the year, Jackson has 1,191 rushing yards and seven scores. Edmunds boasts 512 yards with 15 touchdowns.
Twice this year, the Knights blew 14-0 leads and they looked well on their way to a third come-from-ahead loss when the Tigers scored 14 unanswered points to force overtime.
After holding Oscar Smith to a field goal, Dale won an 8-yard run by Jackson on 2nd-and-goal. Jackson finished with 28 carries for 181 yards and two scores.
Quarterback Demetrius Campbell adds 1,116 passing yards with an efficient 12:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The Knights are slightly more run-oriented than the Bruins’ semifinal opponent. Lake Braddock is just as pass-happy as Dale’s last opponent, but the no-huddle spread is tough to prepare for in five days.
Most interestingly, the Knights run a 3-5-3 defense and pride themselves in man coverage. The Bruins most almost solely five-wide sets between the 20s, a scheme that’s almost impossible to defense with linebackers.
Senior Ariek Green leads the talented corps, but he tweaked his knee celebrating a sack in the semifinals and had to leave the game. He’s likely to start, but it remains to be seen if the injury has lingering effects.
Expect Dale to bring weakside blitzes at Nebrich, something Battlefield had success with in stretches in the semis. The onus falls on all-region guard Martin Quan and monster tackles Khamrone Kolb and Jack Phillips to pick up the dogs and Nebrich to diagnose the pressure, checking down accordingly.
When the Knights have the ball, they’re coming downhill, daring the Bruins to stop them. Braddock linebackers Chris Lavery and Andrew Weidinger need to drive ball carriers backwards to get the defense off the field.
Penalties will be key, as Dale will struggle if put in long conversion situations. Lake Braddock was bitten by flags and turnovers against Battlefield.
If the weather is clear and the Bruins can approach the 8.21 yards per play they posted against the Bobcats, they will walk away with their first all-time state football championship.
On the contrary, if the Knights’ pressure bothers Nebrich and forces overthrows or turnovers, Dale will keep the opposing offense sidelined long enough to get their first-ever title. It is 0-2 all-time in the state championship.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
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