Posted on 02 December 2009 by .
By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area
Previous Weeks’ Top 10s:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
2009 Season Top 10 Plays
Honorable Mentions
6 for 8 — Stone Bridge won its sixth regional title in eight seasons, riding junior tailback Marcus Harris to do it. Harris will ultimately break the single-season school record for carries by 100 and scored three touchdowns for the Bulldogs in the regional final.
2-Point Stop Lifts McLean — McLean equaled the best single-season turnaround for a winless team when it beat Langley by one in overtime in Week 10. The Highlanders needed this two-point stop by Riley Beiro and Thomas Overby to beat the Saxons in the Rotary Cup for the first time in over a decade.
C.T. Scan — T.C. Williams senior Cortez Taylor locked up first-team all-region kick returner with return touchdowns in high-profile games against Robinson and Lake Braddock (here). The Titans were inches from their first playoff berth since 1996.
Scooter Scoots — West Potomac’s only Patriot District win was a memorable one. It beat Lee, 16-14, in Week 7 without scoring an offensive point. A safety, interception return touchdown and this safety-kick return by Daryl Copeland lifted the Wolverines to a thrilling home win.
Powers’ Powers — Madison junior fullback Ben Powers dragged Jefferson defenders for 10 yards before leaving 11 bodies in his wake on a 42-yard touchdown run. The Warhawks beat the Colonials, 34-7, in Week 8.
Beiro Circus Grab — Battling a litany of injuries, McLean senior Riley Beiro found a way to contribute significantly against Marshall in Week 7. Beiro went one-on-one with a defensive back and pulled down this juggling, 23-yard reception for a score just before halftime. The Highlanders avoided the upset, 24-21.
Citizen Cope — Copeland struck again in Week 8, recording seven receptions for 245 yards and four touchdowns at T.C. Williams. It was the best single-game performance for a receiver this year.
No. 10 — Scrambles, Over Easy
O’Sick
Herndon senior quarterback Zack Ozycz was given a shotgun snap when he ordered one under-center. No worries, though. Ozycz fielded the ball on the bounce and, with 10 Jefferson defenders in-tow, found a corner and traversed 63 yards for a touchdown. The Hornets scored 61 points in this Week 1, a single-game best this year.
Nebrich Six
Lake Braddock junior quarterback Michael Nebrich eludes a certain sack and travels the width of the field for a 53-yard score at Annandale in Week 8. Nebrich accounted for six touchdowns — three rushing — in the win.
No. 9 — Special Special Teams
Punt Block Touchdowns
In Week 6 at Oakton, Westfield blocked and recovered two punts (1, 2) for touchdowns in its 38-13 win. Credit junior Ashton Moss and senior Nick Grinups with recoveries, seniors Ryan Sweet and Dylan Doty with respective blocks.
Field Goal Denials
In Week 7 at Robinson, Sweet blocked the game-winning field goal in regulation and the game-tying extra point in overtime in a 21-20 win over the previously unbeaten Rams.
No. 8 — No. 8
Rigans Breaks Ankles
Hayfield entered its Week 4 game at Yorktown with more points in its first three games than it had scored in any three consecutive games since 2000. Hawk senior Rayshawn Rigans extended his season-opening streak of multiple-touchdown games to four with this mean, 59-yard touchdown run.
Rigans Breaks Hearts
In the season-opener against Marshall, Rigans disappears in a crowd on this punt return before emerging by the sideline, finding an edge and heading 68 yards for a touchdown. Hayfield won, 35-0.
No. 7 — INT TDs
Shak Diesel
West Potomac senior Shakil White earned his squad an early lead at Lake Braddock in Week 9 with this 41-yard, tipped-pass-to-himself interception-return touchdown.
Sir Sirhan
Stuart sophomore Ayman Sirhan read and timed this pitch play, picked off the toss and headed 62 yards for a touchdown to spark a 34-14 win over Marshall.
Money in the Banks
Yorktown capped a 27-point fourth quarter against Wakefield with this interception-return touchdown by senior Erik Cardillo, assisted by senior Charles Banks.
Picks’y Stickford
Lake Braddock senior Thomas Stickford returned four interceptions for touchdowns in the first four weeks of the season, including two at T.C. Williams in Week 4 (1, 2, 3, 4).
No. 6 — Drizzy
Atomic Bomb
Lee senior Idreis Augustus recorded seven touchdowns of 63 yards or longer in the first five weeks of the season, including this 85-yard triple-option touchdown against Annandale that had him visiting both sidelines.
Putting Bulldogs to Sleep
Augustus led the region with 1,089 yards from scrimmage through five games, but at Westfield his short-yardage prowess lifted the Lancers over the Bulldogs, 22-21. He pushed the pile into the end zone for the game-winning two-point conversion in overtime.
GREATEST HITS
Hughes Black and Blues
Nubong Punctuates Rivalry
Great Scott
Hats Off to Centreville
Case of the Mondays
Totow Extinct
No. 5 — Catch the Fever
Denny’s Always Open
In the Sully Bowl, Centreville senior Warren Denny appeared to have cut Chantilly’s lead to three late in the fourth-quarter with this full-extension, one-handed catch. It was called back due to an illegal formation and the score remained unchanged.
Lendenmann Lifts Generals
Washington-Lee senior Karl Lendenmann switched to wide-out in the preseason after splitting time at quarterback last year. Good call.
Nazty Grab
Hayfield receiver Nazrul Islam skies for a one-handed, foot-tapping 16-yard catch from junior Jason Stewart against Washington-Lee in Week 3. The Hawks won, 35-0.
Price is Right
South Lakes senior quarterback Shawn Rana throws a jump ball to junior Sean Price against McLean. Price doesn’t miss those. The Seahawks needed every point to stymie a Highlander comeback, winning, 28-21, in Week 5.
Kiffe Never Iffy
Langley senior tight end Joey Kiffe gets both feet down for an amazing 12-yard touchdown reception from junior quarterback Braden Anderson.
Turner Toe-Tap
Westfield went from underdog to top dog with its road win over Robinson. This five-yard, fourth-down touchdown toss in overtime from senior quarterback Danny Fenyak to senior receiver Gary Turner was the highlight of one the season’s most entertaining games.
Reilly to Hogan for Two
Woodson seniors Connor Reilly and Josh Hogan linked up for a jump-pass touchdown in the third quarter. When the tandem tried it again on a game-winning two-point conversion, Lake Braddock was ready. The Cavs improvised and the result was one of the most debated and exciting moments of the season.
No. 4 — Riled Up
Robinson senior Connor Riley rushed seven times — 7! — for 305 yards and four touchdowns at Centreville in Week 10. The single-game total was nearly one-quarter of his rushing yards for the season and locked up district offensive player of the year (1, 2, 3, 4).
No. 3 — Forgot About Dre
South County had just dropped a final-second, game-winning touchdown pass at the goal line against Chantilly in Week 1. Stallion coach Pete Bendorf called the same play on 2nd-and-10 with :08.9 seconds left, hoping secondary option Andre Simmons would be open on a wheel route against similar coverage. He was right.
No. 2 — Titanic Defense
Israel Back to Homeland
On the same night that senior Damien Benton returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown at Annandale, T.C. Williams senior Israel Richardson took a pick 69 yards back to the house.
C-H-E-L-O, It’s Alive
Oakton led T.C. Williams, 9-7, with 1:51 left in the game and appeared certain to run out the clock. But, after a fumble on an inside rush, Titan senior linebacker Chelo Abbe grabbed the loose ball and returned 59 yards for the upset-clinching touchdown. T.C beat the defending Division 6 Northern Region champions, 15-9.
No. 1 — Bears, Oh My!
Return on Rams
Robinson had cut Lake Braddock’s led to 10 points with less than eight minutes remaining in the third quarter, but Bruin senior Peres Nubong‘s retaliation proved the fatal blow. He returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards, sparking 21 unanswered points by the visitors as part of a 38-7 road win, the first for Lake Braddock in the annual series since the regional semifinals in 1999.
Peres Pickle
In the second quarter of the Division 6 Northern Region championship, Woodson began to put together its first drive, trailing by two scores. But Nubong got his hands around a tipped pass and returned it 63 yards to put Lake Braddock ahead by three scores. It needed every point as it held on to win, 27-20, for its first regional title since 1995.
Please send comments to: pmurphy@digitalsports.com.
Processing your request, Please wait....
