Varsity Wildcats traveled to Oakton and encountered their second disappointing loss in a row with a final score of 12 to 7. The first half ended with Oakton in the lead 9 to zero. The second half was much more exciting as the Wildcat defense grabbed the ball and scored a touchdown to make it a 2-point game. As the end of the game grew near the Cougars kicked a successful field goal and that’s where the scoring ended.

It’s homecoming night for the Oakton Cougars as the Wildcats visit their stadium on a cool, crisp night with temperatures in the mid-fifties. Surprisingly quick, the first quarter is almost complete. The Wildcat Defense Mechanism is fighting hard with key plays by Brett Miller to stop a fourth-down conversion. Donnell Carpenter helped stop the Cougar’s momentum with a blocked pass followed by a sharp quarterback sack. With 32-seconds remaining on the clock for the first quarter the Wildcat offense has the ball. With the ball on the Oakton 13 yard line the offense has a long way to go. On first snap Andrew Morgan gains 2 yards on a powerful run. Wildcats wait for the remaining seconds in the first quarter to run out on the scoreboard, and the first quarter ends with the game tied at zero.

The teams switch sides of the field and Wildcats begin the second quarter on second down with a long 89 yards to the end zone. Two incomplete passes and Centreville has to punt the ball from their 11 yard line. A high snap sends the ball over the head of Calder Street. He grabs the ball from the turf and tries to run around the opposing Cougars. They stop him at the 20 yard line and take possession from there.

Can’t Go Through. Can’t Go Around

With the ball just 20 yards from the end zone, the Cougars struggle against the Centreville Defense Mechanism. They just can’t break through the ‘Cats defensive line. They can’t go through them. Can’t go around them. Guess they’ll have to go over them. Oakton toes a successful field goal through the uprights to put the first points on the scoreboard, Cougars 3, Wildcats zero.

The second quarter is now dominated by both defensive squads. During Oakton’s fourth possession of the quarter the Wildcat defense flexes and forces a Cougar fumble. With 2:43 remaining in the second quarter the Wildcat offense again enters the field, but fails to add points to the board.

Cougar Touchdown

Oakton receives the punt and the ball ends up at their own 37 yard line. With a sharp pass down the left side of the field the Oakton receiver grabs the ball and enters the end zone. Touchdown for the Cougars. Their extra point attempt failed as it bounced off the left upright with the sound of a mighty PING and fell to the cold turf. With 3:59 left in the first half the score is now Oakton 9, Centreville zero.

Centreville burns up the remaining 3 minutes of time in the first half with no score, and that’s where the first half of the game ends, Oakton 9, Centreville zero.

Defend and Conquer

After a lengthy half time to support the Oakton homecoming activities the football players return to the field. Each team attempts a drive with no success. With 8:24 still to play in the third quarter the ball is in Oakton’s hands on their own 11 yard line. The Cougar offense is revving their engines for this drive. Not to worry. Engines in the Wildcat Defense Mechanism are throttling white-hot as Oakton attempts to move the ball. Darryl Hamilton puts the stop on the Cougar’s first play, keeping their gain down to 7 yards. Their next two snaps result in almost nothing thanks to the brute force that Jamey McClendon put on the Oakton ball carriers. On their fourth down the Cougar squad attempts a punt that is masterfully deflected by the Centreville defense, then picked-up by Darryl Hamilton who zips the ball into the end zone for a Wildcat touchdown. Kevin Maslyn’s extra point sails between the uprights. With 6:25 still to play in the third quarter the score is now Oakton 9, Centreville 7 - it’s a 2-point game!

Flag Dance

After another fruitless Oakton possession, the ball is in Wildcat hands on Centreville’s 6 yard line. The Wildcat offense has a long way to go as they move the ball from left-to-right across the field. The first pass is incomplete, when Andrew Morgan gains 5 yards with a run up the middle. Then P.J. Dunegan fires the ball through the air and into the hands of Andy Fischer for a first down. Morgan runs for 2 more yards. The next pass is incomplete which sets up third down with 8 yards to another first down. It’s time for a big play. Dunegan hurls the ball deep down the right sideline where Richie Staggers grabs the pass and runs into the end zone. It looks like a Centreville touchdown… but wait—there are two referees back at the scrimmage line with flags on the ground. Wildcats are busted for illegal use of the hands and the touchdown is negated, the ball back to the original line of scrimmage. On the next play, like a sucker punch to the gut, the Cougar defense intercepts a Wildcat pass and run it to their end zone… but wait—flags are on the field, again! The penalty is on Oakton and the ball moves back to the scrimmage line, still in Wildcat hands. Another penalty on the next snap and the ball moves enough for a Centreville first down. Two plays later time on the clock runs out to end the third quarter and the score is still Oakton 9, Centreville 7.

Field Goal-itis

Fans are trying to catch their breath a bit after the exciting end to the third quarter, and Centreville continues their drive into the fourth quarter. After two fruitless plays Centreville must punt the ball. Then Oakton punts. Again the Wildcats punt. On the next Cougar drive, and on fourth down, the Cougars find success with another field goal. The score is now Oakton 12, Centreville 7.

Long Drive, Slow Ride

With 6:49 still to play in the game the Wildcat offense has just one good chance remaining to boost their score. They begin their best offensive drive of the night, with 14 plays and enough yardage for three first-downs. The action starts from Darryl Hamilton’s kick return at their own 31 yard line. Dunegan runs for a first down on the second play of the drive. The offense decides to go for it on fourth down and successfully gain another first down with a complete pass to Hamilton. Short gains with quick sprints by Andrew Morgan are just shy of a first down, but on the fourth-down snap Oakton is cited for a false start penalty—that provides the Wildcats with enough yards for another first down. After gaining another six yards on the ground, the fourth down ends with a disappointing sack of the quarterback. Oakton takes the ball on downs. The game is in their hands, and they simply snap the ball to run out the remaining time on the clock. As time expires, the game ends with a final heartbreaking score of Oakton 12, Centreville 7.

Road Trip Photos

Since it was a road trip you may not have been able to join us on the visitor’s side of the field. We gotcha covered with our huge photo gallery of 103 photos. Click here to check out the photo gallery. Be sure to click the little pics to see the full-size versions. We soon expect more photos, too - stay tuned!