Loudoun Valley Falls at Home to Open Season
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Saturday, September 8, 2007
Despite giving up just two first downs, forcing five fumbles -- recovering three of them -- and being the beneficiary of nine penalties for 110 yards in the first half, Loudoun Valley High's football team trailed Forest Park 30-7 at the break thanks to numerous miscues of its own.
The Vikings regrouped a bit in the second half, outscoring the Bruins 21-10, but it was too little too late in a season-opening 40-28 loss at home.
"We've never had a first game like that before ... hope I never have a first game like that again," LVHS coach Bruce Sheppard said. "We just lack experience, we lost our poise, we made mistakes, and they just, they just outplayed us tonight. I think we can be as good as that football team, but not doing the things we did tonight."
Forest Park took advantage of Loudoun Valley's inexperience early on, leaping to a 23-0 lead early in the second quarter behind a safety on an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone, a blocked field goal return, a fumble recovery and a 44-yard pass.
Photo Gallery
Forest Park Defeats Loudoun Valley
Loudoun Valley's No. 80 Adam Odegaard is tackled by two Forest Park players during the first quarter of Friday night's game in Purcellville. Odegaard had four catches for 10 yards during the game. Loudoun Valley would go on to lose 28-40. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's quarterback No. 8 Nick Sheehan and Forest Park's No. 1 Joeseph Findley go after a fumbled ball during the first quarter of Friday's game while teammates and fans look on. Findley recovered the ball. Forest Park would win the game with a score of 40-28 over the Vikings. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's No. 11 JT Hornyak runs the ball during the first quarter. Hornyak caught two passes for 13 yards and had an interception during Friday night's game against Forest Park. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's No. 38, Peter Evans, who plays wide receiver and defensive back for Loudoun Valley, jumps into the air as the team makes its entrance onto the field before Friday night's game against Forest Park. Forest Park would go on to win 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
Teammates cheer as Loudoun Valley's No. 9 Jack Devine scores the Vikings' first touchdown of the game during the second quarter. Forest Park's No. 50 Justin Bell is unsuccessful at the tackle. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's No. 78 Mike Charmo, No. 54 John Brilliant and No. 77 Josh Phipps chase Forest Park's No. 5 Akintunde Bakare during the second quarter as he crosses into the endzone for Forest Park's third touchdown of the game. Forest Park's No. 33 Nathan Brown watches. The Bruins would go on to win 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
With one minute left on the clock in the second quarter, Loudoun Valley's No. 11 JT Hornyak makes a play. No. 21 Brian Oden looks on. Oden had 11 rushes for 88 yards and a touchdown during Friday night's game against the Forest Park Bruins. He also caught four passes for seven yards. (Cara McCoy)
The Vikings rushed to the sidelines for a halftime break and meeting with coach Bruce Sheppard. Despite the mid-game pep talk, Loudoun Valley would lose 40-28 to the Forest Park Bruins. The Friday night game was played in Purcellville. (Cara McCoy)
The Marching Vikings accompanied the football team across the field before kickoff. Despite their best efforts to encourage a win, Loudoun Valley would lose the game to Forest Park. (Cara McCoy)
The Loudoun Valley Marching Vikings performed during halftime of Friday's game against the Forest Park Bruins. The Bruins would go on to win 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
The Vikings dance team performs for the crowd during halftime at Friday's game between Loudoun Valley and Forest Park. Forest Park won the game 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
Hundreds of Loudoun Valley fans showed their support for the Vikings during the team's home opener Friday night against the Forest Park Bruins. Despite the enthusiasm, Loudoun Valley would lose 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's quarterback Nick Sheehan during the third quarter. During Friday's game against Forest Park, Sheehan had 13-of-24 passing for 162 yards and scored two touchdowns. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's No. 13 Colin Owens during the third quarter of Friday's game against the Forest Park Bruins. (Cara McCoy)
Forest Park's No. 11 Michael Williams gets a first down during the third quarter of Friday night's game against the Loudoun Valley Vikings. Williams had two catches for 89 yards, one receiving touchdown, and returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown during the game. The Bruins stayed ahead the entire game, winning 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's cheerleaders put forth their best effort to keep the fans excited during Friday's home opener against Forest Park. The Vikings would go on to lose 40-28 at Leonard Stadium in Purcellville. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's Cody Mangino during the fourth quarter. During Friday night's game, he had one catch for seven yards. The Vikings lost to the Bruins 28-40. (Cara McCoy)
Head coach Bruce Sheppard talks with his team during a timeout in the fourth quarter. Loudoun Valley would go on to lost to Forest Park 28-40. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's No. 80 Adam Odegaard holds on to the ball as the fourth quarter winds down. Friday's home opener against Forest Park drew plenty of fans to Leonard Field in Purcellville, but the Vikings couldn't pull off a win. Forest Park won 40-28. (Cara McCoy)
Loudoun Valley's No. 16 Garrett Swankowski congratulates his teammate, Eric Rothschild, after Rothschild scored his second touchdown of Friday's game during the fourth quarter. (Cara McCoy)
The Vikings switched to a spread offense in the offseason and suffered through a number of growing pains in the first half. Loudoun Valley fumbled four times (losing two), committed eight penalties of their own and gained just four first downs.
"I've been doing this thing for 28 years, and in my 29th year I decided to totally revamp what I'm doing, and I'm learning right along with the kids," Sheppard said. "So we've got a lot to learn."
Facing a deficit of more than three touchdowns at the break, the Vikings didn't let themselves get down. While their only touchdown had been a 7-yard fumble recovery by Jack Devine, their defense had kept the Bruins' offense in check, giving up just 94 yards and two offensive touchdowns.
"If it weren't for the other things ... we can hang in there and it's a reachable goal," Sheppard said. "We still felt that at halftime."
Video: Loudoun Valley Falls at Home to Open Season
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Loudoun Valley didn't show it early in the second half, giving up another touchdown on the first possession of the third quarter, which was kept alive with a pass interference penalty on third-and-7.
The Vikings went three-and-out on their next drive, but forced the Bruins to do the same. However, another fumble six plays later gave the ball back to Forest Park, which took advantage with a 23-yard field goal by Kevin Williams late in the period for a 40-7 lead.
Junior quarterback Nick Sheehan lead Loudoun Valley on a late scoring binge, hitting Eric Rothschild for touchdowns twice in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter. Brian Oden added a 32-yard run as well, spinning off an attempted tackle at the line of scrimmage and going the distance.
"We realized that we could do that on offense, we realized we had the heart to do it, people just started getting their heads up," Sheehan said.
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After Rothschild's second touchdown catch brought the Vikings within 12 points, they appeared to have forced another Bruins punt. However, they instead were flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty -- their third of the game, matching Forest Park's total. The penalty kept the drive alive, allowing the Bruins to run out the clock and dash the Vikings’ hopes.
"(We were) feeling like, 'My goodness, one more two-point play and an onside kick, you know, we think we're gonna win the football game,'" Sheppard said. "So that was disappointing to end it that way. Very disappointing to not have one more opportunity at least to take the ball down the field."
Loudoun Valley, which went 6-4 overall last year and 5-2 in district play, will try to regain some of its poise and hope the experience gained Friday pays off next week at home against Woodbridge. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
"Back to basics," said Sheehan, who finished 13-of-24 passing for 162 yards and two touchdowns. "We gotta polish up everything, we gotta be this team we were. We gotta be the team we always were. No penalties, no trash-talking. Hard-nosed football."
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