Broad Run Routs Brentsville

Spartans Breeze Into District Showdown With Falcons

By Matt Brooks (Contact)

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Through two games, Broad Run junior David Weaver had contributed to his team’s perfect start in just about every way possible. In the Spartans season-opening win at Wakefield, he caught a 49-yard pass to set up a touchdown, blocked a punt and picked up a tackle in the end zone for a safety. The following week against Ballou, he tackled another punter and caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Chris Jessop.

Weaver was at it again as Broad Run hosted Brentsville on Friday night in its final nondistrict game, coming up with big play after big play to help the Spartans roll over the Tigers, 53-13.

With 3:34 left in the first quarter and the Spartans already leading 7-0, senior linebacker Mikey Cotton blocked a punt which Weaver alertly pounced on as the ball trickled into the end zone for touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, Weaver again found himself in the right place at the right time, picking off a pass from Brentsville senior quarterback P.J. Borko and returning it 28 yards to give Broad Run a first down on the Tigers' 7-yard line.

"Last year I didn't really get that many opportunities and didn't show up," Weaver said. "I came with it this year and tried my best."

Following a holding penalty, Weaver broke three tackles on a running play to the outside and stretched across the goal line for what was initially signaled as a touchdown, but the play was called back for another Broad Run hold. Three plays later, senior quarterback Tim Miscovich found Weaver in the end zone for a six-yard scoring reception that gave the Spartans a 46-0 lead.

"He's a great player and he's a great kid," Broad Run Coach Mike Burnett said. "I'm not surprised. A lot of people are like, 'Who's David Weaver?' David's a great player, and we thought he would be. He really takes advantage of his opportunities because he understands that there is so much attention on Breon [Earl] and Adrian [Flemming] and Didier [Saidi] and Chris [Jessop] that it's very, very hard to account for him. And I think teams are going to have to start figuring out who he is too and making sure they cover him."

Weaver was one of numerous Spartans to come up with big plays on either side of the ball as Broad Run thoroughly dominated an overmatched Brentsville team for the entire first half. Alternating series between Miscovich and Jessop, his regular starter, Burnett found a way to get the ball in the hands of all of his playmakers as the Spartans ended seven consecutive drives with scoring plays for the second straight game. Only two first-half drives did not result in at least seven points – a three-and-out on their opening possession and a drive that ended in a 38-yard Graham Allen field goal.

Miscovich got the start for the Spartans and didn't disappoint, completing 5 of 9 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns to Weaver and senior running back Breon Earl. Jessop was just as effective, rushing for 57 yards and a touchdown and hooking up with Kevin Sanderson for a seven-yard touchdown with 5:14 left in the first quarter to start the barrage. Neither quarterback took a snap in the second half, continuing the early season trend of Burnett being able to rest his top players and get younger guys some in-game experience.

"Our biggest issue is finding that balance and getting kids the ball at the right time and the right place," Burnett said. "We're still working on that. It's unfortunate – next week is going to be a tough week because we haven't really had to focus on that for a whole game. I think that's a big challenge for us – to find that rhythm for 48 minutes instead of 24 minutes."

Defensively, the Spartans continued to assert their dominance and show-off their hard-hitting, gang-tackling style up front and in the linebacking corps. After losing junior linebacker Tyler Johnson to a season-ending foot injury two weeks ago, and without junior T.J. Peeler, who was out with an elbow injury, Burnett called on other players to step up for the defense. They did just that with strong play from junior Johnny Meier and Kenny McAdow. After allowing only 64 rushing yards on 63 carries through two games, the Spartans defense held the Tigers to seven total yards of offense on their first seven possessions while forcing four turnovers and turning those into 25 points.

"Our defense is amazing," Burnett said. "I think if you actually broke down when we have our first defense on the field, so far this year, I'm not sure there's much positive yardage. We haven't done the stats because we don't separate our first-team D from our second-team D and our third team when we put those kids in. But I've got to tell you, just watching them play – and that's without two of our starting linebackers. And that's great for me, because it's about a team."

The Tigers finally broke through for their first score when sophomore David Hammond broke off a 39-yard touchdown run with 1:40 remaining in the first half to make the score 46-7. Broad Run answered right back following a 79-yard Breon Earl kickoff return when third-string quarterback Ethan Miller ran it in from four yards out. Brentsville scored its final touchdown of the game with zeros on the clock when Borko found Chris Spinks for an eight-yard touchdown pass to end the half. No points were scored after the break as the Spartans went to their bench and the Tigers were still largely unable to sustain any offense with a running clock.

The Spartans will spend this week gearing up for a big matchup with Briar Woods – one of the four remaining undefeated teams in the Dulles District. The Falcons have also impressed early on, beating Millbrook and drubbing Manassas Park and Hedgesville by a combined score of 85-3.

"We have no illusions that we're some great team and we're just going to come roll over everybody," Burnett said. "We know we're in for a fight in a lot of games this year in the district. It's tough right out of the gate having this one, but that's what you play for."

Notes: Despite his decision to start Miscovich and rotate quarterbacks, Burnett insists there is no quarterback controversy brewing in Ashburn as the Spartans prepare for their first district tilt with Briar Woods. "Chris is a playmaker," Burnett said. "When we run our offense out there, he makes plays. But T.J. Peeler was hurt tonight, so this is what happens. I've been around long enough to know that if you bank your hopes in high school on one kid, it can end pretty quick. We feel like we have the opportunity to put two kids out there to get reps to get better in meaningful situations." … Burnett also expects Peeler, who injured his elbow Thursday in practice, to be able to go next Friday against Briar Woods. The junior running back has only carried the ball seven times in two games this season but has 93 yards and two touchdowns to show for it.

Tagged: Broad Run High School, football, high school sports

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