Briar Woods Stuns Park View with 24-10 Victory

 It was Homecoming for the Patriots who brought a 5-2 record and legitimate play-off aspirations into the game. You wouldn’t have thought that the Falcons had much of a chance in this contest.

 The Falcons paid no attention to which team was supposed to win the game. They came out a little more focused, a little more precise, and walked away with a 24-10 victory that in retrospect was decided when one minute into the fourth quarter QB Michael Brownlee slithered 11 yards through the Patriots defense and into the end zone giving his team a 24-3 advantage.

 Brownlee had a busy evening. Of the 52 plays Briar Woods ran from scrimmage 37 of them were rushing attempts by Brownlee that netted 161 yards and two touchdowns. Another 10 were Brownlee passes, seven of which were completions for 89 yards. TE Opie O’Bannion caught three of them and WR Kyle Haufler caught two.

 Brownlee though, was only half of the story. The other half was an opportunistic Falcon defense and special teams that kept the high-powered Patriot offense out of the end zone for three quarters. Junior DL Kendall Woods had a breakout game, leading the team with 11 tackles. LB Allen Jackson delivered his usual stellar performance with seven tackles and S Scott Rolen contributed six. LB Tavis Henry and DL Matt Quist each recovered drive-breaking fumbles.

 The key play of the game was engineered by the Falcon special teams on a Park View punt from their 24-yard line three minutes before the end of the first half. DB Rioll Tanelus blocked the blunt into the end zone where WR Shawn Graham dove on it for the touchdown. K David Clements was a three-for-three on extra points and hit a 31-yard field goal into the wind for the Falcon’s first score.

 With 3-6 record, 3-2 in the Dulles District, the Nov. 6 home game against Dominion figures to be the team’s final game of the season, although there is a small mathematical possibility that the Falcons could sneak into the playoffs. A bye week allows the Falcons to recover from their five day, two game ordeal.

Before the game, Head Coach Charlie Pierce challenged his players to play with championship intensity. At halftime, the message was a short one: “finish.” The Falcons played with intensity and did finish against a very good team. While the next game may the 2009 team’s final game, the Falcon’s Lair will be host to the same intensity level from the Briar Wood squad.