Football sponsored by The Original steakhouse
By: Dowell Muse
Leesburg (Oct. 2, 2007) – The Loudoun County High School Raiders entertained the Park View Patriots on Friday night in Leesburg still looking for their first win of the season and after the first half of football, an upset seemed entirely possible. However, the Patriots took care of business in the second half by running off 24 unanswered points as they rolled to a 51-26 win behind the passing of C.J. Leizear and the running and receiving of Tommy Sedeski, Eric Johnston and Danny Foley.
Loudoun County opened the game by recovering on onside kick. However, the Raider offense led by quarterback Joe Bushrod, starting in place of injured Kelly Reimers, was unable to move the ball. After being stopped on fourth down, the Patriots quickly moved the ball 65 yards for their first score on Leizear’s first TD throw of the night, a 6 yard toss to Danny Foley.
On the Raiders next possession, Eric Johnston blocked a Raider punt which was recovered by Brandon Absher for a second Patriot touchdown, and it looked to be a long night for the hometown Raiders. After another LC possession went nowhere, Leizear hooked up with a throw to Ryan Pick to the LC 10 yard line, and after a personal foul penalty on the Raiders, hit Foley again from 5 yards out and the Patriots were in command as the first quarter ended 21-0.
The Raiders got themselves back in the game in the second quarter when with 6:20 remaining, a blocked punt by the defensive line led to a first and goal on the Patriot 9 yard line. Joe Bushrod ran for 8 yards to the one yard line and on the next play, Adam Yesuf bullied his way into the end zone for LC’s first score, however Yousef was stopped on the subsequent 2 point conversion attempt making the score 21-6.
The Raiders recovered their second onside kick of the night and with 5:52 seconds left in the half, took over at the Park View 47. Behind the running of Bushrod and Yesuf, and aided by a 15 year roughing the passer penalty on the Patriots, the Raiders quickly moved to the PV 12 yard line. On fourth and one, Yesuf burst through the Patriot line for a huge first down to the 8 yard line and with 2:03 left in the half, Bushrod on an 8 yard run and two point conversion brought LC within 21-14.
On the ensuing kick off, the Patriots took over at the Raider 38 and quickly moved the length of the field with Eric Johnston taking it in from the 25 yard line. The extra point attempt was blocked leaving the score 27-14 Patriots.
After a failed onside attempt by the Patriots, the Raiders took over at their own 45 and with 30 seconds left in the half, Bushrod hit wideout Jack Lewis with a 39 yard touchdown strike drawing LC to within seven at 27-20. The two point conversion failed as the first half ended.
The Patriots returned to the field for the second half seeking to regain momentum and control of the game and were quickly successful. A second blocked punt of the night by Eric Johnston at the 9:36 mark of the third quarter led to a 21 yard touchdown by Johnston making the score 34-20, and on their next possession, Leizear connected with Tommy Sedeski on a 43 yard throw the LC 6 where on second and goal from the 6, Leizear’s third TD of the night to Sedeski at the 3:54 mark put the Patriots firmly in charge 41-20.
Not to be outdone by LC, the Patriots recovered their own onside kick and with 2:10 left in a third quarter completely dominated the Patriots, Leizear’s fourth TD of the night, this time an 18 yarder again to Sedeski, put the Patriots up 48-20.
A 20 yard field goal by Clayton Parker completed the scoring for PV with 9:19 left in the game.
However, the Raiders showed no quit. Freshman running back Elliott Baker ran 30 yards to the Patriot 10 with 2:00 left in the game and on the ensuing play, completed the scoring for LC with a ten yard TD run for the final score of 51-26.
The Raiders will again be seeking that elusive first win for Head Coach Todd Hill on October 5, 2007 when they travel to Potomac Falls to take on the Panthers. Game time is 7:30 PM.
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