With the Concorde District Championship and first-seed in the upcoming Regional playoffs on the line, the 8-0 Oakton Cougars traveled to the defending State Champion 7-1 Westfield Bulldogs for a battle of classic proportions.   This was the game of the year for both teams.  All the media outlets were in attendance to cover “The Game.”  The Burgundy and Gold crowd was overflowing and raring to go. 

The Cougars didn’t take long to send their fans into delirium.  Taking the opening kickoff, Oakton drove 71 yards in 14 plays, three times converting on 3^rd down.  On fourth-and-nine from the Westfield 23-yard line, Chris Coyer coolly dropped back to pass and found Jay Young open, hitting him in perfect stride at the goal line for the opening touchdown.  Ray Goins kick made it 7-0, Oakton. 

The always tough Cougar Defense held the vaunted Westfield offense to 7 plays and a punt on their first possession giving the ball right back to the offense to go to work again.  This time the Cougars would only need three plays to score.  On third-and-three from the Oakton 22-yard line, Trey Watts took the handoff around left-end.  Once past the line, he was off, sprinting down the sideline untouched, 78 yards for the touchdown.  Goins kick made it 14-0 Oakton as the Cougar fans went crazy.

Westfield would fight back.  On the next Bulldog possession, their star running back ran 71 yards for a touchdown.  The extra point was missed and Oakton held the lead 14-6 at the end of the first quarter.  The Bulldog defense would now also rise to the occasion and hold the Cougars for the first time, forcing an Oakton punt.  On the first Bulldog play from scrimmage, Jack Tyler made a leaping interception of an errant Westfield pass to stem the Westfield momentum and turn the ball back over to his offense at the Oakton 47-yard line.  Ryan Harris entered the game and with some nice running on his part brought the ball down to the Westfield 5-yard line before the drive stalled.  On fourth down, an Oakton field goal try was no-good.

Westfield would take over at their 20-yard line and behind their big bruising offensive line proceeded to march 80 yards for a touchdown.  A two-point run try was stuffed by Jon Hart and the score was 14-12, Oakton.  Derek Gleich returned the Westfield kickoff to the Oakton 45-yard line setting the offense up with great field position for one last scoring opportunity before the half.  Runs by Meadows for 30 yards, Harris for 14, and Watts for 6 brought the ball to the Westfield 2-yard line with one second remaining on the clock.  Ray Goins trotted out to try a 19-yard field goal.  Goins kick was good and Oakton held the halftime lead 17-12.  The Oakton fans cheered on…

The third quarter began with a booming Ray Goins kickoff into the Westfield end zone.  The proud Cougar defense held the Bulldogs to three-and-out and forced a Westfield punt.  Chris Coyer led the offense back out and down the field once again, but near misses on three potential touchdown passes forced the Cougars to turn the ball over on downs to Westfield at their own 20-yard line.  The Bulldogs marched to midfield before reaching a critical fourth-and-one at the Oakton 48-yard line.  The Bulldogs handed the ball off to their star tailback and was stuffed in his tracks by Bret Halleran for a loss and a turnover on downs back to Oakton.  The Cougars went back on the attack with quick runs by Jonathon Meadows for 4 yards and Chris Coyer for 23 yards to the Westfield 31-yard line as the third quarter ended.  Oakton 17 – Westfield 12.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Chris Coyer would call his number again.  On a delayed draw and behind the blocks of Sam Strauss and Trevor Yarnall, Coyer would scamper 31 yards into the end zone for the touchdown.  Goins kick made the score 24-12, Oakton.  Again, Westfield would not fold.  On their ensuing possession, the Bulldogs would throw a 45-yard bomb for a touchdown.  Westfield’s point-after try again was missed bringing the score to 24-18, Oakton.  The Westfield defense would stiffen and hold Oakton on their next possession forcing an Oakton punt.  A short punt set Westfield up at midfield with a short field ahead to take the lead.  The veteran Cougar defense sensing that it was now or never, came up big forcing the Bulldogs into a fourth-and-10 situation.  Kevin Culkin made a huge first-down saving tackle on the Bulldog fourth-down pass-play turning the ball back over to the Cougar offense.  Chris Coyer would only need one play to bring the Oakton crowd back into a frenzy.  On first down, Coyer rolled out left and spotted a wide-open Wade Reynolds.  Coyer’s pass hit Reynolds in stride and he raced 70 yards into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season.  Matt Chandler’s block at the 20, cleared the path for Reynolds to score untouched.  The Cougars went for a two-point conversion but the pass try was incomplete.  Oakton 30-18.  The Cougar defense was able to hold off the final Westfield passing barrage and give the ball back to the offense to run out the remaining 3:47 of the game clock.  Final score:  Oakton 30 – Westfield 18.  Concorde District Champions!!!

For the evening, the Cougars had 343 yards rushing and 134 passing.  Trey Watts led all rushers with 133 yards on 17 carries and 1 TD.  Chris Coyer added another 101 yards rushing on 13 carries and 1 TD.  Coyer was 6 for 15 passing for 125 yards and 2 TDs.  Trey Watts led the team in receptions with 2 for 36 yards.  Wade Reynolds added another 70 receiving yards on 1 reception and 1 TD.

The Cougars will host the Herndon Hornets next Friday evening at 7:30.  The Hornets have beaten the Cougars the last two years, knocking the Cougars out of the playoffs last season and are standing in the way of the first ever undefeated season in Oakton’s 41-year history.