Under sunny skies and frigid cold, the AAA Northern Region Championship returned to Oakton Saturday afternoon for the third time since 2002.  The 12-0 Oakton Cougars hosted the 9-3 Chantilly Chargers in a back yard brawl between neighbors and arch-rivals.  The two best and hottest teams in the Region would face off for the undisputed title.  The stadium was packed and the teams were raring to go at each other.  Nothing could be more fun!

Oakton won the coin toss and elected to put their dynamic scoring offense on the field first.  The Cougars received the kickoff and proceeded to march methodically and skillfully 74 yards in eleven plays with Chris Coyer running the final 4 yards for the opening touchdown.  Ray Goins’ kicked the extra-point and it was 7-0, Oakton.  Key plays on the drive were Coyer passes to Trey Watts for 14 yards on 3rd-and-9 and to Wade Reynolds for 28 yards.  Oakton kicked off and it wouldn’t take long for the Cougar defense to let everyone in the stadium know they were well prepared and ready to play as well.  After two stuffs on the first two running plays, the Chantilly quarterback elected to pass on third down.  Joey Kopfman tipped the pass high into the air allowing Andrew Leonard to make the interception and runback to the Chantilly 33-yard line.  The Cougars would only need 4 plays to put the ball back into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.  Jonathon Meadows doing the damage running 27 yards untouched for the touchdown. 

The intimidating Cougar defense held the vaunted Charger offense again to three quick plays and out.  Trey Watts fielded the punt and put on some of his patented moves returning the ball 17 yards to the Oakton 49-yard line.  On first down, Chris Coyer dropped to pass, pumped once to Watts in the flat, and then lofted a perfect bomb to a streaking Matt Chandler who had gotten a step on his defender.  The pass was perfect for a 51-yard catch and run for the Cougars third touchdown.  Goins’ kick made it 21-0.  The Cougar defense came back out and again stuffed Chantilly in 3 plays and forced another Chantilly punt to end the first quarter.

Oakton would continue their onslaught into the second quarter.  With the Cougar offensive line of Nick Koutris, Jon Hart, Austin Mayhew, Sam Strauss, and Trevor Yarnall now dominating the line of scrimmage, the Cougars drove 54 yards in nine plays for their 4^th touchdown.  Chris Coyer dragged three would-be Chantilly tacklers the final 2-yards into the end zone.  Goins’ kick was good and Oakton held the lead in front of a stunned audience 28-0.  Oakton kicked off again and Justin Reese made a decleating tackle on the Chantilly returner.  The Cougar defense now in total control would continue to stuff the Chantilly running game forcing the Chargers to pass.  Joey Kopfman stepped in front of this errant pass, picking it off and racing downfield 47 yards to the Oakton 1-yard line.  Chris Coyer would only need one play to score, bowling over the Chantilly defense on a one-yard touchdown run for a 35-0 Oakton lead.

Oakton kicked off.  This time Kenny Hanson flattened the Chantilly returner.  The fired up Cougar defense line of Daniel Aevermann, Bret Halleran, Anthony Porco, Scott Stangeby, and Sheldon Mojica continued to dominate the Chantilly offensive line forcing the Chargers to turn the ball over on downs in 6 plays.  The Cougar offense started play at their own 46 yard line.  A quick Coyer pass to Ryan Harris for 25 yards and a 22-yard touchdown run by Trey Watts were all Oakton needed to score yet again.  Goins’ kick was good again; 42-0 Oakton.  The touchdown run was made possible by terrific blocks by Jonathon Meadows, Nick Koutris, and Wade Reynolds to get Watts around the right end and down the sideline.  The totally dominant Cougar defense returned to the field and once again forced the Chargers to turn the ball over on downs in four plays.  The Cougar offense hitting on all cylinders needed just 4 plays to take the ball fifty yards to the 11-yard line with 1 second on the clock.  The big play was a Coyer 31-yard pass to Ryan Harris.  Ray Goins trotted out and kicked a 28-yard field goal as the half ended, 45-0, Oakton. 

Ray Goins opened the second half with his 7^th kickoff of the game.  Justin Reese and Sean Schnitzer set the tone early on kick coverage team by burying the Chantilly return man after a short return.  The Cougar defense continued their first-half dominance holding the Chargers on their first series and forced another Chantilly punt.  The Cougar offense, also eager to get in on the second half action, returned to the field. They would only need six plays to travel 65 yards and score their 7^th touchdown and 8^th score in 8 possessions.  The big play being a Chris Coyer 8 yard touchdown pass to a wide open Trey Watts who danced into the end zone from the one.   Ray Goins’ extra point made the score 52-0 and the Oakton starters were off to the bench to watch the rest of the game.  The Cougars 52 points scored broke a 25 year scoring record for the Northern Region Championships.  Two late scores by Chantilly made the final score 52-14 and the Oakton Cougars are Regional Champions and it couldn’t have been more fun!

For the afternoon, the Cougars had 217 yards rushing on 40 carries and 179 yards passing.  Jonathon Meadows led all rushers with 108 yards on 19 carries and 1 TD.  Chris Coyer also added 3 TDs rushing.  Coyer was 9 for 15 passing for 179 yards and 2 TDs.  Trey Watts had 5 receptions for 44 yards and 1 TD.  Ryan Harris added another 56 yards receiving on two catches.

Next Saturday, the Cougars will host the Eastern Region Champions Oscar Smith Tigers at 1:30 in the Virginia State Semi-Finals.  The 13-0 Tigers are ranked #7 in the nation and #1 in the state of Virginia.