Centreville Edges Bulldogs in Northern Regional Division Six Championship

Article by Todd Smith, video by Mary Stachyra.

With just 1:08 left to play, Connor Coward broke through the right side of ’s offensive line, dove and rejected Matt Delaney’s field goal attempt and any hope of a Bulldog comeback. Coward was on fire Saturday afternoon as he put on a highlight-reel performance with a fumble recovery, an interception, a blocked field goal and at least a half dozen catches for 100-plus yards Saturday, leading his to capture the AAA Northern Regional Championship with the win, 27-24.

“I think it was one of my best games and one of my worst games,” said Coward. “I made a couple mistakes and got beat on the first touchdown but things happen and you got to get over them. We knew if we took the crowd out of it and shut them out, then we could just play.”

The Bulldogs were down 27-10 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. They needed something to happen quickly. And it did. Quarterback Matt Pisarcik hit receiver Quentin Basil just outside the Centreville 20-yard-line. At the next play, Kendell Anderson stretched it down the right side for a 22-yard score. Less than a minute later, Westfield forced a three-and-out. Anderson struck again when he received the Centreville punt inside his 30-yard line and tailgated his blocker down the right sideline, sprinting 70 yards within inches of the goal line. On the following play, Pisarcik dove in for the touchdown and the game was now eerily reminiscent of

The Wildcats had seen their lead disappear before but looked determined not to allow it again. Centreville’s defense, which had been stacking the box with eight and even nine men, dropped into a prevent-style scheme to take away the big play from Westfield. It worked. Anderson and Basil were able to gain chunks of yardage but failed to connect as deep as they did in the first quarter when Pisarcik his Basil on a 30-yard corner fade in the end zone to go up 7-0.

Forced into fourth and long, Delaney lined up for a 36-yarder but the ball would never take flight as Coward plowed his way through for the block. Centreville began to celebrate their first victory over Westfield in 10 years as they took over with 59 seconds left.

Wildcat quarterback Mitch Ferrick had perhaps the best game of his career Saturday. He did more than manage the game: he took control. Ferrick found Coward and Chase Walter wide open over the middle and in stride down the sideline all day long.

“He does a great job. He’s a great kid and he deserves this more than any of them because he’s had to wait so long for it, and he hasn’t played a down until this year,” said Centreville Head Coach Chris Haddock. “You can’t win a region without your quarterback doing a hell of a job.”

Coward and Walter had at least three receptions for more than 20 yards and played exceptional defense as well. Walter intercepted the second of Pisarcik’s three picks in the second quarter, inside Bulldog territory.

“They’re the two best athletes in the northern region easily,” Ferrick said of Walter and Coward. “They’re incredible and they’re always there for me.”

Manny Smith would capitalize twice off of Westfield turnovers with two touchdown runs (6, 1) to give Centreville a 20-7 lead in the first half.

“In the first half we just turned the ball over too many times and gave up to many big plays on defense,” Westfield coach Kyle Simmons said. “I made some calls on special teams that didn’t pan out and that’s on me. We didn’t get a whole lot done on special teams, and we played better on offense but we just turned the ball over too many times.”

But Pisarcik bounced back after the Wildcats had to kick a field goal. With less than one minute in the half, he hit Artie Pickett twice for first downs. Pickett wisely got out of bounds and when a Centreville player roughed the passer penalty put the Bulldogs in field goal position. This was with two seconds left before halftime. Delaney smoked it through the uprights and Westfield took a seven-point swing before they reorganized in the locker room.

Both teams ran the ball with success in the second half, but turnovers would help determine the outcome. Centreville will now move on to the state tournament, while Westfield’s season, undefeated until now, comes to an end. While the Wildcats celebrated with fans on the turf, most of the Bulldogs stood in shock, visibly upset. Simmons said it is all part of the process.

“I think they have to go through it,” he said. “I told them how proud I was of them and how thankful I was of the experience they gave me in my first year as head coach. After time they’ll look back fondly on this, but it’s not going to happen any time in the next 24 or 48 hours.”

Download the movie