Landon Football 10 Georgetown Prep 3

Any school rivalry for which there is an annual trophy awarded, like the Davis-Fegan Cup, is very, very serious. Both teams circle the game once they get their next  season’s schedule. The intensity of the Hoya-Bear competition is a crucible in which the metal of the boys of each school is set at a high level of character strength. Indeed, the annual context reminds one of the quote attributed to the Duke of Wellington, “The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton”. The Prep Landon competitions are “played not for victory or profit but for its own sake, in the spirit of fair play.” The 48 minutes of October 21^st confrontation was a Wellington moment.

The Hoyas were undefeated, except for a loss to that other Jesuit high school of the DMV (#2 according to WaPo), with an average of 28 points scored and only allowing 10 points to be earned by those 5 opponents. Sophomore Jalen Hampton (5’10” 190#, 94 rushes for 793 yards and 10 running TDs) was a major threat every time that he touched the ball (8 yards @carry).

The Bears were smarting from their loss to the team from Potomac (which lost to EHS on 10/21) but were READY for their rivals. The home players moved through their pre-game preparations with spirit and rhythm.

The visiting students hid behind the bushes at the South end of Triplett Field at Bordley Stadium and sprinted the 50 yards to their stands. Soon thereafter, the Bear fans came over the hill at the North End, a mass of students made an impressive 150 yard run to their seats at the South end of Bordley Stadium.

Landon received the kickoff and earned two first downs only to fumble. The Hoyas ran twice, had an incomplete pass and punted. On this possession, nine runs and a pass moved theprolate spheroid 47 yards, but had to punt.

GP collected their first three first downs, but the Bears hard-hitting defense (the preseason practices which emphasized technique) caused a fumble recovered by Joey Epstein. Once again, Landon’s offense maintained possession for eight plays, but stalled. In the middle of this series, the Clock moved into Q2.

END OF 1^ST Q BEARS 0 HOYAS 0

Starting from the home team’s 31, Prep ran twice, setting up a 3^rd and 20, and the futility was punctuated by a TFL (Joey and Mo Sillah) of the GP QB for loss.

The teams twice traded possessions, but the net result was Bear ball at the Prep 44 with 1:51 left. A big play saw John Geppert passing as he fell to Archie Ross who stretched down to his feet to catch for 14 yards and then QB John to Tyler Smith for another 12 yards. Two runs by John placed the line of scrimmage at the 13 yard line. LS Austin Schnider snapped to Tommy Baldwin who held for a 31 yard FG by Walker Davis @0:42.

Bear penalties and some good GP passes led to a Hoya FG of 40 yards at 0:14.02

HALFTIME BEARS 3 HOYAS 3

On the 3^rd play of GP’s possession, one of their players was injured. Both training teams and two doctors rushed to his aid, placed his leg in an air cast and delivered him to an ambulance. It was about a 20 minute break and both squads were worried about the Hoya who left. Two plays with the GP O did not move the yard line and punted. Landon punted and Prep on its first play of this series fumbled.

The home squad ate up 9 yards and on a 3^rd and one, Prep stopped the opponent short. The ball was punted back to the Hoyas and their offense seemed to be moving. On successive plays, Jelani Cross registered a TFL and then an athletic interception by Chazz Hartley brought the ball back to the Bears. Landon held the ball for 4 plays and punted; Prep next series (8 plays; 2:25) ended with another punt.

END OF 3^rd Q BEARS 3 HOYAS 3

Their next possession was stopped by the Bears’ penalty. GP saw its drive stymied by a TFL (QB sack) by Zayd Delane. The Landon O was not able to move and a punt (45 yard) pushed the visitors 52 yards from a TD. The home D asserted its will, first with a TFL by Tejon Ford and then another critical interception by Chazz.

With 2:15 remaining, the Bears started on their own 43. Jelani M ran for 10; Joey tacked on 7; John for no gain; critical 4^th and one, Joey +4; Zayd for three. Time out Landon @ :30.8; an unusual formation may have confused the GP D—John to Tommy B for a 27 yard TD pass. WATERLOO/ETON moment. Austin snap to Tommy B for a Walker PAT. BEARS 10 HOYAS 3

The GP team could have easily folded, but they fought back—5 consecutive passes put the ball at the 39 with 0:02.9 remaining. Very much like the 2010 game, won by the Bears 20-14 when Max Lehrman L’11 tackled the QB, a swarm of home defenders sacked the GP QB to end the game. The Bears also won in 2013 13-7. It’s a rivalry.  

FINAL SCORE BEARS 10 HOYAS 3

Ten or twenty years later, when the boys on both teams are faced with a challenge they will remember the fields of Landon and will fear not the moment.

Bear SS/SA!!!