By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area
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Chantilly (4-3, 1-1) at Westfield (3-4, 2-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last Week: Chantilly beat Centreville, 35-25; Westfield won at Robinson, 21-20 (OT)
PowerPoints: Chantilly – 7th (Div. 6); Westfield – 9th (Div. 6)
Offensive Rank (Pts/Game): Chantilly – 2nd (Div. 6); Westfield – 11th (Div. 6)
Defensive Rank (Pts/Game): Chantilly – 9th (Div. 6); Westfield – 5th (Div. 6)
The relevance of this game has increased exponentially in the last week.
Thanks to its overtime win at Robinson, Westfield is one of two teams in the region unbeaten in district play (Hayfield). It also needs just two wins in its final three games to make the postseason, even with its disastrous start.
But Chantilly enters with an offense that appears as balanced as any in the region. After not throwing for a touchdown in the first four weeks, Charger senior quarterback Carson Romine has completed 21-of-46 passes for 388 yards, three touchdowns and no picks in the last three weeks.
He has also averaged 5.7 yards per carry in that span.
Even without a passing touchdown in the first month of the season, Chantilly has the second-highest scoring offense in Division 6. But Westfield has the fifth-rated Division 6 defense.
The Bulldogs have allowed more than 22 points once this year; the Chargers have scored less than 21 just once.
In 10 all-time meetings, Westfield is 8-0 in the regular season, but 0-2 in the playoffs. In their eight regular-season wins, the Bulldogs posted between 28 and 35 points every game.
In the last two games, Westfield senior quarterback Danny Fenyak completed 21-of-34 passes for 200 total yards, three touchdowns and one pick. And those numbers came against Oakton and Robinson.
Chantilly’s secondary has to slow down that passing game if it’s to earn its first-ever regular-season win in this series. The Chargers should be well-practiced; they faced the pass-happy Wildcats last week.
Centreville completed 20-of-27 passes for 237 yards — in the first half.
The key for Westfield — like last week — is run defense. The Bulldogs held the Rams to a season-worst 139 rushing yards in their 21-20 road win.
Chantilly has surpassed 4.8 yards per game in six consecutive games, attempting over 40 rushes five times this year. In the last three weeks alone, the Chargers rushed for 853 yards on 6.4 yards per carry.
The key for Chantilly is to keep Westfield’s punt- and field-goal-block units at bay. It has blocked multiple kicks, not coincidentally, in all three wins.
If the Chargers cross 4.5 yards per carry — which would still be their second-worst average of the year — and don’t allow the Bulldogs, namely seniors Ryan Sweet and Dylan Doty, to make any impact plays on special teams, I like Chantilly.
The former is a big if. Lake Braddock, Lee and Woodson passed the 4.5-yard-per-attempt mark — a.k.a the No. 3 team in Division 6, and the top teams in Division 5 in Division 6, respectively, by PowerPoints.
Stone Bridge, West Potomac, Oakton and Robinson all failed to reach 4.5 yards per carry. Three are playoff teams if the postseason began today.
Since Week 3, Chantilly alternated wins and losses every game. It won last week.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
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