Williams, Vikings run wild over Potomac in district opener

By Joe Conroy

Published: October 10, 2008

Woodbridge football had been looking to make a statement this year despite an undefeated record to start the season, and against visiting Potomac, the Vikings made one.
The Panthers arrived at A.T. Howard Stadium in Woodbridge winners of 11 straight games against Cardinal District opponents and are the two-time defending champs. When they boarded the bus back to Dumfries the streak was no more and a 50-21 Vikings win made it was clear that Woodbridge is now the team to beat in the Cardinal.
De’Antwan “Rocket” Williams lived up to his nickname on Woodbridge’s first offensive play, running a left-side sweep 55 yards into the end zone in the opening period. The senior scored three times in the next quarter with a 49-yard run, a 2-yard dive and a 41-yard sprint for touchdowns Nos. 18, 19 and 20 on the year. Williams had 147 yards rushing on scoring plays in the first half alone.
“I knew we were underestimated once again. Everybody thinks we don’t play anybody,” Williams said. “We showed them tonight.”
The Potomac crowd cheered small victories throughout the game, such as stopping Williams for small gains or short losses, but those were few and far between as he finished the evening with 328 yards and five scores. Williams had five runs of 20 yards or longer.
“He’s gifted and it’ll be very tough to replace him next year,” Woodbridge coach Keith King said. “We’ve been blessed to watch him play and develop as a football player for four years. You only get a player like that once in a coaching career and I’m glad I got him.”
To balance the offense, Woodbridge quarterback Frank Buckley found eight different receivers on his way to 120 yards and a touchdown through the air, but also threw two interceptions to Potomac free safety Dylan Harvey. Buckley, a junior, was 9 of 15 passing.
“Frank made a lot of good reads early, made some good throws for us when we need them,” King said. “I think he made one bad read and the other one, well, I’ll have to look at that one on the tape.”
“When he does good, I do good,” Williams said, referring to the respect defenses have to pay both aspects of the Vikings’ offense.
The Viking defense was as stingy as the offense was productive, allowing just 227 yards to the Panthers, mostly from quarterback DeAirius Thomas’ passing.
Senior defensive tackle Austin Brown even intercepted a pass and returned it 31 yards for his first varsity touchdown. Brown rushed Thomas and when the junior tried to throw over the 6-foot-2 Brown, the defender raised his arms and batted the ball into the air.
“I looked up and I saw it and I just caught it,” Brown said as Williams mocked Brown’s run to the side. “I was running for my life.”
At 4-2, Potomac’s record is the best of any opponent Woodbridge (6-0) has faced this season.
The loss was the Panthers’ second to one of the area’s two elite teams this year and they fell to 1-2 against opponents with records better than .500. Potomac fell to Battlefield (the News & Messanger’s second-ranked team) 41-0 to open the year, but then rattled off four straight wins.
DeAirius Thomas threw for 176 yards including a 48-yard pass to David Riley to put the Panthers on the board in the final period. It was Thomas’ fourth passing touchdown of the season.
The Panthers rallied in the fourth, scoring three times, once following an onside kick recovery and once on an 86-yard kick return by Desmond Spates.
Both teams also made the state final last season, Potomac in Group AAA Division 5 and Woodbridge in Division 6.