Stone Bridge Football

Bulldogs 'Scaled Back' Against Potomac
By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to the Washington Post (Loudoun Extra)
Monday, December 10, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Despite going for it four times on fourth down in a 38-0 victory over Potomac in Saturday's Virginia AAA Division 5 state final, Stone Bridge Coach Mickey Thompson thought he'd actually tempered his aggressive nature.

"I thought we scaled it back a bit," Thompson said with a grin. "I mean, we punted, more than once."

Thompson has garnered a reputation for his aggressive style and big-play mentality.

Both were in full view Saturday as Stone Bridge scored on three plays of more than 20 yards and attempted an onside kick.

"If you have that mentality and you expect your players to make big plays, they grow up that way," said Thompson, who went for it seven times on fourth down in a 15-8 loss to Hampton in the 2005 AAA Division 5 championship game.

Stone Bridge (14-1) converted four fourth down tries, including a four-yard run by Virginia Tech-bound star Jeron Gouveia on the Bulldogs' opening possession of the second half that "set the tone that we are still in charge," Thompson said.

Added Gouveia: "I want to get the ball in clutch situations. If it's fourth and short, I'm getting the ball and getting two yards."

Stone Bridge also rushed Potomac (13-1) into two missed field goals and forced a fumble on a punt to set up a 31-yard field goal that gave the Bulldogs a 17-0 lead at halftime.