It was kind of deja vu all over again for the Madison Warhawks when they were routed by the Freedom Eagles of Woodbridge in this season’s Class 6 state-tournament football game.
The Warhawks (12-2) lost 55-14 to the host, undefeated (13-0) and defending champion Eagles in a Dec. 2 Virginia High School league state semifinal.
Last season, Madison lost to Freedom, 48-15, in the state final.
Freedom entered this season’s contest averaging 59.7 points per game, and showed why by gaining 584 yards (407 passing), scoring eight touchdowns and amassing 27 first downs against Madison.
The Eagles never punted and scored touchdowns on their first eight possessions, en route to leading 26-0 in the second quarter 41-7 at halftime.
“They are real good and relentless with so much speed on offense and defense and the constant pressure they apply,” Madison coach Justin Counts said. “We knew it would be difficult.”
Madison gained 161 total yards and scored a touchdown in each half.
The Warhawks’ TDs came on a three-yard run by Dominic Knicely (55 yards rushing) and a 30-yard, third-quarter pass from Cael Yates to his brother Cord Yates (two catches, 54 yards). Danika Pfleghardt kicked two extra points. Cael Yates was 5 of 18 passing for 81 yards, was intercepted twice and sacked two times.
Knicely set up his own touchdown with a 31-yard screen pass on the play that preceded his score.
Evan Barry had two catches for six yards for Madison, fullback Cole DeSimone had 18 yards and Cord Yates four along with 25 in kickoff returns.
Madison’s game plan was to control the ball on offense and limit Freedom’s possessions. That plan didn’t work. The Warhawks’ first two possessions resulted in three plays and a punt, and its third ended with an interception on fourth down.
“We believed we had a chance, but we needed to get off to a fast early start, and we weren’t able to do that,” Cord Yates said. “They took control early, so you have to give tribute to them.”
On defense for Madison, Luke Jarvis and Thomas George broke up passes, Caleb Smith recovered a fumble, Charles Backkman batted down a pass, and making tackles for losses were Oscar Espanol, William Gates, Jackson Ambruzs and Vann Pappas.
The state-tournament berth was Madison’s fourth in a row, with two losses each in the state semifinals and finals.
The Warhawks advanced to the state by winning a fourth straight 6D North Region championship.
“Anytime you can win a region title it’s a great season,” Counts said. “We had to replace a lot of good players from last season and we were able to do that with great leadership. We’ll keep trying until we get one of these [state championship].
Cord Yates said the key to the season was Madison’s win over Class 5 perennial power Stone Bridge in the opening game back in August.
“We set the tone early with that win and we capitalized after that,” Yates said.
The loss to Freedom ended Madison’s five-game winning streak this season, incuding a 3-0 region-tournament record, extending the team’s four-year region playoff victory string to 11 straight games.
The Warhawks only other loss this season was to the Concorde District champion South Lakes Seahawks in the eighth game of the regular season.
NOTES: Cord Yates was chosen as the 6D North Region’s Offensive Player of the Year for his overall production and performance during the 2023 campaign. The senior rushed for 111 yards and one score, caught 50 passes for 773 yards and eight touchdowns, had 137 yards in punt returns, 96 in kickoff returns and gained 1,117 combined yards . . . Madison’s overall record the past four seasons was 44-9.
