In the past two seasons, Centreville High School Varsity Football went 2-8 in 2023 and 4-6 in 2024. It seemed to be already a long time removed from the likes of Bryan Resto, Thomas McCoy, and Isaiah Ragland, with a ten win season in 2022. The reason for this period of struggle was that a lot of key varsity players from the 2022 season left to go to college or to transfer somewhere else, and several players from the then-unbeaten 2022 Freshman Football team jumped straight to the varsity team, which included players like Will Shields, Jourdan Simpson, Cardin Stover, John Poythress, Pierce Robinson, and many others. One of those players on that freshmen team that now has All-Region honors as a senior this year, who has requested anonymity for his interview, described the 2023 season simply as a period of time where “it didn’t work well,” due to the inexperience that this batch of newly-promoted sophomores had against varsity teams, with little to no JV experience to their names. As the 2023 season came to pass, and as the 2024 season eventually passed by too with slightly better results, other players from that 2022 freshman team made it past JV to their place on Varsity in time for the start of the 2025 season. Even younger talent such as Luke Wells, Patrick Cosden, Joey Sayen, Bryson Abbott, and Nick Solomon followed up in their wings. And in a combined team effort, with help from quality coaching and play-calling, they managed to find their place quick enough, and managed to mature enough at the perfect timing, to produce the run they did over all eleven football games they played in 2025.

Here is a lengthy overall outlook on the entire season, with recaps on every game played.

Regular Season:

8/28: Week 1 at Home vs. Forest Park (56-47 L)
This Thursday night marked the start of a new chapter in Centreville Football, and they did so guns blazing. 47 points being put up by Will Shields’ offense. But some of the key linebacking core were missing due to early injury, and it severely dropped the quality of the Wildcats’ run defense, and Forest Park capitalized on it with proper pace, with running backs like Antonio Jones and Kellen Lewis speeding past the secondary on a regular basis. Even simple screen passes to receivers like Mateo Moncrieffe turned into double-digit yardage most of the time. Cornerback Bryson Abbott recalls the experience, saying that “we were playing more for ourselves rather than the team.” There was a lot to look at on the drawing board, and they took defense into immeasurable consideration.

Week 2: *bye*

9/12: Week 3 at Home vs. Yorktown (38-14 W)
With Week 2 being a bye, the Wildcats had 15 days to prepare for what was coming next: the Yorktown Patriots, who would eventually become Liberty District champions. In particular, they had to try and stop the explosive plays of at that time a Rutgers commit: Patriots tight end Tyler Lewis. Junior linebacker Patrick Cosden recalls the defensive strategy being switched “from a three front to a four front,” with an extreme emphasis on stopping the run, something they weren’t able to do against Forest Park two weeks earlier. The Wildcat defense displayed impressive improvement, successfully limiting Tyler Owens to little to no carries or catches at all throughout the game, often triple teaming him in tackles if he had the ball. This strategy worked to perfection, phasing Owens out of the game enough to not make him a significant presence for Yorktown, as the Wildcats cruised to a well-deserved win.

9/19: Week 4 Away at Mount Vernon (51-47 W)
Following newfound confidence in the defense, the Centreville Wildcats drove into Mount Vernon expecting a well-fought ball game, and they were in for one of the most dramatic they’ve ever played in this year. The Wildcats controlled the tempo for most of the match, driven by special teams. Although a pick six drew first blood for Mount Vernon, the Wildcats were able to bounce back, and held the lead for as long as 39 in-game minutes, thanks to two blocked PATs and one blocked punt which led to a safety. Even though they blew an 11-point lead and were trailing in the last six minutes of the game, they still had a cardiac factor. Shields initially scored, and Mount Vernon answered back with an effort largely driven by star player Matt Moret. Then, the Wildcats were stuck at Mount Vernon’s 36-yard line on 4th and 10. And Jourdan Simpson happened, catching an absolute prayer for 40 yards to keep their last drive alive. John Poythress walked in the endzone, and Nick Solomon sealed the deal with a game-winning interception on Mount Vernon’s last drive, in what was an absolute nail-biter.

9/26: Week 5 at Home vs. Washington-Liberty (35-28 W)
Centreville’s homecoming game saw them facing Washington-Liberty, a quality opponent from the Liberty District. The game went neck and neck in the first quarter tied at 14, but then the Wildcats began to pull away, with 21 unanswered points in the third quarter in order to acquire a 35-14 lead. But then, Tyler Flint-Steinig and his legion of Generals such as David Toepel, Trevor Fullen, and Henry Cruz kept Centreville in check, scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to make it 35-28. But a last-minute defensive stand marked by a 4th down incompletion on the Generals’ final drive gave the Wildcats the win in the end, giving them their last win against a non-Concorde opponent.

Week 6: *bye*

10/10: Week 7: Away at Chantilly (53-7 W)
Another bye week, meaning more time to rest and recover as well as draw up a new strategy. It also meant the start of district play in one of, if not the toughest district in Virginia high school football, and they did so with a huge bang. Centreville absolutely dominated in every sector of the game. The offense did what they were supposed to do. And although Emiliano Lucero missed a couple of PATs, there was no need to worry. The defense played out of their minds. Chantilly may have drawn first blood, but the Wildcats then proceeded to drop 53 points unanswered, with a game-sealing pick six by Patrick Cosden to seal it off.

10/17: Week 8 at Home vs. James Madison (35-32 W)
One of the great classics we got to witness this season. The Wildcats were truly pushed to the limit. The biggest threat to the Wildcat defense was bar none Warhawks running back Matthew Weiler. He powered through tackles and made it look easy. His physicality was in full display for this game, and it sparked a comeback for the Warhawks after being down by as much as 11 points in the second half. But the Wildcat offense had the ball next, and on a 4th and 5, Denzel Dixon caught a jump ball and caused his defender to fall down, and walked into the wide-open endzone, to give the Wildcats the lead. And then, Joey Sayen, who at that point led the team in solo tackles throughout the game, produced the game-winning interception on Andrew Rowan, who had a subpar passing game especially in the first half and was forced to throw either screens or hand it off for rushes, and thus didn’t have much of a significant output on offense as he would’ve hoped, giving Centreville an incredible victory.

10/24: Week 9 Away at Westfield (35-28 W)
This game proved to be yet another dramatic match. All throughout the game, the Wildcats committed several incompletions, penalties adding up for hundreds of yards in total, and even a fumble or two. But the game was more characterized by Westfield’s incompetence on offense, and their lack of ability to capitalize off of several errors by the Wildcat offense, which gave the Bulldogs more than enough chances to put the game to bed. One instance in particular was when the Wildcats had one of the worst drives of the season by their high standards, barely gaining even a yard or two without even advancing the first down marker. The Wildcats were forced to punt on fourth down, but a wild snap that went way over the head of Jourdan Simpson went past the endzone for a safety, and the ensuing punt was kicked out of bounds placing the ball at the Wildcats’ 30-yard line, giving Westfield prime range to score. But the Bulldogs proceeded to play a drive characterized by offensive miscommunication in a fumble and constant sacks resulting in heavy losses of yardage, and they didn’t even get into close-enough proximity to try a field goal. That pretty much summed up what Westfield was all about that game. Still, the game was very close, tied at 28 points a piece courtesy of a Nick Solomon touchdown on a 3rd and 15. Then it came down to the Wildcats’ last drive; yet another two-minute drill. The Wildcats were forced to a 4th and 1 at the Westfield 48-yard line, but an offside call on Giovanni Harris gives the Wildcats a new set, and they take it the distance with Nick Solomon scoring yet again with six seconds left, sealing the win for Centreville, to cap off what was by far one of the most memorable Centreville-Westfield games in history.

10/30: Week 10 at Home vs. South Lakes (49-35 W)
A tale of two halves, and what a tale we got to see unfold. In the first half, South Lakes looked to be the better team. There were several incompletions for Will Shields, and even a fumbled handoff intended for Cardin Stover resulting in a turnover. The Wildcats were kept alive only by Emiliano Lucero’s two made field goals by the end of the half. And then, the Wildcats took major control over the football game. Now it was South Lakes committing incompletions, turnovers, an exceptional amount of sacks, and plenty of late-game fumbles, with defensive star David Campbell causing two fumbles to stop any offensive effort from the Seahawks to get them back in it. Centreville’s offense was back on track in the second half as well. Jourdan Simpson had significantly better form than in his night at Westfield, catching 12 receptions for 297 yards. In a game that was supposedly defined by offense, defense reigned supreme, and Centreville won the game. With this win, the Centreville Wildcats clinched the one seed in the Concorde District for the regional playoffs.

11/7: Week 11 Away at Oakton (49-21 W)
The last game of the regular season provided a comfortable win for the Wildcats. Cardin Stover in particular went off, going for exactly 200 yards on 25 carries for a hattrick of touchdowns. To Oakton’s credit, they played with great heart, especially when they’re capping off a season of missed potential: not making the playoffs at all despite having so much individual talent primarily on an offensive standpoint. This win in particular certified something historic for Wildcat Football: Not only were they unbeaten in district play, they won sole possession of the Concorde District Championship; their first title since 2014. To put it into perspective, future Los Angeles Ram Kobie Turner was a freshman here at Centreville who, although saw a spot on the varsity team, didn’t see much time on the field. Isaiah Ragland came through the program. Will Shields’ two older brothers, Luke and Jack, came through the program as well. But Ragland, Luke Shields, Jack Shields, and more than 45 Wildcats committed to play college football. But this team, the 2025 Varsity team, was the team to bring back a trophy to Wildcat Nation.

Playoffs: 

Then came the playoffs, and the Wildcats were the top overall seed in Region D as Concorde District champions and with a higher power point advantage over Yorktown. Fun fact, before the playoffs began, the Wildcats possessed the second-highest power point average only behind eventual state champions Oscar Smith. 

11/14: Regional Qtrs. at Home vs. George C. Marshall (42-31 W)
First playoff game in three seasons for Centreville, and they won it in style. Despite the best efforts of Statesmen such as Kevin Aleman, the Wildcats did what they were supposed to do, and the first-string defense played incredibly, forcing turnover after turnover and punt after punt. Too many mistakes and fumbles were committed by the Statesmen, who barely made it in the playoffs last minute as the Liberty District’s four seed, and they were shown what it meant to play a playoff team. 28 unanswered points by the Wildcats in the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 42-7 lead. The coaching staff even put in their second-string and third-string players, even putting JV starter Dhillon Ball as quarterback. However, putting JV against Varsity didn’t seem to be the best move, and the Statesmen scored 24 unanswered points, but it was too late. The Wildcats killed a lot of time off with smart clock management, and held on in the end to win their first playoff game since 2022.

11/21: Regional Semis Home vs. James Madison (35-34 OT L)
Then it was the regional semifinal at home against James Madison, and by all accounts it was an absolute climax from start to finish, no matter which team you were rooting for. Both teams went band for band in the first 21 minutes, tied at the end of the third quarter. Centreville pulled away at one point 21-14, and James Madison answered with a touchdown of their own, but then came a blocked extra point attempt with the last deflection taken by none other than defensive powerhouse David Campbell, to keep it 21-20 with 4:13 to go in the ball game. It all looked over when Nick Solomon ran it in the endzone for the subsequent Wildcat drive to make it 28-20, and it looked like the game was being put to bed. Some Warhawk fans were leaving the away end to beat the traffic. But then, Will Smoot of James Madison ran it on the ensuing punt return all the way to the Wildcats’ 40-yard line. And then, of all people, Matthew Weiler, who absolutely terrorized the Centreville defense in their previous regular season meeting, ran in both the touchdown and the two-point conversion to tie the game at 28 with 1:13 to go in the ball game. The Wildcats elected to play safe and go to overtime. James Madison had the ball first in overtime, and Matthew Weiler literally ran it in for a touchdown on the first play of overtime. It didn’t even take five seconds for him to get the handoff and cross the line, and they kicked the extra point to make it 35-28. Now all the pressure is on Centreville. Denzel Dixon scores a touchdown to show an answer of their own, but then they elected to go for two points already. In the Virginia High School League, teams can go for the extra point in the first overtime period if they score a touchdown, but in every overtime period afterward they must score for two. And seeing that Matthew Weiler ran it in on the very first play of overtime, the Wildcats presumably didn’t want such an occurrence to happen again. They decided to go for two, and they had two more opportunities to change their call, but they didn’t despite a false start penalty and a timeout respectively. At the third attempt, they went for two and snapped the ball. Shields threw to Simpson, but it was knocked away. It was incomplete, and that was it. It was over. The Wildcats’ season ended, just a bit too early. It was James Madison who ended Centreville’s season in 2022, and it’s James Madison again who ended Centreville’s season in 2025.

Despite the massive heartbreak in the end, there is little doubt that this season would indeed go down as a very memorable one. Parallels could be drawn with the Washington Commanders’ NFL campaign in 2024, with similarities in the sense that the Wildcats were lifted from successive seasons of mediocrity and inexperience, to new heights of prominence and regained respect throughout not just the region but the entire state, whose success often involved the most cardiac finishes. As the Wildcats were walking out to the locker room for the final time this season. There were barely any smiles on any players’ faces. Some were crying, some were distraught, others were just disappointed the way the season had to end in such a fashion. But as they were escorted out, one of the coaching staff exclaimed, “Keep your head up. You’ve rebuilt a legacy,” in reference to the fact that the Wildcats won their first trophy in 11 years, their best record in three seasons, and the regained respect that gave Centreville their prominence in the first place.

These wins couldn’t have been produced without stellar performances from the Wildcats week in and week out. This year has produced some of the best players the school has had in a while, and it showed in the countless amount of awards they won and the sheer numbers they put up.

Below are the honors that our Wildcats have been awarded by the Virginia High School League.

Class 6 First Team All-State :
Alex Molina

Class 6 Second Team All-State:
Will Shields
Jourdan Simpson

Fairfax County Football Hall of Fame:
Alex Molina (First Team, Lineman of the Year)
John Poythress (Second Team, All-Purpose Player of the Year)

First Team All-Region D:
Will Shields (Off. POTY)
Jourdan Simpson
David Campbell
Cardin Stover
Alex Molina
Eric Brown

Second Team All-Region D:
Demarcus Mitchell
Emiliano Lucero
Luke Wells
John Poythress (All-Purpose)

First Team All-Concorde District:
Will Shields (POTY)
Jourdan Simpson
David Campbell
Cardin Stover
Demarcus Mitchell
Emiliano Lucero
Alex Molina
Eric Brown
Luke Wells

Second Team All-Concorde District:
John Poythress (Off. All-Purpose POTY)
Pierce Robinson
Ethan Eignor
Brady Conway
Denzel Dixon
Jake Birnbaum
Kaden Parker
Nick Solomon
Anthony Fonseca

Despite a season cut short due to a playoff loss in the regional semifinal, plenty of Wildcats still placed high in statistical rankings. Below is a list of some of the best as of December 19, 2025.

Will Shields:
#18 in the country and #1 in Virginia for total points (264)
#24 in the country and #1 in Virginia for total touchdowns (44)
#7 in Virginia for passing yards (2792)
#12 in Virginia for total yards (3046)

Jourdan Simpson:
#1 in Virginia for receiving yards (1426)

Cardin Stover:
#23 in Virginia for rushing yards (1155)

Emiliano Lucero:
#2 in Virginia for made PATs (54)
#4 in Virginia for kickoff yards (3512)
#9 in Virginia for total kicking points (66)

John Poythress:
#13 in Virginia for total return yards (414)
#24 in Virginia for kickoff return yard average (29.57)

Nick Solomon:
#21 in Virginia for kickoff return yard average (30.33)
#24 in Virginia for total return yards (364)

Through all of this effort, and a little bit of magic, the Wildcats finished 9-2 overall, with a perfect 5-0 district record in the regular season. A winning legacy was rebuilt with this proud Wildcat team, and now only time will tell how the next generation will follow up. But for now, these men have made their mark, and it’s best of luck for them in the future.