On Friday, August 30, Centreville High School had their first home game against a non-conference team from Loudoun County, Stonebridge High School. The gates opened up at 6 p.m., but game time didn’t start until 7:00. Centreville supporters were lined up at the ticket booth, excited to cheer on the team. The Wildcat student section showed their school spirit by wearing flower necklaces and tropical shirts along with the coordinated Hawaiian theme. The fans had high hopes of winning, but knew the players needed all the support they could get to score a win.

The Stonebridge Bulldogs have had a very successful athletic program for many years. They have a reputation of winning seasons along with several back-to-back championships, even in other sports beyond football. Centreville knew this would be a tough game, knowing the impressive reputation of the Bulldogs. “I have been looking forward to this game all summer, knowing this is the first game of the season,” starting tight end Sean Baker (#80) commented before the game. The Wildcats, coached by Jon Shields, were motivated to walk away with their first win of the season. 

From the start of the game, both teams were determined to win. You could see the competitiveness among each of the players. Billy Wiles (#8), quarterback, made two touchdowns for Stonebridge in the first half. In the second quarter, Wiles had another touchdown. Avery Ford (#12), wide receiver for Centreville, had a clutch touchdown catch that helped the Wildcats trail the Bulldogs 14-7 at halftime. During halftime, the dance team and band put on an astonishing performance for our audience. Following on in the third quarter, Avery Ford had another touchdown, helping Centreville tie the game 14-14. Eventually in the fourth quarter, Stonebridge  pulled away, with #25 scoring two touchdowns on Stonebridge. In the second half, Senior Zakias Moore led the game 28-14. As a team, Centreville had 27 carries for 80 yards.

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs beat the Wildcats 28-14. “On to W and L,” says varsity defensive line and head JV coach, Coach Frank, referring to their next opponent, Washington and Liberty. Centreville still managed to play hard and compete well against the very dynamic team. It was a great way to start off the season with a high-energy home opener game. Everyone is excited to see the Wildcats bounce back and win more in the rest of the season.