South Lakes Looks To Maintain Control This Year Against Herndon

By BRIAN McNICOLL

If there's been one concern for South Lakes High Coach Jason Hescock about his team's 4-0 start it's been that the Seahawks built comfortable first-half leads then didn't do much to add to them after halftime.

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South Lakes has scored 125 of its 135 points in the first half of its victories over Yorktown, Robinson, Battlefield and West Potomac.

With the Seahawks' bye week to take a long look under the hood, Hescock concluded the low-scoring second halves weren't so much a problem of lack of execution as the way the games unfolded. With big leads, it made sense to run the clock on offense and let the defense do its work.

But this Friday at 7, the Herndon Hornets come to Reston for the 29th annual Baron Cameron Cup. And after the way last year's game ended, it's safe to say the Seahawks will keep the gas on the entire time.

Nick Picarelli had the best game of his career in last year's game – 218 yards receiving and a 73-yard touchdown with 1:58 to play that tied the game. Christian Wyatt had the best game stats-wise of his career with 322 yards passing – the most in at least three years for the Seahawks.

But an interception in the final minute of the game led to a 50-yard field goal by Herndon's Ryan Quick on a kick that would've been good from 60, and the Hornets prevailed 23-20. "We should've been up 28-0 at the half," Hescock said at the time.

Last year, the Seahawks would've been unbeaten at this point but for a stunning last-second kickoff return for a touchdown that led to a tragic loss to Battlefield. Herndon came in 0-4.

This year, South Lakes didn't slip up against Battlefield and remains unbeaten. Herndon is 0-4 again and just as hungry to get in the win column and add to its 15-13 lead in the Baron Cameron Cup series.

Hescock said he "put a charge into them" about keeping the pressure on. "I told them I don't want it to play calls when we get in finish-the-game mode. I want it to be by personnel. I want to be able to put in other players because our starters kept the heat on."

On paper, it looks like he might get the chance. Herndon's leading rusher averages three yards per game. Its leading receiver averages 17. South Lakes' leading receiver, Joshua Dagbe, averages nearly 80.

The Hornets have given up 167 points in four games, including 57 to Langley and 43 to Chantilly, and two of their losses came to lower-classification teams from Loudoun County.

Meanwhile, South Lakes' offense has rolled up 1,368 yards in four games. Wyatt has rushed for 292 yards and James Smith for 284 yards, giving South Lakes two rushers with approximately 27 times as many yards as the leading Herndon ball carrier.

Hescock said he expects South Lakes will be able to run the ball some and that we should watch for more catches from 6-3 receiver George Zarechnak. "As the season goes on more people focus on Picarelli (26 catches-227 yards) and Dagbe (28-320), and that big target is hard to miss."

The Hornets may have the same record, but they have a new coaching staff that has installed a high-energy, high-speed offense. "It's Air-Raid-ish," Hescock said. "It's very fast. They go with a lot of tempo. They throw the ball all over the field. We have to keep this in front of us and manage the game."

Picarelli missed the second half of the West Potomac game with an injury, but Hescock said he was a full go in practice this week and will be 100% for Friday night. He also expects the Seahawks to be full go the entire game this time.

"Last year, it was two teams that didn't want to win the game," Hescock said. "It's the simple things. Can we establish momentum and keep it? High school kids are funny. You never know."