South Lakes Reclaims Baron Cameron Cup With 48-0 Win Over Herndon

By BRIAN McNICOLL

Over the course of the 29 years Herndon and South Lakes high schools have played for the Baron Cameron Cup, the programs have been fairly evenly matched, as evidenced by the fact Herndon has won 15 of the games and South Lakes 14.

But on a Friday night in Reston, the clubs were not evenly matched – at all. The Seahawks got two touchdowns each from Nick Picarelli and Joshua Dagbe and its first 100-yard rushing performance of the year from James Smith to defeat the Hornets, 48-0, in their final tuneup before Concorde District play begins.

The Seahawks, now 5-0, recorded their first shutout of the season, delivered their highest point total and collected a season-high three interceptions against the Hornets, who fell to 0-5.

It was as thorough a beating as either team has inflicted upon the other in this series as the Seahawks took no chances after last year, when a Herndon team that came in 0-4 upset the then-4-1 Seahawks, 23-20, on a last-second 50-yard field goal.

South Lakes scored on four of its first five possessions and ran out of downs deep in Herndon territory on the other.

Seahawks Defense Holds Herndon To 31 Yards

The Seahawks’ defense recorded losses on eight of the 12 running plays Herndon attempted in the first half. The Hornets, who were on their third quarterback before the first quarter ended, managed just 31 total yards with no catches longer than 11. On the night, other than one 24-yard run by Hudson Rita, the Hornets gained two yards on a rushing play only three times the entire game.

South Lakes possessed the ball for nearly two-thirds of the game – 31:25 to 16:35 for Herndon.

The Seahawks controlled the ball for 22 of the last 31 plays in the game.

Herndon punted seven times – five on 3-and-outs; South Lakes punted none. South Lakes ran 29 of its first 32 plays from Herndon territory. Herndon ran three plays from South Lakes territory the entire night – all thanks to South Lakes penalties.

And Herndon’s one faint hope of scoring – a penalty that set up the Hornets at the South Lakes 32, ended the next play when Cameron Soto picked off a pass – one of a season-high three interceptions on the night for the Seahawks secondary.

“We set a high standard for ourselves, and we met it tonight for the most part,” said David Landeryou, sophomore defensive back and a leader for the Seahawk defense. “We had two weeks to prepare, which helps. But we were on an even keel all night … where we were supposed to be. And you can see what happens.”

Picarelli, Dagbe Score Two Touchdowns Apiece

On top of all that, score-wise it could’ve been considerably worse. South Lakes committed 10 penalties on the night, and almost all were costly. The Seahawks wiped off two touchdowns and more than 100 yards in gains with penalties and gave Herndon four of its five first downs.

The Seahawks’ first drive of the game ended on downs at the Herndon 24. After that, the Seahawks unloaded.They moved 52 yards in 10 plays, overcoming two penalties, to take the lead for good on a 5-yard jet sweep by Picarelli. Less than a minute later, they were on the march again, moving 49 yards in seven plays to a 20-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt to Picarelli.

Wyatt looked to his right then launched a perfect spiral that dropped from the sky into Picarelli’s hands in perfect stride in the left corner end zone. It was the kind of play teammates make only when they are well familiar with each other, Picarelli said.

“He let it fly, and it hit me right in stride,” Picarelli said. “Just like we’ve been doing since we were little kids playing for Reston Youth Football. It was perfect. I didn’t have to adjust one bit in any direction.”

The lead stood at 12-0 after that as the normally reliable South Lakes extra point team struggled in the heavy rain. “It was really hard,” said long snapper Corey Vitaglione, a senior who noted that this was the first time his class had defeated Herndon. “It was pouring and you couldn’t hold the ball at all. But once it stopped pouring, we were perfect. Perfect snaps. Perfect kicks.”

The lead jumped to 14-0 on Herndon’s next possession when punter Dylan Quick, younger brother of Ryan Quick, whose late 50-yard field goal won the game for Herndon last year, ran out of the end zone for a safety.

Three plays later the Seahawks were back in the end zone on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt to Dagbe. The pass, after another big play was rubbed out by a South Lakes penalty, was lofted down the middle of the field where Dagbe was beating three Herndon defenders.

After another Herndon 3-and-out, the Seahawks cashed in again, moving 52 yards in five plays to a 27-yard TD run by Wyatt. The quarterback faked a handoff, then a pass, then ran to his left and beat the Herndon defense to the end zone. This time James Marburg converted the extra point and South Lakes led 27-0.

The Seahawks opened the second half with another drive that came up empty deep in Herndon territory But then they got back on track under sophomore backup quarterback Gavin Satterfield, who led the Seahawks on three more touchdown drives.

The first included a break for the Seahawks when Satterfield hit Dagbe for a pass and his defender fell down on the wet turf, giving South Lakes’ leading scorer the field to himself for a 63-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks drove 57 yards in nine plays to a 3-yard touchdown run by Sean Ventura, the senior’s first touchdown.

The final score was set up by an interception that gave South Lakes the ball at the Herndon 20. Satterfield hit sophomore Bode Scullion for his first career touchdown from six yards out. Scullion (2 catches-10 yards), Ventura (9 carries-59 yards), Ian Merzig (1 catch-6 yards), Calvin Lucier (5-23 rushing) and Will Bertoni (1-5) all enjoyed career nights for South Lakes.

George Zarechnak had three catches, matching his season high, as the Seahawks begin to take advantage of the attention opponents must pay to Dagbe and Picarelli.

“It’s a blessing playing with those guys for sure,” Zarechnak said. “But we’re building confidence each week. We’re really looking forward to the start of the Concorde.

Unbeaten South Lakes Heads To Unbeaten Oakton

That occurs next Friday night when the Seahawks travel to Oakton, also 5-0, for what now looks like a key district game. South Lakes Coach Jason Hescock is confident his team will be ready.

“I told them before the game … don’t be surprised if you’re good,” Hescock said. “We still have some stuff to clean up … the penalties and other things. But that was a complete game tonight. We kept scoring the entire game. A lot of people contributed. Our defense was excellent.”

SOUTH LAKES 48, HERNDON 0

SCORING SUMMARY

SL — Nick Picarelli 5 run (kick failed)
SL — Picarelli 20 pass from Christian Wyatt (pass failed)
SL — Safety, punter ran out of end zone
SL — Joshua Dagbe 44 pass from Wyatt (kick failed)
SL — Wyatt 27 run (James Marburg kick)
SL — Dagbe 63 pass from Gavin Satterfield (Marburg kick)
SL — Sean Ventura 3 run (Marburg kick)
SL — Bode Scullion 6 pass from Satterfield (Marburg kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Herndon: Timothy Fouche 6–5, Michael Kamp 2–(-3), Rita Hudson 10–(-6), Leo Albers 3–(-6), Ethan Braxton 1–(-9). South Lakes: James Smith 16–105, Ventura 9–59, Wyatt 7–53, Calvin Lucier 5–23, Picarelli 2–9, Will Bertoni 1–5, Dagbe 1–0.

PASSING (att–comp–int) — Herndon: Kamp 3–0–0; Albers 2–1–0, 9 yards; Hudson 14–7–3, 34 yards. South Lakes: Wyatt 22–13–1, 110 yards, 2 TDs; Satterfield 11–7–0, 118 yards, 2 TDs.

RECEIVING — Herndon: Braxton 2–16, Albers 2–10, Andrew Hartsel 1–0, Mason Beiber 1–9, Jonah Smith 1–(-3), Luke Sangine 1–9. South Lakes: Picarelli 6–62, TD; Dagbe 7–180, 2 TDs; George Zarechnak 4–30, Scullion 2–10, TD; Ian Merzig 1–6.