Stuart Takes Back Bell From Rival FCHS

Despite a final record of 2-8, the J.E.B. Stuart High School football team will certainly not consider the 2004 season a bad one — not after topping rival Falls Church High School 41-21 in the final game of the season to recapture the much sought-after bell for the first time in five years.

An unstoppable Raider running game and four pivotal first-half turnovers by the Jaguars lead to an offensive explosion for Stuart who had only topped 20 points once all season prior to the Bell Game.

Stuart running back Todd Osborne, who last week rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns, kept up his torrid production with 137 yards and four touchdowns to lead the attack. Osborne was joined in the end zone once apiece by Isaac Randall who finished the game with a team-high 143 yards, and Samson Taban who compiled 117 yards.

After capitalizing on the early turnovers by the Jaguars, the Raiders hit halftime with a 27-0 lead, but had to survive an always potent FCHS offense to secure the Bell. On the first play from the line of scrimmage in the third quarter, Falls Church running back Tony Collins broke through the Stuart defense at midfield and sprinted to the end zone to break up the shutout and make the score 27-7.

After holding on to an onsides kick attempt, the Raiders answered in kind. Randall broke off a huge run to get the Raiders inside the red zone and seconds later Stuart pushed the ball into the end zone and after a successful PAT, pulled back ahead by 27. With the lead widening and time becoming more precious by the second the Jaguars took to their aerial attack, utilizing their spread offense and the arm of junior quarterback Joey Collins filling in for the injured James Gannon.

After a short kickoff by the Raiders, Collins hooked up with receiver R.J. Davis on a post pattern over the middle. With the help of some nifty moves, Davis sprinted the remaining distance for the touchdown and after the point-after by Max HurrKamp, there was hope again for the Jags with the score 34-14.

Falls Church recovered the ensuing kick off and after a pair of fumbles by both offenses, the Jags found pay dirt again, this time with Collins connecting with senior receiver Sahr Jalloh down the middle for the touchdown to make the score 34-21. But with just over ten minutes remaining, a 30-plus yard run off the option by Randall set up Osborne’s fourth touchdown of the game to provide the final margin and give the Raiders back the Bell … and Raiders Head Coach Vince Randazzo a Gatorade shower.