On Friday, Nov. 8 the Highlanders played the Langley Saxons in the infamous Chain Bridge Rivalry. Students dressed in the annual “blackout” theme filled the stands, and fans were ready to hoist the winner’s trophy for a second time following a 12-7 victory last year.
“The fans are crucial to us,” quarterbacks coach Ky Parrott said. “The players feed off of the energy, so it’s huge for us that it’s a home game.”
This game meant much more for McLean this year, as a victory assured them a coveted playoff spot. To make this happen however, they were going to need to keep emotions to a minimum.
“We have to keep it in perspective that this is a win or go home game for us,” Parrott said. “The emotions are going to be high for sure, but we have to keep them in check so that they don’t hurt us.”
Kickoff ensued, and a decent return led to good field position for the Saxons. But, just a few seconds into the game, as fans were still arriving, the Saxons running back burst through the line and in the blink of an eye was in the endzone. A two point conversion put the Highlanders down 0-8 only 20 seconds into the game.
McLean received the kickoff and hopes of a long drive surrounded the stadium. However, a holding penalty followed by a botched snap led to a very long fourth down, forcing the Highlanders to punt the ball away.
Langley took advantage of the field position starting at the 50 yard line and crushed Highlander hearts with another touchdown making the score 0-15. McLean continued to find no spark on offense, with penalties and miscues leading to yet another punt from far, putting the Saxons in perfect territory for another touchdown and a 0-22 score.
McLean finally caught a spark, however, with a long reception by junior wide receiver Steven Conroy and a dominant rushing attack by senior running back Noah Jander as the first quarter came to a close.
As the second quarter began, Jander took to the ground with consecutive long rushes putting the Highlanders in scoring position. But incompletions and penalties resulted in the Highlanders’ third punt of the game.
Senior punter Nathan Bender put on a show for McLean, putting the Saxons inside the 5-yard-line on his third punt. The Highlander defense held up, and forced a punt by the Saxons.
With about half of the second quarter left, the Highlanders received the ball and punted it back almost immediately. After a few more scoreless drives from each team, the first half ended 0-22 in favor of the Saxons.
Despite a riveting halftime show performed by McLean’s dance team, the Highlanders lacked momentum on the field. As the half began, the Saxons added insult to injury, gaining the crushingly rare two points from a safety. The crowd’s once rowdy spirit began to dim, and fans began to leave in droves.
The offense was stagnant, the defense overrun, and as the game approached the fourth quarter, there was no semblance of a comeback. The last period was garbage time in its entirety, and although McLean kept fighting, they were no match for the Saxons, with a pair of cheap touchdowns making the final scoreline 0-38.
This loss marked the last game of the season for the Highlanders, and players were disappointed to head home early and to say goodbye to their beloved seniors. Fans hope that next season, fresh talent, determination and hard work will yield better results for the Highlanders.
“The seniors this year were insanely dedicated, and the season meant a lot to not only them, but also to the juniors and underclassmen,” junior safety Owen Smart said. “I think going into the offseason we’re going to have a lot to build on and come back next year ready to prove something.”
