Instead of wasting time discussing or writing down their team’s primary goal for the 2024 football season, the Washington-Liberty Generals concentrated on accomplishing that task on the field.
On Saturday (Nov. 2) the high-school team did just that — winning a second straight Liberty District championship.
The title was clinched with a 28-14 road victory over the Langley Saxons. It sets up the possibility of the school’s first 10-0 regular season in football since the late 1950s.
The Generals took a two-game lead in the district with a 5-0 record, while improving to 9-0 overall with one regular-season game remaining against the Wakefield Warriors (2-7, 0-5). Three teams are tied for second, including Langley (7-2, 3-2).
Two straight Liberty titles are the first for Washington-Liberty since the league was formed in 1994. The Generals won the district with a 5-1 record last fall when they finished 9-2 overall. Over two seasons, they have won nine straight times against district opponents.
“The players knew what they wanted, but they really didn’t talk much about it back during the preseason,” W-L coach Josh Shapiro said. “We didn’t formally write anything down. They just went out and played.”
By winning the district, W-L also clinched a berth to play in the eight-team 6D North Region tournament. The Generals’ seed is not determined, but could be as high as No. 2.
Washington-Liberty knew the task was tall to clinch the title against Langley, because the Saxons had scored 42 and 48 points in winning the squad’s previous two games. The Generals started fast, building a 21-0 lead and then surviving a Langley rally.
“We knew Langley was good. We got out fast and our defense played well,” Shapiro said.
Washington-Liberty was led on offense, as has been the case all season, behind an efficient passing attack. Senior quarterback Matthew Abramson was 19 of 28 for 135 yards and four touchdowns.
The scoring passes of 18, 13, 13 and eight yards, including two short forward laterals behind the line of scrimmage, all went to Jon Malatesta. He had 10 catches for 98 yards.
Brayden Black had four catches for 21 yards, David Toepel three and Sean Guffey and Zach Meehan one each.
Black was the rushing leader with 52 yards, Ben Hughes ran for 44 and Abramson for 38. Felipe Dieguez kicked four extra points.
Washington-Liberty gained 269 total yards and Langley 260.
On defense for the Generals, Hughes, Guffey, Malatesta, Ian Crowley, Henry Gutierrez, Connor Hurren and Andrew Tyskowski were tackling leaders. Malatesta had an interception and Meehan and Hurren fumble recoveries. Hughes, Crowley and Gutierrez had sacks.
