The Yorktown Patriots’ current two-game gridiron winning streak continues a trend. It comes against opponents the high-school football team has regularly defeated since the 2020 season.
The squad’s most recent victory came at home by a 3-0 score against the Marshall Statesmen on Friday, Oct. 2 in Liberty District action.
The Friday night before, also at home, Yorktown (3-3, 2-1) topped the McLean Highlanders, 24-7, in league play.
Since that 2020 campaign, the Patriots have defeated McLean six times and Marshall five, with one loss to each.
The low-scoring win against Marshall became a defensive clash as both offenses struggled to move the ball in sometimes heavy rain. The win by a 3-0 score was the first in history for Yorktown, which started its varsity football program in 1960. The shutout was Yorktown’s second this season.
In the Oct. 3 contest, Marshall controlled the ball for much of the action with its running game, but never seriously threatened to score. On defense, Yorktown came up with five turnovers to key the victory. The Patriots had just three first downs and only 106 total yards.
The winning points came on a 42-yard fourth-quarter field goal by Felix Gomez with 5:12 left in the game.
Marshall had two more possessions, with both ending in interceptions, one by Trenten Ruffner and the other by Jack McCorry, also Yorktown’s starting quarterback. The Patriots recovered three Marshall fumbles, scooped up by Ben Keppler, Henry Royal and Owen Quentin.
Royal also had a sack. Marshall gained 170 total yards.
“The rain affected our offense. We couldn’t get much going, so we had to change our game plan some,” Yorktown coach Alec Hicks told ARLnow. “Marshall controlled the ball and clock a lot, but our special teams were huge and a big winner for us, and our defense played well and physical.”
Gomez also punted with gusto in the win, four times for 175 yards, with a long of 61 and he had two inside the Marshall 5-yard line.
“His punts were big for field position for us,” Hicks said.
On offense, McCorry passed for 42 yards and ran for 52. Alex Randisi had two catches.
Against McLean, McCorry threw short touchdown passes to Jack Ezzeddin and Randisi and ran for a TD, and Gomez booted a 39-yard field goal and three extra points. McCorry threw for 111 yards and ran for 27. Nathan Harvey had four catches, Randisi and Shane Wilson three each and Alex Len two.
On defense, Ruffner had two interceptions, with Quentin and Rowen Traille having fumble recoveries.
Next for Yorktown is a non-district road game against the defending North C Region champion West Springfield Spartans (4-2) on Friday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. The Patriots lost at home to West Springfield last season.
In other recent Yorktown action:
Cross country: By displaying strong depth, the Yorktown girls cross-country team had second- and third-place finishes at recent meets that included many teams.
First, the Patriots placed second at the 73-team Oatlands Invitational in Leesburg, then third Oct. 3 at the 20-team Octoberfest Invitational on the Great Meadow course in The Plains.
At Oatlands, Yorktown was led by standout junior runner Molly Hardwick. She was third individually in 18:36 on the 5,000-meter course. Hardwick was a top finisher in multiple post-season meets last fall.
Also for the Patriots at Oatlands, junior Alya Mehmood was 34th (20:04), senior Ali Mathews 46th (20:16), junior Sofia Rosales 95th (21:09) and junior Cecilia Floom 103rd (21:20).
Mathews was the top finisher at Octoberfest, in 19th in 20:43, also on a 5,000-meter trek. Rosales was 23rd (20:58), sophomore Aria Hedderly 26th (21:04), freshman Keeley Gardner 33rd (21:21), sophomore Neve Jasser 44th (21:50.25), sophomore Charlotte Woodrow 45th (21:50.29) and sophomore Lanier Hutton 73rd (22.51).
Yorktown is the big favorite to defend its title at this week’s annual four-team Arlington County meet on the Bluemont Park course. Hardwick is the defending individual winner in the girls race.
Golf: With four golfers shooting in the 70s, the Patriots tied for third with a 308 team score in the recent 18-hole 6D North Region golf tournament, held at the Bristow Manor Golf Club course in Prince William County.
Ben Niehaus was Yorktown’s lowest scorer by carding a 75 to tie for seventh individually. Charlie Wisniewski shot 76, Ethan Newfield 78 and Declan Cameron 79. Grey Luongo had an 85 and Ginger Beall 86.
The Madison Warhawks won with a 299 score with the Langley Saxons second at 300. The Oakton Cougars tied Yorktown for third.
“The individual scores showed our depth as a team,” Yorktown coach Chris Williams said. “We scored better than at the [Liberty] district tournament.”
Yorktown placed third in the district with a 315 score to qualify for the region. The region tourney ended the season for the coed Yorktown team.
Yorktown was playing in the region tournament for the second straight season, also finishing third last year when the event was a 36-hole tournament.
Girls field hockey: In girls field hockey the Yorktown Patriots are continuing their strong season with an 11-2 overall record and 4-0 mark, with two shutouts, in the Liberty District. The team has four shutouts overall.
The Patriots have defeated the Washington-Liberty Generals, 2-1, Herndon Hornets, 4-1, and Wakefield Warriors and McLean Highlanders, by 4-0 scores, in district games.
Yorktown entered this week’s action with an eight-match winning streak. A key district showdown against the Marshall Statesmen, 12-1, 3-0, is still on tap for Yorktown.
Girls volleyball: In girls volleyball, the Yorktown Patriots entered this week with a 6-7 overall record and four straight victories.
The four wins in a row have been against Liberty District rivals Wakefield, McLean, Washington-Liberty and Herndon.
In Liberty District play, Yorktown began the week with a 5-2 record.
