“I'm most excited about just getting out on the field again,” senior Andre Best said. “It’s been a long off season and I can't wait to put the pads back on.”
QB Patrick Thompson will need to be replaced in 2009.
Photo by Dan Trevino
A new season means a new chapter in the book of Stone Bridge football. After four successful years of football, the time is over for the class of 2009. In 2005, the freshmen team went undefeated. As sophomores on the Varsity team in 2006, they finished the regular season undefeated, eventually losing to Edison in the Northern Region final. In 2007, as juniors, the Varsity team went 14-1 to win Stone Bridge’s first AAA Division 5 state title with a 38-0 victory over Potomac Senior High School. Finally, in their senior season, the team went 13-1, losing to 15th ranked Phoebus in the state semi-final game.
Last year the team said goodbye to 33 seniors, 12 of whom signed with colleges, and the remaining players are certainly going to miss their presence on and off the field
"Last year’s seniors leaving is tough,” senior Michael Kajut said. “I became such good friends with many of them and learned so much from playing with them the past couple of years that I will be using for this season.”
However, the 2010 seniors are confident in their ability to overcome the loss.
“We’re going to miss them a lot, but as in the past, Stone Bridge football will find someone to step up and take their spot," senior Connor Calderwood said.
Before leaving, they did offer some advice to this year’s team.
“They said to keep on working hard, and to do our jobs,” junior Spenser Rositano said. “Do what they did.”
The team feels that if they are able to accomplish just that, they will find themselves in a good place. The team knows that the key to success is through working hard and putting all of their effort into the program.
“We have to work hard and just perform,” Calderwood said. “We have to play every game as if it is our last ever; each play as if there were no tomorrow.”
The team started early this past summer to get ready for the season.
“I weight trained four days a week, went to passing camps, and competed in 7 on 7 tournaments at the University of Richmond and the University of Virginia,” Kajut said.
Head Coach Mickey Thompson is impressed with the effort that the team put into their summer workouts.
“This is the best group of guys we’ve had in the way that they’ve done everything in their power to get ready for this season,” Coach Thompson said. “They all lifted and participated in the 7 on 7s and speed workouts during the summer. They’ve done all they could.”
With only two starters from last year remaining, the team is looking for a new leader.
“With so many seniors gone, it’s up to the upperclassmen to continue the 10 year tradition of Stone Bridge Football,” Coach Thompson said.
The team is looking for a leader that can help them come out on top, even as they battle adversity, especially early in the season.
“The big question is who the guys are that will step up,” Coach Thompson said. “Those are the guys we’ll turn to when things aren’t going well.”
There are many players willing to step up to those leadership roles.
“I need to be a role model for my team and be able to correct others on what they are doing wrong, as well as being able to get the team up when we are down,” junior Kyle Gouveia said.
Get ready Bulldogs fans for the 2009 season.
Photo by Dan Trevino
The team is definitely aware of the legacy that the past seniors have left behind, and are determined to add on.
“Coach Thompson always tells us that this football program is bigger than all of us,” Kajut said. “It’s bigger than me, the Jeron Gouevias, the Mike Olsens, even coach himself. The program is about all the blood, sweat, and tears that the seniors from the previous years have left. The way we seniors make this team is going to add on to all the other previous senior years and help shape this program into something special.”
The players have many aspirations going into the season, individually, and as a team.
“The ultimate goal is making it to states,” Best said. “That’s always the goal.”
Other team members are looking at the smaller picture – looking at the season one game at a time.
“My expectations are to lead the offense the best way I can for the team to be competitive,” junior running back Marcus Harris said.
The class of 2009 may have left the halls of Stone Bridge to pursue learning and football at a higher level, but the legacy of Stone Bridge football will go on.
“Playing for this school is a great honor and privilege,” Calderwood said. “I have been blessed to be able to stay healthy and be part of such winning programs. We want and will continue the tradition of winning championships.”
