The Westfield Bulldogs will face off against the Centreville Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Friday, Westfield didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Oakton, but they still walked away with a 29-25 win. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Bulldogs' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Virginia football rankings (they are ranked 30th, while the Cougars are ranked 147th).
Westfield's success was spearheaded by the efforts of PJ Sutherland, who rushed for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Malachi Lee, who gained 72 total yards.
Westfield didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Jermaine Webster, Lee, and Jacob Brubaker picked up one apiece.
Meanwhile, Centreville came tearing into Friday's matchup with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 20.3 points), and they left with even more momentum. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 35-32 victory over the Warhawks. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Wildcats have posted since October 25, 2024.
Centreville's win came from a few key players Westfield will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Cardin Stover, who rushed for 170 yards and one TD on only 12 carries. Those 170 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Jourdan Simpson, who gained 108 total yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Centreville was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 220 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Westfield's victory bumped their record up to 5-2. As for Centreville, their win bumped their record up to 5-1.
Westfield was able to grind out a solid victory over Centreville when the teams last played back in October of 2024, winning 27-19. Do the Bulldogs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wildcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.