It has been Edison senior quarterback Shawn Lloyd’s mantra all week, the phrase he repeats to all who will listen: Third time is the charm.
His tone lacks any hint of brashness. Lloyd knows the challenge the Eagles face on Friday in the Division 5 Northern Region title game at unbeaten Stone Bridge. He just wants his teammates to remember that Edison has been here before. Even if most of the current players have not.
The Eagles enter their third straight region final after losses to Stone Bridge (29-21) in 2005 and W.T. Woodson (29-25) in 2004. Edison returned just four starters who played against the Bulldogs in last year’s championship, including Lloyd.
“I’m looking at this game as a mental barrier for myself,” said Lloyd, who had an interception returned for a touchdown in last year’s final. “I watched the film of that game for the first time Monday and even though I didn’t play as bad as I remember it, I still want to prove I’m 10 times a better player than I showed.”
Lloyd is a two-year starter who also saw some playing time as a sophomore. Edison (9-2) will rely on his experience against Stone Bridge (11-0), the Virginia Group AAA Division 5 state runner-up which returned eight offensive starters and added O’Connell transfer Devon Brown (161 carries, 1,603 yards, 29 TDs) at running back.
Lloyd has adjusted smoothly to Edison’s new no-huddle offense, a departure from their vaunted rushing attack of recent years. He has attempted 103 more passes this season than last.
“We might talk a lot of trash in practice, but Shawn has improved so much. He does a great job of changing plays at the line and finding the open receiver,” said Edison senior defensive back Chuck Jackson. “I know that’s made our defense a lot better.”
Soaring Eagles
» With Lloyd at quarterback the last two seasons, Edison is 19-4. This season, Lloyd has completed 135 of 268 passes for 2,241 yards and 18 TDs.
» Edison boasts one of the Northern Region’s top wide receiver corps. Junior Drew Baldwin leads in receptions (44) and junior Ben Barber leads in touchdowns (9) and yards (767). Senior Michael Rhoden (26 receptions, 504 yards) averages 19.4 yards per catch.
» Lloyd said he is playing Friday’s game in memory of two former teammates who have died recently — former Edison quarterback Anthony Robinson, the starter when Lloyd was a sophomore, and Justin Brock, a running back for the Eagles last year who passed away on Nov. 12.
