Chantilly has quickly driven a stake through any lingering doubts about its status among Northern Virginia’s top football programs.
Just three games into the season, the sixth-ranked Chargers, defending Division 6 Northern Region champions after last fall’s surprising postseason run, have already demolished Langley (35-14), Washington-Lee (42-0) and Annandale (49-0).
Their success is due in large part to a rushing attack that relies on three different backs — seniors Bugsy Urrutia and Antonio Cross and junior Torrian Pace. The trio has combined for 12 TDs in those three wins and each will need to play well tonight when Chantilly travels to No. 2 Westfield (3-0) for an early-season Concorde District showdown.
“This is a real big deal for us,” said Urrutia, a slasher who has played football for only three years. “Beating Westfield this time would get us a lot more respect than we were shown after last season.”
The Chargers, despite missing starting quarterback Nate Worek, upset Westfield in last year’s region final, 26-21. The Bulldogs entered that game at 11-0 and with a 34-28 win over Chantilly during the regular season. But it was the Chargers who reached the Group AAA state championship game, a 42-20 loss to Osbourn. It was a nice run. But instead of reverting to form — this is a program that hadn’t made the playoffs since 1997 and was 0-10 as recently as 2004 — the Chargers haven’t missed a beat behind its tireless backfield.
“All I know is these guys make my job easy,” said Chantilly senior quarterback Austin Decker, who took over for Worek in the region final and state semifinal wins. “But I still don’t think we’ve shown what our offense is capable of yet.”
Pace, a starter along with Cross last fall, is the speed demon, totaling six touchdowns, including a 98-yarder vs. Washington-Lee. Cross is the combination back capable of grinding out tough yards when needed. He had 97 rushing yards on just eight carries in the win over Annandale. Urrutia didn’t see much playing time last season. But he can keep up with Pace, as seen in his 90-yard kick return for a touchdown against Washington-Lee.
“We feed off each other,” Pace said. “There’s no complaining about carries or who gets the ball or whatever. We just go out there and run.”
Game notes
» No. 2 Westfield is firing on all cylinders as well. The Bulldogs (3-0) have outscored their three opponents — South County, Lee and Hayfield — by a combined 124-13.
» Chantilly senior quarterback Austin Decker has attempted just 20 passes in three games with one for a TD — a 44-yarder to WR Chris Gentile.
» Westfield is holding a “blackout” for tonight’s game with rival Chantilly, encouraging all of its fans to wear black.
