Few programs in the Northern Region can match the success of Robinson’s football team over the last 11 years: two Group AAA Division 6 state titles, three region championships and another three region final appearances.
Sophomore linebacker Brian Laiti saw almost all of it as he watched older bothers Peter (2002 Robinson graduate), Patrick (’04) and David (’07) play for coach Mark Bendorf. Despite some trying times this season, Laiti and the Rams (6-5) have displayed some of that old magic in recent weeks and tonight play at No. 10 West Springfield (9-2) in a Division 6 Northern Region semifinal.
“There is a lot of tradition at Robinson High School, a lot of expectations regardless of who’s wearing this uniform,” said Bendorf, whose team missed the playoffs last fall for just the second time in his 11 years.
Robinson started the year with impressive wins over Division 6 Northern Region playoff teams Lake Braddock (21-0) and Stone Bridge (41-14) and sat at 4-2 on Oct. 5. But little went right the following three weeks. Robinson lost consecutive games to Chantilly (8-3), Oakton (5-5) and Herndon (5-5) and was in danger of missing the playoffs with another loss.
“But none of us ever put our heads down about that stuff,” said Brian Laiti. “There was some bad energy there for a while. But we knew we’d make [the playoffs] if we kept giving a full effort.”
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound Laiti has been a consistent presence as the starting middle linebacker all season. He follows in the footsteps of Peter and Patrick, who both played outside linebacker for the Rams and were key members of the 2001 state championship team. David was a sophomore running back in 2004 when the Rams were region champs and state runners-up and among the team’s leading rushers the following two years.
“I know the history of our Robinson’s program, pretty well,” Brian Laiti said. “But I never felt disappointed or that we weren’t living up that past. That adversity actually helps us now.”
The Tradition Continues
» Robinson was the No. 7 seed entering the postseason and had lost to No. 2 seed Chantilly, 41-21, on Oct. 12. But the Rams avenged that loss to the Chargers in the Division 6 Northern Region quarterfinals last week, 17-14.
» The program’s record under Mark Bendorf since he took over as head coach in 1997 is 108-23.
» Rams were missing several key players due to school rules violations in a 21-7 loss to West Springfield on Sept. 14.
