The Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots figure to achieve something tonight in high-school football action that last occurred 52 years ago.
Washington-Liberty stands a good chance to improve to 5-0 when the Generals host the winless Falls Church Jaguars (0-4) in a 7 p.m. non-district contest.
The last time W-L began the season with a 5-0 record was in 1971 when Ellis Wisler was the head coach. That year, the Generals’ first five wins were all by close margins, with two by 9-0 and 7-0 shutouts.
Yorktown (3-1, 1-1 in the Liberty) hosts the West Springfield Spartans (2-1) tonight at 7 p.m. in a non-district clash. The meeting will be the first between the teams since 1971, when the Patriots won 16-14 in Arlington under then head coach Jesse Meeks in the seventh game of the regular season.
This fall, Washington-Liberty has won three games by lopsided blowouts and edged Yorktown, 21-18, for its most recent victory.
In its four losses, Falls Church has been shut out three times and scored six points in one contest.
“This will be a game we have a good chance of doing well, but we can’t take that for granted,” W-L coach Josh Shapiro said.
Washington-Liberty and the defending champion Langley Saxons are tied for first place in the Liberty District with 1-0 records.
The last meeting between Yorktown and West Springfield was so long ago that even Patriots’ head coach Bruce Hanson wasn’t involved. He has coached Yorktown since 1985.
“I have no idea why it has been so long since we’ve played them,” Hanson said.
Arlington’s Wakefield Warriors (0-4) play at the Edison Eagles (1-2) tonight in non-district action, as they try for their first win of the 2023 campaign.
Wakefield will be the fourth straight Liberty District opponent Edison has played this season. Edison is a member of the National District and a favorite to win this season’s title.
In private-school action on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m., the Bishop O’Connell Knights (2-2) play on the road in Maryland against the Annapolis Area Christian School Eagles (1-3) in a non-conference clash. The teams met last season with O’Connell winning 42-7.
The Eagles have been shut out twice this season.
O’Connell has not won since its season opener. The Knights’ other victory was by forfeit over St. Albans in week three.
