Stone Bridge rallied from a 24-0 halftime deficit to defeat crosstown rival Broad Run, 31-30, in overtime in the 2011 edition of the ‘Battle of the ‘Burn’. The Bulldogs made things a lot simpler this time around.

Stone Bridge built a 17-0 lead in the second quarter and led by double digits the rest of the way en route to a 37-14 victory against host Broad Run before a standing room only crowd Sept. 21 in Ashburn.

“To be able to say we beat a crosstown rival with all the talk that was going on all week ... Everybody came out and played their hardest, we gave it our all,” Stone Bridge junior D’Ante Yarborough said.

The Spartans looked poised to score first Friday. Broad Run took the opening kickoff and drove deep into Stone Bridge territory. But the Spartans (1-3) came up empty after missing a 23-yard field goal attempt.  

“We got a stop on the drive and that was big,” Bulldogs coach Mickey Thompson said. “We were able to score two or three plays later and that’s pretty deflating for them.”

Stone Bridge (4-0) scored on its first offensive series when Rassaun Goldring broke a 24-yard run with 4:20 to go in the first quarter. Goldring started the drive with a 55-yard scamper.

The Bulldogs put 17 points on the board in the second quarter. Senior QB Ryan Burns hit Yarborough for a 37-yard strike.

“Ryan Burns and D’Ante Yarborough, those guys made the big plays for us,” Thompson said.

The Bulldogs dropped the next kickoff between the front line and deep backs and were able to recover. After a few plays, Bulldog kicker Brandon Smedley connected on a 32-yard field goal with 2:08 left in the half.

Broad Run came right back with a 79-yard touchdown strike from sophomore QB Brady Reitzel to Dorian Jenkins, giving the Spartans their first points of the game and cutting the lead to 10 points. There would be no miracle comebacks this year, the Spartans would get no closer than 10 points.

Burns, who was questionable to play after injuring his ankle Sept. 14 against South Lakes, helped the Bulldogs answer right back. Burns connected with Jake Kuzbel on a 19-yard touchdown reception to give Stone Bridge a commanding 24-7 lead with just 41 seconds left in the first half.

“When Jake went out to the sideline nobody was going with him,” Burns said. “I saw that, and hit a quick hitch to the outside. He was wide-open.”

The Bulldogs added two touchdowns in the second half. Burns hit Yarborough for a 40-yard completion, the second touchdown for Yarborough, and Calvin Strahin scored on a 1-yard run with 4:49 left in regulation to put the game out of reach.

“We had to be a little careful and actually we got a little bold,” Thompson said about the use of Burns. “He made a lot of plays tonight. He was probably 80 to 90 percent on that ankle. We didn’t let him run, he just passed the ball.

Broad Run produced a late score when Reitzel changed directions and ran 36 yards for the final touchdown of the night.

As the Bulldogs took a knee to run the final seconds off the clock, several deputies lined the track on the Stone Bridge side to keep fans from storming the field.

Instead of rejoicing with their fans on the field, Bulldog players ran toward the stands and celebrated along the fence with their frenzied student section.

Stone Bridge 37, Broad Run 14

-First Quarter
SB: Goldring 23 run (Smedley kick), 4:20

-Second Quarter
SB: Yarborough 37 pass from Burns (Smedley kick), 4:21
SB: Smedley 33 field goal, 2:08
BR: Jenkins 71 pass from Reitzel (Deane kick), 1:49
SB: Kuzbel 19 pass from Burns (Smedley kick), 0:41

-Third Quarter
SB: Yarborough 40 yd pass from Burns (Smedley kick), 1:14

-Fourth Quarter
SB: Strahin 1 run (kick blocked), 4:49
BR: Reitzel 37 run (Deane kick), 1:24

Individual Leaders

-Rushing: SB - Goldring (8 for 91 yards, TD), Dailey (11 for 36 yards); BR - Reitzel (18 for 88 yards, TD), Earl (11 for 41 yards), Davis (3 for 25 yards)

-Passing: SB - Burns (10 of 17 for 150 yards, 3 TD); Thompson (3 of 5 for 22 yards); BR - Reitzel (4 of 10 for 98 yards, TD, Int.)

-Receiving: SB - Yarborough (6 for 130 yards, TD), Frye (1 for 26), Kuzbel (2 for 18 yards, TD); BR - Jenkins (1 for 71 yards, TD), Earl (2 for 23 yards)

Videos: Stone Bridge players celebrate a 37-14 victory with the student body, and D’Ante Yarborough talks about the big win in the first video. Michael Murphy talks to Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson in the second video.