From the bottom to the top

Manassas (Map, News) - The bus pulled out of Osbourn’s campus last Friday and rolled through Manassas on a good-will visit to the city’s five elementary schools.

It was a worthy send-off for an Eagles team headed to Virginia Beach for the Group AAA Division 6 state semifinal against Salem. Osbourn has captured the imagination of the one-high school town surrounded by sprawling Prince William County.

“It hit us pretty hard,” said Osbourn senior defensive lineman Matt Johnson. “I saw my little brother [Daniel] and all his fourth-grade friends when we went past [Baldwin Elementary]. We were all in shock. They had signs with our numbers and every place we went they were cheering for us. It was almost like a movie.”

Osbourn’s magical season has one more stop on Saturday afternoon at Freedom High in Woodbridge when the Eagles face Northern Region champion Chantilly, a team that understands perfectly well the depths from which Osbourn’s program has risen in recent years.

In 2004, the Chargers finished 0-10 and the athletic department descended into chaos the following summer when coach Marty Riddle was forced out after one year, athletic director Donna King was reassigned by Fairfax County Public Schools and several key players transferred to rival schools. Now, Chantilly is 10-3 and playing for a state title for the first time since 1996.

“It is so different from what it was then,” said Chantilly senior tight end/defensive lineman Danny Simms, a starter during that winless campaign. “There is no way I’d be seen in public with my Chantilly stuff on. We were always taking [stuff] from people. But that seems like a long time ago. It’s not something we think about anymore.”

Osbourn’s growth has been steady since coach Steve Schultze took over in 2002. The Eagles were in the midst of a 32-game losing streak at the time and fresh off back-to-back 0-10 seasons. They won two games that first season, four in 2003 and dropped back to three in 2004. The progress was clear. But it’s a long way from 3-7 to a state title.

“It’s a great thing for football in Northern Virginia,” Schultze said. “There are so many quality programs you have to get through to even get to this point and there have been some hard times for both of us. It takes a lot of work. But it’s worth it.”

State Title Dreaming

» Osbourn senior DL Matt Johnson had two older brothers play for the Eagles in recent years. Brandon, a 2005 graduate, played for Schultze on the Osbourn team that snapped the 32-game losing streak. Patrick, a 2006 graduate, helped the Eagles reach the Division 6 Northwest Region title game last year.

» Chantilly senior QB Nate Worek returns this week after missing the state semifinal vs. Varina with a concussion. “I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t nervous last week in the second half,” Worek said. “But I’m so glad I have one more chance to play.”

» Chargers senior DL Danny Simms is best friends with former Chantilly QB Josh Witmer, who left the school for rival Westfield after the 0-10 season in 2004.

“I always give Josh a hard time, especially since we beat them in the region final,” Simms said. “He had to do what was best for him. But he could have been a part of this, too.”

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