When Dunbar High School and Friendship Collegiate Public Charter School last met, it was the regular season opener on Aug. 25, and Friendship prevailed 19-6. Fast forward two months later and the two local powers met in a rematch, this time for the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Football Class AA Championship on Dec. 2.
The result was the same as the August matchup, with Friendship beating the Crimson Tide 25-13. The seventh-ranked Knights (11-2) took home their second straight title at William H. Greene Stadium on the campus of Howard University.
The Crimson Tide (9-3), ranked number 17, opened the season with close losses to Friendship and highly regarded Mount Saint Joseph’s before reeling off nine straight wins in impressive fashion, averaging 40 points per game during that streak.
“We knew how explosive they could be on offense, so we came in knowing that our defense had to play well,” said Friendship Collegiate Head Coach Mike Hunter, who won his sixth title.
The Knights also had a very tough schedule with losses at nationally ranked St. John’s Bosco (California) and a tough 16-13 overtime loss at the number 10 ranked Gonzaga. Following that setback, Friendship reeled off six straight wins, limiting opponents to under 10 points per contest during that stretch.
The Knights set the tone on Dunbar, limiting them to a three-and-out, and then capitalizing by scoring on their first offensive possession. It would take Friendship 10 plays to go 55 yards, with senior quarterback Brandon Toles capping it off with a two-yard run.
Then Dunbar made some adjustments on defense, and coupled with some costly Knights penalties. The Crimson Tide was able to stay close.
On a day when its offense was not clicking on all cylinders, it was only fitting that Friendship turn to its vaunted defense led by senior bookend linebackers, DeAndre Cook and Dylan Stewart.
The talented duo wreaked havoc, as they have all season, making several plays behind the line of scrimmage and forcing Dunbar quarterback Brosnan Dukes into several errant throws under duress. The pressure finally paid dividends when midway through the second quarter, Stewart picked up a Dunbar fumble and returned it 26 yards to make the score, 13-0.
“It means a lot to do that in my last game,” Stewart said of his scoring play. “It comes from playing good teams and knowing what adversity is and training for it.”
Stewart, standing 6 feet and 4 inches senior, is headed for the University of South Carolina.
Friendship would continue to dominate the line of scrimmage an even when Stewart was ejected in the third quarter, Cook turned it up a notch. Also 6 feet and 4 inches, Cook is headed to Penn State, and was named the game MVP after collecting eight solos, three sacks and three tackles for losses.
With the Crimson Tide unable to do anything with its running game that featured senior running backs Michael Clark and Dre’Aun Wood (who combined for over 2,200 yards and 28 touchdowns between them during the season), the Knights would eventually take advantage.
Friendship was able to cement their lead with a spectacular 56-yard touchdown run by senior running back Damarjae Jones (12 carries, 86 yards) and a touchdown pass from Toles to senior wide receiver Keyon Starkey-Webb to make it 25-0 in the fourth quarter.
But the proud Crimson Tide, who were playing in their third championship game, refused to go down without a fight. Going away from its physical run game, Dunbar turned to the passing combination of quarterback Dukes, to wide receiver Isaiah Bradford, who teamed for two touchdowns in a two-minute span. There were still six minutes left on the clock, but the Knights slammed the door, as that was as close as they would get.
“We had a good season when you look back,” reflected Dunbar Head Coach Anthony “Bink” Vaughn. “The kids did everything we asked of them. I think we represented the DCIAA and Dunbar well. We just did not have enough today. We faced a very good, well-coached football team.”
As the Friendship Collegiate sideline rushed the field amid flashing stadium lights and a drum line from the school band Saturday at Howard University, the Knights chanted “S.O.B.,” meaning stand on business — a motto that came to define their season.
“S.O.B. means everybody stands on their assignments and does what they have to do,” quarterback Toles said. “Whatever they say before the game, they need to stand on business and actually really mean it and step up to it.”
The bookend matchups against Dunbar provided evidence of growth for the Knights, and it was a chance to prove just how dominant they can be on their way to a sixth DCSAA title.
“We’re always going to challenge ourselves, not only with games but how we practice and how we attack the weight room,” Hunter said. “So we want to get these kids to play more than just for a football game but for how life is going to go. You will have some challenges, some things you got to overcome, and they’re ready for it.”
The next goal for the Knights: “To raise the bar,” Toles said. “We’re going to go undefeated.”
Excellent work on the article man. Really informative and well written piece on the game. Also, real nice photo. From the Mackey family.