Osbourn pulls double-double upset

The Osbourn football program was absent from the playoffs altogether last year and after starting this season 3-4 it looked like 2008 would be another postseason missed.
Then things started to come together for the Eagles and wins started piling up almost as much as yardage for the team’s do-everything player, Jerell McFadden. Osbourn is now riding a five-game win streak and it has ended the hopes of undefeated seasons for four different teams after last night’s 24-20 upset of Woodbridge in the Group AAA Division 6 Northwest Region final.
McFadden did a little bit of everything once again, accumulating yards as a runner, a passer and as a returner.
But it’s been what the Eagles have done collectively that has them playing in the state semifinals next Saturday.
“This is where we thought we’d be (in the state tournament) when we started the year,” Osbourn coach Steve Schultze said. “We had some tough losses early and we finally came together.”
“We became a family,” McFadden said of the turnaround. “In the beginning of the season, we weren’t playing like a family. We weren’t playing together.”
Against the Vikings (11-1), McFadden totaled 177 yards on offense, playing mostly as the Eagles’ running back before starting quarterback Thomas Keith left the game in the second half with an injured foot. McFadden replaced Keith under center and threw just one pass, a 64-yard scoring strike to Timmy Keith that gave Osbourn (8-4) its final lead of the night.
“That was the big play, we really needed that,” Schultze said. “Jerell is just an outstanding athlete. He’s the best two-way player in the state. I know there are some very good ones, but he’s the best one in the state.”
McFadden made his coach’s case, stopping Woodbridge runner De’Antwan Williams as a defensive back several times for minimal gains.
The rest of the Eagles’ defense held Williams and the Vikings down as well. Three times in the first half, Woodbridge started a possession in Osbourn territory, and all three times the Vikings turned the ball over with fumbles or on downs. Woodbridge also reached the Osbourn 1-yard line in the fourth quarter, trailing by four, and could not find the end zone on either of Williams’ two rushing attempts.
“Let’s talk about our defense,” Schultze said. “We were able to come up with stops when we needed them. Our offense gave up an interception for a touchdown, but our defense played great.”
Williams was more effective than he had been the last two weeks, but his 107 yards on the ground were not nearly enough for Woodbridge. Junior quarterback Frank Buckley completed seven of his 11 passing attempts for 126 yards that included a 70-yard touchdown to Demetrius Quarles.