For one dominant local football team, its most recent success can be summed up in two words: Knicely done.
Trailing a couple of times in a Concorde District high-school football game against the visiting Westfield Bulldogs, the Madison Warhawks’ star runningback and kick returner, Dominic Knicely, responded with different types of touchdowns to rally his undefeated team for a 26-21 victory Oct. 10 in Vienna.
Madison improved to 7-0 and is in sole possession of first place in the district at 2-0. Westfield fell to 4-1, 0-1 and had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Knicely scored three touchdowns in the win:
- His first was a 17-yard run and, with Julian Hopewell’s first of two extra points gave Madison a 7-0 second-quarter lead.
- His second TD was a 95-yard kickoff return that helped tie the score at 14.
- His third was a 33-yard fourth-quarter scoring pass from quarterback Cael Yates that gave the Warhawks a 20-14 advantage.
Westfield retook the lead at 21-20. Knicely caught a 40-yard pass from Yates on the Warhawks’ ensuing drive that helped set up the winning touchdown that came when Yates scored on a 15-yard option run with 1:22 to play.
For the game, Knicely ran for 76 yards, caught six passes for 97 and had the long kickoff return. Yates was 9 of 16 passing for 126 yards, and he ran for 53 more on 14 carries.
Matthew Weiler had 40 yards rushing and caught a pass for 13. Hopewell and Anthony Voinis each had one catch, coming on key second-half scoring drives.
Madison gained 301 total yards and Westfield 323.
Westfield was hurt by three turnovers, one a lost fumble in the end zone when the Bulldogs had the ball inside Madison’s 5-yard line.
The Madison defense had a big goal-line stand in the second half when Westfield had a first-and-goal at the Madison five and did not score, stopped short from the one-yard line on a fourth-and-goal running play.
Leading Madison’s defense was top tackler Graham Gorkowski. Luke Salvosa, Henry Maiden, T.J. George, Jack Ambruzs, Oscar Espanol, Caden Green, Alex Gates, Matthew Vojta and Charlie Backman were other tackling leaders. Espanol had a sack and Backman a tackle for a loss. Salvosa had an interception and recovered a fumble, as did Vojta.
Madison also began last season 7-0, then lost to the South Lakes Seahawks in week eight. Madison visits South Lakes in its eighth contest again this season.
