The Briar Woods Boys JV Basketball team, who started their season in the beginning of November, are now well into the winter season, with a record of 1-3-1. The Falcons have fought hard this season with a determined mindset, and they believe they can turn the tables around to their advantage.
Sophomore shooting guard Ryan Souchack comments on what the team needs to work on to gain the upper hand, mentioning, “we need to practice our defense and boxing out. Our defense is a little lackluster because we’re not pressing as much, so we just have to [practice] that and make sure we’re hustling, that our defense is good, and that’s how we’ll win games.”
The boys started the season off strong, securing a victory against the Dominion Titans on Monday, Dec. 2. The game was intense heading into halftime, with the Falcons holding a narrow 21-20 lead. Despite the tight first half, Briar Woods came out of the half with renewed momentum, building a commanding 12-point advantage over the Titans by the end of the third quarter, leading 36-24. Souchack and freshman forward Wyatt Sheehan each scored 9 points, while eighth-grade point guard Ben Roshak contributed 8 points, helping to carry their offensive surge. Earning a solid 54-41 win, the team left the court energized and ready to build on this strong start as they looked to the rest of the season.
“[Our game against] Dominion was a great start to the season because we played well as a team and we all played together [instead of] individually. Starting the season off on a win felt really great for our team,” shared Souchack.
After a 42-42 tie against the Loudoun Valley Vikings on Thursday, Dec. 5, the Falcons looked to renew their win streak against the Broad Run Spartans on Monday, Dec. 9. The Spartans had long been a rival of the Falcons, often besting them in their games in previous seasons, and the team was determined to finally overcome them. Unfortunately, even with rallying to take a 25-23 lead into halftime, the Falcons were unable to hold on as the Spartans regained control in the third quarter. Broad Run proved to be too strong, maintaining their advantage for the rest of the game and leaving the Falcons to settle for a tough 51-44 defeat.
Sophomore point guard Hendrik Drenth reflects on the team’s game against Broad Run, saying, “[that was] definitely the most hyped up game of the year as they’re our rivals this year, so we felt Broad Run was a must-win game. However, it was a hard-fought game and it came down to the last two minutes. From that game, I learned [that] as a team, we need to play defense with heart and also get conditioned. A good thing we did was [that] we were able to get to the free throw line and be aggressive around the rim.”
Going into their next game on a 2-game losing streak, including a loss to the Loudoun County Captains the previous night, the Falcons knew they had to bring their best energy when they faced Tuscarora on Friday, Dec. 13. From the start, the odds were against Briar Woods. By the end of the first quarter, the Falcons were already facing a steep 24-8 deficit. The team struggled defensively and missed key opportunities on offense, allowing the Huskies to extend their lead. Despite some efforts to close the gap, they ultimately lost 67-44. Although it was a challenging game against the Huskies, strong individual performances from Sheehan and sophomore forward Harsha Dineth stood out for the Falcons. Sheehan finished with 12 points, while Dineth added 9 points, showing resilience and determination throughout the game.
“Tuscarora was a rough game out of the gate. The main takeaway from [that] game is that we must start the game hard and not wait until later on to start putting in some effort. Our warm ups need to improve and our mindsets before the game must improve as well,” stated Drenth.
With it being halfway through the season, Souchack recalls one of his favorite memories he’s made, explaining, “we had a team bonding hangout at Wyatt’s house where he brought us all together and we were just bonding as a team which was really fun.” Drenth shares his teammate’s feelings of appreciation for his team, expressing, “my favorite memory [was] when my friend Vaibhav made the team. Vaibhav had two extra days of tryouts due to an injury, [and] when Vaibhav went bursting through the doors, Ryan and I were so happy for him.”
The boys’ next game will take place at Heritage on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 5:45 pm. Make sure to come out and support your Briar Woods Falcons!
