Senior Stars on Senior Night
STRASBURG, VA – On a night dedicated to honoring senior members of the cheerleading squad, band, and football teams, senior Jason Gutierrez added another impressive performance to his resume. Playing in his final home game, Gutierrez intercepted two passes (one returned for a touchdown), caught four passes for 64 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown reception, and led Strasburg (8-2, 4-1 Bull Run) to a resounding 37-8 victory over George Mason (2-8, 0-5 Bull Run).
The Rams opened the scoring with senior Paul Ziacoma’s fifth field goal of the season.
After recovering a Mason fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Strasburg quickly extended their lead. Cody Miller connected with Gutierrez on a 30-yard touchdown pass, putting the Rams ahead 10-0.
Although this early lead proved sufficient, the Rams continued their offensive onslaught. George Mason’s next two drives stalled, resulting in turnovers on downs. The second turnover gave Strasburg possession at their own 20-yard line, and the Rams capitalized.
Running back Selvin Martinez burst through a hole in the line and raced 80 yards for the longest touchdown run of the season. The extra point was unsuccessful, but Strasburg took a 16-0 lead into halftime.
The Rams further solidified their dominance in the third quarter. A methodical eight-play, 59-yard drive culminated in Cody Miller’s touchdown run.
Just 20 seconds later, Gutierrez intercepted his second pass of the game, returning it 33 yards for another touchdown.
Joe Stout capped off another scoring drive with a 12-yard touchdown run. In a span of five minutes, the Rams scored 21 unanswered points, extending their lead to 37-0. George Mason finally scored against Strasburg’s reserves late in the game.
Junior Aaron Barnes contributed 43 rushing yards to the Rams’ offensive output. Robbie Starkey and Terry Pearce each caught one pass to complement Gutierrez’s four receptions.
Despite gaining more total yards (284 to Strasburg’s 260), George Mason committed five turnovers, which consistently provided the Rams with excellent field position.