Lightridge vs John Champe Football: Lightning Make History in Battle of Braddock
The Lightning's long-awaited win over their Aldie rivals marks another milestone for a young football program that is building a winning tradition.
ALDIE _ For six years, the Battle of Braddock had ended in familiar fashion for the Lightridge Lightning. On Friday night, that changed.
Lightridge High School defeated cross-town rival John Champe High School 20–3 on October 23, 2026, claiming its first victory in the rivalry and giving the Lightning faithful a reason to celebrate a moment years in the making.
The highly anticipated matchup between Aldie's two public high schools has become one of the community's signature fall sporting events, drawing students, families and neighbors together for an evening of football and hometown pride.
But this year's Lightridge vs John Champe football game carried particular significance for Lightridge, the newer of the two schools, which opened in 2020.
With the victory, the Lightning improved to 7–1 on the season, adding a historic rivalry win to an already impressive campaign.
Lightridge vs John Champe Football: A Rivalry Six Years in the Making
Both teams entered Friday's matchup with winning records. Lightridge stood at 6–1, while John Champe came in at 5–2.
The Knights threatened offensively in the third quarter, with running back Landon Robinson picking up key first downs. But Lightridge's defense repeatedly turned away Champe's scoring opportunities.
Among the defensive standouts was Brock Schneider, who recovered a fumble forced by teammate Ryland Klosner and later recorded a sack of John Champe quarterback Braeden Graves.
Senior defensive back Brayden Oshode, a three-star recruit committed to James Madison University, delivered an impressive defensive performance of his own, recording 10 tackles, four pass breakups and two blocked kicks.
The Lightning's offense delivered a decisive fourth-quarter sequence when quarterback Shay O'Hara connected with Reed Hollincheck on a deep pass into Knights territory.
O'Hara subsequently found Jake Buck in the end zone for a touchdown, helping secure the 20–3 victory.
For Lightridge, the result was particularly satisfying after several seasons in which John Champe had held the advantage.
In 2024, the Knights rallied from a 13–0 halftime deficit to defeat the Lightning 26–23, scoring the winning touchdown in the final seconds. Champe followed with a 23–3 victory in 2025.
This time, the Lightning wrote a different ending.
Coach Bobby Eavenson and the Rise of Lightridge Football
Friday night's victory was another significant milestone for Lightridge head football coach Robert "Bobby" Eavenson Jr., who has helped establish the school's football program since its earliest years.
Building a competitive program at a new high school requires more than assembling a roster. It means establishing expectations, developing leadership and creating traditions that future classes can carry forward.
Eavenson has emphasized a team-first culture, reflected in the program's motto, "Big TEAM, little me."
His work earned recognition in 2024 when the Washington Commanders named him a High School Coach of the Week, highlighting his leadership and commitment to developing student-athletes.
And although Lightridge is still a relatively young school, its football program has already produced notable collegiate talent.
Among its most accomplished alumni is Anthony Donkoh, a former Lightning offensive lineman who went on to play at Penn State University.
A four-star recruit, Donkoh was a three-year team captain and three-time team MVP at Lightridge. His development into a major college football player provided an early example of the talent emerging from the program.
Another standout is Oshode, a Lightning team captain who committed to James Madison University in June 2026.
Oshode attracted recruiting interest from several Division I programs, including Navy, Army, Old Dominion and UConn, along with academically selective institutions such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton.
His recruitment reflects the growing recognition of Lightridge football beyond Loudoun County.
Also among those capturing the celebration was Brayden Zirkle, a former Lightridge football player now at Old Dominion University, who returned to photograph a milestone for the program he once represented.
For a school that opened just six years ago, the emergence of college-level athletes and a competitive varsity program represents substantial progress.
The victory over John Champe adds another chapter to that development.
John Champe Coach Lee Carter and the Knights' Winning Tradition
Across the field, John Champe head coach Lee Carter has established an impressive record of his own.
Carter took over the Knights football program in 2022 and has guided the team through several successful seasons, including a 10–2 campaign in 2023 and an 11–1 finish in 2024.
Under his leadership, John Champe has been a consistent competitor in Loudoun County football, including its recent success against Lightridge.
The Knights' dramatic comeback victory in the 2024 Battle of Braddock remains one of the rivalry's memorable finishes.
Although Friday's result favored the Lightning, the continued competitiveness of both programs has helped elevate the annual matchup into a meaningful local tradition.
Why the Battle of Braddock Matters to Aldie
The Battle of Braddock is more than a meeting between two football teams.
It reflects the growth of Aldie itself.
John Champe High School opened in 2012, serving families in a rapidly expanding part of southeastern Loudoun County. Eight years later, Lightridge High School opened as residential growth continued throughout the area.
Today, both schools serve communities that are closely connected geographically but have developed distinct identities, traditions and school pride.
For students, the annual football game is an opportunity to support classmates and compete for bragging rights.
For families, it has become a fall tradition, bringing neighbors together under the Friday night lights.
And for the broader Aldie community, the rivalry illustrates how much local identity has developed alongside the area's residential growth.
What was once a relatively new matchup between neighboring schools has become a fixture on the local sports calendar.
A Defining Victory for the Lightning
The 20–3 win was significant not simply because of the opponent, but because of what it represented for a football program still establishing its history.
For the Lightridge seniors, it was an opportunity to accomplish something that had eluded previous classes.
For the coaching staff, it marked another step in the development of a program that has steadily grown in competitiveness and recognition.
And for Aldie, it was another memorable chapter in a rivalry that continues to bring the community together.
The Battle of Braddock will return next season, with both schools looking to build on their respective football traditions.
But the 2026 meeting will hold a special place in Lightridge history.
For the first time, the Lightning claimed the victory.
Final Score: Lightridge Lightning 20, John Champe Knights 3.
Game details were drawn from local television sports coverage of the October 23 matchup. Coaching history and player recruiting information were compiled from publicly available team, recruiting and athletic program records.
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