The healing continues at Washington-Liberty High School now three months after the tragic death of one of its most beloved student-athletes, senior Braylon Meade, who died in a car accident, hit by a drunk driver just after midnight.
The boys basketball team continued to keep it going Friday night on Senior Night for the Generals as they took on fierce rival Wakefield in a packed, vibrant gym. The result was an emotional 58-53 victory for the home team.
Meade would have been one of those honored before the game. However, in what has been a season-long series of tributes and remembrances for the player, he certainly was there in spirit.
Meade’s jersey has rested on the W-L bench for each game this season. A team leader who played the role of handshake greeter during pre-game introductions, that role has been filled by his family, including Friday to a standing ovation.
A mid-court team hug, and the presentation of a scholarship check in Meade’s name were part of the ceremony. Wakefield coach Tony Bentley also presented Generals’ coach Bobby Dobson with a commemorative Warrior jersey that displayed Meade, and his number 22, on the back.
Spectators were then treated to another rousing, thrilling game between the rival schools, located about five miles apart, that featured players on both teams who have grown up with together, attending camps and playing in youth leagues and now varsity basketball.
The battle for the No. 2 seed in next week’s Liberty District tournament at stake saw four ties and six lead changes in the fourth quarter alone.
Burly senior center Elijah Hughes led the Generals with 16 points, including seven in the final period. All were needed to help offset the heroic efforts of junior Kobe Davis (19 points, 13 in the second half) and senior Seth Langford (13 points, nine in the second half).
W-L senior guard James McIntyre said the season has been tough emotionally throughout for him and his teammates.
“We’re just trying to win it all because that’s what Braylon would have wanted us to do,” he said.
On Nov. 11, Arlington County Police charged an underage teenager with driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter after a fatal crash in the Rock Spring neighborhood early Friday morning.
The two-car crash occurred at the intersection of Williamsburg Boulevard and Old Dominion Drive. Meade, driving a sedan, was struck by an SUV, and pronounced dead at the scene.
Dobson said Meade “meant so much to us. He was a big part of what we are trying to do here. He was a great player and teammate and a true leader. We haven’t wanted to stop thinking about him all season.”
“Our kids have been really tough through this. The season could have just unraveled right there after Braylon died. But we’re such a tight-knit group and community. We’re all going to hurt for a long time. There’s such closeness.
“At times I’ve seen our players just lay down on the court during practice, crying, saying, ‘Coach, I just can’t do it today.’ It’s getting a little bit better, though. We can’t honor Braylon enough. You can never do too much. His family has always been close to us. Having the Meades at our games helps both of us and the Arlington community to heal.
“But it’s not just the game, it’s life. As a coach, the game is just a small part of all of this. These are life lessons that our players will take with them for the rest of their lives. They learn that it’s not all about them. Life is about thinking about and being there for other people.”
Wakefield junior Davis knew Meade and considered him a friend.
With this rivalry, “We all grew up together. All these years,” Davis said. “It felt unreal tonight to play [W-L] and not have Braylon there.”
The triumph helped the Generals offset an overtime loss at Wakefield earlier this season. W-L (9-3, 15-7) finished one game ahead of the Warriors (7-5, 11-11) and just behind first-place finisher Marshall, who handed the Statesmen (11-1, 19-3) their only district defeat.
W-L will host Herndon in Monday night’s first round of the district tournament and Wakefield will be home to Langley.
On Friday, Hughes, as he has been for most of the season, was a focal point at both ends.
“[Hughes] has just been dominant,” McIntyre said. “He’s a match-up problem for everyone, every night. No one can stop him.”
The Generals’ three-point shooting was good enough to hold off the Warriors – playing for the second night in a row – for most of three quarters. At one point late in the third period, W-L had hit five threes in the game to Wakefield’s none. Max Hickey hit three and Cedric Scheu had two (and three for the game).
Wakefield took its first lead, 29-28, late in the third on a Davis lay-up and finally connected on its first three-pointer (by Ethan Poole) at the third-quarter buzzer to gain its biggest lead of the night, 37-33.
McIntyre (nine points, all in the second half) helped to rally his team to the lead and gave W-L breathing room with 23 seconds left when his two made free throws put the Generals up 56-53.
Dobson said any game with teams from Arlington playing will be tough.
“Both teams came to play,” Dobson said. “We know each other so well. When you have kids as tough as ours are, you win games like this.”
–Paul Bergeron
@PaulBergeron3
What a wonderful article that captured our team and community perfectly. Last night was another emotional night but our boys continue to rally. Every time our boys step on the court, it is to make Braylon proud and they will keep fighting despite how difficult it is.