Twin brothers help lead powerhouse Colonial Forge

“We are Family” was the theme to the Pittsburgh Pirates 30 years ago as they won the World Series.

The same song title could be appropriate to use in describing the central figures of the Colonial Forge High School football team.

A kin duo has been a major reason why the Eagles (8-1 overall) have locked up the Commonwealth District championship — one that was clinched in last Friday’s 28-7 victory over Riverbend High School.

Blake Frohnapfel is concluding a sensational junior season. He has thrown for over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns. At the other end of most of those scoring tosses is 6-foot-6 twin brother Eric. He has nearly 600 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.

“Even though they’re naturally athletic kids, they’ve worked hard for the last two years to get to this point,” Head Coach Bill Brown said. “They’re much stronger now, which makes a big difference in football when you have that strength to go along with your athletic ability.”

Together, their chemistry is unquestionably pivotal.

“Growing up with him, throwing the ball to him all the time, I know how he runs and where to throw it,” Blake said.

Arguably, their best performance came Oct. 23 in a match-up with the Brooke Point Black-Hawks.

Blake’s numbers initially didn’t seem impressive. A 7-for-10 night is fairly pedestrian. Oh yeah, we forgot to mention that it totaled 232 yards and four of those passes went for six points.

Eric had three of them — four totaled — and finished with 119 yards. At the end, Colonial Forge forged its way to a dominant 54-16 win and was one step closer to dethroning the Black-Hawks from their two-year reign as league champs.

These successes have been three years in the making, since they were starters from the beginning of their freshman season.

“It’s so critical from an experience level,” Brown said. “Things that we did two years ago, mistakes that we made, growing pains — we’re through that now.”

Blake and Eric are the heart of the Eagles march to the postseason — its first since the 2006 season.

But they certainly aren’t the only two weapons on offense.

Against Brooke Point, nine different players ran the ball for 250 yards. Tyler Wilson had two trips to the end zone. Tim Scott, one of the team’s underrated performers, had one on the ground and one through the air, while Tevin McCleave had just one carry — but it resulted in a 36-yard run to pay dirt.

Brown, though, knows exactly where it all starts — up front with the offensive line, a line that was inexperienced and unstable at the beginning of last year is now established and powerful this year.

This blocking talent includes Demitri Cox, center John Cundiff as well as improving junior tackle Nick Easter.

With wins over quality opponents, and their only loss coming in five overtimes to an unbeaten Woodbridge team, Colonial Forge won’t walk into postseason play afraid of any foe.

“We're not going to be scared of anybody come the playoffs,” Blake said.

With still another full season to go with a majority of this core, the Eagles aren’t planning to stop at a district crown in their list of accomplishments.

“There’s no reason in the world that these kids should underestimate their ability,” Brown said. “These kids have the ability to win.”

Brian Wright is a contributing writer for the Stafford County Sun and the content coordinator for CoachesAid.Virginia. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.