Washington-Liberty 2025 Preview

Coming off the best season in program history, Washington-Liberty enters 2024 with a reputation built on toughness, discipline, and belief. The Generals went 12-2 last fall, setting a school record for wins and reaching the Region Championship game where they fell to eventual state runner-up Madison in a hard-fought contest. It was a breakthrough season that didn’t come out of nowhere—it was built over time, through committed players and a staff that’s grown together.

“We learned that we could compete with the best teams in the Northern Region,” said head coach Josh Shapiro, who returns alongside longtime coordinators Bobby Ludwick (offense) and Pat Ward (defense). “Our success came from having talented and dedicated players and coaches who were completely bought in on doing things the right way.”

The goal now is to maintain that standard, and the program has doubled down on its offseason development. The Generals have continued their work with second-year strength and conditioning coach Erick Needles, pushing functional strength, speed, and flexibility in every training session. “The football culture is healthy at WL,” Shapiro said. “The players understand that in order to succeed, we must be unified in our approach.”

Washington-Liberty’s schedule includes a special addition this year—Bishop O’Connell, a matchup the program hasn’t seen in decades. “From a historical perspective, that’s really neat,” Shapiro said. The rivalry games against Wakefield and Yorktown also remain big-time fixtures that the kids circle every year. The Liberty District itself continues to be one of the most competitive top-to-bottom leagues in the region.

Replacing last year’s senior class will be a tall task. “Our ‘25 class was the single most talented we’ve had in modern history,” Shapiro said. That group helped power the 12-win season and made school history during W-L’s 100th year. “It’s bittersweet seeing them graduate—you’re proud of them, but it leaves a big hole to fill.”

Still, there’s plenty of talent returning. On offense, receivers David Toepel and Trevor Fullen are back, and the offensive line will be anchored by Grant Seibert, Bennett Potts, and Chris Ferrufino. The run game will lean on Brayden Black, a versatile player who also contributes at linebacker. Defensively, Max De La Vega and Dillon Hawthorne will be key up front, with Henry Cruz at linebacker and Gabe Salmeron locking down the secondary.

Early in the season, Shapiro is looking for balance and precision. “We want a balanced run/pass split and efficiency on offense, and on defense we don’t want to give up big plays,” he said. “Our goal is gang tackling and making offenses earn every yard.”

This team isn’t just trying to run it back—they’re trying to uphold a culture that’s been built the right way. If they do, the Generals won’t just be relevant again—they’ll be a serious factor deep into November.