George Washington midfielder Chea Fineboy scored two goals Monday night, and midfielder Bacho Vepkhuadze had one assist, as the Eagles repeated as Class AAA Public League champions with a 2-0 title-game win over Bartram at Northeast High School.

"I told my coach and teammates, 'If we lose, we go home,' " Fineboy said after his team celebrated with the trophy. "And I didn't want to lose."

Bartram didn't either, but the Braves couldn't keep 11 players on the field because they tackled with cleats up all night. The result was six yellow cards, two players sent off, and two goals by Fineboy, both scored after Bartram was already a man down.

"That's typical of Bartram-Washington games, the physical play," said first-year Washington coach Chris Reid, who played for the Eagles two decades ago and graduated in 1989. "But, typically, it's pretty clean. Sometimes players get caught up in the moment."

Bartram finished the game with nine men on the field.

The win qualifies Washington (10-2-1) for its second consecutive state playoff berth representing District 12.

The Eagles will face the winner of tonight's Catholic League championship game, between Archbishop Ryan and Father Judge, for the AAA city title.

Washington has 14 seniors on its roster, but a junior and sophomore combined for the championship-winning goal.

Fineboy, a junior, scored the game-winner in the 39th minute, with 1 minute, 35 seconds remaining in the first half, when Vepkhuadze, a sophomore, played a thru-ball along the ground 18 yards out to the left of the goal. Fineboy blazed past the final defender and poked the ball past a diving Jefferson Banto (seven saves) into Bartram's net for the 1-0 lead.

In the 46th minute, Fineboy scored again, this time unassisted, by winning a 50-50 ball with a Bartram defender who, like a number of his undisciplined Braves teammates all night, unwisely attempted to carry the ball through two Washington attackers.

"We made too many mental mistakes," Bartram first-year coach Ian Turner said. "They deserved to win."

Fineboy ran through the ball and the man, and again poked the ball past an outstretched Banto to seal the deal.

"Big players step up in big times," Reid said. "Chea used his speed and skill, and he didn't get caught up in the nonsense, the hard fouls."

Washington goalie Sidney Nicol collected the shutout.

The Eagles earned two victories Monday by emerging from the game without any broken bones.

Bartram's Bocar Diop (32d minute) and Anthony Dunor (60th minute) both were shown red cards and sent off the field because each had received two yellow cards.

Dunor's first yellow card, shown in the 28th minute, could have been red. Dunor slid into Washington senior Santiago Tabores so forcefully that the collision of his legs on Tabores' shins resonated in the stadium like a car tire popping.

"On those challenges against a poor team, you're winning the ball," Turner said. "But against a solid team like Washington, you're going to get a piece of them when you come through."

Washington, which earned just one yellow card, remained more disciplined, earned the victory and now awaits the Catholic League champ. The Eagles lost to Archbishop Ryan, a potential opponent, in a scrimmage before this season, 3-2.

"All Catholic League teams are tough," Reid said. "But let's see if we can go out and get a city championship for the Public League."

Washington     1 1 - 2

Bartram     0 0 - 0

Goals-W-Fineboy (2)

Saves: W- Nicol (1), B-Banto(7)