“We’ve been pointing toward this year; we have 19 seniors, and we’ve got Ryken at home,” PVI assistant coach Jason Murphy stated. “It was probably the biggest win we’ve had in four or five years.”
PVI (6-1) dropped out of rivalry quickly after its final championship. As the Panthers have improved in recent times, they’ve dominated most division groups however haven’t examined Ryken or Archbishop Carroll.
That appeared to stay true on the third quarter’s conclusion Friday, when Ryken led, 21-6. The Panthers scored twice within the remaining seven minutes.
In double-overtime, PVI quarterback Henry Fleckner ran for a landing to supply the Panthers the lead. When Ryken tried a run on fourth down on the following possession, seniors Matt Hunter, Braden Holt and Griffin Hart protected the aim line.
“We won the league in [boys’] basketball,” Murphy stated. “We compete for championships in lacrosse and girls’ basketball. We want to put a banner up in football.”
Potomac exacts revenge on Douglass
When Potomac (Md.) obtained its schedule, the very first thing the Wolverines did was circle Oct. 14.
After dropping to Douglass, 38-0, throughout final season’s Maryland 2A playoffs, the Wolverines had been desperate to rid themselves of that feeling.
On Friday evening, Potomac (6-1) obtained a little bit of revenge by knocking off the defending state champions, 12-7.
“Friday’s win was huge for us because we are trying to be where they finished at last year,” Coach Ronnie Crump stated. “As the defending champs, they are in the way. The only way to get them out of the way is by beating them, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Potomac snapped its three-game dropping streak throughout the matchup and put an finish to a 16-game profitable streak carried by the Eagles (6-1).
“I think that this game was really important for our team because it just shows what we’re capable of when we are locked in on the game plan and listening to what our coaches say,” Potomac defensive again Sascha Garcia stated.
Crump stated the Wolverines’ largest hurdles stay, as they’ll now be a workforce opponents circle. Next up is Largo, which Potomac, 15-14, beat on a loopy play final yr.
The Wolverines don’t have a lot time to rejoice their most up-to-date victory.
“Getting that win was a statement, but it wasn’t a championship,” Garcia stated. “We want rings and in order to get it we’ve got to have a short memory. If everyone keeps pulling in the same direction, we’ll be champs for sure.”
Nathan Harrison, Bishop O’Connell: The linebacker had eight tackles (together with three for loss), two sacks, two compelled fumbles and two go breakups within the Knights’ 10-7 win over rival Bishop Ireton.
Cortney Davis, Wise: The senior quarterback placed on a present in opposition to Suitland, dashing for 3 touchdowns and throwing for one more within the Pumas’ 42-8 bounceback victory.
Miles Greer, South County: The Stallions requested their senior defensive again to fill in on offense and he didn’t disappoint, scoring three touchdowns as South County handed West Springfield its first loss.
Van Mahoney, Sherwood: The sophomore completed with 122 dashing yards and a landing because the Warriors handed Blair its first loss.
Northwest at Quince Orchard, Friday, 6:30
Fairfax at Lake Braddock, Friday, 7 p.m.
Potomac at Largo, Friday, 7 p.m.
DeMatha at St. John’s, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Walter Johnson exhibits ‘consistency’ and ‘resiliency’
Talking about his workforce on Saturday morning, hours after it defeated Richard Montgomery to maneuver to 6-1, Walter Johnson Coach Larry Hurd stopped himself and chuckled.
“I keep saying ‘consistency’ and ‘resiliency,’ ” he stated. “But that’s what this team is all about.”
Not solely have the Wildcats been constant this season, they’ve been constantly good in recent times. With Friday’s win, the Bethesda program reached six victories for a 3rd straight season.
Achieving that type of sustained success was not straightforward. Until lately, Walter Johnson had by no means been thought of a lot of a soccer college. In truth, it had achieved simply 4 profitable seasons since 1974 earlier than Hurd took over in 2018. If something, Hurd says, that historical past made his job just a little bit simpler.
“Day one that I was hired, way back, the senior group was so hungry to win,” he stated. “Buy-in was definitely never an issue, and they helped lay the foundation for the future.”
That future has arrived, and the Wildcats have confirmed to they know methods to win. “Resilient” appears like the fitting strategy to describe a bunch that has three wins by six factors or fewer this fall, together with a 10-7 victory over conventional powerhouse Northwest.
“This team does what it takes to win,” Hurd stated.
Brentsville District embraces small-town really feel
Teams that come to play Brentsville District sometimes expertise the identical journey to the varsity. They peel off the freeway, go residential roads and make a remaining flip onto Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville’s business strip, which is closed for enterprise Friday nights. It leads them proper to Donald Lambert Field.
“The GPS sends them down the street, and everything is dark,” Coach Loren White stated, “until you come up to the bright lights of our stadium.”
While different packages discuss replicating a small-town ambiance, the Tigers reside in it. Their college’s enrollment hovers round 1,000 in a given yr, and the overwhelming majority of multiple-generation households on the town schedule their lives round fall Friday nights.
“[Nokesville] builds everything around football,” junior Nico Orlando stated.
After securing their first regional championship final yr, the Tigers (6-1) say they lean on their “brotherhood” and “family environment” greater than most. Last fall, when senior teammate Ryland Harris died of mind most cancers, they wanted all of the assist they might get.
The Tigers devoted final fall to Harris and have made it a degree to acknowledge his legacy this season, converging on the 12-yard line earlier than every recreation — to signify the No. 12 he wore — and praying earlier than they break on a shout of “Ryland strong!”
“One of the biggest things we say is ‘Play like Ry,’ ” senior Will Johnson stated. “He was the hardest worker I ever met, but he always had the goofiest smile on his face. We all joked about that with him at the time, but looking back it was one of the things I appreciated most about him. … It’s something we all think about but no one has to say. Everyone knows we’re doing this for Ry.”