THE GAZETTE
Wednesday, November 6, 2013 s
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HOW THEY RANK The 10 best football teams in Montgomery County this week as ranked by The Gazette’s sports staff.
Rank
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
School
Record Points
6-4 8-1 8-1 8-1 7-2 8-1 8-1 6-3 6-3 6-3
Good Counsel Falcons Quince Orchard Cougars Bullis Bulldogs Damascus Swarmin’ Hornets Northwest Jaguars Paint Branch Panthers Gaithersburg Trojans Sherwood Warriors Seneca Valley Screaming Eagles Clarksburg Coyotes
59 54 48 40 35 31 27 15 13 8
Also receiving votes: None.
LEADERS Top rushers Isaac Boyd, Avalon Khalil Wilson, Einstein Charles Lyles, Poolesville Zac Morton, Whitman Dage Davis, Geo. Prep Devonte Williams, Bullis Chris Dawson, G. Counsel Amankwah-Ayeh, B-CC E. Spottswood, Sherwood Kevin Joppy, Q. Orchard
Top passers Sam Ellis, Wootton Chuck Reese, Rockville G. Cooper, P. Branch Mike Murtaugh, QO Renzo Farfan, R. Mont. C. Reighard, Seneca Marvin Galdamez, Ken. Nick DeCarlo, G’burg C. Hennessey, N’wood Dwayne Haskins, Bullis
Carries 142 161 200 216 159 167 157 155 132 110
Yards 1673 1473 1470 1383 1285 1279 978 903 870 766
Cmp-Att. 181-340 242-384 139-237 88-148 118-217 88-163 91-161 63-111 99-204 62-112
Top receivers
Avg. 11.8 9.1 7.4 6.4 8.1 7.7 6.2 5.8 6.6 7.0
Yards 2762 2688 1993 1476 1324 1153 1108 1101 1099 974
Catches Yards Trevon Diggs, Wootton 72 1055 Jibri Woods, Wootton 60 946 Javonn Curry, P. Branch 45 742 Joey Cornwell, Rockville 57 700 Louison Biama, Rockville 41 682 Ryan Stango, P. Branch 40 640 Phil Osborn, R. Mont. 50 638 Michael Scott, Kennedy 44 622 Steven Kelly, B-CC 26 594 Anthony Albert, Rockville 51 549
TDs 29 14 14 16 17 21 12 10 12 14
Int. 13 13 6 4 6 6 7 5 10 4
TDs 24 36 25 17 14 13 5 8 6 11
Avg. 14.7 15.8 16.5 12.3 16.6 16.0 12.8 14.1 22.8 10.8
TDs 11 7 12 7 6 8 11 1 6 9
Five county football teams have clinched Six Montgomery County teams still have shot at playoffs n
As high school football teams enter the final week of the regular season, 11 of the 25 public schools in Montgomery County are still battling for playoff berths. Five,
FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK BY DAN FELDMAN Quince Orchard, Gaithersburg, Northwest, Paint Branch and Damascus, have clinched postseason games. Here’s a breakdown on what the others have to do to keep playing:
4A West Region Quince Orchard, Gaithersburg and Northwest have clinched the top three seeds. If Clarksburg defeats Richard Montgomery, Clarksburg earns the No. 4 seed. If Blair defeats Whitman and Quince Orchard beats Wootton, Clarksburg
will be the No. 4 seed. If Whitman beats Blair and Richard Montgomery beats Clarksburg, Whitman would finish ahead of Clarksburg. However, Wootton would pass a winning Whitman if Wootton beats Quince Orchard and at least five of six games go as listed (if a game appears twice, it counts twice): Bethesda-Chevy Chase over Walter Johnson, Churchill over Damascus, Churchill over Damascus, Rockville over Poolesville, Seneca Valley over Blake, Northwest over Springbrook. If Richard Montgomery beats Clarksburg and Blair beats Whitman, Wootton would make the playoffs if it beats Quince Orchard and at least two of four games go as listed: Churchill over Damascus, Rockville over Poolesville, Seneca Valley over Blake, Randallstown over Magruder.
4A North Region Paint Branch is guaranteed a top-two seed. If Sherwood beats Kennedy, Sherwood will make the playoffs as either the No. 3 or
If Springbrook defeats Northwest and Parkville beats Kenwood, Springbrook would finish ahead of Kenwood.
3A West Region Damascus will receive the No. 2, No. 3 or No. 4 seed. The Linganore-Urbana winner will receive the No. 1 seed.
2A West Region Poolesville would claim the No. 3 seed by finishing ahead of Oakdale and Catoctin. Poolesville would claim the No. 4 seed by finishing ahead of only one of Oakdale or Catoctin. If Rockville beats Poolesville, Poolesville will miss the playoffs. If Poolesville beats Rockville and Brunswick beats Catoctin, Poolesville would finish ahead of Catoctin. Poolesville would finish ahead of Oakdale only if Poolesville beats Rockville and Middletown beats Oakdale. This story was cut for space. See full version online.
FEARLESS FORECASTS The Gazette sports staff picks the winners for this week’s games involving Montgomery football teams. Here are this week’s selections:
Montgomery County record All games
Poolesville at Rockville Wheaton at Northwood Watkins Mill at Einstein Quince Orchard at Wootton Bethesda-Chevy Chase at Walter Johnson Clarksburg at Richard Montgomery Damascus at Churchill Northwest at Springbrook Sherwood at Kennedy Seneca Valley at Blake Whitman at Blair Bullis at Georgetown Prep Paint Branch vs. Gaithersburg Landon at St. Albans Magruder at Randallstown DeMatha vs. Good Counsel
Ken Sain
Dan Feldman
Nick Cammarota
Jennifer Beekman
Travis Mewhirter
Kent Zakour
135-25 266-48
135-25 264-50
132-28 260-54
131-29 258-56
128-32 257-57
126-34 248-66
Poolesville Wheaton Einstein Q. Orchard B-CC Clarksburg Damascus Northwest Sherwood Seneca Valley Whitman Bullis Paint Branch Landon Randallstown DeMatha
Rockville Wheaton Einstein Q. Orchard B-CC Clarksburg Damascus Northwest Sherwood Seneca Valley Whitman Bullis Gaithersburg Landon Randallstown DeMatha
Poolesville Wheaton Einstein Q. Orchard B-CC Clarksburg Damascus Northwest Sherwood Seneca Valley Whitman Bullis Gaithersburg Landon Randallstown DeMatha
Poolesville Northwood Einstein Q. Orchard B-CC Clarksburg Damascus Northwest Sherwood Seneca Valley Whitman Bullis Paint Branch Landon Randallstown DeMatha
Rockville Wheaton Einstein Q. Orchard B-CC Clarksburg Damascus Northwest Sherwood Seneca Valley Whitman Bullis Paint Branch Landon Randallstown DeMatha
Poolesville Wheaton Einstein Q. Orchard B-CC Clarksburg Damascus Northwest Sherwood Seneca Valley Whitman Bullis Gaithersburg Landon Randallstown DeMatha
Continued from Page B-1
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Montgomery Blair High SChool junior Yonis Blanco practices on Thursday. “I don’t think about big linemen like that,” Blanco insisted. “I’m taught to shoot and rip so I don’t spend time with the linemen. I use my speed to get around them so I don’t get caught up with them. I still get sore after every game, but it’s natural now. Taking a beating, it doesn’t hurt.” If Blanco was “Six-[feet], 200 pounds,” Fields says. “[He] would without a doubt have multiple Division I offers on the table. He is that kind of
Montgomery 4A South Division Team
Wootton* Whitman B-Chevy Chase R. Montgomery Walter Johnson* Churchill
All Div.
5-4 6-3 3-6 2-7 1-8 1-8
4-1 4-1 2-2 2-3 1-3 1-4
PF PA
265 179 197 142 140 268 211 230 43 270 53 275
Montgomery 4A East Division Team
Paint Branch Sherwood Springbrook* Blair Kennedy Blake
All Div.
8-1 6-3 5-4 5-4 3-6 1-8
5-0 3-1 3-2 2-3 1-3 0-5
PF PA
379 100 220 195 186 94 177 147 136 156 50 250
Montgomery 4A West Division Team
Gaithersburg Quince Orchard Northwest Clarksburg* Magruder
All Div.
8-1 8-1 7-2 6-3 1-8
3-1 3-1 2-2 2-2 0-4
PF PA
225 84 345 61 309 134 174 104 89 372
Montgomery 3A Division Team
Damascus Seneca Valley Einstein Rockville Watkins Mill Wheaton Northwood
All Div.
8-1 6-3 4-4 5-4 3-6 1-8 1-8
6-0 5-1 3-2 3-3 2-3 0-5 0-5
Montgomery 2A Independent Team
Poolesville
All
PF
PA
All
PF
PA
6-3 215 162
Private schools Team
PF PA
295 88 282 97 190 254 336 304 127 244 110 326 66 356
Bullis 8-1 309 110 Good Counsel 6-4 226 121 Avalon 5-5 272 212 Georgetown Prep 4-5 239 203 Landon 3-5 155 161 * Includes forfeit result
Last week’s scores
PLAYS
the near back,” he said. “Then I look at the guards. I read his steps — if he’s pass blocking, run blocking, pulling, that sort of thing.” If the near running back initially moves left, Blanco steps with him. If the guard follows suit, Blanco shoots the gap. If the guard starts pulling, Blanco reads the makings of a sweep and plays contain, sure not to over pursue and leave his section of the field open for a cutback lane. The result? A game with 24 tackles, another with 18, and scores of others in double-digits. “He’s a combination of mental intelligence, athletic ability and football,” Fields said. “One of the most overlooked things about high school football — well, football in general — is football IQ. He’s a top-5 guy I’ve ever coached.” Fields claims to be very stingy on his statistics. Some coaches will inflate numbers to boost stats for one reason or another. Blair’s coach is a stout opponent to that practice. In fact, he actually recessed Blanco’s tackle number when the linebacker recorded 24 tackles — he actually had 25. “Twelve, 13 tackles in a high school game, that’s a great game. Twenty-five tackles? I didn’t want it to sound fake,” Fields said. “That’s how crazy it was. But that’s who he is, that’s what he is. That’s just par for the course for him.” Given Blanco’s undersized body for his position, it’s a wonder how he hasn’t broken down with an injury sustain the pace he has all year. After all, he’s chasing down running backs several pounds heavier than him. Larger lineman are also of no concern.
No. 4 seed. If Parkville beats Kenwood and Northwest beats Springbrook, Sherwood will make the playoffs as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed. If Kennedy beats Sherwood and Kenwood defeats Parkville, Sherwood would finish ahead of Kenwood only if at least seven of eight games go as listed: Blair over Whitman, Magruder over Randallstown, Richard Montgomery over Clarksburg, Springbrook over Northwest, Franklin over Catonsville, Towson over Dulaney, Perry Hall over Dundalk, Milford Mill over Woodlawn To reach the playoffs, the No. 4 seed being the top possible outcome, Springbrook must finish ahead of Sherwood and Kenwood. For Springbrook to finish ahead of Sherwood, Springbrook must beat Northwest, Kennedy must beat Sherwood and at least four of five games must go as listed: Blake over Seneca Valley, Churchill over Damascus, Watkins Mill over Einstein, Randallstown over Magruder, Clarksburg over Richard Montgomery.
STANDINGS
player.” He has one more year to add to his frame, maybe grow an inch or two. But those are the things he can only do so much about. For now, he will be polishing up his football IQ. “He’s a kid you want to coach,” Fields said. “He’s one of those guys who puts a smile on your face when you watch him.” tmewhirter@gazette.net
Watkins Mill 43, Northwood 6 Seneca Valley 49, Einstein 12 Wootton 58, Rockville 40 Damascus 55, Wheaton 6 Whitman 28, Churchill 7 Gaithersburg 43, Walter Johnson 0 B-CC 34, R. Montgomery 33 Northwest 35, Quince Orchard 21 Clarksburg 35, Magruder 0 Springbrook 27, Kennedy 3 Paint Branch 55, Sherwood 21 Blair 28, Blake 14 Boonsboro 35, Poolesville 34 Perry Street Prep 50, Avalon 20 Landon 13, Georgetown Prep 7 Bullis 54, Episcopal 22
BEST BET Paint Branch vs. Gaithersburg, noon Saturday at WJ.
Both teams are in contention for the No. 1 seed in their regions. It’s a great matchup of Paint Branch’s passing offense against Gaithersburg’s secondary. Both teams will want to enter the playoffs with a victory against high-quality opponent, but may see each other again so may hold something back.