Week 1 is in the books, and the first Friday night under the lights gave us plenty to talk about. Some powerhouses flexed, some contenders stumbled, and a few programs showed signs they may be ready to write new chapters in their histories. Predictions for this week can be found here, and below is how the MCPS Top 10 stacks up after the opening slate of games:
1) Quince Orchard (1-0) | Last Week: 1: The dynasty doesn’t look like it’s slowing down one bit. New quarterback Will Drakeford wasted no time proving he’s the next man up, throwing for 201 yards and three scores while adding a rushing touchdown in QO’s emphatic win over Paint Branch. Meanwhile, the Cougars’ defense looked every bit as dominant as last year, with Kacey Gilliam and Jaheim Bond leading a front that held PB to under 100 yards of offense. Next test? A Thursday night trip to Walter Johnson.
2) Sherwood (1-0) | Last Week: 3: The Warriors handled their business in Week 1, blanking Magruder 40–0 in a game that was over before halftime. Matthew Larsen looked comfortable running the offense, and Sherwood showed balance with 193 passing yards and 113 on the ground. They’ll need every bit of that balance this week in Germantown, where a proud Seneca Valley squad awaits. A win there would be a real statement that Sherwood belongs in the upper tier.
3) Blake (1-0) | Last Week: 5: It’s been a while since Northwest looked bottled up, and it was Blake who did the bottling. The Bengals’ defense was relentless in their 14–7 win, with two-way star Junior Rodriguez leading the charge with nine tackles on defense, 77 rushing yards on offense. It wasn’t flashy, but it was authoritative. With Whitman up next, Blake has a prime chance to stack another win and keep climbing.
4) Churchill (1-0) | Last Week: 6: Defense carried the Bulldogs early in their 16–0 shutout of B-CC, and then the offense found rhythm late to seal it. Noah Zhang was everywhere, rushing for 110 yards while also racking up eight tackles and two sacks. Few teams have an identity as tough and disciplined on both sides of the ball as Churchill. The only problem? They’ve got Northwest next, a desperate Jaguars team that won’t want to start 0–2.
5) Paint Branch (0-1) | Last Week: 2: For months, Burtonsville buzzed with belief that PB might finally be ready to knock off Quince Orchard. Reality hit hard. The Panthers mustered fewer than 100 total yards in a 35–0 loss, and outside of a couple of flashes from Alijah Bah, nothing came easy. The talent is still there, but the margin for error is gone if Paint Branch wants to stay among Maryland’s elite. Thursday against Einstein should give them a chance to regroup.
6) Northwest (0-1) | Last Week: 4: If there was one program fans were unsure about entering 2025, it was Northwest, and Week 1 didn’t do much to answer the questions. The defense looked strong, holding Blake scoreless for three quarters, but the offense was flat. Jayden Vongprachanh-Nelson passed for just 105 yards with one interception. The Jags can’t afford another sputter with Churchill looming. Avoiding their first 0–2 start since 2011 requires immediate action.
7) Walter Johnson (1-0) | Last Week: 8: The Wildcats wasted no time flexing, rolling Gaithersburg 44–6 behind three touchdown passes from Jake Forburger. The pieces are in place for WJ to be a real factor in 2025, but there’s no easing into the schedule — here comes the defending champs. Hosting Quince Orchard on Thursday will be the ultimate measuring stick for how far the Wildcats have really come.
8) Seneca Valley (1-0) | Last Week: 9: It’s been a while since the Screaming Eagles looked like the Seneca of old, but Friday was a step in the right direction. They topped Clarksburg 21–6 thanks to a stingy defense that forced three interceptions and an offense that churned out over 250 total yards. Next up is a marquee test against Sherwood. Win that, and suddenly the old echoes in Germantown will sound a little louder.
9) Damascus (1-0) | Last Week: 10: Talk about announcing yourself. MJ Sullivan put on a show in his Damascus debut, piling up 382 yards of offense and four touchdowns in a 43–26 shootout win over Richard Montgomery. The Hornets’ defense still has kinks to iron out, but Sullivan’s breakout gives them a legit game-changer. A matchup with Wootton looms as a fascinating next step.
10) Bethesda-Chevy Chase (0-1) | Last Week: 7: It wasn’t pretty. The Barons managed just 100 total yards and committed three turnovers in a 16–0 loss to Churchill. The defense hung in admirably early, but without any offensive support, it was only a matter of time. Still, B-CC has enough athletes to bounce back, and they’ll have a chance to right the ship this Friday when they host Blair.
Final Word: Week 1 didn’t just give us scores, it gave us storylines. Quince Orchard still looks untouchable, Blake may be entering the county’s upper crust, and Seneca Valley and Damascus look like programs on the rise. But with heavyweight clashes already on the Week 2 slate, don’t get too comfortable, the county’s hierarchy may shake again before the month is out.
