Rivalry games in MoCo carry a certain weight. The crowd shows up early. The energy hums from the first whistle. Every yard feels like it comes with history attached. On Friday night, Sherwood and Blake delivered just that, a backyard slugfest that didn’t truly tilt until the final minutes, when the Warriors pulled away for a 21–12 win in Sandy Spring.
It was billed as the Game of the Week for good reason. Blake came in unbeaten, boasting a defensive front that had held opponents to just eight points per game. Sherwood entered, hungry to prove that their 2024 semifinal run wasn’t a one-year flash but the start of something bigger under second-year head coach Pat Cilento.
And for three quarters, it looked every bit the neighborhood brawl fans expected. The Warriors’ first two scores didn’t even come from their offense, safeties courtesy of relentless defensive pressure. It wasn’t until quarterback Matthew Larsen hit junior receiver Caleb Hollowell for a touchdown with three seconds left in the half that Sherwood finally grabbed a 9–6 lead.
That back-and-forth carried deep into the fourth quarter. Blake quarterback Wilton Cameron and wideout Dereion Wilkinson lit up the visiting sideline when they connected on a long touchdown strike, giving the Bengals a 12–9 lead and briefly silencing the Sherwood bleachers.
But Larsen showed composure beyond his years, steadying the Warriors with a methodical drive capped by a 23-yard field goal. Then came the knockout blow: running back A.J. Lopez powering through the heart of the Bengals’ defense for a 14-yard touchdown to make it 21–12. Senior edge rusher Jefferson Serkfem slammed the door minutes later, strip-sacking Cameron to secure the win.
For Sherwood, the victory means more than just bragging rights. The Warriors are 4–0 for the first time since 2021 and, more importantly, they’ve established themselves as legitimate contenders in 4A/3A. The move up from 3A after last year’s semifinal run hasn’t slowed them, if anything, it’s fueled their climb back toward state-title relevance.
Blake won’t fade quietly, though. The Bengals are still a dangerous outfit, one that will be heard from again in the 4A North playoff race. They’ll try to bounce back at Blair next week, while Sherwood gets Clarksburg at home before a measuring-stick showdown at Quince Orchard in early October.
Friday night wasn’t flawless football, rivalry games rarely are, but it was the kind of gritty win that can shape a season. And in Sandy Spring, Sherwood fans left the stadium believing that this year’s Warriors might just have the mettle to make a run at something bigger.
