In a clash between two of the state’s top high school football programs, Quince Orchard survived a furious Sherwood comeback to win 35-28 on Friday night, keeping their perfect record intact and reminding everyone why the Cougars are still the standard in Montgomery County.
The night began as a defensive slugfest. Both teams traded turnovers twice in the first half, each defense setting the tone with physical play and relentless pursuit. But as Quince Orchard often does, the Cougars found their rhythm before the break. Tight end Diego Rodriguez, in the midst of what’s shaping up to be an MVP-caliber season, opened the scoring with a highlight-reel, Randy Moss-style touchdown grab that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
From there, junior quarterback Will Drakeford and the Cougar offense went to work, building a commanding 21-0 halftime lead behind efficient drives and big plays. Meanwhile, the Quince Orchard defense, anchored by Kacey Gilliam, refused to let Sherwood breathe.
But Sherwood wasn’t about to go quietly. Behind the poise and arm of junior quarterback Matthew Larsen, the Warriors stormed back in the third quarter. Larsen tossed touchdown strikes of 46, 59, and 25 yards, stunning the Cougar faithful and knotting the score at 21-21 entering the fourth.
Just when it looked like the tide might turn, Quince Orchard’s depth and discipline took over. Junior defensive end turned running back Jaheim Bondmuscled his way in from 13 yards out to reclaim the lead, and sophomore Jeremiah Williams followed with another 13-yard score to extend it to 35-21.
Sherwood’s Frankie Saunders capped the night with a late touchdown run to make it 35-28, but it wasn’t enough. Quince Orchard’s defense slammed the door on the final possession, sealing what may go down as their toughest win of the year.
With the victory, Quince Orchard improves to 6-0, standing as the only unbeaten team left in Montgomery County and sitting atop the Class 4A standings. Sherwood, now 5-1, proved they belong in the upper echelon despite the loss, few teams have pushed the Cougars that far in recent memory.
Next up, Quince Orchard hits the road Thursday to face Clarksburg (3-3), while Sherwood looks to bounce back at home against Wootton (2-4). If Friday night was any indication, these two heavyweights should be playing in November at Annapolis.
