A legendary chapter of Maryland high school football is being brought to life in a new book written by former Seneca Valley High School athletic director Ray Sacramo and longtime head coach Terry Changuris. The project chronicles the rich history of Seneca Valley football and the foundation of a program that became one of the most successful in the state.
Changuris is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished coaches in Maryland high school football, best known for his 27 years at Seneca Valley in Germantown, including 16 seasons as head coach after taking over for another program icon, Al Thomas. During his time leading the Screamin’ Eagles, Changuris compiled an elite 158-31 record and guided the program to seven state championships. Including his years as an assistant coach, he was part of 14 state title teams at the school.
His impact on the sport was formally recognized in 2012, when he was inducted into the Maryland High School Coaches Hall of Fame, honoring a career that shaped players, coaches, and programs across the region.
The book, titled The Winning Formula, is a collaborative effort, with Sacramo serving as the official author and Changuris contributing roughly half of the writing. The authors are targeting a release this summer with June/July 2026 as the expected timeframe.
According to Changuris, the book traces the evolution of Seneca Valley football across multiple eras, beginning with Al Thomas from 1974 to 1987, continuing through Changuris’ own tenure from 1988 to 2003, and concluding with the program’s later success under Fred Kim from 2004 through around 2018. It details how Changuris developed his personal “winning formula” after assuming the head coaching role and how that approach helped sustain long-term success.
The book also explores the extensive coaching tree that emerged from Seneca Valley, highlighting the influence of Al Thomas and John Harvill across western Montgomery County and Frederick County. It concludes with a look at how Seneca Valley alumni carried that legacy forward, including Changuris’ son, TJ, who later coached at Quince Orchard High School.
Changuris said the motivation behind the book was to preserve a story he felt needed to be told. Aimed at Seneca Valley alumni, former players, and high school football fans, The Winning Formula serves as both a historical record and a tribute to the coaches, athletes, and community members who built a championship tradition.
