Week 4 Montgomery County Football Top 10:
1. Quince Orchard (3-0) — LW: 1
The Cougars got their first real test of the season in Virginia and answered it the way championship teams are supposed to. Stone Bridge tied the game at 6 in the second quarter and had the ball in QO territory, but the Cougars eventually pulled away, 20-6, behind a punishing ground game led by Jaiden Hebron. The defense, meanwhile, allowed its first points of the season before completely taking over, holding the Bulldogs to negative yardage in the second half. QO also controlled the clock so thoroughly that Stone Bridge had just three possessions after halftime. There are still questions in the secondary, which could matter against Seneca Valley, but the bigger takeaway is pretty simple: QO went into Virginia and proved itself against another quality program. Again.
2. Sherwood (3-0) — LW: 2
Sherwood handled Rockville without much drama, but the Warriors’ next two weeks will tell us considerably more. First comes rival Blake, followed by the showdown everyone has circled with QO. Sherwood has shown a few cracks despite its perfect record, but it remains a talented, disciplined team that has handled its business so far. The Rockville game also showed some class from the Warriors during an injury stoppage. Now comes the part everyone actually wants to see: how good is Sherwood when the opponent can push back?
3. Churchill (3-0) — LW: 3
The Bulldogs finally finished their Congressional Cup sweep, rolling past Walter Johnson, 35-6, for their fourth straight win over their longtime rival. Churchill piled up 469 yards, with Hunter Humphries completing 13 of 15 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. On paper, this is one of the most talented teams in the county. The question is whether that talent holds up when the games get harder. Whitman has emerged as a far more interesting opponent than expected, and Churchill can’t afford a stumble with QO looming. The gap between these two teams and everyone else is still worth watching.
4. Damascus (3-0) — LW: 6
So far, the Hornets have followed a remarkably simple recipe: hand the ball to MJ Sullivan and let him do what he does. Sullivan has scored four touchdowns in every game, and Damascus has taken care of business without much resistance. That changes dramatically this week against Oakdale. Since winning the 2022 state championship, Damascus has had trouble closing the gap against the state’s better teams. This is the first chance to find out whether this group is different. The Hornets have been waiting for the real test. Now they get it.
5. Seneca Valley (2-1) — LW: 7
The Screaming Eagles pitched their second shutout in three games, blanking Gaithersburg 30-0, and they’re starting to look like a program with some real momentum. Seneca Valley has depth, coaching and a roster that appears to be getting stronger as the school continues to build its identity. The offense hasn’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard, however, and that becomes a much bigger concern this week against QO. The Eagles are a legitimate dark horse. They just picked a very difficult week to prove it.
6. Bethesda-Chevy Chase (2-1) — LW: 9
B-CC finally solved Northwest, beating the Jaguars 14-7 for its first victory in the series since 2010. Senior Aiah Mbayo did the damage on both sides of the ball, returning an interception 66 yards for a touchdown before scoring the game-winner on offense. That’s the kind of gritty performance that can define a season. The Barons have already played Churchill and come out of a quality early schedule looking like a team capable of making noise. The next checkpoint is Paint Branch. Beat the Panthers and the argument for B-CC as the region’s top seed gets a whole lot stronger.
7. Blair (2-1) — LW: 10
Blair jumps three spots after knocking off Paint Branch behind a defense that forced two crucial turnovers. The Blazers have quietly put together a promising start and now get a rivalry game at Einstein. This is where they can prove the Paint Branch win was more than just a nice upset.
8. Northwest (1-2) — LW: 5
The Jaguars slipped again after falling to B-CC, 14-7, in a game where the offense never found enough traction. Tank Rivers did his part with 108 rushing yards and a touchdown, but Northwest needs more around him. Now comes a potentially season-defining matchup with Paint Branch. At 1-2, the Jaguars don’t have much room left for another missed opportunity.
9. Blake (2-1) — LW: 8
Blake bounced back from its loss to Northwest with a shutdown performance against Springbrook and now gets the game that should tell us where the Bengals really stand. Sherwood comes to town, and while Blake has shown enough to remain in the Top 10, this is a significant step up in competition. A strong showing here would change the conversation.
10. Paint Branch (1-2) — LW: 4
The Panthers’ slide continues after a second straight loss, this one to Blair, despite 163 all-purpose yards from Elijah Bah. Paint Branch opened the season with plenty of hype but has yet to put together the kind of performance that matches it. The good news is that the schedule provides an immediate opportunity to change the narrative. Northwest comes to town, and at 1-2, this one suddenly carries considerably more weight than it did a week ago.
