Below you will see the top ten ahead the week 6 matchups. Week 6 preview and predictions can be seen here.
1. Quince Orchard (5-0) — LW: 1
Can anyone figure out the Cougars defense? Churchill certainly could not. QO held the previously undefeated Bulldogs to 63 total yards on a rainy night in Gaithersburg. Seneca Valley and Churchill both saw openings and failed to capitalize. Sherwood gets the next shot at finding a crack in the armor. Until then, the train keeps rolling. No debate.
2. Sherwood (5-0) — LW: 3
The Warriors rolled past Clarksburg, 31-6, behind three touchdown passes from Matthew Larsen. Five weeks of relatively comfortable wins have done little to answer the biggest question: can Sherwood compete with QO? Recent history says there may be some answers waiting for the Cougars. As the only other undefeated team in the county, Sherwood has earned this spot.
3. Damascus (4-1) — LW: 6
The Hornets wasted no time putting Rockville away, jumping out 41-0 in the first quarter before both teams worked toward an early finish. Now comes the real test. Damascus travels to Carroll County to face Westminster, the same team that handed the Hornets a 34-7 loss last season. This is a chance to show how much has changed.
4. Churchill (4-1) — LW: 3
The 41 points allowed to QO do not tell the whole story. Churchill defense made the Cougars work, while the offense provided little help. James Le continues to quietly emerge as one of the county’s better two-way players, rushing for 25 yards on seven carries while recording 13 tackles and two sacks. One bad night against QO does not erase what came before it.
5. Paint Branch (3-2) — LW: 8
Paint Branch delivered one of the week’s biggest wins, knocking off a hot B-CC team, 15-8. Alijah Bah was everywhere, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown while adding two interceptions. When the Panthers fell behind late, there was no question where the ball was going. Bah broke free on a wheel route, Leoul Solomon found him for the go-ahead 50-yard touchdown, and the two connected again on the two-point conversion. A gutsy win and a huge performance move Paint Branch right back into the 4A North picture.
6. B-CC (3-2) — LW: 4
MJ Joinvil Jr. scored the Barons’ lone touchdown in a painful 15-8 loss to Paint Branch. B-CC had a chance to make a statement against a surging Panthers team but came up short. Now comes a rivalry game with Walter Johnson and a chance to reset.
7. Seneca Valley (3-2) — LW: 7
The Eagles defense continues to suffocate lesser competition, posting a third shutout in five games while the offense exploded for 47 points against Walter Johnson. Now comes the Battle of Germantown against a Northwest team still searching for consistency on offense. After years of lopsided results, Seneca Valley has a real opportunity to change the direction of this rivalry.
8. Northwest (2-3) — LW: 9
Christian Ruiz threw a touchdown in Northwest’s win over Gaithersburg, giving the Jaguars some momentum heading into this week. Now comes Seneca Valley, with the Kings Trophy on the line. Northwest needs another step forward on offense to make this rivalry game competitive.
9. Blake (3-2) — LW: 10
Vince Agyapong’s pick-six helped Blake get past Blair and move the Bengals up a spot in the Top 10. Now comes a trip to Derwood for a matchup with Magruder. Blake has quietly put together enough to keep climbing.
10. Blair (3-2) — LW: 5
The Blazers took a tough loss to Blake and slid five spots as a result. The schedule does not get any easier, with a trip to Potomac to face an underrated Whitman team. Blair needs a response quickly to avoid another drop.
