The regular season is over, and the postseason is here. For some Montgomery County teams, Friday night offers an opportunity to make a statement and keep a promising season alive. For others, the playoff draw is less of an opportunity and more of an unfortunate appointment with reality. There are a few intriguing matchups on the schedule, but several MoCo teams are facing opponents that are simply out of their league. Here is a look at the first-round matchups and predictions.
Quince Orchard vs. Richard Montgomery: Richard Montgomery actually has a better passing game than most of the teams Quince Orchard has faced this season. That’s about the only encouraging thing the Rockets have going for them. The Cougars have the best defense in the state, and RM isn’t bringing nearly enough firepower to change that narrative. The Rockets might move the ball a little, but finding the end zone against this defense is an entirely different proposition. This should be another routine night at the Cougardome. Prediction: Quince Orchard 49, Richard Montgomery 0
Churchill vs. Walter Johnson: Churchill finally put together the kind of offensive performance that makes the Bulldogs dangerous. If that group shows up again, Walter Johnson is going to have a long night. The Wildcats have little reason to believe they can keep pace, and Churchill is playing its best football at the right time. The Bulldogs should bury this one early and start looking ahead to the next round. Prediction: Churchill 38, Walter Johnson 6
Seneca Valley vs. Gaithersburg: Seneca Valley is running downhill right now, and Gaithersburg is going in the opposite direction. The Screaming Eagles have been lighting up the scoreboard over the past couple of weeks, while the Trojans have steadily lost whatever momentum they had. This is a terrible time to draw Seneca Valley. Expect a running-clock kind of night. Prediction: Seneca Valley 47, Gaithersburg 0
Northwest vs. Clarksburg: Northwest has gotten better every week since Christian Ruiz took over at quarterback, and the Jaguars are beginning to look like a team that could make some noise. The addition of young weapon King Blue gives Ruiz another option and makes the offense more difficult to defend. Clarksburg has had its moments, but Northwest has the better trajectory and more reasons to feel confident. The Jaguars should take care of business. Prediction: Northwest 32, Clarksburg 14
Blake vs. Laurel: Blake enters the postseason under unusual circumstances after having to forfeit multiple games because of residency infractions. Laurel also benefited from a couple of forfeits involving other programs, but the on-field resumes tell a pretty clear story. These teams are not remotely even. Laurel hasn’t beaten anyone of consequence and has some ugly losses against the likes of Parkdale and Bowie. Quarterback Demerius Custis can sling it, and his arm is the one thing that could give the Spartans a chance to make things interesting. Blake has already seen Custis and this Laurel group around this time last year. The Bengals know what they’re getting, and they should have little difficulty sending the Spartans home. Prediction: Blake 31, Laurel 7
Paint Branch vs. Blair: Blair got the better of Paint Branch in Week 1, but lightning isn’t necessarily going to strike twice. The Blazers have talent, but consistency has been a problem all season. Paint Branch has its own share of questions, but the Panthers have a dependable difference-maker in running back Alijah Bah. If Bah gets rolling, Blair will have a difficult time keeping up. Paint Branch gets its revenge and makes the opening-round result look a lot different from the first meeting. Prediction: Paint Branch 28, Blair 14
Oxon Hill vs. Einstein: Einstein probably wasn’t thrilled when this matchup showed up on the playoff schedule. The Titans saw Oxon Hill last year and watched the PG County Clippers hang 72 points on them. There is little evidence suggesting the gap has closed enough to make this competitive. Einstein is going to need a whole lot more than home-field optimism to keep this one close. Prediction: Oxon Hill 42, Einstein 7
Whitman vs. Springbrook: Springbrook has managed just 28 points all season. Twenty-eight. That tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the challenge facing the Blue Devils. Whitman isn’t exactly walking into a buzz saw here. The Vikings have a favorable first-round draw and should cruise into the next round without breaking much of a sweat. Prediction: Whitman 35, Springbrook 8
Potomac vs. Kennedy: This is where Kennedy finds out what the rest of the schedule has been missing. The Cavaliers have put together a respectable season, but much of that success has come against the bottom half of Montgomery County competition. Potomac is an upper-tier Prince George’s County program, and the difference in competition should be obvious. Kennedy has enjoyed its share of wins, but this is a different animal. The Panthers should make that abundantly clear. Prediction: Potomac 34, Kennedy 12
Marriotts Ridge vs. Wootton: There is a little history here, as Marriotts Ridge is facing a Montgomery County opponent for the first time in the program’s 20-year existence. Unfortunately for Wootton, the occasion isn’t likely to produce much drama. The Mustangs have handled teams of this caliber without much trouble, and the Patriots haven’t shown anything to suggest they can hang around. Marriotts Ridge should dominate from start to finish. Wootton is simply overmatched. Prediction: Marriotts Ridge 42, Wootton 0
Magruder vs. Thomas Johnson: Magruder has a pretty good track record against Frederick County competition in recent years, and the Colonels should be able to keep that going. This is one of the more competitive matchups on the board, but Magruder has enough experience to navigate it. Thomas Johnson will make things interesting, but the Colonels should find a way to pull away late. Prediction: Magruder 21, Thomas Johnson 14
North Hagerstown vs. Northwood: Northwood deserves credit for putting together its most successful season in 15 years. Four wins represent real progress for the Gladiators, and the program finally has something to build on. Unfortunately, the reward for that progress is a date with a North Hagerstown team operating on an entirely different level. The Hubs are not the kind of opponent Northwood is ready to handle. Enjoy the progress, Gladiators, but this is probably where the ride ends. Prediction: North Hagerstown 45, Northwood 16
River Hill vs. Poolesville: River Hill beat Poolesville 63-0 around this time last year. Let that sink in for a moment. The Falcons are walking into another matchup against a team that has historically had their number, and there isn’t much in the current matchup to suggest a dramatic turnaround. Poolesville would love to make this one competitive, but River Hill should have this wrapped up well before the fourth quarter. Prediction: River Hill 45, Poolesville 6
The Bottom Line: Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Churchill and Northwest should all be moving on. Paint Branch and Magruder have legitimate opportunities to advance, while Northwood deserves credit for getting back to the postseason conversation even if the draw is unforgiving. For a handful of other MoCo teams, Friday night is likely to be a short playoff stay. Not every postseason matchup is created equal, and the brackets have made that abundantly clear.
