There are seasons that blur together, and then there are seasons that leave behind a clear hierarchy, of programs, of players, and of performances that forced everyone else to adjust. This year in Montgomery County football was firmly the latter, and the MoCo All-County Team reflects a fall defined by dominance, adaptability, and elite two-way impact. Graphics below, listing all players, by Sam Nosoff (Blair he’s coach).
At the center of it all stands Diego Rodriguez, Quince Orchard’s do-everything tight end and defensive end and the MoCo Player of the Year, a selection that feels less like an accolade and more like a formality.
Rodriguez wasn’t just the best two-way player in the county; he was the most influential. On offense, he was the kind of tight end who warped coverage schemes before the ball was even snapped, too strong for safeties, too athletic for linebackers, and too technically sound to be neutralized by bracket looks for long. On defense, he was the anchor of a front that dictated terms weekly, collapsing edges, setting the run, and turning third-and-manageable into third-and-long with relentless pressure.
Great players flash. Player of the Year candidates control. Rodriguez did that on both sides of the ball, every Friday night.
Quarterback play across the county was strong, but no one commanded an offense with more poise and precision than Will Drakeford of Quince Orchard, the Offensive MVP. In a system built on efficiency and explosiveness, Drakeford became the ultimate force-multiplier, quick with decisions, accurate at all three levels, and devastating when defenses guessed wrong. What separated him wasn’t just arm talent, but command. He punished blitzes, extended plays without inviting chaos, and delivered in the moments that decided games.
Defense is often about disruption, and Jefferson Serkfem of Sherwood was disruption personified. The Defensive MVP was the kind of defender coordinators built entire game plans around avoiding, and still couldn’t. Serkfem’s impact showed up everywhere, in backfields, in passing lanes, and in the body language of opposing offenses forced to account for him snap after snap. Plays died because Serkfem arrived first.
Great seasons don’t happen in a vacuum, and the Co-Coaches of the Year honors reflect two programs that maximized belief, development, and execution. At Kennedy, Jacquis McCray Jr. continued to elevate expectations, molding a team that played fast and confident. At Wheaton, Jermaine Howell engineered one of the county’s most impressive transformations, converting preparation into production and cohesion into results. Both coaches showed the kind of steady, relentless leadership that changes a program’s trajectory.
An All-County first team tells you who dominated, but the deeper lists show how broad this county’s talent really is. Alongside the first-team selections, the coaches also named a full All-County Second Team and a slate of Honorable Mentions, recognizing players whose week-to-week production and positional mastery made them indispensable to their teams even if they fell just short of first-team billing.
The Second Team reads like a who’s-who of near-elite performers, players who delivered signature games, set team standards, and provided matchup problems for opponents. Honorable Mentions capture the next tier, specialists, emerging juniors, two-way contributors, and veterans who gave coaches reliability and championship teams depth. Those lists matter because they show where depth exists across the county and which young players might become household names next fall.
Complementing the county-wide honors, All-Division teams were also announced, rewarding excellence within each competitive division across the North, South, East, and West. All-Division recognition is particularly meaningful for local bragging rights. A player can be All-Division and still be edged out on the All-County first team simply because of the depth at certain positions across the entire county. Together, the All-County and All-Division honors create a fuller picture of who pushed the envelope this season and where the talent pipelines are strongest.
Naming only a few stars would be easy; naming the full ecosystem that produced them is the real story. The Second Team and Honorable Mentions demonstrate that Montgomery County’s success isn’t a fluke of a handful of blue-chip athletes. It’s a product of strong position groups, excellent assistant coaching, and a steady stream of players who perform when asked. The All-Division rosters show how excellence is spread across schools and competitive levels, often highlighting breakout sophomores and juniors who will be the names to watch next season.
The MoCo All-County Team is more than an awards list. It’s a ledger of a season that produced defining moments, program pivots, and individual breakthroughs. From Diego Rodriguez’s two-way mastery to Will Drakeford’s steady command, Jefferson Serkfem’s disruptive presence, and the leadership of McCray and Howell, this year’s honors both reward achievement and map the county’s immediate future. The second team, honorable mentions, and All-Division selections ensure the ledger is complete, capturing the players and coaches who set the baseline and raised it.
