Week 1 gave us some early answers. Week 2 should tell us whether those answers hold up against better competition. Several games this week should give us a clearer picture of the county’s contenders, while others offer teams a chance to establish themselves after uneven or inconclusive opening performances.
BCC at Blair: There’s a clear narrative taking shape for BCC: the Barons have enough grit to challenge most teams, but their offensive style and overall lack of consistent playmakers make it difficult to go the distance. If you give a quarterback like Malachi Rice enough opportunities, eventually he’s going to make you pay. Blair presents a similar challenge, and the Blazers may have an even more well-rounded offense than Churchill. Rice can make just about any throw, while Lucas Copeland’s explosiveness as a runner prevents defenses from simply focusing on the passing game. Don’t expect Blair to have much trouble handling BCC’s triple option after managing Wheaton’s rushing attack fairly well last week. Even if BCC gets another early lead, Blair has enough ways to answer. Prediction: Blair 35, BCC 21.
Northwest at Churchill: Last week’s result was an encouraging one for the Jaguars. They may have enough top-end talent to make a deep playoff run. They’re young, they’re hungry, and their coaches have done a good job putting the veteran talent they do have in position to make big plays. That combination will make Northwest a difficult opponent for most teams. Churchill has loftier aspirations, but even the Bulldogs may not be immune from a strong challenge here. Northwest will expect to create as much disruption for Churchill as BCC managed, if not more. Churchill still has some offensive issues to address, but Hunter Humphries’ arm gives the Bulldogs more opportunities to make plays. If Northwest is going to win, it needs to get off to a fast start offensively and force turnovers that can be converted into points. An early multi-score lead would put Churchill in a difficult position. If Northwest leads early but allows Churchill to remain within striking distance, Humphries will have plenty of opportunities to bring the Bulldogs back. And if Churchill builds a lead, it will be difficult for Northwest to mount a comeback given its lack of a consistent passing attack. This matchup has produced several close games over the last few years, and Northwest has enough talent and toughness to make this another competitive one. But there are simply more paths to victory for Churchill. Prediction: Churchill 32, Northwest 28.
Seneca Valley at Sherwood: This is an intriguing matchup between two teams looking to prove something offensively. Seneca Valley’s offense couldn’t consistently keep pace with the top teams a year ago. This is an early opportunity for the Eagles to show that they belong back in the conversation among the county’s better teams. Sherwood, meanwhile, could do very little wrong against Magruder in Week 1. If the Warriors continue that performance against a team of Seneca Valley’s caliber, their case as a legitimate State 4A/3A contender becomes much stronger. Expect Seneca Valley to make some plays and show that it can be dangerous, but Sherwood remains a tier above. The Eagles’ trench play remains a significant question, and Sherwood should be able to exploit that with its running game. The Warriors can control the tempo, wear down the Seneca Valley defense and create separation as the game progresses. Expect the first half to be competitive before Sherwood takes control in the second half. Prediction: Sherwood 48, Seneca Valley 21.
Wootton at Damascus: This is a solid matchup between two teams that opened the season with convincing wins over overmatched opponents. Now we get a better indication of how legitimate those performances were. The pedigree favors Damascus, while Rockville looked bad enough that it’s difficult to draw many conclusions from Wootton’s Week 1 result. Wootton has legitimate talent, so don’t expect Damascus to score quite as easily this week. The Hornets have more proven players on offense, however, and they’ll be looking to establish themselves early. Expect Damascus to control the game and pull away in the second half. Prediction: Damascus 38, Wootton 14.
Walter Johnson at Quince Orchard: It doesn’t look like anything will come easily for Walter Johnson after narrowly escaping Gaithersburg, which is probably the easiest opponent on the Wildcats’ schedule. Quince Orchard will use this game to continue developing its offense before next week’s marquee showdown with Stone Bridge (VA). Prediction: Quince Orchard 48, Walter Johnson 6.
Einstein at Paint Branch: This is largely an opportunity for Paint Branch to continue building its offense and get its key players into a rhythm. Alijah Bah should have plenty of opportunities to produce against the Titans, and the Panthers should control the game from the beginning. Prediction: Paint Branch 54, Einstein 12.
Whitman at Blake: This is a must-win for Blake if the Bengals want to keep their season on track. Whitman showed in Week 1 that it’s not the same team it was last year. The Bengals appear to have the talent advantage, but the Vikings have little to lose and should approach this game aggressively in search of a statement win. How Blake responds will tell us a lot about the Bengals’ potential this season. Prediction: Blake 28, Whitman 14.
Richard Montgomery at Kennedy: Richard Montgomery took a heavy loss against Damascus, but the Rockets should have enough talent to handle Kennedy. The Knights appear to be facing another difficult rebuilding season, and this is a matchup Richard Montgomery should be expected to win. Prediction: Richard Montgomery 28, Kennedy 8.
Wheaton at Springbrook: Springbrook picked up an important win last week, but Wheaton represents a significant step up in competition. The Knights have enough offensive talent to control this matchup and should be able to establish the running game early. Prediction: Wheaton 35, Springbrook 13.
Magruder at Clarksburg: Very little went right for either team in Week 1, and this game provides both with an opportunity to put that performance behind them. The results of their Week 1 opponents will provide some additional context. If Sherwood is indeed a tier above Seneca Valley, that would give Magruder some reason for optimism coming into this matchup. Still, neither team has done enough yet to establish itself, making this one of the more difficult games to project. Prediction: Clarksburg 21, Magruder 14.
Northwood at Gaithersburg: Gaithersburg played well enough to stay competitive with Walter Johnson, even though the Trojans ultimately came up short. They should be a tier above Northwood and should have little trouble picking up their first win. Prediction: Gaithersburg 28, Northwood 6.
Poolesville at Rockville: Poolesville struggled against Winters Mill in Week 1, but the Falcons have enough depth and talent to take advantage of a rebuilding Rockville team. Given the weakness of Poolesville’s schedule, there should be several opportunities for wins throughout the season. This should be one of them. Prediction: Poolesville 28, Rockville 6.
Watkins Mill at Winters Mill: Winters Mill (Carroll County) has opened the season with two favorable matchups and should have a significant advantage over Watkins Mill. The Falcons should be able to control the line of scrimmage and produce consistently on offense. Prediction: Winters Mill 48, Watkins Mill 12.
