Unedited article, written by Brian Magid

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MD HOOP 🏀 CURRENT HISTORY: 2000s Vol 1 (MoCo “Basketball Lifer” Series Vol 3).

DAN HARWOOD (PEARY HS CLASS OF 1976) > LONGEST TENURED COACH IN MoCo HISTORY (SENECA VALLEY 4 years 1986-1990 AND ENTERING HIS 31st YEAR AT MAGRUDER 1990-present. ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH IN MOCO HISTORY WITH 534 WINS).

Before I present the considerable “bullets” of this man’s coaching career, please make note of the following: While twice broken feet cut short what would have been a productive HS career at Peary, what many may not know is this:

– 2nd all-time leading career scorer at MC-Rockville with 1,137 points
– 2nd all time scoring average over 26 ppg
– Played 2 years at Boston University under Rick Pitino 1979-81. Teammates there with MoCo standout Steve Wright (Einstein ‘76), Glenn Consor (radio color commentator, analyst, post-game host of Wiz for last 22 years) and roommate of Brett Brown (long-time NBA Spurs assistant and most recently head coach of the 76ers 2013-20).
– Played professionally in Ireland
– Inducted into the MC-Rockville Hall of Fame

Started his coaching career under legendary Paint Branch coach Hank Galotta, where he coached the JV at PB for several years before moving on to Seneca Valley in 1986 and eventually succeeding another MoCo legend, Gene Doane, thus beginning the longest basketball coaching career in MoCo history. After compiling a 42-47 record in 4 years at SV, his 30 years at Magruder have seen a remarkable level of success. To wit:

– Two state championships (2001 and 2012)
– Seven regional titles (in other words, 7 trips to MD: 2 championships above, lost in state final 3 times – 2003, 2007 and 2013, lost in semis 2002 and 2011.
– 13 division titles
– All-Met Coach of the Year 2001 (Magruder 27-0, ranked #1 in area)
– Five times MoCo Coach of the Year
– More than 60 Magruder players have gone on to play at some level of college basketball
– Multiple former Magruder players currently coaching in MoCo
– 25+ years (summers) and counting of Coach Harwood’s Basketball Camp, where you learn more than just basketball 🙏. Worth the price of admission for his daily “musings on life” to the campers – and anyone else for that matter 👍👌🙏💯👏
– Countless lives positively influenced. Talk about making a difference!! 🙏

The distinction of being the longest tenured and all-time winningest coach in MoCo’s esteemed basketball history is no small achievement. Following in the footsteps of a long line of “past” legendary MoCo coaches with double decade plus careers – **Gene Doane (Sherwood, Blair, SV), John Barrett (Springbrook), Hank Gallotta(PaInt Branch), Jim Connor (Rockville) ** > that’s one heckuva legacy. Interestingly enough, also following in these footsteps CURRENTLY is my good friend Paul Foringer at Quince Orchard – who is entering his 33rd year as a head coach in MoCo (Gaithersburg – state champs 1999), the SECOND longest tenured coach in MoCo history. Check this out: Coach Foringer is also a Peary graduate (Class of ‘72) and was an All-County performer for the Huskies. Rest assured that will be the subject of a future post. What a career!!!

Huge weekend for Coach Harwood coming up this Saturday, as he will join 7 others in induction to the Metropolitan Area Basketball Hall of Fame, including fellow MoCo inductee Ed Peterson (Springbrook ‘70), along with John Thompson, Brenda Frese, Sidney Lowe, Dereck Whittenburg, Capital Classic founder Bob Geoghan and the man who is considered the “Father of Black Basketball,” E.B. Henderson (Dunbar, UDC, Howard). Quite the esteemed Class and well deserved 👏 💯 Looking forward to being there.
(The event is being live streamed on YouTube at 11:30am. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/ypCgihKz1xw .

Last but not least – and while this statement will probably “be lost” on most who read this post – Danny’s greatest “achievement” besides his distinguished basketball career, his major influence on lives young and old and as father to his four awesome kids – will NO DOUBT be as founder of the Old Dog “Semi-Professional” Basketball League 😉 😄 If you know, you know. If you don’t, well, you’re just not an Old Dog 🤷🏼‍♂️. But you wish you were 😉

(Numbers/stats noted here subject to correction 😄)

Below you’ll see the most recent updates or final scores of the week 5 MCPS football games. They’ll be updated as we receive them.

If a score isn’t listed, it’s because we didn’t receive a report from the game.

Blair 13 @ Blake 6

Clarksburg 3 @ Churchill 17

Einstein @ Kennedy (2pm Saturday game)

Magruder 0 @ Poolesville 25

Paint Branch 53 @ Wheaton 0

Seneca Valley 0 @ Quince Orchard 35

Sherwood 42 @ Northwood 0

Springbrook 15 @ Rockville 19

Urbana 42 @ Gaithersburg 12

Walter Johnson 0 @ Northwest 74 4Q

Watkins Mill 13 @ Damascus 61

Whitman 7 @ Richard Montgomery 44

Wootton 6 @ B-CC 43

 

Below you’ll see the most recent updates or final scores of the week 3 MCPS football games. They’ll be updated as we receive them.

If a score isn’t listed, it’s because we didn’t receive a report from the game.

BCC 0 at Churchill 7 Final

Damascus at Kennedy CANCELLED

“Due to COVID-19 quarantines and student-athlete injuries from John F. Kennedy High School, the Damascus at Kennedy varsity and junior varsity football games scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, September 18, have been cancelled. After mutual agreement between the two schools, the games will not be made up and will be recorded as forfeitures, in alignment with Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association guidelines.”

Gaithersburg 0 at Northwest 42 FINAL

Frederick 63 at Wheaton 7 FINAL

Northwood 0 at Blair 30 FINAL

Paint Branch 51 at Springbrook 6 FINAL

Quince Orchard 63 at Walter Johnson 28 FINAL

Richard Montgomery 13 at Seneca Valley 0 FINAL

Rockville 24 at Magruder 13 FINAL

Sherwood 21 at Blake 6 FINAL

Watkins Mill 6 at Poolesville 34 FINAL

Whitman 6 at Einstein 47 FINAL

Wootton 6 at Clarksburg 13 FINAL

Below you’ll see the most recent updates or final scores of the week 2 MCPS football games. They’ll be updated as we receive them.

If a score isn’t listed, it’s because we didn’t receive a report from the game.

 

Blair 21

@ Einstein 7

 

Churchill 16

@ Blake 6

 

Kennedy 14

@ Springbrook 41

 

Magruder 0

@ Damascus 28

 

Northwest 42

@ Clarksburg 0

 

Northwood 6

@ Wheaton 54

 

Paint Branch 13

@ Quince Orchard 20

 

Richard Montgomery 6

@ B-CC 19

 

Seneca Valley 42

@ Gaithersburg 13

 

Sherwood 31

@ Urbana 28

 

Walter Johnson 42

@ Whitman 8

 

Watkins Mill 12

@ Rockville 48

 

Wootton 19

@ Poolesville 7

 

 

Students must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate in winter and spring sports.

Per MCPS:

Beginning Nov. 15, 2021, all students participating in the MCPS athletics program will be required to submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination prior to participation.

Exemptions will be permitted if an authorized health care provider certifies that there is a medical reason not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

This requirement applies to the winter and spring sports seasons, but students who participate in fall sports are also strongly encouraged to be vaccinated.

Vaccinations will allow activities to proceed with minimal disruption and support individual and team health and safety across MCPS Athletics.

More information will be shared in the coming weeks regarding the submission of documents. Registration for winter sports will open in mid-October, and proof of vaccination must be submitted as part of the registration process.

Tonight kicked off the 2021 high school football season and we have some scores from across the county for you.

The scores below were sent into us from people in attendance at various games. If a game isn’t listed, it’s because we didn’t receive a report from the game.

Blake: 60

Northwood: 0

 

B-CC: 19

Poolesville: 16

 

Paint Branch 44

Einstein 7

 

Urbana: 32

Richard Montgomery: 14

 

Seneca Valley: 33

Clarksburg: 6

 

Walter Johnson: 21

Churchill: 17

 

Wootton: 13

Gaithersburg: 0

 

Northwest: 26

Damascus: 0

 

Springbrook: 32

Watkins Mill: 0

 

Sherwood: 50

Wheaton: 6

 

Quince Orchard: 58

Whitman: 0

 

Rockville: 43

Kennedy: 6

 

Blair 27

Magruder 6

 

MoCo Resident Named Head Football Coach at St. John’s Catholic Prep

Longtime Montgomery County resident, Jerry Rogers, has been named the new Head Football Coach at St. John’s Catholic Prep High School, a school founded in 1829 and located in Buckeystown, Md. in Frederick County.

Saint John’s Catholic Prep President Dr. Thomas Powell and Principal Will Knotek announced that Rogers was the new Head Varsity Football Coach after an extensive search. The top spot opened up when Coach Daryl Hayes left the Vikings program for the head coach job at Bishop Gorman High School in Tyler, Texas.

Rogers has been a Montgomery County resident for 20 years and has been on the coaching staff at Saint John’s Catholic Prep since 2017, coaching running backs and linebackers. Rogers is also the head coach for both the SJCP spring and winter track & field teams. He has coached outdoor track & field since 2017 and took over as head coach in 2018. He has coached indoor track since 2018 and took over as head coach in 2019.

“Saint John’s Catholic Prep is very fortunate that Coach Rogers has agreed to step up into the Head Varsity Coach position from his current role serving as Assistant Coach. It was apparent during the search process that Coach Rogers possesses a genuine love for Saint John’s Catholic Prep, our students, and the Viking football program. His leadership, experience with the game, maturity, and commitment to overall character and development of our students will benefit the program and our student athletes as well. He has earned the respect of his colleagues through his dedication to the program. Saint John’s is in great hands, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.” shared, Principal Will Knotek.

“Coaching at Saint John’s Catholic Prep is a means to promote and build the SJCP community and to help develop Christian men and women,” said Rogers. “It’s an honor to be named Head Football Coach because of everything else that happens on this campus. To be part of this community – students, teachers, administrators, staff, volunteers, parents, and alumni – is an extraordinary opportunity especially given that this is the 20thAnniversary season of football at SJCP, and we have a new home football stadium being constructed on campus this summer.”

As a Montgomery County resident, Rogers said he’s hoping to tap into some of the vast talent of football players located in the Up-County region and to encourage that talent to give SJCP a look. “I am the father of five, and all of my kids attended or attend Mary of Nazareth School in Darnestown, and I’m hoping to raise awareness of our little gem of a high school in Buckeystown, just 30 minutesfrom Gaithersburg, in the opposite direction of DC traffic,” Rogers told MoCo Show. “There are seven parishes that serve Mary of Nazareth and myriad other parishes, churches, and middle schools in upper MoCo, and we want these families to know about SJCP and its high-caliber Catholic high school football program. We want to expose these student-athletes to the tremendous education opportunities offered at Saint John’s, and how SJCP is all about community and putting others first. I’m excited to let Up-County folks know about the green, white, and gold Vikings of St. John Catholic Prep in nearby Buckeystown – just a few minutes north on I-270.”

Rogers is a product of Catholic high school football, playing for one of best Catholic high school programs in the nation, Bergen Catholic in New Jersey. Bergen Catholic is one of the most successful football programs in the country – the Crusaders are 17-time state champions.“There is something special about Catholic high school football,” said Rogers, “because we are doing more than just coaching football players, we are building men who will be better husbands, fathers, and strong leaders.”

When asked about his coaching philosophy, Rogersquoted Proverbs 27:17 – “’As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.’ This is why I love Saint John’s Catholic Prep – others before self, and it’s why I coach football – team before self.”

The St. John’s Vikings play football in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association, and have games scheduled against Sidwell Friends in DC and Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, VA. SJCP was one of the few programs in Maryland to play a football season last year. The Vikings were prepared for a full schedule,but due to pandemic issues at other schools only played three games and ended with a 1-2 record. Rogers also said that he intends to bring the team back to Tennessee this season to defend its 2019 National Association of Christian Athletes Championship title.

Captions: Coach Jerry Rogers

UMD Announces Contract Extension for Brenda Frese

Per the University of Maryland:

University of Maryland Director of Athletics Damon Evans has announced an agreement with women’s basketball head coach and National Coach of the Year Brenda Frese that extends her contract through the 2026-27 season. Frese’s new six-year contract became effective this month and includes an additional one-year extension for the 2027-28 season.

“Coach Frese has shown consistent excellence on and off the court throughout her 19 years here at Maryland,” Evans said. “Coach Frese’s teams have shown unprecedented success in the Big Ten and have sustained success among the nation’s best. Her program is a model for many because the student-athletes she brings to Maryland are simply the best of the best. We wanted to make sure she is leading our Terrapins for many years to come.”

“First of all, I am grateful that Maryland believes in our program,” Frese said. “Maryland is really a place where student-athletes can have it all. We take great pride in the name on the front of our uniforms and representing an elite university.

“I want to thank President Darryll Pines, Athletic Director Damon Evans and Deputy AD Colleen Sorem for their commitment and support of our team. I am honored and humbled to have led this program the past 19 years and am so proud of the national power we have rebuilt and sustained. I am looking forward to what lies ahead in the future and making some more Maryland magic.”

Frese was named National Coach of the Year by ESPN, the Associated Press and The Athletic after this past season. She is one of just three coaches to be named AP Coach of the Year more than once, joining Geno Auriemma (Connecticut), Kim Mulkey (LSU) and Muffet McGraw (former Notre Dame head coach).

Frese’s teams have earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament in 17 of her 19 seasons at Maryland, advancing to three Final Fours, six Elite Eights and nine Sweet Sixteens. She brought home the 2006 NCAA Championship in her fourth season. Frese’s team’s also own a 100 percent graduation rate in her 19 years in College Park and 16 of her Terrapins have been drafted into the WNBA.

Under Frese, Maryland has won 14 conference championships, including regular season and tournament titles. Her Terrapins have won six of seven Big Ten championships since joining the league in 2014.

After losing five starters from last year’s Big Ten Championship squad, Frese and her 2020-21 staff reloaded with five newcomers and the return of five sophomores. Frese’s Terrapins did not miss a beat this year, earning a record of 26-3 overall, 17-1 in league play and winning the program’s sixth Big Ten title in seven years. The Terrapins advanced to their ninth Sweet Sixteen under Frese.

The 2020-21 Terps were the highest scoring team in program history, averaging 90.8 points per game. The Terps also led the nation in assist turnover ratio (1.7).

This season, Frese won her 500th game at Maryland, making her the winningest coach in program history. She currently owns a record of 512-131 (.796) at Maryland and 569-161 (.780) in her 22 years as a head coach, which includes stops at Minnesota and Ball State.

This year marked Frese’s fourth Big Ten Coach of the Year honor, having previously won in 2002, 2015 and 2019. She was also named ACC Coach of the Year in 2013 and MAC Coach of the Year in 2000.

Stephanie Blake, Northwest High School Girl’s Volleyball Coach Who Won Four Consecutive State Championships, Steps Down

Stephanie Blake and her hard working girl’s volleyball teams at Northwest High School won four consecutive state championships from 2015-2018. Yesterday, one of the best coaches in the county announced she’ll be stepping down to focus on raising her three daughters.

In an announcement made via Twitter, Coach Blake shared the following:

“

Dear NW Community,
It is with extremely mixed feelings that I am stepping down as the Head Coach for the Girls Varsity Volleyball team.

It has been nothing short of 12 amazing years. Exciting, exhausting, and rewarding. I have made some of the most amazing relationships with other coaches, athletes and administrators that I will cherish forever. I am beyond thankful for the support I have received over these years, from assistant coaches, athletes & their families, administrators, community members and my own family. It has been an unbelievable ride. A huge thank you to my husband who has always been my number one supporter and behind the scenes of it all!

It was an extremely difficult decision as the sport, program and coaching are such big parts of who I am. My own three daughters need me now to be there to start their adventures and see where things take them. It is something I cannot miss out on. I will continue to teach PE at NW and will still be cheering on the Jags!”

Demeioun Robinson of Quince Orchard High School Named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Football Player of the Year

In its 36th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Demeioun Robinson of Quince Orchard High School as its 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Football Player of the Year. Robinson is the first Gatorade Maryland Football Player of the Year to be chosen from Quince Orchard High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Robinson as Maryland’s best high school football player.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award to be announced in May, Robinson joins an elite group of past state football award-winners, including Emmitt Smith (1986-87, Escambia High School, Fla.), Matthew Stafford (2005-06, Highland Park High School, Texas) and Christian McCaffrey (2012-13 & 2013-14, Valor Christian High School, Colo.).

The 6-foot-4, 242-pound senior defensive end and linebacker recorded nine tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, leading the Cougars to a 2-0 record during this past pandemic-shortened season. A First Team All-State selection as a junior, Robinson was also a Washington Post All-Met First Team honoree, amassing 85 tackles, 14 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2019. He was selected a 2020-21 Under Armour All-American and is ranked as the nation’s No. 21 recruit in the Class of 2021 by 247Sports.
Robinson has served as a mentor for younger players and has volunteered his time assisting at a variety of athletic events at his school.

“You would have trouble finding a player more dominant than Demeioun Robinson in the Class of 2021,” said Tyler Bierly, head coach at Gaithersburg High. “He’s just a great player and has been an integral part of the success Quince Orchard has had the last few seasons.”

Robinson has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play football on scholarship at the University of Maryland this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which works with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Robinson joins recent Gatorade Maryland Football Players of the Year Blake Corum (2019-20, St. Frances Academy), Bryan Bresee (2018-19, Damascus High School), Anthony Lytton Jr. (2017-18, Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School), and Travis Levy (2016-17, Sherwood High School), among the state’s list of former award winners.

Through Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Robinson has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of their choosing. Robinson is also eligible to submit a 30-second video explaining why the organization they chose is deserving of one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants, which will be announced throughout the year. To date, Gatorade Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $2.7 million across 1,117 organizations.

Since the program’s inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators.

“Play Ball!” MoCo Councilmember Believes Sports Will Resume in the County

Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer has tweeted his support in resuming the recently cancelled football, cheer, and pompon season that was previously modified and postponed until the spring.

This morning he tweeted that he believes the council will hopefully meet on Friday to allow sports to resume in the county.

On Sunday, a large group of student-athletes, coaches, and parents gathered for a rally at the council building in Rockville to show their support for the recently cancelled football, cheer, and pompon season to continue.

We spoke with Quince Orchard football coach John Kelley at the rally. “Give our kids the opportunity to play football, what’s the reason not to? MCPS wants us to play, created a schedule, and is supportive. There haven’t been any documented cases of Covid being transmitted in NCAA or NFL games.”

Quince Orchard High School cheerleading coach Keyona Burriss wanted to advocate for cheerleaders and told us she doesn’t think it makes any sense for the county to open up in other ways but not allow this season to occur.

Walter Johnson football coach Larry Hurd said “We have gone the extra mile to be safe. It has been proven the game can be played safely.