MSP Football Top 20 Recap: DeMatha Takes Down Gonzaga, Oakton Stays Perfect
No. 1 St. John’s (8-1) 35, No. 13 McNamara (5-4) 0
The St. John’s defense has yet to surrender a point in WCAC play as the Cadets head into their rivalry matchup with Gonzaga. The Cadets were a nightmare for McNamara on Halloween, forcing a three-and-out or a turnover on nine of the Mustangs’ 10 possessions while allowing just 55 total yards. Senior QB Nyeem Woods threw for two touchdowns and added another on the ground as St. John’s remains atop the league standings heading into Gonzaga week.
No. 2 DeMatha (8-2) 30, No. 3 Gonzaga (7-2) 14
DeMatha bounced back in a big way, particularly on offense, earning a major road victory in its regular-season finale. QB Tristan Sabb connected with both Austin Barber and Chace Irvin for touchdowns through the air while adding an explosive touchdown run of his own. The Stags now head into a bye week before the playoffs begin.
No. 4 Quince Orchard (9-0) 55, Gaithersburg (4-5) 0
Quince Orchard came out of the gates firing, putting up 28 first-quarter points before shutting out Gaithersburg to record its eighth shutout of the season. The Cougars surrendered just six points throughout the regular season and outscored Montgomery County opponents 319-0 across eight games. The defending powerhouse continues to look nearly untouchable heading into the postseason.
No. 5 Wise 77, Northwestern (1-8) 0
Wise earned a dominant victory, but the bigger story came afterward as Prince George’s County announced that a residency violation would force the Pumas to forfeit four games. The ruling drops Wise’s record from 8-0 to 4-4, but the Pumas remain eligible for the playoffs.
No. 6 Sherwood (8-1) 49, Richard Montgomery (2-11) 14
Sherwood dominated on Senior Night as head coach Pat Cilento said goodbye to the first senior class he welcomed into the program four years ago. These seniors will be relied upon heavily as the Warriors look to make a postseason run and return to the Maryland Class 4A/3A championship game.
No. 7 Oakton (9-0) 22, No. 12 Madison (6-3) 21 (OT)
Head coach Said Aziz pushed all his chips to the middle and went for two in overtime. A direct snap to Deylen Jones came up aces as Oakton captured the Concorde District regular-season title in dramatic fashion. Jones was spectacular from start to finish, rushing 19 times for 126 yards and a touchdown while adding four receptions for 72 yards and another score. It was a statement victory for the undefeated Cougars.
No. 8 C.H. Flowers (7-1) 7, No. 19 Suitland (7-2) 6
Suitland scored in the fourth quarter and elected to go for two and the victory, but the Flowers defense rose to the occasion and stymied the Rams to preserve the win. Senior MLB Tyger Williams was unstoppable for the Jaguars, recording 12 solo tackles and two sacks in a tremendous defensive performance.
No. 9 Churchill (8-1) 28, Paint Branch (5-4) 13
The combination of senior QB Hunter Humphries and WR Caleb Singer proved too much for the Paint Branch defense. The duo connected nine times for 94 yards and two touchdowns as Churchill continued its impressive season. Humphries delivered another nearly flawless performance, completing 19 of 22 passes for 204 yards.
No. 10 Episcopal (8-0) 37, No. 14 Bullis (6-2) 0
Episcopal continued its perfect season and now stands alone atop the IAC after dismantling Bullis at home on Halloween. The Maroon defense recorded its fourth shutout of the season, led by junior Darren Armstrong, who finished with seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a blocked punt. Episcopal continues to establish itself as one of the area’s premier teams.
No. 11 Eastern (7-2) 42, Bell (2-6) 22
Eastern spread the ball around offensively, with five different players recording more than 55 yards of total offense in the victory. On the defensive side, senior DL Deon Bradley caused plenty of disruption, finishing with six tackles, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
No. 15 Westfield (7-2) 17, Chantilly (3-6) 3
Chantilly jumped out to an early lead before Westfield shut down the Chargers’ offense and rattled off 17 unanswered points to secure the victory. QB Aaron Preti and RB Prince Jaeden A. Sutherland each found the end zone on the ground to lead the Bulldogs.
No. 16 Largo (8-1) 63, Friendly (1-8) 0
Largo extended its winning streak to eight games and recorded its fifth shutout of the season with a dominant road performance at Friendly. The Lions received two rushing touchdowns apiece from senior running backs Oluwaseyi Adesuyi and Jaylen Mathis in the lopsided victory.
No. 17 Friendship Collegiate (6-3) 30, Riverdale Baptist (7-3) 18
Head coach Mike Hunter and Friendship Collegiate picked up a huge home victory over a surging Riverdale Baptist team, snapping the Crusaders’ four-game winning streak. Senior Deyon Smith rushed for two touchdowns, while classmate Christopha Alston added another as the Knights secured a memorable Senior Night victory.
No. 18 South Lakes (8-1) 16, Centreville (5-4) 14
South Lakes senior kicker James Marburg connected on a 20-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to give the Seahawks a 16-7 lead, and that kick ultimately proved to be the difference in Reston. Junior Joshua-Benjamin Dagbe continued his spectacular season with three receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns, while senior RB James Smith added 121 yards on 27 carries to lead the Seahawks to victory.
