Wykoff: What A Win For The Warriors

Written by Scott Wykoff on December 6th, 2008 at 12:22 am

What a win it was for the Sherwood Warriors in the State 4A Championship Game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The Warriors capped off a perfect 14-0 season with a dominating 21-3 win over a powerful Linganore team that also came into the title game undefeated.

It’s the 3rd State Title for Sherwood as the Warriors won back-to-back 4A championships under Bob Milloy in 1995 and 1996.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

Thomas Tops:

With the win, Sherwood Head Coach Al Thomas became the first coach to win a state title at three different schools.  The 69-year-old cancer survivor had turned the trick at Seneca Valley ( 5 times) and at Damascus (2 times).  Thomas showed the emotion of a teenager at the end of the game as he ran around the field at M&T Bank Stadium hugging his players.  And while he had won 7 state titles coming into the game, this is his first state championship with his son on his coaching staff.  44 years a coach and he proved he’s still going strong.  You know John Harvill (who gave Thomas his first coaching job as an assistant at Gaithersburg High School in 1964) is very proud of his protege.

Fan-tastic

It seemed like all of Olney made the ride across 108 to 32 to 95 to 395 to MLK to M&T Bank Stadium.  And like they have all year, the student section stood the entire game (as did most of the fans).  Some championship game veterans said it was the biggest crowd they have ever seen for a high school title game at M&T Bank Stadium.  And how about all the signs that lined the roads (and overpasses) between Olney and Baltimore that the players and the coaches saw during their drive to the big game. Sherwood High School has the State 4A Championship football team and also State Championship fans.  I wonder if there are any hand warmers left at any store anywhere near Olney.  It was also nice to see all the signs posted across Olney by businesses wishing the Warriors well.

Zack Attack

What a career Zack Splain capped-off with the State Title win against Linganore. The senior ended up throwing 35 touchdown passes this season.  None bigger than the one he threw to James Oboh to open the scoring against Linganore.  Zack had the unenviable task of filling the shoes of Deontay Twyman and all he did was lead his team to a state title.  Job well done.

Sherwood Shivers

Like they have all season, Sherwood players delivered some huge hits from start to finish against Linganore.  The Lancers averaged 43 points a game over the season and 53 points a game during the playoffs.  All they could muster against Sherwood was 3 points.  Some of the biggest hits of the night (and I’m sure I’ll leave out a few names) went to Steven Gamble, Thomas Huff, Phil Durrity, Chris Everet, Sosthene Kapapula, Ralph George, Hasani Samms, and even JV call-up Dillon Hubbard on special teams.  I bet Linganore has never played a team that hit like Sherwood.  I think QO would say the same.

Extra Estrain

It was a perfect season for Andy Estrain.  The little Sherwood kicker nailed three extra points and finsihses the season with something like 68 straight extra points.  His family was known “back in the day” as a great baseball family in Silver Spring.  Now the Estrains can hang their hats on a football championship that Andy helped win with his right leg.

Memories

Do you think James Oboh, Dominique Davis and Hasani Samms will ever forget the touchdowns they score on the field turf at M&T Bank Stadium?  I don’t think so.

The Amazing Kreskin

It was like Sherwood assistant coach Ronnie Sterling knew all along the Warriors were going to win it.  At Al Thomas’ side on the sidelines, the former Wheaton High School standout receiver had a smile on his face from start to finish against Linganore.  After taking a year off from coaching last season, I know coach Sterling played a big role in this memorable season at Sherwood.

Champions Par Duex

Steve Norcio and Al Thomas have something very much in common now.  Each of these coaches have now won a championship with many of the same players.  While Thomas had them in high school, it was Norcio who led the likes of Steven Gamble, Ralph George, Matt Emerson, Zack Splain and Chris Everett (if i left anyone out I apologize) to back-to-back Pop Warner Championships when he coached the OBGC Bears.  And Steve wasn’t even there to see his former players win another title on Friday night.  That’s because he is down in Orlando trying to lead a Pop Warner team from White Oak to a championship.  Something tells me he knew how Friday night’s game in Baltimore would turn out.

Wykoff Blog: Screamin’ Eagles Soar

Written by Scott Wykoff on November 29th, 2008 at 5:23 pm

The Class 3A Semifinals in Germantown between Seneca Valley and Westlake….great game that ended in great disappointment for Seneca Valley.

The Screamin’ Eagles had hopes of winning the school’s 13th state title.  They had hopes of an undefeated season.  They had hopes to win one for their coach.  But one Devon Smith and a swarming Wolverines defense from Charles County dashed those hopes for Seneca Valley.  Though it was a season ender in the 3A Semi’s for the Screamin’ Eagles, it was definitely a season to remember for Fred Kim, his coaches and all his players.

What about another King’s Trophy?  What about a pair of wins over arch rival Damascus.  What about all the accomplishments of the student athletes both on and off the field.

From start to finish this season, everyone connected with the Seneca Valley football team can be very proud of all that the green and gold accomplished in 2008.

Just a few of the things Seneca Valley’s football team can be proud about this year:

The Class of Kim: 

Without a doubt Fred Kim proved this year that he is one of the classiest football coaches in Montgomery County, if not the state.  The way he carries himself is very impressive.  Be it in the heat of battle, or on the practice field, Coach Kim has a cool and calm demeanor that coaches across the county and the state could learn something from.  Even as his team faced defeat in OT in the 3A semifinals against Westlake, Coach Kim was in control and you could see his players responding in kind.  Fred Kim is one good football coach who truly deserves a state title.  And from my seat in the press box, I think the first will be followed by many more.

Ranking Rankin:

Joe Rankin emerged into a true leader on and off the field this season for Seneca Valley.  He carried himself as well off the field as he did on the field.  No wonder the United State Military Academy at West Point (Army) has been so very interested in him this season.  And even when it was time for Rankin to take a rest, he was the biggest supporter of Jaiquan Moore.  Joe Rankin did himself proud this season and etched a name for himself in the annals of great Seneca Valley running backs.

Lovin’ Lerch: 

For 3 seasons now Seneca Valley fans have been loving all that George Lerch has done their their beloved Screamin’ Eagles.  Steady, steady, steady.  Lerch did everything that was asked of him over the last 3 seasons.  And in his season he was one quarterback who helped hold his team together in some trying times.  While no one benefited more by the return of Terry Changuris to Germantown.  But Coach Changuriswill be the first one to tell you everyone associated with SV benefited from the play of George Lerch of the last year years.  While it was difficult to see a bad exchange on a snap help bring George Lerch’s season to an end, it will not be a play that defines his high school career.  His high school career at Seneca Valley will forever be defined by the way he played every game.

X Marks The Spot:

You would have to look far and wide to find a better athlete playing football in Montgomery than Xavier Hughes.  He was all over the field all season for Seneca Valley.  Be it a big tackle, a big interception, or a big return, Xavier was a player that made plays in a big way.  And off the field his enthusiasm for his teammates and the game always jumped off the page.  Even in defeat against Westlake, Xavier Hughes proved to be a winner. We’ll all be hearing plenty more about Xavier as he moves on next season to a new career playing college football on Saturdays.  Whatever school that lands him will have found a gem!

Germantown Ground Crew:

What about the job the powers-to-be did maintaining the field at the Eagles Nest this season.  It almost looked as good in the final playoff game of 2008 as it did for the first scrimmage of the season.  Meticulously manicured.  Stands of cheering fans aren’t on hand to watch those long hours of field preparation, but what they did all season was as important as many of those great plays that Seneca Valley fans stood on their feet for all season.

Soaring With Screamin’ Eagles

While these days following Seneca Valley’s overtime loss to Westlake will be tough to take for the Screamin’ Eagles, just think how many schools around the state would love to say they won 12 games this year.  But at Seneca Valley they set the bar high and anything short of a state championship leaves a bitter taste in their mouths.  But as the days past, each player and coach will realize how much this team really accomplished this season.

Hats off to Fred Kim, his coaches and players for a Seneca Valley football season to remember!

Wykoff Blog: Taking A Gamble

Written by Scott Wykoff on November 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 am

It was a vintage Sherwood performance as the Warriors advanced to the state semifinals with an impressive 31 to 10 win over Quince Orchard in the Class 4A Region Final. 

It was also a vintage performance by Sherwood’s Steven Gamble.  Each and every time Al Thomas needed as big play, Gamble was there to make it.  Be it a jaw rattling hit from his linebacker position on defense, or a pile carrying run from his fullback spot on offense, Gamble played the game of his career in the biggest game of his career.

Gamble help set-up Sherwood’s first touchdown with an amazing run right up the gut of the vaunted QO defensive line.  And when it was time to take it into the endzone, Gamble was there to make the bone crunching block.  4th and inches when the game was still in the balance and the Senior got the call to make the first down.  Job done.  And how about the block he made to help Dominque Davis break free for his game clinching touchdown run in the 4th quarter.  Job done.  When it was all said and done, game won, thanks in large part because of the play of Steven Gamble.

I interviewed Steven after the big win over Quince Orchard and I noticed he had the words “reck” and “less” written across the eye black under his eyes.  And that’s the way Steven Gamble plays the game. He’s played that way since his days on those National Championship OBGC Pop Warner teams.  Steven Gamble’s football career will end after this season.  Then it’s on to his Senior year as one of the state’s top wrestler and most likely a Division I wrestling career in college.  Something tells me more-and-more high school coaches like Al Thomas will be keeping an eye on young wrestlers like Steven Gamble to make plays on future Friday nights.

Travis Can’t Get A Break

Quince Orchard’s All-State. All-Everything Travis Hawkins has now completed what was one of the greatest high school football careers in Montgomery County.  A State Title last year and a scholarship this year to the University of Maryland.  But Travis couldn’t get a break in the two biggest games of his Senior year against Sherwood.  In week 7 he was take to the hospital after suffering a nasty high ankle sprain in the second half.  QO went on to lose that game.  The first loss in 20 games for the Cougars.  Then in the Class 4A Region Final it happened again.  Travis was knocked out of the game in the second half with a leg injury.  Even though he toughed it out and game back into the game, he wasn’t the same.  While he had a great career at QO, I’m sure Travis is disappointed that injuries stood between him and two possible wins against Sherwood.  Everyone who knows Travis, who has coached him, taught him or played with him knows he’s a special player and an even more importantly a special person.

How Does He Do It?

180 pounds.  That’s how much Serwood center Matt Emerson weighs.  In the State Class 4A Region final he snapped the ball across from an All-American lineman in Terrence Stephens who out weighs him almost by 180 pounds.  And all he did, as he has done for the last two years, was open up some big holes for Sherwood runners and protect the Warriors QB.  By the way did I forget to tell you he’s been playing most of the season with a broken wrist.  A broken left wrist.  And yeah, he’s left handed.  With a huge padded cast on his left wrist, Matt Emerson learned to snap the ball with his right hand.  Not only with Sherwood quarterback Zack Splain under center, but also in the shot gun.  Emerson does it all with true grit and amazing technique.  Each week taking on defensive lineman almost twice his size.  But Matt Emerson isn’t a football players.  He’s a captain of the lacrosse team, a dancer in Sherwood’s Rock n’ Roll Revival and a leader on campus.

What A Crowd

The first meeting of the year between Sherwood and Quince Orchard saw a monster crowd pack into Caruso Stadium in Sandy Spring.  A crowd that was actually surpassed in their second meeting of the year.  On the coldest night of the season, thousands turned out to cheer on their school.  The Red Army was out in full force from QO and the Sherwood faithful student body never sat down the whole game and cheered from start to finish.  It was really a night to remember at Sherwood. 

Job Well Done

A very big VOLI Sports tip of the hat to all the Sherwood parents who manned the concession stand on Friday night.  There wasn’t a break for them all night as thousands lined-up to get hot chocolate and coffee (with a few burgers, dogs and slices of pizza mixed in).  The biggest game of the year and they didn’t get to see a play as they served-up fans for more than 3 hours.  A real team effort for this team that never took the field.

Wykoff Blog: It’s Rematch Time

Written by Scott Wykoff on November 15th, 2008 at 7:54 pm

It seems like it was just a few weeks ago fans were pouring into Caruso Stadium in Sandy Spring to see Sherwood host Quince Orchard in a battle of the undefeateds in Montgomery County.  A game that was started a day late because of a power outage on Friday night that sent everyone home.  The game lived up to its billing (especially if you were pulling for Sherwood).  The underdog Warriors upset the favored Cougars. Our VOLI Sports cameras were there and folks in the stands and across Montgomery County saw a real classic.  Much like last year, QO and Sherwood get to play again in the post season.

Thanks to their wins over Wootton and Northwest respectively, Quince Orchard and Sherwood get to meet again in the 4A West Region Final.  Last year both of the games were at the Cougar Dome.  This year both of the games in Sandy Spring.

What an atmosphere for these QO/Sherwood games.  Plenty of tailgating.  Plenty of face painting.  Plenty of students, parents, friends and just plain old high school football fans.

Can the Sherwood defense stop the high powered Quince Orchard offense like it did several weeks ago?  Can the Quince Orchard offense come to life against Sherwood like it has against each and every other team it has played and beaten this season?

The VOLI Sports team will once again be in Sandy Spring for this one.  So should you.

A Loss In The Fog

It was one foggy and misty opening night of the playoffs in Montgomery County.  And nowhere was it foggier and mistier that in Clarksburg for the 2A West Region Semifinal between the Coyotes and Middletown.  While they played their hearts out on a messy field, it just wasn’t in the cards for Larry Hurd’s team as they saw the Knights scored on three unanswered touchdown passes to win the game.  It was a tought night for Clarksburg and very tough to take after a dominating 10-0 regular season.

Open Arms

Once again another high school and its community welcomed the VOLI Sports crew with open arms.  Wow, what a reception we got in Clarksburg.  AD Mike Riley, his staff, the coaches and the boosters were great to us.  What a facility and what a great place to do a game.  I can’t wait to go back to Clarksburg next year when the Coyotes move up to 3A.  What a game it’s going to be when neighbors Clarksburg and Damascus meet!

The Place To Be In Germantown

After the game in Clarksburg the VOLI Sports team packed-up its cameras and headed to Baileys Pub and Grille for a post game meal.  At 10pm that place was rocking!  What a crowd and what a meal.  It was also great to see my colleague Ken Brace greeted by so many of his former players from his days as Head Coach at Wheaton.  A number of former Wheaton players gathered at Bailey’s for a post reunion get together.  One by one they came by our table and exchanged hugs and stories with Ken.  You could really tell ken’s former players were thrilled to see him and he was just as thrilled.  There was also a rumor that Tony Dorsett had been there earlier that night.

Back and Forth, And Back Again

I hear the 3A West Region Semifinal in Germantown between Seneca Valley and Damascus was a wild one.  During our game in Clarksburg we kept checking MOCO Football for scores and couldn’t believe the scores that were coming from SV.  Then after our game was over Ken Brace started getting calls from “his people” at the game.  Seneca Valley ended-up beating Damascus 27 to 16. Could this be the year Fred Kim wins his first state tile as head coach at Seneca Valley?  So far his Screamin’ Eagles have gone 11-0 and look like they may have the stuff of champions.  If they do win a state title, it couldn’t go to a more deserving and classy coach!

Have a great week and see you on our VOLISports.com Weekly Webcast on Tuesday night at 7:00pm, followed by The VOLI Sports Game of the Week on Comcast 33, FIOS 35 and RCN 88 at 7:30pm.

Wykoff Blog: The Thundering Hurd

Written by Scott Wykoff on November 13th, 2008 at 12:02 am

It’s deja vu all over again for Larry Hurd and his Clarksburg Coyotes.

Another regular season has come to an end and Hurd has led Clarksburg to another 10-0 record.  It’s the second straight season that the young, but very experienced, head coach has taken his Coyotes into the playoffs coming off a perfect regular season.

It was my pleasure to be available to interview Coach Hurd recently on our VOLISports.com Weekly Webcast. 

As always, like his players, the coach was on his game.  And who would expect anything else from the Clarksburg coach.  He and his coaching staff have emphasized a game-by-game attitude all season, and it has worked to a T.  In only the school’s 3rd year of fielding a varsity football team, Clarksburg is once again moving into the playoffs this week with a real chance of bringing the young school its first state title.

Passion is what Hurd is all about.  Be it on the sidelines as a head football coach, or in the dugout as a girls varsity softball coach, or even court side as a Rising Star youth basketball coach.  He takes the 9th inning of a softball game just as serious as he does when time is winding down in one of his football games.  Hurd’s high fives are just as high for the 11 and 12 year-old boys on his basketball team as as they are for the young men on his high school football team.

It should be fun watching Coach Hurd and his Coyotes do in the playoffs what they have done each week in the regular season, take it one game at a time.  The Clarksburg community is lucky to have a Hurd!

The Talk Of The Town

It’s amazing how many people across Montgomery County come up to me and tell me how much they enjoy seeing the VOLI Sports Game of the Week each week during the high school football season.  Some people say they were flipping through channels on their TV and recognized my voice on the games.  I was at the grocery store one night and a nice man came up to me to ask me what game were were going to do that week.  It really is great that folks enjoy high school football so much that they will spend 2 hours out of their busy schedule to sit down and watch the VOLI Sports Game of the Week.

Playoff Time Too for Pop Warner, Capital Beltway, the Rockville Football League and Such

While the high school playoffs begin this week across Maryland, we are now deep into the playoffs in youth football leagues all across the state.  It was another great regular season with more kids than ever participating in youth football.  From ankle biters to mighty mites to midgets to unlimited, these players have been out practicing at least 3 days a week since the first week of August.  Good luck to those teams who are practicning under the lights on these cold nights as they move even deeper in the playoffs.  From a personal standpoint, I have to say congratulation to the OBGC Midgets who just finished an undefeated regular season under youth football coaching legends Jimmy Nix and Rich Prather.  Jimmy and Rich have been out there for practices, games and scouting for weeks and weeks now and they deserve all the credit in the world for what they do for the young boys they coach.  Coaches like Jimmy Nix and Rich Prather across Montgomery County are teaching the next crop of high school football players how to play the game the right way. Also a big thanks to all the team managers out there like Jeannie Minor who do all the behind the scenes stuff that’s needed to make a season successful.

Find Us Some Field Turf

This really is the time of the year when I really wonder why is it that just a single high school in Montgomery County has Field Turf.  That while surrounding areas like DC, Baltimore, Frederick, Howard and Anne Arundel Counties have so many Field Turf fields at their schools.

While it’s a big investment for local school systems, many people outside of Montgomery County are marvelling at how the installation of Field Turf at local schools is paying big benefits. Students involved in all sorts of activities can literally use the synthetic turf fields 24 hours a day. At the Poly/Western complex in Baltimore City, games can be hosted all day long (and into the night) without any fear of damaging the grass like in the old days. That means everybody can use the fields during the week. Many schools only allow the football team to play on their stadium fields and those fields sit idle between football games.

In the past rain on the first two Friday nights of the high school football season would have meant sloppy fields for the rest of the season. That after schools had poured all sorts of money into maintaining their grass fields during recent months. All that money would have been out the window. But it was a different story these past two weekends. Schools with Field Turf report rains quickly drain away and the synthetic turf fields are no worse for the wear after storms. But it is a different story at many of those schools that still have grass in their stadiums. Some of those fields are in bad shape after just a few games each season (no matter how much work is put into them during the off season). With Field Turf there is no off season. They tell me that these new Field Turf fields are also revenue makers for schools as they can be rented out to youth programs without any fears of the fields wearing down.  Just ask the Middletown Knights when they come to Clarksburg this week what they think about the Field Turf that they have been playing on all season at the Frederick County school.

Should our best teams in Montgomery County be playing on the best fields when it comes down to playoff time?  Even though crews at schools across Montgomery County have done a great job maintaining their fields this season, it has been another year that has seen Montgomery County fall farther behind other school systems in Maryland in providing its students the best playing conditions possible.

Wykoff Blog: Wootton Wow!

Written by Scott Wykoff on November 8th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

What a game to finish the regular season in Potomac.  All eyes were focused on Churchill’s Shepard Stadium as the Bulldogs hosted Wootton.  It was a playoff atmosphere a week early.  And the game lived up to its billing.  Back and forth and back again.  First Churchill with the lead, then Wootton, then it was Churchill again.  But when it was all said and done the Mike Mooney-led Patriots offense was too much for the Bulldogs.  Wootton wins and they are in (the playoffs).  Sadly for Greg Neuendorf’s Bulldogs the season came to an end.  Next-up for the Patriots….the mighty Cougars from QO!

Mooney Marvelous

Mike Mooney is some kind of player.  What an arm.  What a sense in the pocket.  And what a Senior year he has had.  He must have gone over 3,000 yards passing for the season in the win over Churchill.  I think he has now thrown 27 TD passes.  What will the future bring for one of the most prolific passers in Montgomery County history?  He’s hoping he has 3 more games.  That would mean Wootton would be in Baltimore playing for a State Class 4A Title.  But how about college?  I was talking to Mike after the win over Churchill and he said his plans were up in the air.  I’m betting Mike Mooney will be playing football next fall at either an Ivy League school or at one of the top Div III schools in the nation (how about my alma mater Union?). He ranks right up there with the best QBs (Eisenaucher, Kelley, Twyman, Volpe, Whitaker, etc) in Montgomery County history.

Post Game Buffet Extraordinaire

While the Churchill players were slow to leave the field after their loss to Wootton, they had quite a post game meal waiting for them when they did.  Hats off to the parents who took the time to put together all the good eats for the players after their final home game.  The loss to Wootton was a tough one, but it was nice to see the players enjoying each other at the great post game meal prepared for them by their parents.

Wykoff Blog: Sherwood’s Pressure

Written by Scott Wykoff on November 1st, 2008 at 9:03 am

The V.O.L.I. Game of the Week took me to Harvill Stadium as Sherwood rolled on in Week 9 with a convincing win over Gaithersburg. Make it 9-0 for the Warriors.  Next week Al Thomas’ team will have a chance to end the regular season undefeated as they head to Bethesda to play Whitman.

While the Trojans held tough with the Warriors for most of the first half, the Warriors pressure (on both sides of the ball) was too much for Gaithersburg.  On offense, Sherwood’s pressure comes in the form of a strong running running and a precision passing game.  On defense, Sherwood’s pressure comes from a swarming defense that is very difficult to block.

After knocking on the door of a state title for the last several years, could this be the year for Sherwood? It will be fun finding out. I guess it’s another sort of pressure for the team and coaches to deal with.

Thanks

Once again we spent another Friday night at a high school game where the host school was very gracious hosts.  Coach Woodward (and his Dad) made sure our V.O.L.I. Sports crew had everything it needed to set-up for the game.  It was also nice of the guys in the press box to let me turn on the lights (so I could see my rosters).  It’s tough for them to see through the glass when the lights inside the press box are on.  The PA announcer also gave me a nice “nugget” when he told me that Gaithersburg’s standout DE Sean Stanley was also a 3-time county shot putt champ.

The V.O.L.I. Sports crew was hosted by That’s Amore for its post-game meal.  Thanks to Manager Max, Assistant Manager Celeste and the whole staff at That’s Amore for taking care of us.  It was a great meal and a nice way to cap off a great night.  I would suggest the Giambotto (Spicy sausage and grilled chicken sautéed with peppers, onion, mushroom, garlic and fried sliced potatoes). I hear Max was pretty pumped up to hear that Sherwood beat G’burg.  He’s a Sherwood alum!

Scoreboard, Scoreboard

Another job well done by the folks at MOCO Football.  I find myself checking back with them throughout the night on Friday’s to get the latest scores from all around the county.  It’s an excellent service, and they seem to be able to update the scores better than the “big boys” in the media.

All Miked Up

For the past two weeks the referee’s for the V.O.L.I. Sports Game of the Week have agreed to wear wireless microphones.  And boy does it sound great.  We’ve been able to also patch the feed into the PA system so everyone in the stadium can hear the refs calls.

Marked Up

It’s interesting how different each field at each high school stadium in the county can be.  While Harvill Stadium has a great “old school” field, there are no numerical yard line markings on the field.  And the little cushions that mark the sidelines were only on one side of the field.  There were a few times I found myself guessing what yard line was which.  One of the best “lined” fields in the county is at Damascus.  Sherwood’s field, along with Whitman are also lined very well.  I guess it’s the little things, huh.

And The Band Played On

Even after their team was shutout by Sherwood, the Gaithersburg band played with the enthusiasm of a band for a school that had just won a state title.  The kids fired-up some very upbeat songs near the end of the game, and then after the game they really took it up another notch.  Very classy and an example of all that is good in high school football

Brace Birthday Wishes

Birthday wishes go out to my partner Ken Brace on the V.O.L.I Sports Game of the Week.  Ken is a coaching legend in Montgomery County who in the last 3 seasons has become a respected TV analyst.  He also is the king of “frequent driver miles” as he drives up here from South Carolina each week to do the game.  Ken knows everybody and a game doesn’t go by when a coach, player or student doesn’t come up to him to say hello.  It’s an honor to work alongside Ken Brace.  He’s truly a class act!

Scott Wykoff’s New Blog

Written by Scott Wykoff on October 30th, 2008 at 11:16 am

For the rest of the high school football season I will be blogging about all that’s going on “behind the curtain” of V.O.L.I.’s Game of the Week.

REMEMBERING RYAN

Last week was truly an emotional night for our game of the week in Damascus as the community came together to honor the memory of Ryan Didone, the 15 year old Damascus High School student killed earlier last week in a crash along Hawkins Creamery Road.

After family, friends and fellow students attended Ryan’s funeral on Friday morning, many continued to honor his memory over the course of the afternoon and evening.

Each of the floats in the Homecoming parade honored Ryan in a different way.

Then before the kick-off of the big homecoming game between Damascus and Seneca Valley the DHS principal went out to the 50 yard line and talked about Ryan before a moment of silence.

After that Damascus and Seneca Valley battled in one of the best games of the year we have had the opportunity to broadcast for the game of the week.

There were remembrances of Ryan everywhere you looked around the Damascus stadium. 

While it continues to be a difficult time in Damascus, the community can be proud of how it has honored the memory of Ryan Didone.

SMALL TOWN USA

While eating slices of some excellent pizza after Friday night’s game in Damascus, I really felt like I was taking-in a slice of Americana.  Damascus is truly a small town in the suburban mecca known as Montgomery County.  The community is very involved, not only in sports, but a variety of activities of students at the high school.  And eating pizza with the V.O.L.I. Sports Crew at New York J&P Pizza on Friday night, I really felt like I could have been sitting at a booth in a pizza joint everywhere in small town America. Football players, families and students packed the restaurant that sits in the shadows of the football stadium.  Great Pizza! And great atmosphere!

TIGHT QUARTERS

The folks at Damascus High School are some of the most gracious hosts for our game of the week telecasts.  Athletic Director Rob Wells treats us great and so do all the fans.  The press box is a bit cramped at times, but that makes it even better!.  It is kind of cool.  At an arms length are the PA announcer and his spotters, the scoreboard operator and even the visiting coaches. As a play-by-play announcer It is very nice being in a press box where so many people are ready to help in any way they can.

THIS WEEK

It will be my second trip to Gaithersburg to do a game this Friday night at Harvill Field.  The stadium at GHS has an “old School” feel.  It is also great to be seated in the press box right next to the coaching legend himself, John Harvill.  He is truly a gentleman who has left his mark on high school football in Montgomery County.