The much-needed victory was the culmination of an intense week for the Montgomery County program. The Warriors had dropped their last two games, a double-overtime heartbreaker against Blake and a frustrating road loss to Gaithersburg. It was the first time since 2011 the school had dropped two consecutive regular season contests. Now, they had to travel across the county to face one of Maryland’s best programs and the defending 3A champions.
“This game was weighing on me,” Fields said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever lost three games in a row in my life. But these kids came through — they fought, they battled and they showed who they are.”
The week leading up to this game had been filled with changes for Sherwood, from the way that daily practice was formatted to the hands under center. Freshman Matthew Larsen, the JV starter, was informed Monday he would be starting the varsity game. Junior Brendan Heyer, who had been starting for the team but was out of position, would slide to a more comfortable two-way role.
“I was a bit nervous this morning,” Larsen said. “But I calmed myself down with a reminder that I’ve been playing football for 10 years now. It’s my life. This game was no different.”
The Warriors looked like the hungrier team in the first half, playing with more speed and physicality than their hosts. Larsen, who showed poise all night, helped sustain two early scoring drives, hitting a few chunk plays off of play action. Both drives ended with short touchdown runs, the first by junior Van Mahoney and the second from junior Gantt Hagins.
Damascus pieced together a much-needed drive of its own just before the break, and Sherwood led 14-7 at halftime.
The Warriors (4-2) kept moving the ball in the second half, trading touchdowns with Damascus. Mahoney scored both, boosting his total to three on the night.
On the other side of the ball, the Warriors defense kept Damascus’s signature ground game in check, forcing the Hornets (4-2) to throw the ball and take more risks. With two minutes remaining and Damascus looking to mount a game-tying drive, Sherwood senior Leonardo Canto made a game-sealing interception.
“The last two games were winnable, but I don’t think we prepared the right way,” Mahoney said. “This week we put together four good days of practice, and that transferred to the game.”
After the final play of the night, Larsen approached the referees to ask for the game ball. They told him to wait: there was still time on the clock. So the teenage quarterback stood next to the crew of officials and watched the final seconds tick down, waiting patiently for his hard-earned souvenir.
“Yep, I got it,” Larsen said later. “I’m going to keep this one.”