Quince Orchard (13-0) has been in this position before, preparing to face Wise (11-1) in the 4A state championship game after an undefeated season.

The Cougars won the title last year, beating Wise 24-13. But their quarterback, senior Will Drakeford, has never advanced this far in the playoffs. A transfer from Westlake in Charles County, Drakeford is in his first season with the Cougars.

So this week, between classes and during downtime at practice, he’s been picking his teammates’ brains about what to expect.

Their answer: loud.

The game will be 7:30 p.m. Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, which seats up to 34,000 people, significantly more than the Cougar Dome. Although full capacity isn’t expected in Annapolis, Drakeford was told to expect a large contingent of Quince Orchard fans to make the drive.

He feels prepared, he said, to handle the heightened expectations.

“We’re taking the same approach as every other game because you don’t want to psych yourself out,” he said. “I just want to stay calm and treat it like another game.”

The Cougars are peaking, Drakeford said, at just the right time. In the semifinals against Broadneck, Drakeford had two touchdowns, throwing and running, in a 35-0 win in what he considers to be their most well-rounded game.

“I think against Broadneck was a really, really good game because we played amazing on all three facets: offense, defense, special teams,” he said. “And, for me personally, I think every game is just getting better.”

It wasn’t an easy transition to a new team. It took time to build the connection with his teammates, who had been playing together, and during spring workouts some even remarked that they weren’t sold on his abilities.

But he kept at it, and slowly that connection came together. During their three-day camp at Salisbury last summer, the players bonded over long days of practice and nights playing video games. By Week 1, when they cruised past Paint Branch 35-0, Drakeford felt he had his timing down.

“We came out really well,” he said. “We took shots down the field; we ran the ball well. I think, after the Week 1 game, we knew we had a good flow for the rest of the season.”

A good flow is an understatement. The Cougars crushed nearly every opponent, their only challenges coming during the regular season against Sherwood, which is playing in the Class 4A/3A championship game Thursday, and in the quarterfinals against Flowers, another state powerhouse.

Now Quince Orchard is preparing to face Wise in the title game for the sixth time since 2012. Wise took the first three matchups in 2012, 2016 and 2017. Quince Orchard has won the last two in 2021 and 2024.

The Cougars will rely on their defense, which has held opponents to six points a game. They are anchored by outside linebacker and edge rusher Kacey Gilliam. A three-star recruit, he is committed to James Madison but is making his final decision Friday. Safety Ryan Drakeford and defensive tackle Jaheim Bond are also top contributors.

They’ll match up against an explosive Wise offense that overpowered Churchill 64-7 in the semifinal game. The Cougars expect to have to play a mistake-free game.

“We believe that we are the best team on the field,” Will Drakeford said. “If we play right and how the coaches tell us to play, we can win.”

Sherwood returns to state championships

From the start of the season, Sherwood football coach Pat Cilento noticed something different about this team.

His two captains, Matt Larsen and Jefferson Serkfem, implemented a new tradition. Every Saturday after film study, the entire team went to eat together. Sometimes it was Chipotle. Other times it was a breakfast place. Where it was didn’t matter. Everyone was included, from the star to the benchwarmer.

“The most important thing is they’ve all come together as a team and as a brotherhood, and they all look out for each other,” Cilento said.

That camaraderie has translated onto the field, all the way to the state championships for the first time in 17 years. Sherwood (11-1) will play Baltimore City’s Mergenthaler Vo-Tech (11-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday in the 4A/3A championship. If the Warriors win, it’ll be their first title since 2008 and fourth overall.

Sherwood, much like Quince Orchard, cruised through most of the season. Their loss came at the hands of the Cougars, a second-half comeback falling just short.

Last week, the Warriors beat Perry Hall 42-14 in the semifinals. Nearly all of their offense came from running backs Preston Hamrick, who missed the beginning of the season with an injury, and Mustafa Habib. Hamrick rushed for 117 yards and four touchdowns, while Habib ran for 193 yards.

Mergenthaler, unlike Sherwood, is no stranger to the state championships. It has played in the title game three times in the past four years, winning in 2021 and 2023.

“Everybody’s good; you can’t have a bad day,” Cilento said. “You have to limit distractions and put your best foot forward each and every day, and be focused.”