Check out Washington County's Week 7 football matchups and predictions
We’re set for Week 7 of the Washington County football season with six games Friday and one Saturday.
But before moving forward, let’s take another quick look at last week’s epic game at North Hagerstown’s Callas Stadium, where the Hubs defeated Williamsport 70-34 on a record-breaking night, in which the schools combined for 995 yards of total offense and 759 passing yards, the most ever in both categories in a game featuring two Washington County teams.
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Not only did North senior Ryder Johnston set MPSSAA single-game state records for receiving yards (317) and touchdown receptions (six), he did it all in the first half, tying him for second all-time in the National Federation of High School Sports record book for TD catches in one half.
Also, Hubs senior quarterback Luke Kercheval set the single-game county record for TD passes at seven.
Can anything possibly come close to matching any of that in Week 7?
Here are the games with predictions. (Last week, we correctly picked the winners in all five games, improving our season record to 28-11.)
Friday’s games
South Hagerstown Rebels (2-4) at Williamsport Wildcats (2-4), 6 p.m.
Series record: Rebels lead, 33-18.
Last meeting: Williamsport 21, South 7 (Oct. 14, 2022)
Last week: South lost 34-15 to Jefferson; Williamsport lost 70-34 to North Hagerstown.
Notes: This is Williamsport’s homecoming game. … Since blanking Clear Spring 39-0 in Week 4, the Wildcats have allowed 113 points in consecutive losses to Boonsboro and North Hagerstown. … Williamsport QB Nolan Raley passed for 334 yards and four touchdowns against North and continues to lead the county in passing yards (1,309), completions (73) and completion percentage (63.5%). … The Rebels lead the county in total offense, averaging 385.3 yards per game, and scoring, averaging 31.3 points per game. … South QB Lance Ford ranks second in the county in TD passes (14) and leads the Rebels in rushing with 474 yards.
Prediction: South 35, Williamsport 28
Catoctin Cougars (2-4) at Smithsburg Leopards (3-3), 6 p.m.
Series record: Tied, 24-24.
Last meeting: Catoctin 51, Smithsburg 6 (Sept. 27, 2019)
Last week: Smithsburg won 22-0 over Clear Spring; Catoctin lost 37-0 to Middletown.
Notes: The Leopards have lost 11 straight to the Cougars, last beating them 34-6 in 2008. … The teams have had one common opponent this season — Williamsport. Smithsburg lost 31-16 to the Wildcats in Week 2, and Catoctin beat them 36-20 in Week 3. … Smithsburg, which already has matched its win total from each of the last two years, hasn’t had a four-win season since 2017. … Leopards senior Ashton Redman continues to lead the county in rushing yards (618) and is tied for the county lead in TD runs (seven). On defense, Redman is tied for the county lead in interceptions (three) and fumble recoveries (two), while teammate Jayden Smith is No. 1 in the county in sacks (3.5) and No. 2 in tackles for loss (eight).
Prediction: Catoctin 27, Smithsburg 16
Riverdale Baptist Crusaders (3-3) at Clear Spring Blazers (2-4), 6 p.m.
Last week: Clear Spring lost 22-0 to Smithsburg; Riverdale Baptist won 15-14 over Landon.
Notes: This will be the first matchup between the two programs. … Riverdale Baptist, a private school in Upper Marlboro, Md., has three alumni currently playing in the NFL — Christian Darrisaw (Vikings), Zion Johnson (Chargers) and Zech McPhearson (Eagles). … The Crusaders have outscored opponents 120-81 this season, while the Blazers have been outscored 191-51, including 171-3 during their current four-game losing streak. … Clear Spring’s Alex Matthews leads the county in yards per carry (10.0) with 309 yards on 31 carries, and on defense, he’s tied for the county lead in interceptions (three) and forced fumbles (two). … The Blazers’ Seth Possinger is tied for second in the county in total tackles (60).
Prediction: Riverdale Baptist 28, Clear Spring 14
North Hagerstown Hubs (3-3) at Brunswick Railroaders (5-1), 6:30 p.m.
Series record: Hubs lead, 14-10.
Last meeting: Brunswick 28, North 24 (Oct. 31, 2014)
Last week: North won 70-34 over Williamsport; Brunswick lost 55-16 to Walkersville.
Notes: After trailing Smithsburg 8-7 at halftime in Week 5, the Hubs exploded for 94 points over the next four quarters, defeating the Leopards 44-24 and then building a 57-28 halftime lead last week on their way to the convincing victory over Williamsport. … “We’re turning the season around, and we need to keep the momentum going,” North’s Ryder Johnston said after his historic receiving performance against the Wildcats. … It was the second time in program history that North scored at least 70 points in a game. The Hubs defeated Clear Spring 76-12 in 2004. … After rolling to a 5-0 start, in which their closest game was a 31-14 win over Boonsboro, the Railroaders were blown out at home by Walkersville, a team that had lost three straight. … Brunswick QB Ethan Houck ran for both of his team’s touchdowns in the loss. … North and Brunswick have had two common opponents this year — Tuscarora and Smithsburg. The Railroaders blanked the Titans 35-0 in Week 2 and topped the Leopards 35-6 in Week 4. The Hubs beat Tuscarora 38-27 in Week 1 and then had the breakout second half against Smithsburg.
Prediction: North 28, Brunswick 24
Covered: 2023 Washington County high school fall sports central
Boonsboro Warriors (4-2) at Southern-Anne Arundel Bulldogs (2-3), 6:30 p.m.
Last week: Boonsboro won 49-0 over Poolesville; Southern lost 26-2 to North East.
Notes: This is the first matchup between Boonsboro and Southern, a 2A-1A South school in Harwood, Md. … The Bulldogs’ two wins this year are a forfeit over Digital Harbor in Week 2 and a 35-0 shutout of Clear Spring in Week 3. … The Warriors are averaging a county-high 210.2 rushing yards per game with a balanced ground attack, led by Chad Wyand’s 76.7 ypg. … In their win over Poolesville last week, Parker DeBaugh ran for two touchdowns and five other Warriors each ran for one. … The 49 points Boonsboro scored are its most since beating Saint James 66-33 in 2019.
Prediction: Boonsboro 35, Southern 14
Hundred Hornets (2-4) at Hancock Panthers (0-5), 7 p.m.
Series record: Panthers lead, 12-7.
Last meeting: Hundred 22, Hancock 12 (Oct. 14, 2022)
Last week: Hancock lost 54-0 to Northern Garrett; Hundred lost 52-8 to Paden City.
Notes: The Panthers’ last win came on Oct. 26, 2021, when they beat Hundred (W.Va.) 46-8. … Last year, Hancock’s closest game was the 10-point loss to Hundred. … Hancock and Hundred have had one common opponent this year — Clay-Battelle. The Hornets opened their season on Aug. 25 with a 26-22 win over the Cee Bees, who beat the Panthers 38-26 on Sept. 29. … Hundred is led by sophomore QB Toby Michael, who’s run for 608 yards and seven touchdowns and passed for 458 yards and four scores this year. … Aiden McCarty has run for 451 yards and six touchdowns for Hancock.
Prediction: Hundred 28, Hancock 22
Saturday’s game
Maret Frogs (6-0) at Saint James Saints (3-2), noon
Series record: Saints lead, 29-14.
Last meeting: Saint James 35, Maret 21 (Oct. 1, 2022)
Last week: Saint James was off; Maret won by forfeit over SEED.
Notes: This is the Mid-Atlantic Conference opener for both teams. … The Saints are the two-time defending MAC champs. … The Frogs have outscored opponents 236-86 this year, while the Saints have been outscored 142-106. … Saint James QB Jayden Yates has seven TD runs this season, tying for the county lead, to go with seven TD passes. … The Saints’ Liam Hall leads the county in tackles (69) and tackles per game (13.8), while teammate Trevor Owens is No. 1 in tackles for loss (13) and No. 2 in tackles per game (11.0).
Prediction: Maret 28, Saint James 21
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County high school football Week 7 preview, predictions
