Rockville High School

Last night, Wootton Girls Varsity Lacrosse team, faced the Rockville Rams in an important region face-off. This was Wootton's first game of the season and they started off strong. Senior Captain Emory Scofield finished with 7 goals. Wootton played two goalies this game, Nicole Matcharadze and Sarah Podberesky, both made many incredible saves when it counted for the Patriots. The game ended with a Patriots win 13-4, with neither team scoring in the third quarter. The Patriots play at Wootton tomorrow in their next game against Magruder @7:00 pm.

Last night the Wootton Girls Varsity Basketball team was able to eliminate the Rockville Rams in the second round of Playoffs. The final score was Patriots 64 Rams 23. Wootton's only Freshman, Katie Chen, played a great game finishing with ten points, three rebounds, three assists and one block. The Patriots struggled from the free throw line last night and went 6 for 17. The team believes making their free throws can be the difference in their upcoming playoff games. The Patriots will now play the Damascus Hornets in the 3A West Region Championship on Thursday at Wootton.

The entire Richard Montgomery team played amazing, in their win vs. Rockville. Check out some pictures below from the game: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUx9pWKjrLZ/

Score was the other way around

Photo courtesy of Tyler - dig4tl (Instagram). Two teams in Montgomery County were looking to find their footing in the conference Friday night. Rockville headed in with a 0-2 record, losing by a combined 42 points over its first two contests. But Wootton matched that 0-2 record, losing its first two games by 19 combined points. It took the entire 32 minutes Friday night before a winner was decided, but the Rams ultimately took down the Patriots in the thrilling waning seconds of the match, 60-59. Chase Winokur was Wootton’s spark to begin things. He nailed two triples from beyond the arc in the opening four minutes — that provided the Patriots their first two buckets from the field. Meanwhile, Rockville used its fast break opportunities in transition to account for much of its early scoring. Rips and steals on defense led to lopsided, tough-to-defend breaks down the other end of the court. The Rams’ speed and physicality allowed them to assert themselves in the driving lane, as well as beat multiple Patriots’ defenders off the dribble. Yet, the score remained a 1-point game with three minutes to play until the half. Chase Winokur’s prolific shooting on the wing continued to be paramount against the Rams’ halfcourt zone defense and press. He consistently had time to release the ball with ease before a rotation defender had time to adjust and contest the shot. But after halftime, Rockville began to separate itself from the seemingly outmatched Wootton. With the score 32-25, one of Rockville’s guards darted into the lane before euro-stepping and sending a leaping dish out to the corner. The ensuing 3-pointer, though contested, found the laces of the basket and opened up a 10-point lead. But that larger lead would only hold for so long. A 3-point barrage erupted from Wootton, with both Chase and Brady Winokur lacing threes, and a nice dish from Brady Winokur on the wing leading to a wide open corner three. Things began to heat up even more just three minutes into the final frame. With the score 50-45 in favor of Rockville, Chase Mitchell pulled up for a shot beyond the arc to lessen the Rams’ lead to just two. But Mitchell didn’t stop there. In the same fashion as he had before — hesitating after a dribble before taking a half-step back for a three — he drilled a shot to make it a 54-53 game. But Rockville wouldn’t give in to the sudden onslaught from Wootton. After the Patriots took a 1-point lead with two minutes left, the Rams marched right back down the court. A step-back 3-pointer hit its mark, and Rockville took the lead. Despite a game-tying layup in transition with a minute to go, Rockville got the last laugh. After trading free throw shots, Rockville trailed 59-58 with seven seconds to play. Going the full length of the court, the first layup missed. But the clean-up duty was there — a stellar boxout and putback sealed the game for the Rams with a second to play, and gave them their first win of the 2025-26 campaign.

score ?

The Rockets won over the Rams on Thursday away. It came down to the very last play, and RM secured the win. The rockets are now 6-2 and the Rams are 2-6. The rockets will now play sherwood this thursday, 10/30. See more here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQapLxuDuLu/

Evenezer opened the scoring in the second half and Muhammed made it 2-0 for the Wheaton Knights win.

Good Game

Photo courtesy of Montgomery Community Media. Sherwood football has only given up seven points through three games this season. Meanwhile, it has put up 124 points on offense. This attacking barrage reared its head once more Friday, as the Warriors took down Rockville in dominant fashion, 49-0. Sherwood is now 3-0 on the season. It wasn’t long until Sherwood found their groove. On its first drive of the evening, quarterback Matthew Larsen lofted a 21-yard pass into Ram territory, setting the Warriors up for a red zone opportunity just minutes into the contest. Just plays later, the first score of the game came courtesy of Rocky ***, who found a soft spot in the zone with Larsen rolling out to his right. But the 14-yard touchdown was just the beginning of the onslaught. Sherwood didn’t always need deep, go-route passes to gain yards, instead leaning on short strikes — a 31-yard screen set up the Warriors in the red zone on their very next possession. The drive was promptly capped off with a similar concept on the opposite side of the field for a 13-yard score. *** continued his stellar evening later on a 40-yard reception, taking a bump after reeling the pass in on a go-route and plowing in for the score. His reception put Sherwood up 28-0 in just the second frame, effectively putting things out of reach. Rockville needed a response, and quickly, if it wanted to salvage the contest before halftime. But things went in the opposite direction. Adrian Hamilton read the Rams’ quarterback perfectly, executing a sideline-stepping pick-six to put the Warriors up by five scores. But there was still time to play in the second quarter, and Sherwood utilized the time to its advantage, with Caleb Hollowell taking a quick-hit pass 14 yards in for the score. A 1-yard touchdown rush late in the contest wrapped up what was a comprehensive, well-rounded performance from both sides of the ball for Sherwood. It will next take on Blake this Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Warriors took down the Bengals, who are also currently 3-0, 24-0 last year — this time around could serve as a much more competitive skirmish.

On September 18, the Einstein Titans faced the Rockville Rams in a 6 - 1 victory. The game started with both teams staying level within 10 minutes of the game. Einstein would take the first lead of the game, with a shot that went around the keeper and easily tapped in from #2 Adriana Da Silva. The goals added onto the lead minutes later, from the help of #9 Annabelle O’ Connor, dribbling past two defenders and using her right foot on the opposite side of the keeper. Einstein led the game 2-0 with 23 minutes remaining in the first. A penalty was given for the titans, for a chance to bring the lead to 3-0. The shot ended going straight to the keeper in the middle of the goal taken by #13 Elena Limauro. Rockville’s defense just couldn’t figure out Einstein's defenders, allowing Einstein multiple chances and staying in Rams territory. The Rams would have their first chance of the game, going one on one with an Einstein defender but quickly saved by #1 Maya Garnette. A quick counter attack from the Titans allowed them to receive their 4th corner of the game. This corner gave Einstein their 3rd goal of the game, from a header by #8 Angie Voljvodic. The 1st half ended 3-0, in favor of Einstein. The Rockville Rams would reduce the deficit by adding its first goal of the game by #4 Dariela Reyes Mejia. Einstein swapped it goalkeeper to #0 Addie burkes, as she got her hands on the ball but still bounced to the back of the goal. Rockville started to gain momentum right after the goal, creating more chances against Einstein and shooting multiple shots on target. The deficit grew in favor for the Titans as #6 Faith Duhigg shot the ball, which hit the left post and allowed #3 Da Silva her second goal of the game, scoring a 2nd easy tap-in. #9 Sydney Collick, added the 5th goal for the Titans with a long deep shot with her right foot, curling to the middle of the goal and going over Rockville's goalkeeper, a highlight reel moment for Collick. A hat trick of goals were completed by the Titans, with #20 Chase Tucker recorded her first goal of the season for her Varsity career, shooting with her left and ended by the right post. Lots of physical play clashed between both teams as time continued to drain. Time ran out as the Titans walked away with a 6-1 home victory. The Titans move up to 2-1 on the season and will face John F Kennedy on the road on September 20. Rockville will drop to 1-3 and will face Kennedy on a different date on September 25.

Field Hockey is just around the corner, and its a sport that can be very exciting and intense. Which teams in MCPS will have the most success this season? In this preseason power rankings, I rank the top ten field hockey teams in the county. The top two teams were one win away from facing each other in the state finals last year, so the midseason matchup between the two will be a must-watch! Now let’s get to the list: Churchill (14-2) - The Bulldogs made it all the way to the Class 4A State semi finals before losing to Broadneck. It started the season 5-0 before dropping its first game. After that, the Bulldogs won eight straight games, securing five shutouts in the process. Five players received All-County recognition including seniors Jenna Pigott and Claire Gallagher. They return the other three All-County players in midfielders Junia Whang and Callie Lee, and defender Leah Offutt. They have the pieces in place to make another run to the semifinals and hopefully beyond. Whitman (14-2) - The Vikings have won four straight county championships. And it too made it to the 4A State semifinals before losing to eventual champion Crofton. Before losing to Crofton however, they were in the midst of a nine game winning streak that saw the Vikings shutout every opponent - including a dominant 10-0 win over Clarksburg in the first round of states. They lose seven seniors, including five who received All-County accolades - Kelsey Allen, Maya Raphael, Sophia Cheng, Mia Kanczuker, and Nisha Chakravarty - and Sadie Bastianelli, who was an All-Division member. They do however return rising junior Emma Foscarini; a midfielder who was a first team All-County select. The spotlight will be on Foscarini this fall as she tries to lead the Vikings to another run in the postseason. Damascus (12-2) - The Swarmin’ Hornets hope to go farther than it did last season (loss in the regional final), especially considering the strong start that they had (9-0). Their defense was one of the best in the county allowing less than a goal per game (before their defeat in regionals) and recorded eight shutouts. They lose nine seniors total, including first team All-County forward Madison Slayton and All-Divison members Sarah Jankowski and Marlene Nusraty. The good news however, is that three All-Division players are back for this fall season - forward Mary Miller, midfielder Maddie Powell, and defenseman Katie Miller. Despite the losses of nine seniors, the Swarmin’ Hornets are still in excellent position to reach states. Blair (10-4) - After a first game loss to Whitman, the Blazers won 9 out of its next 11 games, including a seven game win streak that were all shutouts. It won the regional title over Einstein before losing to Broadneck in the state quarterfinals. Seven players received accolades including three seniors - forward Carmella Beach, midfielder Eloisa Somodevilla, and goalie Keelin Pegg were All-County members. The rest of the four were all juniors and are coming back for their senior seasons. Forward Eva Schwartz, midfielder Ruth Wajda-Gotwals, and defenders Lilah Coleman and Juliet Craig will look to lead the Blazers to another successful campaign. Rockville (10-4) - The Rams rode a successful campaign all the way to the Class 3A state quarterfinals. The 3A regional champions were led by 11 seniors including captains Erin Kelly, McKenzie Chavez, and Grace Litzenberg - who was a first team All-County select. Not only will their leadership be missed, but also their experience, as they each played all four years. Finding the next group of leaders will be one of the stories to watch for this Rams team. Walter Johnson (9-5) - WJ had a nice end to its regular season, winning four out of its last five matches. It defeated Richard Montgomery in the first round of regionals, but ultimately fell to Whitman in the regional final. Ten seniors depart including four All-County/All-Division players in Gillian Rosenstock, Hidi Altman, Jackie Fuller, and Fran Sabbioni-Blanc. Defender Abby Bruskin is back for her senior season and will look to lead the Wildcats past the regionals this year. Quince Orchard (9-5) - After having a tough beginning to the season (1-2), the Cougars hardly skipped a beat after. Over its final nine regular season games, QO went an impressive 9-2, scoring 4 goals per game and allowing 1 per game (five shutouts). They lose six seniors, including four who were selected to the All-County Team - Hannah Wagner, Gabbie Spano, Ellie Wonnacott, and Faith Pleisse. All-County second team goalie Natalie Goury and Sophia Fenzel returns for her senior season. Having a returning veteran is always a welcome, especially when it provides insurance in goal. Goury recorded seven shutouts during the season. And despite having a new coach in Antonio Velasquez, and with players having to adjust to a new system, QO was able to have a winning season. Heading into year 2, it should be another successful campaign. Richard Montgomery (9-3) - The Rockets began the season 4-0 before hitting a road block that saw it lose three out of its next four. But, it was only a small bump, as they ended the regular season on a four game win streak. Unfortunately, the season came to an abrupt end when it lost to Walter Johnson in the first round of regionals. The Rockets were led by a group of veterans that included 12 seniors. Seniors Emma Pryor, Shelby Roth, and Catherine Nguyen were selected to the All-County team. And seniors Tara Amin, Abby Grandin, Pryor, Roth, and Nguyen received All-Division honors. All twelve departures will surely be missed, and it will be interesting to see who steps up in terms of leadership. Einstein (8-6) - The Titans made it to the regional final before losing to Blair. After starting the year 1-2, Einstein rallied to four straight victories and recording three shutouts in the process. They hit a road block during the final stretch, but finished with a winning record and was one game short of making states. Four seniors depart including defenders Cady Emerson (1st Team All-Division) and Maya Gutierrez-Flores (1st Team All-County. Gutierrez-Flores’s efforts on the defensive side earned her MCPS Defensive Player of the Year. Goalie Lena Fleschner and defender Lucy Stenger return for their senior seasons. Both were awarded first and second team All-Divison, respectively. B-CC (7-6) - The Barons had a nice run in the middle and end of the season, going 6-2 in its final eight games. Its season did come to an unfortunate end in the first round of regionals, losing to Whitman. They lose a total of thirteen seniors, including four who received All-County and All-Division honors - Jamie Lee, Abby Schrader, Roxana Stayeas, and Elisha Robinson. How to replace a loaded group of veterans and leaders will be a major challenge, but it will be both interesting and exciting to see who that next group will be down the road.

“Relentless.” That is the one word Ryan Fickes, the head coach of the Rockville Wrestling Team, used to described Anastasia Dakoulas - the now two-time state champion. Though only getting to coach her for two years, coach Fickes was able to see her grow from an already promising young athlete, to Rockville’s greatest wrestler of all time. But part of what makes her so successful is her work ethic and preparation. Though her countless achievements surely represent her skills on the mat, it’s what she does off of it that make those pieces of hardware all the more real and special. Her ability to thoroughly analyze her opponents before her match, and then exploit any weaknesses they showed with the number of moves she possesses in any given time, are what makes her such a formidable opponent. “You can actually see it on her face as she wrestles as she's planning out the match, the way a grandmaster does in chess,” said coach Fickes. Dakoulas is willing to go the extra mile to get what she wants. She has clear goals and aspirations, and will not stop nor let anything get in the way of her path. “If that meant going to extra practices at Capital Wrestling Club, weight training sessions, becoming a nutrition expert, she would do it, because it meant getting one step closer to a state championship and continuing her career in college.” The two-time state champion committed to Sacred Heart University, a D1 program that has seen rapid success since its inception in 2021. She leaves behind a legacy that is filled with numerous accolades and achievements, becoming Rockville’s greatest wrestling champion. But it’s not just the trophies that tell the whole story. In the 2023-24 season, she was the only girl on the team. But the next year there were five, with three of them being directly recruited by Dakoulas; including Saniyah Belliel who finished 3rd in states in her debut season. Throughout her time at Rockville, Anastasia Dakoulas has cemented herself as one of its greatest athletes and champions. She finished fifth in states her freshman year, a clear foreshadow for what was about to come in the future. She has undoubtedly influenced girls across the school to take a chance on the mat, and she has also influenced her team and coach Fickes. “She made me a better coach. I want my wrestlers to tell me when they think there's room for improvement with how I'm running the team and she did. She recommended drills that we implemented and she helped me to see the sport in new ways with her analysis of matches and how she attacked her opponents' strengths and weaknesses.” Though she’ll no longer be donning the orange and black on match days, her presence will still remain, as her impact on Rockville wrestling will be a key focal point to recruits. “I can show them her name on the wall as our first wrestling state champion in 30 years. I could show them video of her dominating opponents. She's a living legend at Rockville.” A living legend indeed, and one who will certainly continue to dominate and inspire the game.

With the 2025 boy’s lacrosse season in the books, it’s time now to start looking towards the offseason in Montgomery County. Five teams each won their respective divisions, with one doing so for the first time in its school’s history, while another just continues to dominate. In this article, I will give a brief outlook into the offseason for each division winner, highlighting top players departing/returning, and get an overall feel as to where things stand now and moving forward. I also spoke with the head coaches from each team to get further insight. With that, here is the offseason lookout for Montgomery County Boy’s Lacrosse. Whitman: https://www.countysports.zone/forums/post/hQGn-nXycJy3wU9mO-tb4/ Northwest: https://www.countysports.zone/forums/post/UexeTwJDUcoq66T1qMVqk/ Einstein: https://www.countysports.zone/forums/post/lHS70aAUs1_DF96aeb9eu/ Sherwood: https://www.countysports.zone/forums/post/y3BqVfP6LPDsvxJzvcnJ7/ Rockville: https://www.countysports.zone/forums/post/Ij3vIXKYt-XDmbbxq4fsS/

First team All-County selection Mark Henry led the Rams to their first regional championship in school history, pacing the team in goals (57) and points (77). Henry also led the team in groundballs, scooping up 72. A few other notable players this past season were Shaun McMahon (team leading 29 assists), Ronan Campbell (61% FO%), and defensemen Ethan Zhu and Dillon Estabrook (36 and 32 forced turnovers, respectively). Each of them made the All-Division team, as well as attackers Mason Willard (63PTS) and Cameron Wong (19G/19A), midfielders Adam Latham (41GB) and Will Bamba (12PTS), defenseman Aarav Kapilashirami (26GB/12FT) and Carson Tusing (15GB/7FT), and goalie Luke Fensterstock (8W/96 SV/.549 SV%). Although Willard and Wong return on the offensive end, it’s the defense that really has head coach David Haines excited. “Our defense is going to be a defense that will be able to match up man for man with every team in our division.” Zhu, Estabrook, Jacob Chin, and Kapilashirami (who they call AK or Aarav) will be the four leaders that will be able to go one-on-one with anyone and “shut them down.” The recent success of the program has also led to an uptick in interest within Rockville, especially at middle school. “We had 16 kids sign up who're interested in playing lacrosse; last year there were two.” The varsity team was also the biggest that they had had and the JV was also bigger compared to previous seasons. “The good problem will be going to the administration and saying we need more equipment. And we've never had to do that before.” Things like that are what make winning your first regional championship in school history so beneficial and so rewarding; because now local kids can see what is possible, and because of that, those kids will want to be a part of that.

Wow what a 5 set classic! Our Rams showed the grit and hustle we have shown all season long in this undefeated campaign. Sets went back and forth each so close but in the final set the Rams did what we did all year, we shut it down in a full team effort! Hats off to Sherwood for a hard fought game but sorry to say this is the year of the Rockville Rams your 2025 Coed Volleyball Champs!!!!!

In an intense semifinal matchup Thursday night, Rockville High School defeated Watkins Mill 3-1, securing their spot in the playoff Finals! Both teams left it all on the court in a game filled with powerful hits and non-stop energy. The tension was high—especially between Rockville’s Timothy Sargent and Watkins Mill’s Charles Hervé, who both delivered some jaw-dropping strikes. Rockville came out strong, winning the first two sets. The third set pushed past 25 points, with Watkins Mill fighting back to take the set and keep their hopes alive. But in the fourth, the Rams shut it down, dominating with a 25-14 win to seal the match! Congrats to the Rockville Rams for advancing to the finals against Sherwood! Come show your support this Tuesday at 5 PM at Quince Orchard High School.

In a surprising regular-season upset, Rockville managed to beat Watkins Mill — and they did it without Watkins Mill’s best player on the court. For many, this win shook the bracket predictions and proved Rockville’s grit. But let’s be clear: that win came under unique conditions, and most teams and coaches around the league know it. With their top star back and healthy, Watkins Mill is still projected to win the entire MCPS coed volleyball playoffs. They’ve been dominant all season, showing a combination of athleticism, smart play-calling, and deep bench strength. The Rockville loss was a bump, but it may have been the wake-up call Watkins Mill needed to sharpen their focus heading into the postseason. Rockville, meanwhile, has earned respect. They capitalized on the opportunity, played a clean and disciplined game, and showed they can hang with top teams. But in the playoffs, they’ll likely face a full-strength Watkins Mill, and the rematch would be a whole different battle. Despite the stumble, Watkins Mill remains the clear favorite to win the championship. With their star player back, they’re expected to power through the bracket — and you can bet they’ll be looking for revenge if they meet Rockville again.

Amazing Morgan’s message game and great defensive skill from Rockville Rams!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J-5yt2jyHA