Westlake High School

Last season, Westlake football was ranked number one in its region according to MaxPreps. But this season, they are aiming for one thing: winning the state title. Head coach DeLawn Parrish joined the team last year, having coached at Wise for over 15 years. When he took the job, Westlake had won only four games in the regular season the previous year and had not advanced to the state quarterfinals in over two decades. Parrish changed that around in his first year. The Wolverines went 10-3, losing to Huntingtown and North Point in the regular season, and Stephen Decatur in the 2A semifinals. This upcoming season will bring some changes for Parrish and the team, as they are losing running back Devin ***, who ranked fourth in rushing yards in the state of Maryland last season, and quarterback William Drakeford Jr., who is set to play at Quince Orchard in the fall. “It’s unfortunate that our quarterback moved on, but we still have people inside the program that are dedicated and working hard,” stated Parrish. On the bright side, the Wolverines will also have many returning defensive players this year. This season, Westlake will face some other Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) teams that they did not face last season, such as Leonardtown, Great Mills, and Patuxent. “Just to match with these teams week in and out against those people is outstanding,” said Parrish. Parrish mentioned that their schedule is more complicated than last season, having to play some of the “bigger” schools in the conference such as Leonardtown, Great Mills, and North Point, however he plans to win games early on so they can host games at home during the playoffs, and have a chance at vying for the state title.

Summer is almost over, which means fall sports are ahead of us. As football season is approaching within the next month, the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) is preparing for another season ahead. So, let’s see how the top ten teams fare this season. 1. North Point (12-2) Last year, the Eagles won the 4A/3A state title. Their 21-20 overtime win against Mergenthaler Vo-Tech helped lift them to victory, and they are looking to dominate again this season. This was their second state title within three years. 2.Westlake (10-3) The Wolverines finished atop of the SMAC standings last year. According to MaxPreps, William Drakeford Jr. was second in passing yards within SMAC; however, the incoming senior has transferred to Quince Orchard. But have no fear, the Wolverines' running back David Nnabuko will return for another season. 3. Patuxent (14-0) The Panthers made history in the 2A/1A state championship last season, stopping Dunbar from winning four straight championships in their 8-6 win. Patuxent went 14-0 on the year, and averaged 46 points a game. They look to continue their success in their program with another strong season ahead. 4. Calvert (6-5) Multiple players on offense have shown to be at the top of the leaderboard for their position. Senior quarterback Jordan Johnson led SMAC in passing yards with 1,530, while running back Andrew Douglass and wide receiver Tristan Thomas racked up top-five stats in rushing yards and receiving yards. 5. St. Charles (5-6) Statistically wise, St. Charles had multiple players contributing to their team last season. Quarterback Jayden Wills, along with Elijah Jones, will be returning for the Spartans. Despite their record, within their region, they recorded a 0.667 win percentage. St. Charles also made the 3A Maryland High School Football Playoffs and advanced to the second round after beating Chesapeake. 6. Huntingtown (10-3) Huntingtown, like North Point and Patuxent, competed in the 2A state championship, but fell to Stephen Decatur 13-12. In the regular season, they were on a six-game win streak. They will have wide receiver and free safety Brody Whittington return for them, who averaged 25 yards a game. 7. Northern (7-5) Northern began its season last year against strong opponents, such as Westlake. In the middle of the season, they were able to go on a four-game win streak. They were able to advance to the quarterfinals in the 3A Maryland High School Football Playoff bracket, but fell to Arundel 14-21. 8. Leonardtown (8-5) Before the 2024-2025 season, the Raiders saw improvements within their program. They went from a 6-6 record to an 8-5 record. They were able to secure top wins against North Point and St. Charles early last season. However, they are losing their top receiver Grady Mason, and running back Zach Meade. 9. Lackey (6-5) Lackey’s overall record of 6-5 has remained relatively stagnant over the past three years. Although they placed fifth within their region, there is still pressure to have some sort of improvement this upcoming season. 10. Great Mills (6-5) Last year, Great Mills went on a four-game win streak before losing their last game of the season. However, their losses come at the hands of top teams such as North Point and Patuxent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tga6cihvTg

In dramatic, nail-biting fashion, the Westlake High School boys’ basketball team clinched the 2A state title. Senior guard Miles Jackson was an impact player all season but leveled up in the state final. Boasting 28 points and five assists in the championship, his biggest moment occurred in the last 1.1 seconds of the game. Jackson decided to bet on himself and drove straight to the basket and finished a layup to put Westlake on top of Fredrick Douglass High School 63-61. Photo Credit: https://www.somdnews.com/sports/high_school/westlake-boys-basketball-claims-2a-state-title/article_11fefeab-4dec-58e7-91a5-c653865bb03f.html