Game MPSSAA Class 4A Football States of round Round 1

Photo courtesy of Quince Orchard football Instagram. Heading into the 4A state quarterfinal matchup in Maryland, one might perhaps be confused — both Quince Orchard and Charles Herbert Flowers were both not beaten heading into the game, yet the latter was the No. 8-seed, and the former the No. 1-seed. Make no mistake, Flowers presented an extremely tough matchup. Yet, it had to forfeit its eight wins in the regular season due to an eligibility violation. But with all that in the rearview mirror, Friday night presented a hotly contested game between two state title contenders. And it was the Cougars who ultimately prevailed, 21-10, as they continued the quest for their third 4A title in the past four years. It was Flowers that kicked off the scoring with a field goal, with the points being set up by a crucial strip sack. But Cougars’ quarterback Will Drakeford Jr. and company began to string together multiple plays of 10 yards or more on the following drive. Quince Orchard strung together outside runs with darts right over the middle of the field into the teeth of Flowers’ defense. It was the stellar rushing attack that ultimately set up Quince Orchard on the doorstep of the red zone. A 7-yard touchdown run with two-and-a-half minutes left in the opening quarter gave the Cougars a spark. Kacey Gilliam and Jaheim Bond, two of the Cougars’ most dominant defensive pieces, helped all night long to expedite Flowers’ possessions. On the ensuing Jaguars drive, a massive tackle for loss helped to give Quince Orchard the ball back. Drakeford’s biggest strength all night was far and away his rushing prowess — with five minutes left in the first half, he extended the Cougars' lead to 14-3 on a 24-yard rushing touchdown. The signal caller initially bounced outside on the run before churning in between a storm of Flowers defenders and charging into the end zone. But for as good as Drakeford’s running was, his passing left something to be desired. Cavare Durandisse, who had the strip sack earlier in the game, picked off Drakeford before the conclusion of the half and returned it for a score. Suddenly, heading into the second half, the 14-10 deficit Flowers found itself in didn’t seem so daunting. But that would be the last points it would score for the remainder of the match. Quince Orchard’s defense got involved quickly in the third quarter, nabbing an interception at the nine minute mark. And tackles for loss became a theme of the game for the Cougars, continuously finding new ways to slow down the Jaguars' rushing attack. And while the third quarter was scoreless between the two sides, the fourth quarter was not. Drakeford engineered his best series of the evening, taking 14 plays to span almost the entire length of the field, and soaking up minutes of clock in the process. After Drakeford’s second rushing touchdown of the game — a five-yard cut inside on a fake pitch — Flowers only had 1:43 to climb back from an 11-point deficit. But it was no match for the Cougars, who advanced to the state semifinal once more. Quince Orchard will match up with No. 5-seed Broadneck, with a chance to face the winner of No. 2-seed Churchill and No. 3-seed Wise in the state final.