Montgomery County Matchups Highlight Second Round of MPSSAA Football Playoffs

Rivalries reignite and Cinderella stories collide as Montgomery County powers battle for a spot in the Maryland state quarterfinals

Quince Orchard improved to 5-0 in 2025 with a 34-13 win over Montgomery County rival Churchill, on Friday. / Quince Orchard Football

The second round of the MPSSAA high school football playoffs begins this weekend, with some notable matchups in Montgomery County taking place. Who will advance to the state quarterfinals? Let's see who's left.

Northwest at Quince Orchard (4A)

Two bitter rivals face off in the playoffs once again. The last time these teams faced off in the postseason was two years ago when Northwest emerged victorious at the Cougar Dome. Since then, Quince Orchard has won their last 23 contests, including the 2024 MPSSAA 4A football state championship.

David Riggio's Jaguars and John Kelley's Cougars previously met back on Oct. 24, where QO escaped with a 35-16 victory. Both teams are stacked on offense, especially in the running game. The Cougars' tandem of Jaheim Bond and Damien Hurtado has been a highlight all season, while Northwest relies on running back Isaiah Taylor and quarterback Jayden Vongprachanh-Nelson.

This game will be fun to watch at the Cougar Dome.

Richard Montgomery at Churchill (4A)

This will be the fourth playoff matchup in five years between Richard Montgomery and Churchill. However, the Bulldogs have owned this rivalry by winning seven straight meetings. Churchill also finished the regular season 8-1 and is coming off a 36-6 blowout win over Clarksburg in the first round.

Rockets quarterback Dylan Webster has had a tremendous season, but his speedy offense has only put up 17 points the past two weeks. That's not a good sign as they face a tough Bulldogs defense that has been relentless all season. Churchill's offense should show up as well, thanks to quarterback Hunter Humphries and running back Noah Zhang.

Blake at Paint Branch (4A)

Paint Branch previously beat Blake 20-7 back on Oct. 24. In that meeting, the Panthers racked up 322 offensive yards, mostly because of star running back Alijah Bah. Unfortunately for Paint Branch, they will be without Bah, as they will have to rely on quarterback Vincent Do or wide receiver Elric Andrews.

As for the Bengals, their dominant defensive front could really step up due to Bah's absence. On the offensive side of things, quarterback Wilt Cameron could be also be enough to lead Blake to victory on the road.

Blair at Wheaton (4A)

Blair is coming off a shocking 24-20 playoff victory over Bethesda-Chevy Chase, a team that crushed them 50-12 back in September. Now the Blazers visit Wheaton for a rematch of Week 1's 32-0 shutout by the Knights.

But Wheaton has their own narrative as well. Head coach Jermaine Howell led the Knights to an eight-win season for the first time since 2001. Fun fact: Howell was an assistant on the staff at the time. This should be an interesting downcounty matchup.

Kennedy at Sherwood (4A/3A)

Kennedy's football program had been suffering for a while, but this season was much different. The Cavaliers finished with their first winning record since 2007. Unfortunately, their Cinderella run might end at the hands of Sherwood in Olney.

Pat Cilento's Warriors have proven themselves to be another powerhouse in Montgomery County. Sherwood went 8-1 in the regular season as they bring physicality on both sides of the ball. Expect the Warriors to escape with a win here.

Damascus at Oakdale (3A)

It's a 3A playoff meeting between Damascus of Montgomery County and Oakdale of Frederick County. The Swarmin' Hornets had a solid season going 7-3, but the Bears have proven themselves with an equally strong year.

Throughout 2025, both Damascus and Oakdale dominated many of their opponents by dropping 40-plus points. However, the Bears have homefield advantage here and want to make a statement, so this might be it for the Swarmin' Hornets.