What to Expect When Quince Orchard Faces Seneca Valley on Thursday

Montgomery County powers with deep Seneca roots are set to collide Thursday when Quince Orchard hosts Seneca Valley in a rivalry rich with multiple state titles and deep coaching ties

Rico Jackson is one of a quartet of Quince Orchard wideouts to watch as the Cougars take on Montgomery rival Seneca Valley on Thursday. / Brandy Simms

Montgomery County, Maryland powerhouse football programs Quince Orchard and Seneca Valley will square off in a heavyweight battle on Thursday night at the Cougar Dome. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30pm.

Game Basics

• Matchup: Quince Orchard vs. Seneca Valley
• When/Where: Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Cougar Dome (Gaithersburg, Md.)
• Records: Quince Orchard 3–0; Seneca Valley 2–1
• Recent form: QO blanked Stone Bridge (VA) 20–0; SV beat Clarksburg and Gaithersburg, fell to Sherwood 35–7 in Week 2

Both Teams Are Led by Seneca Valley Grads

Both head coaches are Seneca Valley High School graduates who played for legendary former Screamin’ Eagles head coach Terry Changuris. 

The Seneca Valley High School football program boasts 12 state championships, a record the Germantown, Maryland public school shares with neighboring Damascus High School. 

Seneca Valley won state championships in 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2002. 

Quince Orchard head coach John Kelley played on Seneca Valley’s back-to-back state championship squads in 1997 and 1998. 

Quince Orchard head coach John Kelley will lead his squad against Seneca Valley, his alma mater on Thursday. / Brandy Simms

John Kelley’s brother, Chris, was the quarterback on those state championship teams in 1997 and 1998. 

Meanwhile, Seneca Valley head coach Quintin Cosby was part of the Screamin’ Eagles last state championship team in 2002. 

Cosby, who graduated from Seneca Valley in 2005, has strong ties to the Quince Orchard coaching staff. Cosby and Quince Orchard Offensive Coordinator Tyrus Changuris, the son of Terry Changuris, were teammates on Seneca Valley’s 2002 state championship team. Cosby started at fullback and Tyrus Changuris was a starting wide receiver.  

When Terry Changuris resigned as Seneca Valley head coach in 2003 he was succeeded by Fred Kim who is the current Quince Orchard Defensive Coordinator.  

Kim, who was Cosby’s head coach during his senior campaign in 2004, played on Seneca Valley’s state championship team in 1987 and has served as head coach at both his alma mater Seneca Valley and Quince Orchard where he coached in 2002 and 2003.  

Cosby’s coaching staff at Seneca Valley is littered with Montgomery County products and Seneca Valley High School football alumni including Jon Frazier, Shawn Perry, Kevin “Twos” Joppy and Dionte Joppy.

Coaching Tree

• Both head coaches are Seneca Valley alums who played for iconic coach Terry Changuris.
• QO HC John Kelley won back-to-back state titles (’97, ’98) at SV; his brother Chris was the QB on those teams.
• SV HC Quintin Cosby played on SV’s 2002 state-title squad and graduated in 2005.
• QO OC Tyrus Changuris (Terry’s son) was Cosby’s teammate in 2002.
• QO DC Fred Kim succeeded Terry Changuris at SV in 2003; he played on SV’s 1987 title team and later served as head coach at both SV and QO.

Program Pedigrees

• Seneca Valley owns 12 Maryland state championships (tied with Damascus): 1976, ’77, ’79, ’80, ’87, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’97, ’98, ’99, 2002.
• Quince Orchard remains a modern-era county powerhouse and annual state contender—Thursday offers another resume game.

Quince Orchard (3-0) is coming off a 20-0 win over Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Virginia) and looking to gain some momentum while Seneca Valley (2-1) is looking to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in Montgomery County, Maryland circles. 

Seneca Valley has beaten Clarksburg and Gaithersburg but suffered a 35-7 loss to Sherwood in Week 2. 

Keep an eye on Quince Orchard quarterback Will Drakeford and running back Jaiden Hebron along with talented wide receivers Rafferty Bankert, Jacob Bumgardner, Rico Jackson and Isaiah Simms. 

Seneca Valley boasts a talented group that includes quarterback Kenneth Lennon, running back Jaden McLaurin and wide receiver Russell Stanley. Marcelles Wade, a sophomore, is a two-way standout at running back and linebacker. 

Players to Watch — Quince Orchard

• QB Will Drakeford: poised operator who distributes to a deep WR room
• RB Jaiden Hebron: chains-mover with burst
• WRs Rafferty Bankert, Jacob Bumgardner, Rico Jackson, Isaiah Simms: multiple big-play options stress secondaries

Players to Watch — Seneca Valley

• QB Kenneth Lennon: steady leader of the Screamin’ Eagles’ attack
• RB Jaden McLaurin: tone-setter on the ground
• WR Russell Stanley: vertical threat
• RB/LB Marcelles Wade (So.): two-way impact, physical at the point of attack

Why It Matters

This is for county bragging rights plus heritage: an alumni-driven chess match where the Seneca coaching tree spans both sidelines. For QO, it’s momentum protection. For SV, it’s a statement opportunity to re-establish the Screamin’ Eagles among Montgomery County’s elite.