Catoctin puts state football title in perspective

On this week’s special edition of the Final Score podcast, the Catoctin football team discusses its state championship victory.

Coach Doug Williams, senior receiver Eli Frei and senior running back and defensive lineman Jake Baker join host Greg Swatek to talk about the Cougars’ 31-8 victory over Dunbar in the Class 1A championship game on Dec. 7 in Annapolis. Coach Williams and the players talk about what the victory meant to them and what made the team so special.

Coach Williams talked about the ways the team improved over the course of the season. Frei talked about why the offense was so explosive after it average more than 40 points per game over the course of the season, and Baker explained why the defense improved so much over the course of the season and why in was able to make so many impactful plays in the playoff victories over Fort Hill and Dunbar, a pair of perennial state powers in 1A.

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Knights reflect on journey to state title

After Middletown’s 34-15 victory over Potomac last Saturday in the Class 2A football championship game, senior quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, senior receiver Brian Walker and coach Collin Delauter share their feelings about the state championship on this week’s edition of The Final Score podcast.

The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the Knights’ remarkable journey from the fourth week of the season when the team was 1-2 to Saturday’s championship, which was Middletown’s fourth state title overall and first since 2013.

What changed? How was the team able to come together so well? In what areas did it grow the most?

The discussion covers a wide variety of subjects, including Walker’s emergence as a big-time high school receiver, and Poffenbarger’s remarkable three-year tenure as Middletown’s starting quarterback, which concluded with him throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 45 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for nearly 500 yard and 13 touchdowns.

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Previewing the three Fred. Co. football state finals, Catoctin's Carson and Jamie Sickeri

With the Catoctin football team set to play in its first state final in roughly a decade, the team’s star running back, Carson Sickeri, and his father, Jamie, an assistant coach, are the guests this week on The Final Score Podcast.

The Sickeris chat with host Greg Swatek about the Cougars’ big shutout win over perennial Class 1A power Fort Hill last week and what makes their offense so dynamic. Catoctin is averaging more than 40 points per game this season. Jamie shares his back story growing up as a high school running back in a small, Western Pennsylvania football town and the family lineage at the position. Carson has reached even greater heights this season with more than 2,000 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns.

They also talk about what lies ahead, as Catoctin is set to face another perennial state power in Dunbar in the 1A championship game Saturday afternoon, and what they feel it will be like taking the field at Navy’s Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

Up first, though, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Joe Ferraro join Greg to discuss the historical milestone, as Frederick County placed three teams in the state football final in the same year for the first time. They share thoughts and insights about Linganore’s game with Damascus in the 3A final, Catoctin’s game with Dunbar in the 1A championship game, as well as Middletown’s game with Potomac in the 2A final.

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Amy Poffenbarger, head coach of the Middletown girls basketball team

As the Middletown girls basketball team prepares to begin a season with state-title expectations, the team’s coach, Amy Poffenbarger, is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.

First, Poffenbarger chats with host Greg Swatek about what she appreciates most about the Middletown football’s team trek to Friday’s Class 2A state semifinal since her son, Reese, is the team’s quarterback.

Then, she talks about the season ahead for her basketball team and the recruitment process that saw her daughter, Saylor, fulfill a dream of accepting a full scholarship to the University of Connecticut to play for the dominant program in women’s college basketball.

Plus, what does an athletic, health-conscious sports family like the Poffenbargers do on Thanksgiving?

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Keys situation, football playoffs

With the potential demise of the Frederick Keys generating conversation around the area this week, Adam Pohl, a former Keys broadcaster and currently the Director of Broadcasting for the Bowie Baysox, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.

Pohl responds to the list that circulated through various media channels over the weekend that named the Keys as one of 42 minor league baseball teams that Major League Baseball was proposing to fold after the 2020 season. He states his beliefs about why MLB wants to chop so many minor league teams, including a financial reason that is not often reported and talked about. He also talks about why he feels the idea is so ill-advised and the likelihood of it ever coming to fruition.

Then, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro stops by to share his thoughts on the matter and discuss this weekend’s high school football playoff games, as Catoctin, Middletown and Linganore complete in the state quarterfinals.

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Oakdale volleyball coach Jim Dorsch and players on their trip to States

As they prepared to face LaPlata in a state volleyball semifinal, Oakdale volleyball coach Jim Dorsch and the four senior members of his team were were the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.

Coach Dorsch and seniors Sydney Katz, Jess Twilley, Jen Chomiak and Cora Wasilko chatted with host Greg Swatek about their season, the injury to Katz during the playoffs that completely changed the dynamic of their team and returning to states at the University of Maryland’s Ritchie Coliseum.

FNP sports writers John Cannon and Joe Ferraro also stopped by to recap the busy playoff weekend for Frederick County teams in five different sports (football, volleyball, soccer, cross country and field hockey) and to preview what’s ahead.

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Linganore girls soccer coach Paige Pohopin, a look at State playoffs

Heading into an incredibly busy weekend for Frederick County sports, Linganore girls soccer coach Paige Pohopin is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.

The Lancers are getting set to take on defending state champion Northern Calvert on their home field at 5 p.m. Saturday in a Class 3A state semifinal. Coach Pohopin chats with host Greg Swatek about his passion for the Linganore soccer program, why her team has advanced this far and the job being thrust into her lap at the start of the season. What has been her biggest challenge so far adapting as a varsity head coach? What does she appreciate the most about this season?

But before that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Joe Ferraro drop in to discuss the busy weekend ahead for county sports teams. There are two county field hockey teams playing in state finals for the first time in a long time, three soccer teams playing in state finals and eight county football teams playing in the playoffs, not the mention the state cross country championships.

The guys discuss all of it and share their insights on what is ahead for these teams and athletes.

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Mount St. Mary’s men's basketball's Vado Morse and coach Dan Engelstad

As Mount St. Mary’s prepares to begin its men’s basketball season next week, the team’s leading scorer last season, Vado Morse, and its coach, Dan Engelstad, are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.

First, Morse sits down with host Greg Swatek to talk about his expectations for the coming season. Morse grew up in Suitland and played high-school basketball at Bullis Academy. How nice is it to have so many family members and friends able to come watch him play in college on a regular basis? How will he raise his game to another level after averaging 14.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists and being named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year last season? Any why is he so committed to playing basketball at the Mount?

Then, Coach Engelstad comes on to talk about how much further he and the program are along this season compared to last, which was his first season on the job. What are his expectations for his team this season? How will being more experienced help the team? Last season, there was not a junior or senior on the roster? And how does he feel about the schedule, which features road games against Georgetown, Washington and Kentucky, and the rest of the NEC?

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Urbana field hockey coach A.J. Stuart, a look at the depth of Fred. Co. Volleyball

Presiding over one of her best teams ever, Urbana field hockey coach A.J. Stuart is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.

The Hawks are 14-1 after winning the Central Maryland Conference championship game last Saturday at Hood College and aiming to win their first state title. Coach Stuart explains to host Greg Swatek why she believes they have to the talent to do it and the qualities that make the team so special.

She also talks about starting the program from scratch when the school opened in 1995, her coaching mentors on staff at Urbana and her own upbringing in a competitive Baltimore household.

FNP sports writer John Cannon also drops in to chat about the depth of talent on the Frederick County volleyball scene and touch on the upcoming fall sports playoffs.

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Tuscarora boys soccer coach Todd Knepper

With his team about to play in its first Central Maryland Conference championship game, Tuscarora coach Todd Knepper is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.

Knapper shares with host Greg Swatek the significance of his team reaching the conference championship game and why it is playing its best soccer at this late stage of the season. The Titans are unbeaten in their last eight games. He also explains why the Titans will defer home playoff games if it gives them the chance to play on a turf field.

The coach also talks about growing up the son of a professional baseball player, his own soccer career and why coaching was such a natural career progression for him. His first season at Tuscarora was spent as an assistant coach for the Titans' state championship team.

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Walkersville head football coach Joe Polce on the Lions' 4-1 start

With a big showdown against Catoctin looming this week, Walkersville football coach Joe Polce is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.

The Lions are off to a 4-1 start this season with wins over Tuscarora, Liberty, Seneca Valley and Thomas Johnson and a loss to Linganore last week. Coach Polce shares his assessment of the season to date with host Greg Swatek. What is going well? What needs to get better? He also shares his feelings on the resumption of the Catoctin-Walkersville rivalry, which hadn’t been played for the last two seasons. What type of game does he expect on Friday?

Then, Frederick News-Post sports writer Joe Ferraro drops in to discuss the county football scene just past the midpoint of the season. What teams have made the biggest impressions so far? How deep is the running back position in the county? Is there a clear front-runner heading into the postseason?

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For a transcript of this podcast, click here.

Why Gov. Thomas Johnson had to pull the plug on its varsity football season

With questions swirling around the present and future of the Thomas Johnson varsity football program, coach Bobby Humphries and athletic director Mike Chavez are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.

On Monday, the school decided to pull the plug on the rest of its varsity football season, citing a lack of numbers and player safety. Humphries and Chavez explain to host Greg Swatek why that decision was made and the various factors that went into it. They also share their personal feelings about having to make a decision like that and the reaction of the players to it.

Humphries and Chavez talk about why the TJ football program has fallen so far and what it will take to get it turned around. While TJ’s junior varsity team will continue on with its season, what is the future of the varsity program?

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Longtime Middletown girls soccer coach Heather Kline on why this is her deam job

Longtime Middletown girls soccer coach Heather Kline is the guest on this week’s Final Score podcast.

Coach Kline shares with host Greg Swatek how she got her start in both soccer and coaching, and why coaching the varsity girls team at Middletown High School was always her dream job.

She talks about the ways she has changed and the adjustments she’s had to make in 28 years of coaching soccer at Middletown, and she talks about her own team, which is off to a good start at 6-1, and the parity of girls soccer in Frederick County this season. Could her Knights be the team to beat?

Plus, News-Post sports writer John Cannon stops in to discuss the high school football scene and Urbana’s high-powered volleyball team. Can the Hawks win states this season?

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Gov. Thomas Johnson boys soccer coach Jim Reigel on the Patriots' strong start

With his team off to an encouraging start this season, Gov. Thomas Johnson boys soccer coach Jim Reigel is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.

The Patriots are 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the Central Maryland Conference Spires Division so far this season. Coach Reigel chats with Greg Swatek about what he likes about his team and walking the fine line as a coach of allowing his players to be themselves while keeping them focused and on task.

Reigel also shares stories about his own playing days. He didn’t start playing the sport until he was 12 years old and went on to be a college goalkeeper. And he talks about the natural progression he made to becoming a coach.

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Transitioning former athletes into the next phase of their lives

When athletes stop playing, the transition into the next phase of their life is often uncertain and difficult. That’s where Aliya Hulse is trying to help.

Hulse, an entrepreneur and personal coach from Germantown, is attempting to start a non-profit business designed to help athletes begin the next chapter of their lives.

She chats with host Greg Swatek about the difficulties that some of these athletes face and how specifically she is trying to help. There is an upcoming event in northern Virginia that she will be apart of on September 23 designed to assist athletes on the high school, college and professional levels.

Then, News-Post sports reporter Joe Ferraro drops by to talk about the first week of the high school football season in Frederick County and touch on the local boys soccer scene.

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Urbana football coach Brad Wilson on the start of the 2019 season

As the high school football season in Frederick County gets underway, Urbana football coach Brad Wilson is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.

Wilson tells host Greg Swatek why he is so excited and optimistic about this year’s team. With 33 returning players, including 24 seniors, Wilson feels the Hawks can compete with everyone on their schedule and be significantly better than his first two seasons on the job when they went 5-15 overall.

The coach talks about the team’s significantly improved commitment in the weight room during the offseason and the advantages of having a three-year starting quarterback and five seniors starters returning on the offensive line.

Then, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops by, as he and Greg offer a synopsis of all 12 high school football teams in the county. The guys share their feelings on who the best teams will be by the end of the season.

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Catoctin Football coach Doug Williams on the 2019 season

With the start of the season less than a week away, The Final Score continues its Frederick County high school football preview with Catoctin head coach Doug Williams.

Williams is entering his 42nd year as a high school football coach and 29th as the head coach at Catoctin. He chats with host Greg Swatek about how players have changed since he started coaching and how he’s had to modify and adapt his style.

The Cougars return seven starters on both sides of the ball from a team that finished 10-2 last season and reached the Class 1A West regional final. Williams shares what he hoped his players took away from the experience and why he is so encouraged about this year’s team.

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Tuscarora football coach Vince Ahearn the 2019 season

With two weeks to go until the start of the season, the Final Score podcast continues its preview of the 2019 high school football season in Frederick County with Tuscarora coach Vince Ahearn.

Entering his fifth season as the coach of the Titans, Ahearn chats with host Greg Swatek about how he has modified the way he coaches, including an increased emphasis on rest and recovery periods for his players. He talks about making his team as versatile as possible, even at the expense of rhythm and continuity for his players at the same position. And he talks about how Tuscarora held things together through an injury-riddled 6-4 season last fall.

The Titans have a heavily recruited receiver and defensive back in Jordan Addison, who verbally committed to play at the University of Pittsburgh over the summer. They have an easily overlooked weapon in punter Ryan Barrick, who also doubles as lineman on offense and defense. What they don’t have is a proven running back, which has been a hallmark in the relatively brief history of their program.

How will this all mesh together on the field? How does Ahearn feel about the nine-game regular season?

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A look at Middletown Football with Coach Collin Delauter

The Final Score podcast continues to preview the upcoming high school football season in Frederick County with this week’s guest, Middletown coach Collin Delauter.

Practices are now underway across the county, and Coach Delauter reminisces with host Greg Swatek about the days when players were in pads on the first day. While Delauter wishes that was still the case, he understands it’s a precautionary measure to help keep the players safe. Delauter talks extensively about his concern for the dwindling numbers of players in youth football and why he feels the game is about as safe as it can be today.

He also talks about the heightened expectations swirling around his team with a three-year starter at quarterback and why his players are so good at holding themselves accountable. He talks about the pain of missing the playoffs the last two seasons with winning records and why he feels the new playoff format is beneficial for most of the teams in Frederick County.

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Oakdale grad Zach Thomas on playing pro basketball overseas

Before heading to Italy to being the next phase of his professional basketball career, Oakdale High graduate Zach Thomas stopped by The Final Score podcast to talk about his eventful last year and a half.

Thomas chats with host Greg Swatek extensively about the process of trying to establish a career in professional basketball. The all-time leading scorer for boys basketball in Frederick County talks about his successful summer league stint with the Houston Rockets that recently finished and how the opportunity in Italy came about. He also discusses what he learned from the season he spent playing in Belgium.

What have been the coolest moments of the journey so far? Who are some of the well-known people he has gotten a chance to meet or play with? How does he keep himself and his game in shape?

Plus, what does he enjoy the most about getting the chance to spend time at home in Maryland? And what did he say to the referee to receive a technical foul on his way to fouling out of his final college game at Bucknell in the NCAA tournament?

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