by Micheal Natelli ’14

After mustering up just seven points in their early loss to Gaithersburg (3-0), the Warriors (3-1) have put up a combined 70 points en route to a 3-1 record.

However, the Warriors will face would could prove to be their toughest test yet this weekend, as they take on Seneca Valley on the road.

What the Screaming Eagles have shown this year is that they’re capable of throwing a range of different offenses at opposing teams. In their season-opening win against Wheaton, the Eagles had six different players rush the ball, combining for 184 yards on the ground. But in last week’s 42-20 win against the B-CC Barons, senior quarterback Jack Hanifee threw for 194 yards and two touchdowns, completing 13 out of his 22 passing attempts

“Defensively we will try to close down all of the gaps to ensure that all players running the option are accounted for and shut down,” senior defensive captain Will Wykoff said. “As for pass defense, we will run [a lot] of stunts from the linebackers and run 3 Deep in coverage to try and put pressure on the quarterback.”

The defensive performance will prove to be critical in the game if the numbers are any indication of what the Warrior offense will see across the line of scrimmage. In their first four games, the Eagles have surrendered just 13.5 points per game, and held the Wheaton Knights (1-2) and Rams to just six and eight points, respectively.

“We trust in our offense, but realistically, this is a game where you just have to grind out points where you can get them,” said senior running back Elijah Spottswood. “We have to focus on the little things and do our jobs on every play. We’ve been able to run the ball well so far because of our size and because of the solid play by our offensive line. The key for the offense effectively will be running the ball and controlling the clock. Luckily for the Warriors, that’s arguably been their biggest strength so far. In the first three games, the Warriors have rushed for 642 yards, averaging 160.5 rushing yards per game. Spottswood leads the Warriors’ rushing game, running for 424 yards and five touchdowns through Sherwood’s first four games.

The Warriors will look to keep up their recent success this Friday as they take on their toughest opponent to date. A win would put the Warriors at 4-1 through their first five games. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 pm at Caruso Memorial Stadium.