by Dylan Sondike ‘24

Facing rival Blake followed by Gaithersburg, the Warriors have cooled down from their undefeated start. The Warriors now sit at 3-2 as they prepare to face highly talented teams, including Damascus and Quince Orchard, in the upcoming weeks.

“Our schedule this year is amongst the most competitive in the state of Maryland,”  explained head coach Andrew Fields. “Every team we have played has a winning record, so not a lot of room for error.”

The quarterback situation has certainly brought a lot of change this year. Fields said that junior Brendan Heyer is a great athlete and has a unique dual-threat talent that allows him to run and pass. This is a new experience for Heyer as well. Despite being on the team throughout his time in high school, Heyer previously thrived at the running back and safety position. The switch to QB has forced Heyer to put in extra work this off-season to find his identity in his new position.

“Leading the team has never been a concern,” explained Heyer. “When it comes to the pressure to perform, it’s something I think about a lot until that first kickoff. After the first kickoff, it’s pure instinct and my mind is on nothing else.”

Fields also mentioned that junior Michael Robles, and seniors Jeb Buffington, Bryce Johnson, and Alex Lacey have all stepped up largely this season. Playing both wide receiver and safety, Lacey mentioned that the team has great energy and high focus in practice. He often watches films on his opponents in depth to help prepare for the game.

The recent slow streak by the Warriors has raised some concerns as the schedule gets even more difficult. Losing to Blake in overtime was a “wake-up call” for the team, said Heyer. With that being said, Heyer realizes that the team must get their turnover issues settled, which has been key factors in their past two losses. Should the team continue their turnover woes in the season, they may be forced to make significant personnel changes.