The varsity football team ended their season with an 11-2 record after a 40-20 loss in the 3A/4A state championship against Baltimore City’s Mervo (Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School). In a game where the Warriors trailed by twenty at halftime, they stormed back to make it a 28-20 game with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, with passing touchdowns to seniors Tommy Hanrahan and Jefferson Serkfem, and a rushing touchdown by junior Frankie Saunders. However, the defense coughed up two late touchdowns, which pushed Mervo to victory. The core of the Mervo offense was their quarterback, Jaylin Solomon, who finished the game with six total touchdowns and 332 scrimmage yards, helping Mervo earn its third state title in five years.

The game marked Sherwood’s return to the state championship for the first time since 2008. In just Coach Pat Cilento’s second year back at Sherwood, his team reached the peak of high school football before falling just short. Sherwood struggled on offense in the first half, managing only 13 passing yards in the first two quarters. The offense improved in the second half, moving the ball downfield more efficiently, and the defense forced a couple of turnovers, but it was ultimately not enough as the Warriors fell in their return to the state championship.

 “We’ve got a great group of kids that set the foundation and have gotten somewhere where no other team has gotten in 17 years,” said Cilento in a postgame interview via Yahoo Sports. In their three playoff victories, Sherwood outscored its opponents by 83 points, including an upset win versus North Point in the state quarterfinals. The past two seasons have been a springboard for the Sherwood football. Cilento has his program exactly where he wants it—ready to compete for championships in the years ahead and setting a standard for the school.

The team was led by a strong senior cast this season, headlined by a bundle of multi-year starters. Defensive end and tight end Jefferson Serkfem has transformed into one of the top defensive linemen in the state. “They made me believe and buy into the program they were trying to build and how they held me to the highest standards because they knew I could be great,” Serkfem said about the coaching staff.

Other names like Adrian Hamilton, Tommy Hanrahan, Marcelo Paldeo, Jaylen Mahoney, EJ Dankwa, AJ Lopez, and others have had great impacts on the program. “The seniors showed everyone what it takes to make it to a state championship; they set the standard for the younger guys, so we can return to Navy Stadium,” said junior quarterback Matthew Larsen. He added that as more of the younger guys step up, it will put the squad in a position to win.

Naturally, with the departure of a large and impactful senior class, Sherwood will need the returning pieces to fill the void left by the seniors. Key returners next season will include Larsen, junior receiver Caleb Hollowell, junior running back Frankie Saunders, junior linebacker London Hardy, and sophomore defensive back Jayden Sellman. The Warriors have had a taste of what it’s like to be at the top, and their new standard revolves around having their last game of the season in the state championship, and this time taking home the trophy.