Damascus Is Looking to End Trend

Connor Frazier was an eighth-grader sitting in the Damascus stands on Oct. 7, 2006, and was as stunned as anyone on the field that night. The Hornets, who had never lost to Quince Orchard, blew a 21-point, third-quarter lead and fell to the Cougars, 35-28.

Six weeks later, Quince Orchard defeated Damascus in the first round of the Maryland 4A West playoffs, 54-21. Nobody from the Hornets' sideline remembered Damascus giving up that many points in a game.

The following year, Quince Orchard went back to Damascus and won, 35-0, en route to an undefeated season and its second Maryland 4A title. Last season, the Cougars overwhelmed the Hornets again, 35-3.

When Frazier steps under center Friday, he will try to help shake the rare monkey off Damascus's back. Even though the Hornets are still an elite program -- having advanced to a record 11 straight Maryland postseasons and winning three titles in that span -- they have watched Quince Orchard join them in that select group, perhaps at their expense.

Since 2006, Damascus is 0-4 against Quince Orchard, but 28-4 against everyone else. Over the same span, the Cougars have won 34 of 38.

"I was talking to a few guys here this week about how we've never beaten QO," Frazier said. "It's not like they're in our head, but I know we haven't beaten them in three years. We want to treat it like a normal game, but we all know it's a lot bigger."

It's a lot bigger because now both teams are in Class 3A. In fact, even after Quince Orchard whitewashed the Hornets in 2007, both teams eventually won state titles that season; the Cougars in 4A, Damascus in 3A.

But it's also a lot bigger because this sudden and one-sided turn of this matchup -- coupled with both teams' prolonged success -- has cultivated a pretty strong rivalry. Unlike many high school rivalries, born out of neighborhood proximity, this one has developed out of competitiveness.

"I know we've got Seneca [Valley] and Clarksburg, but this one is just as big," Frazier said. "It was just beginning when I was a freshman, but now it's as big a rivalry as any one that we have."

Damascus Coach Eric Wallich was also in the stands for that Saturday night game in 2006 and watched the Quince Orchard comeback. Wallich, a Damascus alumnus, joined the Cougars the following season as an assistant before taking over the Hornets prior to last season.

The game in 2006 "was kind of the game that put QO on the map and got things rolling for them," he said. "They've had a good run against us. Their team was better than Damascus last year. This year? I don't know."

No. 11 Quince Orchard at No. 8 Damascus Friday, 6:30 p.m.