Sasu stars as Quince Orchard emerges

Running back finishes with 167 yards, two touchdowns

Ben Sasu arrived at Quince Orchard in 2006 as the Cougars were beginning to assert themselves as one of Montgomery County's better programs. When his senior season ends sometime in the next month, Sasu and his classmates may be able to say they were on the field as the Cougars transformed into perhaps not just the county's best program, but also one of the Washington area's elite.

Sasu rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns as No. 6 Quince Orchard beat visiting No. 18 Sherwood, 21-9, to cap a 10-0 regular season. It is the fifth straight year the Cougars have won at least 10 games -- a feat never accomplished by another Montgomery County team.

But the feat Sasu and the Cougars want most lies four weeks ahead -- the Maryland 3A title game.

"It's great," said Sasu, who was a backup on Quince Orchard's 2007 4A championship team, "but 10-0 isn't what we work for every year. We work for 14-0."

Quince Orchard has won 54 of its last 60 games, including 49 of 52 in the regular season, reached six consecutive postseasons, and Friday, beat the team that gave it both its losses last season.

"It's more about keeping up the tradition of the high expectations here," Quince Orchard Coach Dave Mencarini said. "They take a lot of pride in carrying that on."

In a matchup of the past two Maryland 4A champions, the Cougars stunned Sherwood (8-2) on the opening kickoff, which senior Kevin Adams returned 83 yards for a touchdown. He started up the middle, where Sherwood's coverage unit converged, followed the block of Pernell Brantley to the left side, and by the time he reached his 40-yard line was in the clear.

"We hit them in the mouth right away, and it took a lot out of them," Adams said. "You could see it."

Sherwood's subsequent drive ended at the Quince Orchard 6 on a failed fourth-down attempt, but a poor snap into the end zone on the next play forced the Cougars to take a safety, making it 7-2.

After Sherwood went three plays and a punt, Quince Orchard took over at its 11. Sasu ran up the middle on first down for 80 yards to the Warriors 9. He scored on the next play to make it 14-2, where things stood for the rest of the half. Sherwood's next three possessions took the Warriors inside the Quince Orchard 35, but they ended with a punt, a fumble and a missed field goal.

The Cougars put the game away late in the third quarter on a drive spurred by a 25-yard pass from Drew Murphy to Brantley and two first downs that came from Sherwood penalties. After the second of those flags, Sasu scored from 17 yards to make it 21-2.