Catoctin Football wins Class 1A Championship

Mia Ferraro
CHS Class of 22

(1/2020) The Catoctin Cougars just completed the season and another decade by taking home the very-deserved and coveted Class 1A Championship title and trophy - a reward dreamed of by the team for years, and the community since the last state victory held in 2009. Catoctin certainly knows how to cap off a new decade with spirit and undefeated efforts.

This "Team of Destiny," as described by sports announcer/analyst Doug DuVall, earned a brilliant overall record of 13-1 for 2019. The team began the season with a five-game winning streak, with a total of 228 points. After one very close defeat of only three points against Walkersville, the team remained confident and held a winning attitude. "We’ve fallen behind on one game this year - it didn’t shake us," Coach Doug Williams assured at the opening of the Class 1A Championship game, which would conclude the outstanding season with their second-ever state championship win.

The Catoctin Football team’s defense was continuously improving this year. The Cougars’ defense allowed 36 points in their first game of the season and surrendered just eight in their last game. 10 of Catoctin’s 14 opposing teams scored no more than 15 points when competing against CHS. The playoff game against Fort Hill, held on November 29, was a personal "championship game" in its own for Catoctin. The Catoctin Cougars were defeated by the Fort Hill Sentinels in 2018 with a score of 55-6. That loss encouraged the Cougars and made this year’s win extra memorable for each player and their fans. The score of their defeat has been on display in the CHS weightroom to motivate themselves all year until the first game/win of the season, when they promptly took down with all confidence and faith in themselves. Fort Hill has also competed in many previous state championships, and won their 7th state title last year. Fort Hill’s offense was very strong this season, with an average of 50.67 points per game. It took a powerful defense for Catoctin to conquer this game, and they proved successful as Catoctin won with a score of an exceptional of 41-0.

After this emotional triumph, CHS students and fans immediately joined the team and coach on the field in jubilant chaos of celebration in how far they have came, their improvement, and the opportunity to take their skills to states. While all of this occurred, one particular player presented the honorable sportsmanship that the community takes such pride in. Junior Corey Andrew (#76) left the celebration amongst his school to comfort a distraught member of the opposing team. Catoctin sports teams have always been praised for their great sportsmanlike virtue, and this selfless act accurately displays how their student athletes will go out of their way to help out a fellow athlete.

Catoctin’s victory at their home playoff game took them to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis for the Class 1A Championship game, where they would soon compete against the Dunbar Poets on December 7. Dunbar currently has 10 state titles, one of which was as recent as 2017. The Poets were widely expected to compete again this year, but Catoctin was prepared nonetheless. They have all of their fans to thank for the support they received throughout the season. Catoctin High School held a pep rally the day before the big game to display their collective appreciation for the team. The floor was open for Coach Williams to speak about how proud he was and how determined and strong the team is. The support did not stop there; fans were encouraging everyone to "help us make this house our house!" on social media. They certainly did, as the stadium was overwhelmingly packed with our community cheering on the team.

The Cougars started the championship game off strong, with junior Carson Sickeri (#28) already scoring a 29-yard touchdown that brought the score from a 3 to a 9 within only the first five minutes. By the end of the first quarter, Catoctin was already leading with 11-0. Within the first four short seconds of the second quarter, another touchdown was scored as a result of an admirable pass thrown by junior quarterback Ryan Orr (#7), and caught by senior Travis Fields (#4). This brought the score up from 11-0 to 17-0.

Not even halfway through the second quarter, junior Bronson Snurr (#18) raised the 17-point lead with another 7 points with another touchdown after an impressive interception. With 3:37 left in the first half, Dunbar scored for the first time with a 41-yard touchdown. The last touchdown was scored by Ryan Orr’s throw and Travis Fields’ catch, proving again their skills individually and as a compatible pair. Throughout the season, Travis Fields had about 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Ryan Orr finished with other 2,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.

By the end of the first half of the game, Catoctin was still leading with a 31-8, and it remained this way for the entirety of the second half. The team’s offense is what powered their success in the beginning, but the second half was all about defense. When referring to seniors Jacob Mcilvaine and Jake Baker, sports announcer/analyst and former Ravens player Wally Williams claimed, "That was their show in the second half with defense; they pretty much took Dunbar out of the game."

"This is the kind of running that is going to get your team to state playoffs here," Wally Williams praised as he watched Carson Sickeri sprint down the field. Sickeri was named Lifebridge Health player of the game, as decided by the CW broadcasting team covering the game. He was an undeniably significant pillar in this season’s victories, especially as he now holds the Frederick County record for most touchdowns (41) scored by a single player in one season. He broke that record with his 29-yard touchdown at the championship game. The record was previously held by Josh Keeney in 2002, a Middletown football team member at the time. "After our win with Fort Hill, we had so much momentum and we rolled with it into this game," Sickeri told sideline reporter Mike Popovec in response to being asked how the team was able to retrieve the same energy going into states as they had at playoffs. The "underdog," - as Sickeri calls the team - is very proud to be able to "prove to the state that we are a contender."

Ten years after Catoctin Football’s first Class 1A Championship, the team members reminisce about their elementary school experience of watching in awe while the 2009 team obtained their desired trophy in all its glory. This momentous achievement in Thurmont history contributed greatly to the sentiments of this prevail. The Thurmont and Emmitsburg community shared their bliss and welcomed the team home after a long, exciting, and physically exhausting day. Citizens gathered in the two towns as the buses and emergency vehicles paraded the team and cheerleaders around so they may be congratulated with sirens, cheers, and honks of appreciation. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Thurmont Police Department, Guardian Hose Company, Vigilant Hose Company, Graceham Volunteer Fire Department, Rocky Ridge Volunteer Fire Co., Lewistown Volunteer Fire Department and Thurmont Community Ambulance Company all offered their emergency vehicles so that this may happen. The vehicles returned to the high school at the end and was met with a giant crowd of friends and loved ones, signs, and music.

Though a number of competent players graduate this school year, many more will return next year to build another victorious season (Carson Sickeri, Ryan Orr, Bronson Snurr, and plenty of other talented players). With a confident start to the decade, the Catoctin Cougars finish just as dignified.