The gap this fall is only widening, as evidenced by county results: Of the 70 games played between two Montgomery County teams before this week, 44 were decided by three touchdowns or more.
To move from the have-nots to the haves can be a difficult, nearly impossible endeavor. But Blake appears to have made the leap, with further proof coming in the Bengals’ 34-13 win over Paint Branch on Friday night in Silver Spring. The win moved the Bengals to 7-0.
“Hard work is the only explanation for this,” Blake Coach Bryon Marshall said. “In the offseason, in the weight room: Just commitment to a common goal. This is a group that wants to be great.”
Opened in 1999, Blake produced seven winning seasons before this fall. The Bengals started strong this year, opening 3-0 for the first time in school history. They kept winning, handling business against the weaker programs and toppling their tougher opponents. Then came the Panthers (3-4) on Friday, a team viewed as a power in this part of the county. Blake hadn’t beaten Paint Branch in nine years.
“We knew [Paint Branch] could be a team that might break our streak,” senior Davian Marmolejos said. “So we’ve been hyped for this game for a long time.”
The Bengals looked overeager and a bit disjointed in the first half, crippling themselves with penalties. But short rushing touchdowns from quarterback Kirby Matson and running back Denis Tebo sent them into intermission with a 14-7 lead.
The Bengals’ defense took control in the second half, producing six turnovers — one fumble and five interceptions. Marmolejos and junior Jeremiah Ford each had an interception, junior Preston Mbony snagged two and junior Zandrew Kamara came up with a pick-six in the game’s closing minutes.
With the defense wreaking havoc, Blake’s offense settled in and put together a pair of scoring drives, both of which ended in a touchdown by junior Kai Cooper. By the time Kamara returned his interception for another score, the Bengals and their fans could relax and enjoy one of the bigger wins in program history.
“Those last few minutes, that was one of the best feelings in the world,” Marmolejos said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better night.”