HAGERSTOWN – Juwuane Sandridge tried to do everything humanly possible to highlight the positives.
It wasn’t easy for the South Hagerstown football coach after the Rebels’ 28-8 loss to Century on Friday in the season and home opener for both teams.
“There’s no consolation prize or anything like that … the product is a little better than we had last year,” Sandridge rationalized.
It was a “glass half empty, glass half full” kind of feeling after it was over. Only problem, the half-full glass had a hole in it.
The Rebels made too many mistakes, committed too many penalties and had far too many turnovers in a game that basically came down to ball possession. And the Knights possessed it better.
Century settled into its running game, using a variety to backs to move the ball more efficiently and effectively than the Rebels.
The most telling of the numbers South’s six turnovers – three interceptions and three fumbles – to just two for Century. The Rebels also committed 11 penalties, four more than the Knights.
“Turnovers … holdings … just things that would shoot us in the foot,” said South’s third-year coach. ‘We got to be better.”
South limped with foot wounds for most of the game.
Century led 13-0 at the half, scoring a touchdown in each of the first two quarters. It was 21-0 before South exploded for its only score at the 3:24 mark of the third quarter.
And it took something spectacular to get that.
Quarterback Braydon Ocasio, who re-entered after starting the game, hit Jameir Simms on a short pass on the right sideline. Simms busted loose – weaving through defenders across the middle of the field while directing blockers like a crossing guard – to complete a 54-yard play and score in the left corner of the end zone.
JoJo Davis ran in the conversion to make the score 20-8, which revived the Rebels for the time being.
“We came out at the half and we were moving the ball a little bit,” Sandridge said. “The whole game, we kind of hurt ourselves.
“We did show some improvements, but with five or six turnovers, we aren’t going to beat anybody.”
The spark was short-lived; three penalties and a fourth-quarter interception snuffed it out.
The miscue started Century on an 11-play, 77-yard drive that milked nearly six minutes off the fourth-quarter clock. It was capped by an 8-yard run by Parker Helmick with 2:10 remaining for the final 20-point advantage.
The loss was South’s 10th straight, spanning since the second week of the 2024 season. The Rebels’ last win came against Century in last year’s season opener.
Century started taking early control on its second possession as the Knights settled in behind their veteran offensive line.
They marched 72 yards in 10 plays, using runs and short passing. Dawson Jersey-Puga took care of the last 20 yards of the drive with runs of 7 and 13 yards, the later for the score with 2:54 left in the first quarter. William Koenig added the kick for the 7-0 lead.
South’s offense sputter between penalties and a number of bad snaps in shotgun formations.
Century’s Jacob Odelius picked off Ocasio in South territory with six minutes remaining in the first half. The Knights pounded the ball into scoring range, capping the 24-yard drive when quarterback Jacob Dexter found Joey Tumminello for a 5-yard TD pass.
After the kick failed, Century owned a 13-0 lead before halftime.
South took the second-half kickoff and moved efficiently behind the running of Davis and Keon Quarles. The drive stalled on the 10th play when Clyde Baran picked off Layden Greever, South’s second QB, with 8:14 left in the third quarter.
“They did a good job up front and we made some adjustments at halftime,” Sandridge said. “(Davis) is our best player and we tried to do everything we could to get the ball in his hands.”
After a South fumble in the third quarter, Century capitalized and scored on a 11-yard pass from Dexter to Koenig with 3:43 left in the quarter. The Knights gave Carter Wilson a tush-push escort for the conversion for the 21-0 lead before South got on the scoreboard.
From there, South had too many mistakes to complete any comeback.
Still, to the end, Sandridge held tightly to his “glass half full side.”
“I think this was more about us,” he said. “If we didn’t have those mistakes – unforced errors, you can say – I think this is a different ball game.
“Like I said I am a little more optimistic than I was this time last year. You know, I try to stay even keel. I don’t know how I’ll get in the locker room, but we have some things we can build on. We have some things we can build on.”
Other Washington County scores
Smithsburg 14, Francis Scott Key 13 – Leopards get by to give new coach David Lawrence his first victory at the school.
North Hagerstown 29, Tuscarora 14 – The Hubs scored four rushing touchdowns to roll to the win. Michael Stewart rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns and Ty’Qwell Fauntleroy added another 140 on the ground and a touchdown to lead the way.
Middletown 40, Boonsboro 7 – The Knights powered past the Warriors led by two touchdowns each by Ryan McLister and Brody Summers. Boonsboro’s score came on Jadon King’s 65-yard TD pass from quarterback Blake Main.
Williamsport 27, Brunswick 10
Clear Spring 24, Green Street 8
Berkeley Springs 38, Hancock 8
Saint Paul VI 25, Saint James 6
