CLEAR SPRING, Md. – Friday night was almost biblical for the Smithsburg football team.
It was everything the Leopards could have prayed for … and more.
It started with Noah Hegbe scooping up the opening kickoff at the 20 and running straight up the middle for an 80-yard touchdown in the first 12 seconds of the game.
“Untouched,” Hegbe said. “It was like the Red Sea. It was wide open.”
It was the first of an onslaught of scores for Smithsburg, converting on six of its first seven possessions for TDs en route to 42 first-half points in what became a 56-0 victory over the Blazers on Clear Spring’s homecoming night. The entire second half was played with a running clock.
It was a night to remember for the visiting team.
With the victory, Smithsburg ran its record to 6-0, securing its first winning season since 2015, when it went 6-4.
The last time Smithsburg won more than six games was 2008, when the Leopards went 10-1.
“It has just been a lot of work,” said Smithsburg’s second-year coach David Lawrence. “First and foremost, the kids bought in what we were trying to do. The biggest thing is just getting them all together and, now, they have rung the bell.
“I’m just happy the kids, the coaches and the school can enjoy the success and hopefully we can keep it going.”
There was a lot for the Leopards to be happy about.
Running back Nicolas Roncone scored three touchdowns. Quarterback Luke Scott threw for three touchdowns. The Leopards also scored on a fake punt and forced five turnovers and took the ball over on downs five other times.
It was a rousing win for Smithsburg, but Lawrence tempered it.
“(Clear Spring) had a couple kids that were out for some reason,” Lawrence said. “And I think, for them, unfortunately, it was some of their skilled guys and some of their dynamic players. When you watch them on film, they have some really good athletes.
“Without them playing, it hurt them. It’s small school football. When you go down a player or two, it makes it really, really hard.”
Still, Smithsburg finds itself on a roll.
The Leopards have outscored their opponents 140-0 in the last 2 1/2-plus games. Smithsburg shut out Poolesville 63-0 last week after scoring the last 21 points of the Sept. 25 game with Brunswick.
The Railroaders notched that last score to make it 7-6 with 5:34 remaining second quarter of their 28-6 loss on Sept. 25.
Still, Lawrence warned the Leopards to pump the brakes after last week’s win over Poolesville.
“My biggest thing was when we came out of the Poolesville game last week, I got to remind the kids, that Clear Spring beat us the last two years,” Lawrence said.
Hegbe’s kick return was the perfect beginning to make sure it wasn’t a third straight loss to the Blazers.
“It was just great blocks by the whole team,” he said. “We practice trying to get it through the middle and when everybody fits it up, that’s how it looks.
“We’ve been waiting to get a big one this whole year. We’ve been working on it. It was going to come together eventually. Did it set the tone for the whole game right there? Yeah, definitely.”
Smithsburg’s defense started to swarm.
It started with Jack Rawlett picking off Clear Spring quarterback Wyatt Grossnickle on the Blazers’ third play from scrimmage. Roncone capped the three-play 52-yard drive with a 41-yard TD run down the right sideline with 8:57 left in the first quarter. Walker Clark kicked his second of eight extra points of the night for the 14-0 lead.
Roncone bolstered his reputation of being a bruising back with shifty moves by scoring on Smithsburg’s last two possessions of the first half on swing passes from Scott by running through and bouncing off Clear Spring defenders.
“We wanted to come out hard, set the tone,” he said. “My line was just blocking like amazing. They worked hard all year, so it’s been working out for them.
“They were perfect all night, so it’s pretty easy to run when they’re doing that well. I just let my blocks develop and then just hit it.”
Scott ended Smithsburg’s third drive by finding Marquis Weakfall with a five-yard out pass on the right hashmarks to make it 21-0 with 2:25 to go in the first quarter.
Smithsburg’s first drive of the second quarter stalled, but Zach Linn bailed the Leopards out by taking a fake punt snap and sweeping the right side for a 55-yard score to make it 28-0 with 8:40 to go in the second quarter.
Roncone was next up with his other two scores – the first on a 25-yard screen pass at the 7:43 mark, converting on the first play after Jaxon Dodson’s interception.
The second was another 25-yard pass, where he found two holes along the sideline and bolted into the end zone with :12 remaining for the 42-0 lead.
Smithsburg’s reserves played the second half and they got two touchdowns themselves.
Rawlett, now at quarterback, ran a sneak into the line and broke through for a 20-yard score in the third quarter. Cade Aaron capped the night with a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Leopards celebrated for the sixth time, but Lawrence continued to temper the situation.
“I don’t know. Everybody always says, ‘Man, you got to enjoy these wins because they’re not as easy to come by as what people think.’
“So, I guess it’s kind of like you got to enjoy it, but it’s just hard when you’re coaching. It’s always about the next game. It’s hard because we have other games on the horizon.”
Other Washington County scores
Williamsport 24, North Hagerstown 7
Musselman 24, Boonsboro 21
Washington 55, South Hagerstown 14
High school volleyball
South Hagerstown 3, Linganore 2
HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Jaliah Morgan had 21 kills, four blocks and two aces Thursday to lead South Hagerstown to a 25-19, 18-25, 19-25, 25-20, 15-10 win over Linganore.
Carson Lehman had 16 kills, seven digs and four blocks for South, while Morgan Carbaugh added nine kills and 10 digs. Aubrey Socks had 10 digs and 33 assists for the Rebels, while Reilly Foley collected 31 digs, Sofia Licorish had 11 digs and Haylee Malott finished with 10 digs.
