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2023 - MPSSAA Playoffs (3A West First Round)
Varsity: Oakdale 57, North Hagerstown 12
The host and No. 1-seeded Bears (10-0) scored at will and put away the No. 8 Hubs (3-7) early, building leads of 27-0 after one quarter and 50-6 at halftime.
Oakdale quarterback Evan Austin (Charlotte commit) threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more. His scoring passes went for 14 yards to Shaun Wright, 13 yards to Dom Nichols (Michigan commit) and 17 yards to Hunter Thompson (Ohio commit). His scoring runs covered 3 and 33 yards. Jamie McCathran and Cole Swinimer each ran for a 4-yard score and Riley Harich added a 16-yard TD run for the Bears.
North's points came on Luke Kercheval's 21-yard TD pass to sophomore Xavier Colbert early in the second quarter and fellow sophomore James Jackson's 63-yard TD run at the end of the third quarter.
Jackson finished with 116 yards rushing on 11 carries, while senior Luke Bragunier added 60 yards on 15 carries to go over 1,000 yards for the season.
2023 - WEEK #9
Varsity: South Hagerstown 28, North Hagerstown 6
Rebels senior quarterback Lance Ford rushed for 117 yards and a career-high three touchdowns and passed for 151 yards and another score, leading South (5-4) over host North (3-6) in the annual Hub City Gridiron Classic.
Ford also set the school record for single-season passing yards (1,576) while extending his own school mark for single-season TD passes to 17 and matching the school record for career TD passes at 33.
“Lance is our heartbeat,” South coach Juwuane Sandridge said. “We’ve been going as he goes for four years. He’s a four-year starter for us. I’m just happy that he ended this Gridiron Classic with a win. That’s a memory he can always have, and not just him, all of our seniors.”
South’s third straight win over the Hubs capped a regular season that was anything but regular. The Rebels had to forfeit their season-opening win over Century due to an ineligible player and, after their second game, Sandridge took over as interim head coach to replace Dave Lawrence, who resigned.
“A ton of emotions right now,” said Sandridge as his players celebrated with the Gridiron Classic trophy. “I’m just happy for these guys, proud of these guys. No matter what was being said about them, no matter what was being done to them, they stayed focused and kept fighting to the end.
“This was a monumental win, but I’m more excited and proud of the persistence that they’ve shown in the last nine weeks. And that’s why I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity to be their head coach. It’s a little bit bigger than football.”
South went up 7-0 with 9:12 left in the first half on a 5-yard touchdown run by Ford, followed by Nathan Myers’ first of four extra-point kicks. Ford scored on another 5-yard run to give the Rebels a 14-0 halftime lead.
Luke Bragunier, who led North with 168 yards rushing on 33 carries, ran for a 7-yard TD with 6:02 remaining in the third quarter to cut the score to 14-6.
South answered a little over two minutes later on a 2-yard TD run by Ford to up the lead to 21-6. With 7:43 left in the game, Ford connected with Rayden Lansdowne for a 14-yard score to make it 28-6.
Brayden Sisk led the Rebels' defense with 14 tackles and an interception.
“We’re lights-out when it comes to defense,” Sandridge said. “They keep us in a lot of games, and they win us a lot of games. It’s almost that bend-but-not-break mentality, and then it’s our job to put up some points.”
Aiden Clark had 17 tackles and a fumble recovery for North.
JV: North Hagerstown 18, South Hagerstown 16
With the game tied at 16 late in the fourth quarter, reserve outside linebacker Bryant Noubissie forced a safety on the South quarterback to give the JV Hubs an 18-16 victory over their cross-town rivals at School Stadium.
Tai Gilliam had 109 yards on 22 carries and tossed a TD, while QB Colt Butts passed for 51 yards and threw for a score. Kaden Hewlin and Ronnie Savage each had a TD catch in the victory.
Ben Distefano led the defense with 12 tackles and three TFLs. Joseph Cornwall also forced a safety in the first half and had six tackles and three TFLs for North.
The JV Hubs finish with an (8-1) overall record and 4-0 vs. Washington County teams.
2023 - WEEK #8
Varsity: Boonsboro 42, North Hagerstown 13
JV: North Hagerstown 14, Boonsboro 0
2023 - WEEK #7
Varsity: Brunswick 48, North Hagerstown 14
After racking up 114 points during a two-game win streak, the Hubs’ high-scoring run came to a halt at Brunswick.
Ethan Houck had three touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Railroaders improved to 6-1.
North (3-4) trailed 19-0 at the end of the first quarter, but got back into the game in the second.
“Just momentum, man. I’m thankful for (Kercheval) and thankful for our O-line,” said Johnston, who had TD receptions of 68 and 28 yards in the first quarter and then scoring catches of 25, 28, 85 and 22 yards in the second quarter.
“I found space, and he just connected with me.”
Kercheval said: “It’s just all about the O-line, the five guys up front, and the chemistry between us two. We’ve been together for years, and it just works that way. I know where he’s going to be at, and he knows where I’m looking. It’s just how it is.”
Two minutes into the third quarter, Kercheval threw to Aiden Clark for a 3-yard score to set the Washington County single-game record for TD passes at seven, while upping North’s lead to 63-28 to start the running clock.
The record-breaking performances had been on the two Hubs’ to-do list.
“It’s been a goal of mine since high school,” Johnston said. “I’ve always wanted that, and I’m very proud of him because he’s wanted the county record for so long. Those are goals we made at the beginning of the season.”
“The best thing with those guys is that it’s not just their athleticism,” North coach Greg Stains said. “They’re both 4.0 students, Ryder’s like a 4.4. They’re smart, they’re good kids. You want them to be successful. It’s a thrill to coach kids like that. I know what they’re going to give me in the locker room with their leadership. I love those two guys.”
Kercheval — who completed 19 of 24 passes for 425 yards — also scored on a 1-yard run.
Luke Bragunier — who rushed for a game-high 102 yards on 26 carries — had a 1-yard TD run and a two-point-conversion run for the Hubs, who got their final TD on a 17-yard run by Javoun Frith early in the fourth quarter. North kicker Diego Gonzalez-Escamilla went 8-for-9 on extra-point kicks.
Williamsport’s Nolan Raley had four TD passes in the first half, with scoring strikes of 50 yards to Corry Nelson, 74 to Ceonta Wilmore, 62 to Masiah Martin and 48 to David Grayton, as the game was a shootout before the Hubs pulled away.
Raley also passed to Wilmore and Nelson for two-point conversions.
With a minute left in the game, the Wildcats’ Blake Delauter scored on a 4-yard run for the final points of the night.
JV: North Hagerstown 38, Williamsport 24
Freshman Ronnie Savage had 175 total yards and scored five touchdowns to lead the JV Hubs to a 38-24 victory over Williamsport. Savage had three rushing touchdowns, a receiving touchdown and a 65-yard punt return TD.
Michael Stewart had 102 total yards and a touchdown, while Tai Gilliam rushed for 67 yards on 16 carries and had a touchdown pass in the victory.
Ben Distefano led the defense with 12 tackles and two TFLs, Toni Abonge had 10 tackles, Kaden Hewlin and Blake Custer had nine tackles each. Marquise Dutton and Tayjon Taylor added eight tackles each and Joseph Cornwall had six tackles and three TFLs for North.
The JV Hubs improve to (5-1) and will face Brunswick next Wednesday at Callas Stadium.
2023 - WEEK #5
North Hagerstown 44, Smithsburg 24
Once the Hubs (2-3) got their offense going, it was lights out for the Leopards (2-3) at Callas Stadium.
Luke Kercheval completed 13 of 18 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns, ran for a TD and a pair of two-point conversions, and North erased a 16-7 third-quarter deficit with four touchdowns in an eight-minute span bridging the third and fourth quarters.
"They got a little confidence in themselves and started moving their feet," Hubs coach Greg Stains said. "They gave better protection to Kercheval so he could throw the ball. That was key, giving him time to throw."
North's decisive eight-minute scoring spree included:
- Kercheval's scramble for a 3-yard score to cut Smithsburg's lead to 16-14 with 5:37 left in the third quarter.
- Kercheval's 5-yard TD pass to Brice Metuge, which came after the Hubs recovered a muffed kickoff and gave North a 20-16 lead with just over four minutes left in the quarter. Kercheval then recovered a fumble on the conversion attempt and found daylight to score the two points and make it 22-16.
- Kercheval's 27-yard scoring strike to Khalil Peggues up the sideline with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Kercheval ran in the conversion for a 30-16 lead.
- Javoun Frith's 1-yard TD run with 9:54 left in the fourth quarter, making it 37-16. Amauri Murray's interception at the end of the third quarter gave North the ball, and a 49-yard pass from Kercheval to Ryder Johnston put the Hubs at the goal line. Johnston finished with five catches for 158 yards.
"We didn't make any adjustments. We just told them they had to do their jobs the way they'd been taught," Stains said. "They did, and it's good to see."
Kercheval threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Luke Bragunier in the first quarter, and his final touchdown came on a 16-yard fourth-down play to Johnston late in the game.
Zac Smith threw a 34-yard TD pass to Ayden Weakfall, and Ashton Redman's conversion gave Smithsburg an 8-7 lead in the second quarter. Redman's 1-yard score and conversion gave the Leopards a 16-7 lead in the third quarter.
Smithsburg's final score came on backup quarterback Carter Nesbitt's 44-yard pass to Weakfall, who broke tackles on his way to the end zone for his second TD.
Bragunier rushed for 101 yards for North. James Jackson and Amauri Murray each had an interception and Diego Gonzalez recovered a fumble.
JV: North Hagerstown 37, Smithsburg 6
Six different North players scored touchdowns in the JV Hubs 37-6 victory over Smithsburg on Wednesday evening at Callas Stadium.
Michael Stewart (7-88 rushing), Tai Gilliam (5-73 rushing), Chris Benford (2-36 rushing) and Ben Distefano each ran for a touchdown, while Ronnie Savage (four receptions) caught a Colt Butts (6-for-6 passing) pass for a score and Julius Rowe had a spectacular one-handed interception, which he returned 31 yards for a TD. Garett Forrest kicked a PAT for North.
Distefano led the defense with nine tackles, two sacks and two TFLs, Blake Custer and Tayjon Taylor had five tackles and a sack, Forrest had two TFLs and Eligh Zimmerman added a sack and a TFL in the win.
The JV Hubs improve to (4-1) and will travel to Williamsport next Wednesday.
2023 - WEEK #4
Varsity: Spring Mills 54, North Hagerstown 6
The host Cardinals (4-1) had a 14-0 lead over the Hubs (1-3) after the first quarter and added 20 more points in the second quarter for a 34-0 halftime advantage, coasting to the victory from there.
North's score came in the fourth quarter on a 24-yard TD pass from Luke Kercheval to Ryder Johnston.
JV: Spring Mills 36, North Hagerstown 0
The JV Hubs dropped their first game of the season as the Spring Mills JV Cardinals were too much in a 36-0 defeat.
Tai Gilliam led the North offense with 64 rushing yards, while Ronnie Savage led the defense with two interceptions and Ben Distefano, Jamarie Bannis and Cameron Stottlemyer each recovered a fumble in the loss.
The North JVs fall to (3-1) on the season and will face Smithsburg next Wednesday.
2023 - WEEK #3
Varsity: Thomas Johnson 42, North Hagerstown 6
After Luke Bragunier's five-yard touchdown run cut the Hubs' deficit to 7-6 early in the second quarter, the Patriots (2-1) scored 35 unanswered points.
North (1-2) trailed 21-6 at halftime and 34-6 at the end of the third quarter.
A.J. Allen led TJ, passing for 126 yards and two touchdowns and running for 132 yards and three TDs.
For the Hubs, Bragunier ran for 132 yards on 29 carries, Luke Kercheval completed 11 of 22 passes for 159 yards with an interception, and Ryder Johnston caught four passes for 80 yards.
JV: North Hagerstown 26, Thomas Johnson 8
Sophomore running back Tai Gilliam had 176 rushing yards with a TD and made six tackles to lead the JV Hubs to a 26-8 victory over Thomas Johnson.
Freshman Michael Stewart chipped in with 79 yards on the ground with a TD run, while sophomore fullback Blake Custer and freshman QB Colt Butts added a TD run each. Garett Forrest had a two-point conversion catch from Butts.
Marquise Dutton led the defense with eight tackles, freshman Ronnie Savage had seven tackles and Ben Distefano had six tackles and an interception. Custer also had an interception in the victory.
The JV Hubs stay perfect with a (3-0) record and will take on Spring Mills on Monday at Callas Stadium.
2023 - WEEK #2
Varsity: Manchester Valley 24, North Hagerstown 21
The Mavericks (1-1) took a 17-15 lead with a field goal early in the fourth quarter, and a touchdown with 3:18 to play provided enough insurance to defeat the host Hubs (1-1).
North trailed 14-0 after the first quarter but rallied to take a 15-14 lead on a pair of Luke Kercheval touchdown passes, a 30-yarder to Khalil Peggues in the second quarter and a 34-yarder to Ryder Johnston in the third. Luke Bragunier ran in a conversion after the first TD.
The Kercheval-to-Johnston connection struck again seconds after Manchester Valley's final score, hooking up on a 60-yard scoring pass with 3:08 left to cut a 24-15 deficit down to three.
Kercheval threw for 238 yards, Johnston made eight catches for 136 yards, and Peggues caught five passes for 95 yards.
JV: North Hagerstown 22, Manchester Valley 0
Tai Gilliam was as hot as the 90+ degree weather as he rushed for 115 yards with a touchdown and a two-point conversion to lead the JV Hubs to a 22-0 shutout victory at Manchester Valley on Wednesday evening.
Freshman Michael Stewart added 65 yards on the ground with a TD run and sophomore fullback Blake Custer plowed his way into the end zone for another North TD. Garett Forrest was 2-for-2 on extra point kicks.
Ben Distefano led the stingy North defense with six tackles, while Custer, Forrest and Kaden Hewlin had five tackles each. Stewart and Chris Benford each had an interception and Gavan Hopkins had two TFLs in the win.
The JV Hubs have not allowed a point on defense and move to a perfect (2-0) on the season.
2023 - WEEK #1
Varsity: North Hagerstown 38, Tuscarora 27
Luke Kercheval threw for three touchdowns, two to Ryder Johnston, and ran for another, and the Hubs got a pair of second-half scores from Luke Frazee to put away the Titans on the road.
Kercheval threw scoring strikes of 18 and 50 yards to Johnston and 50 yards to Khalil Peggues in the first half. His 1-yard keeper gave North a 25-20 halftime lead.
Frazee scored on a 3-yard run in the third quarter and a 1-yard run early in the fourth to extend the lead to 38-20.
Kercheval was 11 of 14 passing for 190 yards with no interceptions, while Johnston had five catches for 96 yards and Peggues had three receptions for 86 yards. Luke Bragunier led the Hubs with 119 yards rushing on 19 carries, while Frazee ran for 113 yards on 21 carries.
JV: North Hagerstown 2, Tuscarora 0
A Tuscarora player stepped out of the back of the end zone midway through second quarter for a safety which held up as the game's only score in a defensive slugfest which mirrored a game from the early 20th century.
Blake Custer led the strong JV Hub defense with nine tackles, Tayjon Taylor had seven tackles, two TFLs, with a sack and Kaden Hewlin added six tackles. Syd Smith had a fumble recovery and Marquise Dutton added a sack and a TFL in the win.
Colt Butts was 5-for-8 passing with 66 yards, Ronnie Savage had 53 receiving yards and Michael Stewart had 53 rushing yards to lead the offense.
The JV Hubs improve to (1-0) and will be right back in action on Wednesday evening at Manchester Valley.
2023 North Hagerstown Hubs
2023 North Hagerstown JV Hubs
2022 Season
Varsity Week #11: MD 3A West First Round
Oakdale 53, North Hagerstown 0
Déjà vu became Déjà eww for the Hubs.
It started with Hunter Thompson’s 88-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff and ended with a resounding thud as Oakdale blanked North.
Thompson’s opening kick return revisited North’s opening kick to South Hagerstown in last week’s season finale. Teriq Morris scampered 90 yards to give the Rebels an early 7-0 lead in the first 19 seconds of the game to start a 28-0 victory for the city championship.
Thompson’s return took only 13 seconds to start the No. 3-seeded Bears (7-3) on their way to surpassing South’s point total just a minute into the second quarter.
Thompson, Rory Blanchard and Shaun Wright scored two touchdowns each in the first half to move the Bears to a 46-0 halftime lead. Blanchard also added a 27-yard field goal.
The Bears scored on a kickoff, punt and interception returns, two rushes and a pass play in the first half.
The No. 6 Hubs mounted two threats to score — one in each half — but failed on fourth-down plays in the red zone.
North played without leading rusher Zach Moore, who was out with an injury and dressed in street clothes. By the end of the first half, the Hubs had only one healthy running back.
After Thompson’s game-opening score, Blanchard added a 22-yard touchdown run at 10:18 of the first quarter on Oakdale’s very first play from scrimmage. The Bears benefitted on a short North punt out of the end zone.
North came close to cutting the deficit in half, driving down to the Oakdale 3. Quarterback Luke Kercheval was stopped for a 2-yard loss on a fourth-and-goal play.
Blanchard hit the field goal with 1:31 remaining in the quarter before Wright intercepted a tipped Kercheval pass and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown and a 25-0 lead 17 seconds later.
Thompson returned a punt to open the second quarter, followed by quarterback Evan Austin finding Wright wide open for a 46-yard touchdown pass. Blanchard scored on 24-yard draw play to put the Bears up 46-0 with 6:10 remaining in the half.
Oakdale capped the game with a 22-yard run by DJ Moore with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter as the second half was played with a running clock because North was down by more than 35 points.
The Bears advanced to face second-seeded Frederick next week in the second round. The Cadets defeated South Hagerstown.
Kercheval hit on 18 of 34 passes for 202 yards, but was harassed and sacked throughout the game. Ryder Johnston caught 12 passes for 130 yards, while the Hubs were held to minus-23 yards rushing.
Johnston’s 12 catches rank second for a single game in school history and third all-time in Washington County.
Varsity - Week #10
South Hagerstown 28, North Hagerstown 0
Teriq Morris had the first word and the last word for South Hagerstown.
And that was all that needed to be said.
The stealth-like receiver broke a pair of big plays to score the first and final touchdowns of the game as the Rebels claimed a resounding victory to repeat as city champions and keep the Gridiron Classic Trophy on South Potomac Street for another year.
South Hagerstown's Teriq Morris breaks loose from North Hagerstown's Ghehori Echols during the Rebels' 28-0 victory at School Stadium on Oct. 28, 2022.
It was nothing but a party when the Rebels were presented with the hardware by Hagerstown Mayor Emily Keller after the game.
South (3-6) took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, using three big plays to make the early statement. Morris’ late TD completed the shutout.
It took just 19 seconds for South to take the lead as Morris fielded a bouncing kick at the 10 and broke through two waves of North’s coverage — starting with a spin move to elude the first — before heading down the right sideline for 90 yards and a 7-0 lead.
“I had to work,” Morris said. “I had to push (a tackler) away. He almost got me.”
South Hagerstown quarterback Lance Ford tries to get by North Hagerstown's Fletcher Lewis during the Rebels' 28-0 victory at School Stadium on Oct. 28, 2022.
The Rebels doubled the lead after it seemingly looked like they were pinned in their half of the field. But on the second play of the drive, quarterback Lance Ford ran a keeper sweep to the right and beat the Hubs’ defense to the edge for an 81-yard TD run and a 14-0 lead with 5:31 left in the quarter.
The third big play came on a muffed punt snap by the Hubs (3-6, giving South a short field. The Rebels grinded out a touchdown, capped by a 1-yard burst by Sean Eisenhower to complete the 21-point first period.
North Hagerstown quarterback Luke Kercheval tries to get away from South Hagerstown's Jonathan Tano.
North tried to battle back but was plagued by ineffective running and a number of dropped passes before South picked off three Luke Kercheval passes.
North Hagerstown's Ilya Siamashka races ahead of South Hagerstown's Hunter Finkenbinder during a kick return.
The score remained 21-0 until Morris’ next dynamic play with 5:09 remaining in the game.
The Rebels, who began to run exclusively to milk the clock, called Morris’ number with a jet sweep to the right side. The Hubs met him on the edge and corralled Morris, who again escaped with a spin move. After backpedaling, he broke left and outran the Hubs to the end zone for a 46-yard score and the final points.
“You can never give up,” he said. “This is a great way to end (the regular) season.”
The South Hagerstown Rebels are joined by Hagerstown Mayor Emily Keller (86) as they celebrate with the Gridiron Classic Trophy after beating rival North Hagerstown 28-0 on Oct. 28, 2022.
Ford completed 8 of 11 passes for 87 yards and also led South in rushing with 94 yards on nine carries. Damon Breland had four catches for 38 yards for the Rebels, while Eisenhower led the defense with 12 tackles.
For North, Kercheval completed 7 of 23 for 70 yards, Van Spence ran for a team-high 69 yards on 14 carries, Ryder Johnston had four catches for 40 yards and Damean Thomas had 10 tackles.
Varsity - Week #8
Spring Mills 29, North Hagerstown 15
Max Anderson was too much for the host Hubs to handle.
The Cardinals’ quarterback ran for 197 yards and three touchdowns, passed for 75 yards and another TD and also scored a two-point conversion.
North (3-5) twice held leads in the first half. Luke Kercheval’s 64-yard TD pass to Ryder Johnston gave the Hubs a 7-0 advantage with 5:45 left in the opening quarter.
North Hagerstown's Zach Moore tries to escape a tackle during the Hubs' 29-15 loss to Spring Mills at Callas Stadium on Oct. 20, 2022.
After Spring Mills (3-5) tied the game on a 4-yard TD run by Anderson, North went up 15-7 with 4:47 remaining in the second quarter as Zach Moore scored on a 2-yard run and Ty’Quan Lloyd recovered a fumble in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
It was a 15-15 game at halftime after Anderson scored on a 44-yard run and then ran for the conversion.
The Cardinals controlled the second half with 18:19 in time of possession, compared to North’s 5:41.
They went up 22-15 with 1:41 left in the third quarter on Anderson’s 3-yard TD pass to Tyree Ramsey.
Anderson capped the scoring with a 4-yard TD run with 2:49 remaining in the game.
For North, Kercheval completed 10 of 16 passes for 177 yards, Moore caught three passes for 28 yards, Johnston had two catches for 74 yards, and Carter Conroy led the defense with 12 tackles (11 solo), while Diu Mbeli had 10 tackles (eight solo) and a pair of sacks.
Varsity - Week #7
Boonsboro 35, North Hagerstown 14
Luke Churchey rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns, Wyatt Jervis ran for 120 yards and a score and Matt Summers had a TD pass and a TD run as the Warriors improved to 4-3 with a win over the Hubs on Saturday at Mike Callas Stadium.
After North tied the game 14-14 midway through the third quarter, it was all Boonsboro the rest of the way.
Churchey scored on an 8-yard run as the Warriors reclaimed the lead, 21-14, with 3:10 left in the third.
Summers scored on a 2-yard keeper with 9:39 remaining in the game to make it 28-14.
Less than three minutes later, Jervis capped the scoring with a 5-yard TD run, two plays after his 73-yard run gave Boonsboro a first-and-goal at the 7.
The Warriors got on the board first, taking a 7-0 lead on Churchey’s 9-yard TD run with 7:33 left in the opening period.
On the first play of the second quarter, the Hubs cut it to 7-6 on a 10-yard TD run by Ilya Siamashka.
With two seconds left in the first half, Summers connected with Chance Haga for an 11-yard score, giving Boonsboro a 14-6 lead at the break. That play was set up by Summers’ 34-yard completion to Jervis.
North tied it at 14-14 with 6:27 left in the third quarter on a 1-yard TD run by Zach Moore, followed by Siamashka’s successful run for the two-point conversion.
Owen Hardy went 5-for-5 in extra-point kicks for the Warriors.
Brayden DeWaal picked off two passes for Boonsboro, while teammate Mason Murphy also had an interception. The Warriors also recovered two North fumbles.
For North, Luke Kercheval completed nine passes for 140 yards, while Moore ran for 63 yards on 15 carries and caught two passes for 45 yards.
-by Andy Mason, Herald-Mail
Varsity - Week #6
North Hagerstown 13, Williamsport 12 (2OT)
In front of their homecoming crowd at Callas Stadium on Friday night, the Hubs (3-3) outlasted the Wildcats (4-2) in double overtime after the game was tied 6-6 at the end of regulation.
After each team failed to score on first-and-goal from the 10-yard line in the first overtime period, Williamsport got the ball first in 2OT and took its first lead of the night, 12-6, on a 5-yard touchdown run by Cayden Palamar.
North stopped the Wildcats’ attempt at a two-point conversion, and then tied the game on the next play as quarterback Luke Kercheval connected with Mahamane Toure in the end zone for a 10-yard TD.
Ethan Stevens then delivered the walk-off kick, drilling his extra-point attempt through the uprights for the victory.
The Hubs went up 6-0 in the second quarter on a 5-yard TD run by Zach Moore.
Williamsport tied it in the third quarter on a 68-yard TD run by Cole Rourke, who finished with a game-high 146 yards rushing on 25 carries.
Kercheval led North's offense, completing 20 of 36 passes for 242 yards. The 20 completions are the third most in a single game in school history, while the 242 yards rank seventh all-time.
Serge Kwezituka caught four passes for 82 yards to lead the Hubs' receivers.
John Robinson led North's defense with 12 tackles (nine solo) and an interception.
Midway through the first quarter, Wildcats QB Eli Fleming left the game with an apparent injury after being sacked by Austin Shaw. Corry Nelson took the snaps the rest of the night, completing 6 of 15 passes for 73 yards with an interception.
Ceonta Wilmore had three catches for 52 yards for Williamsport.
Varsity - Week #5
James Wood 22, North Hagerstown 6
Opportunity knocked. James Wood answered.
The Colonels took advantage of fortunate field position, scoring three times on short drives, to turn back the Hubs on Saturday at Callas Stadium. It was their first win of the season.
Quarterback Jared Neal threw for two touchdowns and Elijah Richards scored on a short run to give James Wood (1-4) a 22-0 lead.
North (2-3), dealing with personnel changes on the front line, had problems moving the ball consistently against the Colonels defense. The Hubs were held to many short-yardage gains to go with a number of negative plays.
After a scoreless first quarter, James Wood took the lead with 8:57 remaining in the half on Neal’s 6-yard scoring strike to Michael Jackson in the back of the end zone. The Colonels passed for the conversion to take an 8-0 lead.
Neal then found Justin Gwinner over the middle for a 30-yard, pass-and-run TD at 1:14 before halftime for a 15-0 lead at the intermission.
A bad punt in the third quarter set James Wood on North’s doorstep, setting up Richards’ 6-yard score for a 22-0 lead at the 5:19 mark.
North continued to struggle to move the ball until quarterback Luke Kercheval hit Ryder Johnston over the middle for a 72-yard touchdown play with 2:11 left in the game. The extra point was blocked, sealing the 22-6 final.
JV - Week #5 vs James Wood
Jackson, Butts lead JV Hubs past James Wood, 26-14
September 27, 2022---North Hagerstown Freshman running back James Jackson ran for 277 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns, while sophomore fullback J.J. Butts ran for 100 yards on eight carries and a TD to lead the JV Hubs to 26-14 victory over James Wood on Tuesday evening in Winchester.
The JV Colonels had no answer for Jackson as he found the end zone twice in the first half on scoring runs of 13 and 57 yards to give the JV Hubs a 13-0 lead at the half.
James Wood got on the board in the third quarter with a 83-yard interception return, cutting the lead to 13-6.
Butts answered right back with a 20-yard scamper pushing the lead back to a two-score game.
The Virginia squad scored again on a 35-yard run and also converted the two-point conversion to trim the lead to six points, 20-14.
Jackson and Butts closed the door on the Colonels with solid runs while chewing up the clock. Sophomore quarterback Logan Hoffman put the final nail in the James Wood coffin by icing the game with a one-yard plunge on a QB sneak.
Javoun Frith led the defense with five tackles, while Xavier Colbert and Julius Rowe each added an interception in the win.
The 277 rushing yards accumulated by Jackson is the second-most in a JV contest in school history. Only T.J. Harris had more rushing yards in a single- game---rushing for 301 yards in 2014 vs Boonsboro.
The JV Hubs improve to (3-2) and will have a week off before traveling to Boonsboro on October 12.
Varsity - Week #4
North miscues help Jefferson to 42-6 victory
September 23, 2022----The Jefferson Cougars capitalized on two North Hagerstown turnovers to score 21 points in a three-minute, 24-second stretch of the second quarter to race to a 42-6 victory on Friday evening in Shenandoah Junction.
The Cougars got on the scoreboard on their second possession of the game at the 7:03 mark of the first quarter with a four play, 45-yard drive, capped by a 19-yard run. The PAT made it 7-0.
The Hubs and Cougars played even over the next 14 minutes until a Jefferson defender picked off North quarterback Luke Kercheval, giving the West Virginia squad the ball at the Hubs 42-yard line.
Jefferson only needed one minute and 35 seconds to find the end zone after the North turnover. The Cougars found the end zone from seven yards out on a well-executed jet-sweep play and a successful extra-point attempt for a 14-0 lead.
On North’s second play of the ensuing possession, Kercheval mishandled the exchange with running back Zach Moore and the Cougars pounced on the fumble at the Hubs 26-yard line. After a holding penalty Jefferson added to their lead with a 35-yard TD strike through the air for a 21-0 advantage.
More issues with the snap on first and second down backed up the Hubs inside their own three-yard line. A minimal gain on third down forced North to punt from their own end zone with just over a minute to play in the half. Jefferson found the end zone in one play—a 42-yard TD pass.
North senior Ilya Siamashka returned the Jefferson kickoff 54 yards to give the Hubs the ball on the Cougar 35-yard line with 42 seconds left in the half.
Kercheval opened the drive by hitting Carter Conroy in the flat for a 16-yard pickup. After an incompletion the Hubs junior signal-caller connected with wide receiver Mahamane Toure for his first career TD catch—a 19-yard scoring strike—putting North on the board with 18 seconds left.
The Cougars blocked Ethan Stevens extra-point attempt, but the Hubs managed to cut the lead to 28-6 heading into halftime.
The visiting Hubs were plagued by more turnovers to start the second half and couldn’t manage to cut into the Jefferson lead. A fumble and an interception halted to promising North drives. The interception gave Jefferson the ball on the North 44-yard line.
Only 56 seconds later the Cougars connected on a 51-yard scoring pass to dash any North hopes of a comeback.
The Hubs continued to go backwards on offense with bad snaps and fumbles, forcing back-up punter Gavin Landerman to punt from his own end zone. Landerman managed to punt out to the 31-yard line, but the Cougars set up shop in excellent field position looking for one more score.
Up 29 points with just under six minutes left, Jefferson once again went to the air for their fourth TD pass of the night with a 17-yard aerial hook-up. The Cougar kicker split the uprights to make the final score, 42-6.
Jefferson capitalized on North’s generous field position by scoring on all six drives they started in Hubs territory. The visiting Hubs defense held the Cougars scoreless on all five possessions they started in their own side of the field.
Kercheval was 9-of-19 passing for 99 yards and a TD, while the Cougars were the first team to hold senior running back Zach Moore in check. Moore carried the ball 22 times for 46 yards and caught five passes for 31 yards.
Senior Louie Lee led the North defense with eight tackles (three solo) and a tackle for loss, while Ryder Johnston had seven tackles (six solo) and Fletcher Lewis and Jesse Eppard finished with six tackles each.
Lewis was carted off the field in the second quarter with an apparent head injury when he lost consciousness after colliding with teammate Austin Shaw on a tackle. The Hubs senior was taken by ambulance to Jefferson Medical Center and was later released.
With the loss the Hubs fall to (2-2) on the season and will come home to face James Wood (0-4) at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 1st.
JV - Game #4
Second quarter dooms JV Hubs in 24-0 loss to Jefferson
September 21, 2022----Wednesday’s second quarter turned into a ten-minute nightmare for the JV Hubs football team. Jefferson outscored North, 24-0, in the second frame en route to victory.
The JV Cougars scored three touchdowns, forced a safety and held North to -23 yards of offense during their dominate second quarter.
North played better in the second half but couldn’t cut into the Cougars lead as the halftime score held up.
Freshman running back James Jackson led North for the fourth straight game with 84 total yards, fellow freshman RB Ty Fauntleroy had 40 total yards, while sophomore QB Logan Hoffman had 54 passing yards.
Three freshmen also led the JV Hubs defense on Wednesday as ninth graders Julius Rowe (nine tackles), Travis Correia (eight tackles, 2½ sacks) and Garett Forrest (seven tackles, ½ sack) led the way.
The JV Hubs fall to (2-2) and will make their first road trip of the season on Tuesday with a trek to Winchester, Virginia to face the James Wood JV Colonels for a 6:00 PM kickoff.
Varsity - Week #3
North Hagerstown 26, Tuscarora 15
September 16, 2022----Van Spence's 67-yard punt-return TD gave the Hubs (2-1) a 20-9 lead late in the second quarter, and North defeated the Titans (0-3) on the road.
Zach Moore ran for a 1-yard score and a conversion to give the Hubs an 8-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Tuscarora took a 9-8 lead on a 14-yard scoring pass from Jack Urschel to Graeden Kish with 7:49 left in the second quarter. North answered with a pair of TDs before the break — a 1-yard keeper by quarterback Luke Kercheval and then Spence's big return. Aiden Clark closed the half with an interception to halt a Titans drive.
Kercheval's 22-yard TD pass to Ryder Johnston gave the Hubs a 26-9 lead with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter.
The Hubs junior signal caller finished 10-of-15 passing for 113 yards, Moore ran for 102 yards on 24 carries and Johnston had a career-high seven catches for 97 yards.
Senior Louie Lee led the North defense with 13 tackles (seven solo), two fumble recoveries and two TFLs, while Mac Stiffler, Drew Custer and John Robinson finished with nine tackles each.
JV - Week #3
JV Hubs grind past Tuscarora, 20-12
September 14, 2022----The North Hagerstown JV Hubs used a ball control offense and a lock down defense in the fourth quarter to propel them to an exciting 20-12 victory over Tuscarora on Wednesday afternoon.
The JV Hubs took a 13-12 lead into the fourth quarter after halting a long Tuscarora drive by forcing a Titan fumble.
Freshman Garett Forrest pounced on his second fumble recovery of the game to give the ball back to North at their own 22-yard line to start the final quarter.
Four plays later sophomore Amauri Murray scampered 64 yards to the end zone for the score and Sergio Melendez booted the extra point for an eight-point North lead.
On the ensuing drive the Titans picked up a quick 11-yard gain on first down, but the North defense buckled down and held Tuscarora to an incompletion and two straight plays for negative one yard.
On fourth down the Titans lined up to punt, but freshman James Jackson snuffed it out and dropped the Tuscarora punter turned runner for a three-yard loss---giving the ball back to the Hubs at their own 46-yard line.
The North offense, led by Jackson, chewed up the clock and the Titan defense for a nine-play, 47-yard game clinching drive to give North the eight-point win.
Freshman Julius Rowe got the JV Hubs on the board in the second quarter with a 62-yard interception return for a TD.
Jackson led the JV Hubs offense with 73 total yards, while Murray had 62 rushing yards with a touchdown and Damean Thomas added 34 rushing yards and a TD run.
Xavier Colbert led the North defense with eight tackles, Evan Foster had seven tackles and Travis Correia added six tackles. Forrest recovered two fumbles and Tyqwell Fauntleroy and Rowe had interceptions in the win.
North improves to (2-1) and will face Jefferson next Wednesday at Callas Stadium at 6:00 PM.
Varsity - Week #2
Manchester Valley 15, North Hagerstown 8
September 9, 2022----The host Mavericks scored the go-ahead touchdown with 9:03 left in the game and held on to beat the Hubs.
The Mavericks (1-1) went up 7-0 with 7:40 remaining in the second quarter.
North Hagerstown (1-1) took an 8-7 lead midway through the third as Zach Moore ran 46 yards for a touchdown and then added the two-point conversion.
Moore finished with 95 yards rushing on 19 carries. Also for the Hubs, Luke Kercheval was 5 of 15 passing for 68 yards with an interception and Ryder Johnston had three receptions for 44 yards.
Defensively Louie Lee led the way with 15 tackles (six solo), John Robinson had 13 tackles (five solo) with a forced fumble and Mac Stiffler added nine tackles (eight solo), a sack and a TFL.
JV - Week #2
Manchester Valley gallops past JV Hubs, 21-6
The Manchester Valley JV Mavericks opened the game with an 81-yard kickoff return touchdown and never looked back en route to a 21-6 victory over North Hagerstown JV Hubs on Wednesday afternoon.
After a quick three-and-out by the JV Hubs, Manchester Valley went back to work on an eight play, 43-yard scoring drive to take a 13-0 lead.
The Mavs would add another score before the half with a seven play, 73-yard drive capped by a 27-yard scoring pass and a successful two-point conversion for a 21-0 lead.
The JV Hubs answered right back with a 77-yard kickoff return TD by freshman James Jackson to cut the lead to 21-6 heading to the half.
Manchester Valley (1-0) and North’s defenses took control in the second half as the 21-6 halftime score turned into the final tally.
Jackson led the Hubs with 103 offensive yards and 180 all-purpose yards with a TD. Ian Kelley and Travis Correia led the defense with six tackles each, Tyqwell Fauntleroy had five tackles and Blake Custer added a sack in the loss.
North falls to (1-1) and will take on Tuscarora next Wednesday at Callas Stadium for a 5:00 PM kickoff.
JV - Week #1
JV Hubs smother Williamsport, 25-0
Sophomores Amauri Murray and Khalil Peggues each scored defensive touchdowns to lead the North Hagerstown JV Hubs to a dominate 25-0 season opening victory over Williamsport at Callas Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Murray got the JV Hubs on the board in the first quarter with a 51-yard interception return. Germanus Abonge booted the extra point for a 7-0 JV Hubs lead.
North would add to their lead in the second quarter. Quarterback Logan Hoffman connected with freshman Xavier Colbert for an 18-yard gain, then another freshman, running back James Jackson, extended the Hubs lead to 13-0 with a 21-yard touchdown run.
In the third quarter Garett Forrest came up big on special teams with a blocked punt giving North excellent field position at the Williamsport 18-yard line. Three plays later freshman signal caller Joey Dorsey punched it in from the one-yard line for the North TD and a 19-0 advantage.
Peggues would close out the scoring late in the fourth quarter with a 51-yard scoop & score for the JV Hubs.
The JV Hubs (1-0) will be back in action on Wednesday at Callas Stadium against Manchester Valley.
Varsity - Week #1
North Hagerstown 21, Thomas Johnson 17
Hagerstown, MD----Zach Moore ran for 140 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter, as the Hubs rallied to beat the Patriots in the season opener for both teams at Mike Callas Stadium.
With North trailing 17-6, Hubs linebacker John Robinson recovered a Patriots fumble at the TJ 28-yard line with 9:20 left in the game.
With 8:12 remaining, Moore scored on a 6-yard run and then rushed for the two-point conversion to cut the Hubs’ deficit to 17-14.
Moore then gave North its first lead of the night, scoring from 5 yards out with 3:05 left.
The final three minutes were wild as the teams combined for three turnovers, including two by TJ.
Hubs defensive back Ryder Johnston sealed the game with 46 seconds remaining, picking off a pass by Austin Allen at the North 31-yard line.
The Patriots took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard TD run by Allen midway through the first quarter.
The Hubs cut it to 7-6 late in the period on a 2-yard run by Moore. That play was set up by Scott Beall, who recovered a muffed punt at the Patriots’ 6.
Allen scored on a 21-yard run late in the second quarter, giving TJ a 14-6 advantage at halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Kelman Thaylil kicked a 28-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth to give the Patriots a 17-6 lead.
North junior quarterback Luke Kercheval was 9-for-19 passing for 118 yards, Moore caught two passes for 42 yards, Johnston had three grabs for 39 yards and Ilya Siamashka added two receptions for 22 yards in the win.
2022 North Hagerstown Hubs
2022 North Hagerstown JV Hubs
2021 Season
2021 Post Season Honors 
MPSSAA Playoffs: 3A West First Round
Frederick 55, North Hagerstown 8
The Hubs (2-8) fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter and 42-0 by halftime as the Cadets (8-2) rolled to a 3A West First Round victory.
North Hagerstown avoided the shutout when Bray Alexander scored on a 9-yard run and Serge Kwezituka added the conversion catch with 1:33 left in the game.
Alexander led the Hubs with 58 rushing yards on 22 carries and Marc Buckley went 9-for-21 passing for 84 yards, but threw three interceptions. Fletcher Lewis caught three passes for 38 yards and Ryder Johnston snagged two passes for 36 yards.
A.J. Villaman led the defense with seven tackles, while Zach Moore had six tackles and Drew Custer and Bray Alexander added five tackles each.
JV Hubs win thriller over South Hagerstown, 33-30
T.J. Foltz scored three touchdowns, while Van Spence rushed for 265 yards and ran for two more TDs in the JV Hubs 33-30 last second victory over rival South Hagerstown.
With North trailing 30-26 with under a minute to play, Foltz took the snap from under center and drove into the end zone for the go-ahead score to give the JV Hubs the win. Ethan Stevens booted one of his three extra points to close out the scoring. The North defense held for the final three plays as time expired on the JV Rebels.
Stevens led the defense with 12 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, while Drew Hare had 10 tackles and Ghe-hori Echols added eight tackles. Freshman Evan Foster had an interception in the win.
Spring Mills 31, North Hagerstown 6
The Hubs (2-6) couldn't have asked for a better start to their road game — but the host Cardinals (4-4) turned things around and shut North down after the first quarter.
Spring Mills received the opening kickoff, but AJ Villaman pounced on a fumble on the first play from scrimmage to give the Hubs the ball.
North took nearly 10 minutes to drive down the field for the game's first touchdown. The Hubs drew an offsides penalty on a fourth-and-2, and quarterback Luke Kercheval completed a 22-yard pass to Fletcher Lewis for a first down on fourth-and-15 down to the Cardinals' 5. Kercheval punched in a 1-yard sneak to give North a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter.
But it was all Spring Mills after that. Alex Eaton scored on a 12-year run early in the second quarter as the Cardinals took a 7-6 lead.
On its next drive, Spring Mills drove 93 yards mostly through the air, with Max Anderson throwing a 17-yard TD pass to Jameer Hunter on third-and-10 as the Cardinals took a 14-6 lead into halftime.
Eaton's 8-yard score in the third quarter made it 21-6, and Keyon Mills' 16-yard scoring run early in the final quarter made it 28-6. Hayden Pack kicked a 28-yard field goal in the closing seconds to finish the scoring.
Boonsboro 44, North Hagerstown 7
Boonsboro went back to basics and began to look like something special.
The Warriors used a hard-hitting, aggressive ground game to set the tone.
The tough running opened the short passing game for new quarterback Matt Summers, who threw four touchdown passes — including three to Chancelor Haga.
“We had to get back to executing,” said Boonsboro coach Pete Yurish. “Last week, we ran 27 plays but only had four passes. Tonight, we wanted to get Matt more comfortable and once he does, we can throw more. That’s the best way to break in a new quarterback.
Summers finished the game after senior starter Blaike Beigler injured his knee against Williamsport two weeks ago. Since then, the power approach has produced two straight wins by a combined score of 85-13.
The game featured two quarterbacks who have started three games between them, including this one. Sophomore Luke Kercheval made his first start for the Hubs (2-5), replacing senior Marc Buckley. North wasn’t as successful protecting their young QB, who was harassed and hit often.
The Hubs also turned the ball over four times, leading to three Boonsboro scores.
Boonsboro led 21-0 at the half on Summers’ 26-yard TD pass to Tevyn Sowers and a 19-yard pass to Haga — both on fourth down — and a 5-yard run by Zach Nikirk after North muffed a punt snap.
Summers found Haga for a 5-yard score at 6:51 in the third quarter. North got on the board with a 35-yard run by Bray Alexander to make it 28-7.
Boonsboro closed the scoring on Summers’ final score to Haga, for 5 yards. North fumbled on the first play after the kick, leading to TJ Sadler’s 25-yard field goal for a 38-7 lead.
Robert Nagy closed the scoring with a 16-yard TD run.
Williamsport 32, North Hagerstown 13
Sophomore quarterback Eli Fleming threw for four touchdowns — two each to Corry Nelson and Ceontae Wilmore — and Williamsport rolled to a 32-13 homecoming victory over North Hagerstown on Friday night.
The Wildcats (4-2) went up 6-0 late in the first quarter as Fleming connected with Nelson for a 65-yard score.
The Hubs (2-4) answered early in the second period on a 40-yard TD pass from Marc Buckley to Ryder Johnston, with Evan Wray’s extra-point kick giving them a 7-6 advantage.
The visitors’ lead was short-lived as Cole Rourke returned the ensuing kick for a touchdown, putting Williamsport ahead for good at 12-7.
With 10 seconds left in the first half, Fleming found Wilmore, a freshman, in the end zone from 11 yards out, giving the Wildcats an 18-7 lead at the break.
Fleming and Wilmore connected again midway through the third quarter, extending the lead to 24-7 on a 23-yard pass play.
With 9:27 left in the game, Williamsport completed its scoring on a 26-yard TD pass from Fleming to Nelson. Thomas Detrick ran for the two-point conversion, upping the advantage to 32-7.
North cut it to 32-13 on a 6-yard TD pass from Marc Buckley to Alex Clark with 7:40 remaining on the clock.
James Wood (Va.) 52, North Hagerstown 0
Jaden Ashby scored five touchdowns and the host Colonels (4-1) took advantage of at least five Hubs turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble) in a shutout.
Ashby caught TD passes of 38 and 6 yards from Jared Neal, returned a punt 67 yards to the end zone, scored on a 51-yard run and took a pick-six 87 yards for James Wood.
Neal also threw an 11-yard TD pass to Elijah Miller. Ryan King and Karim Cisse added a TD run each, King from 4 yards and Cisse from 12. King also had two interceptions.
Marc Buckley was 10-for-25 passing for 119 yards but threw four interceptions. Anthony Williams led the Hubs defense with nine tackles and a fumble recovery, while A.J. Villaman added nine tackles and an interception.
North Hagerstown fell to 2-3.
Jefferson (W.Va.) 56, North Hagerstown 13
The Cougars used a more modern mode of transportation to leave Hagerstown on Friday.
It was a jet … which allowed the Cougars to fly past the Hubs (2-2).
Jefferson amply used its “jet sweep” package and stretched the Hubs' defense thin to take off with a victory.
The Cougars (5-0) scored 21 points in the first quarter and 28 in the second to take a 49-7 halftime lead. The second half was played with a running clock.
Each team scored in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.
Jefferson quarterback Sammy Roberts threw four touchdowns in the first half, including two — of 26 and 14 yards — to Caysen Lanza. Keyshawn Robinson pulled in an 8-yard score and returned an interception 40 yards for another touchdown.
The Cougars also scored on a 3-yard run by Christian Blowe, Bryson Fleming’s 13-yard interception return and Spencer Powell’s diving 20-yard catch to build the 42-point halftime lead.
Evan Tewell scored from the 3 to start the fourth quarter to close Jefferson’s scoring.
Jefferson’s defense stifled North’s running game and took away most of its passing game with pressure.
Zach Moore scored both of North’s touchdowns, on a 3-yard run with 8:57 left in the first half to make it 35-7. He also scored from the 1 on the last play of the game.
North Hagerstown 42, Tuscarora 6
Played on a Monday with a 5 p.m. kickoff, North Hagerstown’s Senior Night football game against Tuscarora had an odd feel to it at Mike Callas Stadium.
The game was postponed on Friday, a few hours before kickoff, due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to North athletic director Dan Cunningham.
“It’s kind of strange,” Hubs coach Greg Stains said of the team’s first Monday game since 2003. “It disrupts your routine, getting out of school early. It was a whole different feeling, a whole different way of dealing with things as we approached the day. “But we responded.”
Senior quarterback Marc Buckley completed 10 of 13 passes for 178 yards and four touchdowns, and he ran for another score as the Hubs improved to 2-1 with a 42-6 win over the Titans (0-3).
“That’s what I expect from Mark,” Stains said. “I’m a little more critical of him. He got lucky a couple of passes. Ryder Johnston bailed him out.
“But again, he’s only played six varsity football games in two years. That’s not a whole lot of time. He’s getting better each week, working on his mechanics. He’s our quarterback, and he’s going to continue to produce.”
Johnston, a sophomore, was Buckley’s top target, catching four passes for 104 yards.
Fletcher Lewis, a junior, led North on the ground, gaining 103 yards on 13 carries.
The Hubs went up 14-0 in the first quarter as Buckley connected on TD passes of 12 yards to Zach Moore and 21 to Bray Alexander.
Buckley’s 24-yard TD strike to Johnston in the corner of the end zone extended the lead to 21-0 early in the second period.
After Marshall Ayivon cut it to 21-6 with a 74-yard run for Tuscarora’s first points of the season, Buckley passed to Alexander for a 3-yard score, giving the Hubs a 28-6 lead at halftime.
North scored its final two TDs in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard keeper by Buckley and a 17-yard run by Alexander.
Stains said he was especially pleased with his defense, led by senior linebacker AJ Villaman.
Villaman had a team-high 18 tackles (eight solo) and forced two fumbles, while Louis Lee added 11 tackles (three solo), Moore and Lewis each recovered a fumble and Khalil Young had an interception.
Next up for the Hubs is their homecoming game Friday against Jefferson (4-0).
“We have film. They’re a spread team, and they’ve got some really good athletes,” Stains said of the unbeaten Cougars. “Their quarterback (Sammy Roberts) is really good. He likes to sling it around.
“And us coming on a short week, we have to adjust how we’re running our practices this week.”
Manchester Valley 16, North Hagerstown 14
In their home opener at Callas Stadium, the Hubs erased a two-score deficit before falling to the Mavericks (2-0) on a safety.
North (1-1) cut it to 14-7 on Marc Buckley’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Ryder Johnston with four seconds left in the first half.
The pair connected again for a 4-yard score with 8:50 left in the third quarter, tying the game at 14-all after Evan Wray’s extra point. The play was set up by a 52-yard interception return by Bray Alexander.
Early in the fourth, Fletcher Lewis recovered a Manchester Valley fumble on the North 1-yard line. But on the next play, the Hubs were dropped in the end zone for a safety.
With just under three minutes left, the Mavericks fumbled on their own 32-yard line. A 3-yard run by Alexander and an 8-yard pass from Buckley to Johnston gave the Hubs a first down at the 21. But they didn’t gain another yard. On fourth-and-10, Buckley’s pass to Johnston was broken up at the 1.
Zach Moore led North's defense with 13 tackles (10 solo), while AJ Villaman had 10 tackles and a forced fumble.
North Hagerstown 19, Thomas Johnson 6
by Andy Mason, Herald-Mail Media
IJAMSVILLE, Md. — Bray Alexander ran for 168 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead the Hubs to their first victory over the Patriots since 1980.
Alexander capped North’s first drive of the game with a 2-yard TD run. Evan Wray’s extra point was good, and the Hubs led 7-0 with 9:09 left in the opening quarter.
The score remained the same until the final play of the first half. On a wild catch-and-run sequence, TJ quarterback Brandon Hylton connected with Jaiden Pritchard for a 44-yard score with no time on the clock, cutting the Patriots’ deficit to 7-6 at halftime.
North extended its lead to 13-6 as Alexander scored on a 12-yard run with 8:28 left in the third quarter.
The Hubs completed the scoring early in the fourth quarter when Marc Buckley completed a 22-yard pass to Alex Clark in the end zone. Clark later recovered a fumble on defense.
Buckley finished 6 of 11 passing for 52 yards. Ilya Siamashka added 46 yards rushing on 11 carries for North.
The Patriots hosted the game at Urbana High School due to a turf field presently being installed at their home stadium.
2021 North Hagerstown Hubs
2021 North Hagerstown JV Hubs
2020 Season
