WJ and four other local schools introduced a year-long sports competition for the upcoming school year.

Head-to-head records in all varsity sports between WJ, Wootton, Whitman, B-CC and Churchill throughout the year will be stacked against each other with the best school taking home “The Cup.”

The sports competition between Bethesda schools and its surrounding area has always been rigorous and entertaining to watch. These local schools have quickly become rivals and the battle for the best school has been close every year.

In the past, the Congressional Cup has been a way to pick a dominating team in the Bethesda area. These schools included Churchill, Whitman and B-CC, but this cup was only for varsity football teams. With new sports developing quickly in schools across the county such as girls’ flag football and even pickleball, there needed to be a new and improved competitive cup for teams of all kinds and levels to compete for.

Athletic Specialist Larry Hurd helped design the competition. Hurd says he has big plans for “The Cup” and hopes it brings a new trophy of honor to compete for. These high schools have the opportunity for “The Cup” to rest at their very own school. Hurd says the idea stems from the “Consortium Cup,” a cup composed of schools in the northern Maryland area. Jesse Smith, the athletic specialist at Churchill, will be hosting a two-step competition to help give this cup some identity. The first step will be a naming competition, and the second step will be designing the cup itself. This competition has no set date yet but will be happening relatively soon.

“‘The Cup helps create friendly competition between all the schools,” Hurd said. “It also helps bring even more spotlight to sports that don’t usually get as much attention, as every sport counts for this cup.”

Senior quarterback Carter Maury says he is thrilled about the new cup because it gives the team just another reason to prove themselves over neighboring rivals.

“Everybody knows about the rivalries between us and other Bethesda area schools,” Maury said. “Every time we play them it’s always the biggest game of the year and everyone wants to beat them. We work hard all offseason for opportunities like this.”

Not only does “The Cup” introduce a new challenge for the football team, but also just as much of a challenge for all WJ sports.

Girls’ soccer, for example, has provided tough competition throughout the years, especially last year going a strong 9-5-1 with even bigger plans and goals this year. Senior captain Ella Hoban has always loved leading the team and working hard all season to achieve something big.

“I love that we have something new to work for, not only just as a team but as a school,” Hoban said. “We have a lot to prove this year and it’ll be exciting, hopefully getting to see the work pay off and have that cup at home.”

“The Cup” will be given to the winning school at the end of the school year and it will stay there until a new winner receives the cup.