The Wildcat football team suffered a stunning, hard-fought 13-20 loss to Seneca Valley on Friday, Oct. 3, among a crowd smothered in “pink out” attire.
Comparing results, the loss seemed improbable. Rewinding to week 1, WJ dismantled the Trojan defense with ease, while Seneca Valley was only able to beat Gaithersburg by one score, 28-24, giving the Cats optimism in Week 5.
The Wildcats stumbled early on, as senior quarterback Jake Forburger stepped back into the pocket and launched a forty-yard interception, intended for senior wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
After a scoreless first quarter, Seneca Valley struck early in the second. The Wildcats answered with an eight-play drive capped by senior running back John Laird’s touchdown run, tying the game 7-7 heading into halftime.
“I think it hit [that the game was going to be competitive] when we tied up the game in the second quarter. We fought to get a tough touchdown all the way down the field,” Forburger said.
Midway through the third, Forburger connected with senior wide receiver Zaph Abbey for a 10-yard touchdown, giving WJ a 13-7 lead after a missed extra point. Seneca Valley responded late in the quarter with a rushing touchdown, though another missed extra point kept it tied.
Penalties derailed WJ’s momentum, including a called-back 38-yard touchdown run by Johnson. The Screaming Eagles then drove to the Wildcats’ 2-yard line but failed to score on fourth down, keeping hope alive for WJ.
WJ then gave the ball back to Seneca Valley with a minute left, and the Screaming Eagles connected on a deep pass to the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown, sealing the 20-13 upset.
The Wildcats now turn their focus to battling rival B-CC at “The Guck” tonight. The “Battle of Bethesda” atmosphere awaits, featuring a sold-out student section as well as the contest marking B-CC’s homecoming game.
“We’ve worked on playing in a louder environment and adapting to changes quickly, but at the end of the day, we all just need to do our individual jobs, and everything else will come,” junior Braxton Thornburgh said.
Not only does this game hold significant emotional ties to many Wildcat football players and families, but it could also prove that the Cats can battle back from adversity.
“The B-CC game always means more because of the fans and history, but it is just another game that we need to win, so we need to stay focused on that goal,” Thornburgh said.
