Photo courtesy of smugmug

WJ’s offense lines up for a snap. The team currently hold the third-ranked scoring offense in its division.

WJ football continued its steady growth under new head coach Larry Hurd Jr., as it triumphed over BCC 27-10 on Friday, October 5. In front of an electric home crowd, the team handled itself well against its cross-town rivals. Now standing at a strong 4-2 record, WJ is in position to clinch a playoff spot in the coming weeks, leaving several disappointing seasons in the rear view window.

Junior quarterback Josh Forburger put on a dazzling performance, finishing with 226 passing yards on the evening. Forburger is currently second in Montgomery County in passing yards with 1,045.

“I feel like I’ve improved a lot since last season,” Forburger said. “It’s all about making the right reads and finding the open receivers, who’ve really stepped up this year. They’ve made my job a lot easier.”

Sophomore running back Ian Griffin put in yet another strong performance for WJ, rushing for a game-high 90 yards and four touchdowns. Griffin has given the offense a new dimension this season, complementing Forburger’s arm perfectly. Griffin took off for a 26 yard touchdown down the right sideline in the first quarter to set the tone against BCC, who fell to a 1-5 record. WJ got off to a 13 point first quarter lead and never looked back.

Senior wide receiver Chris Manguelle finished with two catches for 46 receiving yards, and has 310 on the season, ranking second in the county. He’s also racked up four all-purpose touchdowns through six games.

“I didn’t get that many touches last game, but it’s all about turning those touches into points,” Manguelle said. “I always try to make sure that I make a positive difference every snap, whether I’m the one making the catch or not.”

This selflessness has been a hallmark of the team’s newfound success this season. Hurd Jr.’s arrival has brought forth a sense of passion and camaraderie.  

Wide receiver Ramez Crump has been another bright spot for WJ’s offense. The first-year senior is second on the team in both receptions and receiving yards. Crump has thrived in a leadership role for the team.

“There are some people on the team who have been here longer than I have, but I still try to lead by example for the younger players,” Crump said.

Prior to the game, Montgomery County police officers were summoned in anticipation of violence between students of the two schools. After Barstool Sports posted an Instagram video of a major brawl between BCC and WJ students at a hockey game last winter, the schools made sure to take proper precautions ahead of the football game.

Up next for the Wildcats is a home game on Saturday, October 13 against Whitman.