The Final Score - FNP Podcasts: Recent Episodes
The Frederick News-Post
With another school year in the books, the Final Score podcasts reviews the year that was in Frederick County sports with Kevin Kendro, the Supervisor of Athletics and Extra Curricular Activities for Frederick County Public Schools.
In his annual appearance on the podcast, Kendro addresses the participating fee increase for athletics the school system implemented at the start of the school year and what sort of impact it had on overall participation.
Kendro also talks with host Greg Swatek about some small changes that might be on tap for girls flag football on the field and a bigger one that may happen with the sport continuing to expand across Maryland and possibly being sanctioned as a varsity sport with the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association.
Will the Central Maryland Conference expand? Is FCPS looking to add any new sports? If so, what?
Kendro addresses all of these topics and more, including some highlights and favorite memories from the past school year in Frederick County sports.
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After the Urbana High girls track and field team extended its reign of dominance with a 10th straight county title, an 11th straight regional title and a fifth state outdoor title in the last 10 years, coach C.J. Ecalono, senior sprinter/hurdler Divine Bamgboye and multi-event star Felicia Siewe are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Though they often make it look like a formality, Ecalono and the athletes tell host GregSwatek about the real adversity the Hawks had to overcome in the Class 4A state outdoor meet this spring, and how coming away with another championship was no guarantee.
Ecalono talks about the team culture he and his assistants have established over the last decade and a half, making attracting top athletes and winning much easier. Siewe talks about her versatility and how she developed in skills in so many different events. And Bamgboye discusses why she like very challenging events, like the 300-meter hurdles, and how she learned to embrace them and become so good at them.
The girls also talk about their futures. Both will compete in track and field and Ivy League colleges, Siewe at Harvard and Bamgboye at Cornell.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the latest happenings on the Frederick County sports scene. They discuss the remarkable game experience and success of the Frederick Flying Cows professional basketball team, as well as a unique game experience for the Frederick Keys.
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After the Middletown High boys lacrosse teams authored one of the most improbable comebacks in state finals history to claim its first championship, coach Dominic Ceresini, junior midfielder Ryan McLister and sophomore goalie Calvin Smith are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The guys chat with host Greg Swatek about their improbable 9-8 victory over Fallston High School in the Class 1A championship game at Stevenson University, during which they overcame a 7-0 halftime deficit and 8-1 deficit with about 15 minutes to play.
Had they given up hope? When did they think a comeback was even possible? What were they thinking once the game ended and they had actually won?
The guys also talk about what made the team so resilient. After starting the season 0-4, the Knights didn't lose again. They won 15 straight on the way to the state championship. What turned the season around? Where did the team's resolve and never-give-up attitude come from?
Lastly, what does the team's future look like? Will they be in position to win another championship next spring?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Middletown's amazing comeback, which he covered for the paper, his recent vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and the start of the Frederick Keys season.
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After winning the Class 4A state title for the second straight season, becoming the first Frederick County lacrosse program to win back to back state titles, coach Gavin Donahue, senior defender JP McEvoy and junior midfielder Jayden Sharper are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the challenge of defending a state title. Is it harder to win the first one or to do it again? They discuss the 5-2 victory over longtime nemesis Broadneck in the state final, why the game was so low scoring and how they were able to prevail.
They guys also talked about how a pair of midseason losses and a players-only meeting completely changed the team's focus and the direction of its season.
Lastly, they talk about the future of the program and how it plans to maintain this high level of success.
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After reaching the Class 4A girls lacrosse state final for the second consecutive season, head coach Ryan Hines, senior midfielder Cora Betten and senior defender Helaina Cullum are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The Hawks are bidding to become the first state girls lacrosse champions from Frederick County. To do it, they must beat four-time reigning champion Broadneck, the team they narrowly lost to in last year's state final.
Hines, Betten and Cullum chat with host Greg Swatek about what it will take to knock off Broadneck and what it would mean to them to make history as Frederick County's first girls lacrosse state champs. They also talk about the journey back to another state final and the things that make this particular team unique.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about all of the action in the state playoffs, including Middletown's improbable comeback to win the Class 1A boys lacrosse state championship, Urbana baseball's wild 13-inning win in the state semifinals and Catoctin softball trying to send star pitcher Taylor Smith out with a state title.
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With the Frederick Keys' season approaching and the $39 million stadium renovation project designed to attract an affiliated team underway, the team's general manager, Slater Fuchs, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Fuchs talks with host Greg Swatek about where the process stands with bringing an affiliated minor league team back to Frederick. How far along is the process? Have any candidates been identified? How soon might an affiliated team be playing again in Frederick?
There is also a lengthy discussion about the stadium renovation project. What is happening? What will it look like? Will it interfere with the Keys' home schedule in 2025?
Plus, Fuchs talks about his background and growing up as the God son of George Steinbrenner and the front row seat that provided him growing up with the New York Yankees.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the spring sports playoffs involving Frederick County teams. How will all of the bad weather impact teams that are still playing?
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As the Urbana High girls track and field team prepared to extend its dominance at this week's county meet, the team's sprints and jumps coach Muhammad Halim is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Halim chats with host Greg Swatek about how he became involved with the program and what makes it so successful. The Hawks were bidding for their 10th consecutive team championship in the girls county meet.
The two discuss what makes Urbana seniors Divine Bamgboye and Felicia Siewe so remarkable as athletes and people. Both rank among the top athletes in the county in multiple events and both will compete in college at Ivy League Schools, Bamgboye at Cornell and Siewe at Harvard.
And Halim talks about his own remarkable background as a track athlete, which includes competing in the triple jump for his native Virgin Islands at the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. What was it like competing on the Olympic stage? What was it like staying in the Olympic Village? Who did he see?
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to preview the spring playoffs for high school sports, as they get underway across Frederick County.
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As he prepares to participate in rookie minicamps with both the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders over the two weekends, former Oakdale High quarterback Collin Schlee is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Schlee chats with host Greg Swatek about his unique opportunity. Most undrafted prospects don't get the chance to participate in multiple minicamps with multiple teams. Schlee talks about how these opportunities came about and what he expects going forward.
He also talks extensively about the road that led him to this point, playing for three different colleges (Kent State, UCLA and Virginia Tech) over a six-year period and how that experience shaped him both as a player and a person.
Prior that that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg for some Frederick County spring sports power rankings for baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse and to set the stage for the upcoming playoffs, including the Central Maryland Conference championship games for those sports.
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With his team enjoying a winning season, Catoctin High boys lacrosse coach Chris Doll is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Doll chats with host Greg Swatek about what life was like growing up right across the street from Catoctin High and attending school and playing sports there.
He talks about how he got into coaching lacrosse and the challenge of taking over a winless program in 2021, as well as all of the progress the program has made over the last four years. And he talks about why this season's team, which features some of the top scorers in Frederick County, has been so successful. Last week, the Cougars earned a momentous overtime win over Walkersville.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Trey Lipscomb's status with the Washington Nationals and how the Urbana High graduate might fit into the team's long-term plans, if at all. The guys also talk about the top teams separating themselves from the pack in the various spring sports across Frederick County.
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In his first season of coaching the Oakdale High baseball team, John Schmidt is this week's guest on the Final Score Podcast.
Schmidt chats with host Greg Swatek about the recent no-hitter thrown by his senior ace JP Shultz against arguably the top offensive team in Frederick County, Urbana. He talks about what makes Shultz such an effective pitcher despite not having over-powering stuff, what that moment was like for him and the team once the final out of the no-hitter was recorded and what sort of future potential he has as Shultz heads off to play in college next year at the University of Charleston (West Virginia).
The coach also discusses how he got the job at Oakdale and why it was such a desirable position for him. And he also talks about his background as a player, donning the uniform for Catholic University, his close relationship with his brother and how and why he got into coaching. Prior to arriving at Oakdale, Schmidt coached for 15 years and established credibility with the program at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about what Frederick County teams are state-title contenders in baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse.
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With his Frederick Flying Cows team off to another great start in its second season of play in The Basketball League (TBL), coach Ed Corporal is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Corporal shares stories from his incredible life in basketball with host Greg Swatek. His step brother, Otis Birdsong, was the second overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft by the Kansas City Kings (who now play in Sacramento) and quickly became an All-Star player with the Kings and then later the New Jersey Nets (1984).
Corporal served as a teenage ballboy for the Kings and was assigned to making sure the visiting teams had everything they need. So, he shares stories of interacting with Magic Johnson, Pat Riley and Larry Bird and what he learned from them by just watching them work. He talks about how the game has changed and why he isn't so enamored with today's NBA game.
He also talks about how his sheer stubbornness, competitiveness and love for the game and helping people pushed him and guided him during his recovery from two massive strokes in 2013.
And he talks about his unusual path to becoming the head coach of the Flying Cows and why the team has been so good right from its inception.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the ongoing spring sports season in Frederick County, including remarkable no-hitters in both baseball and softball.
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Almost two months into his new job as Catoctin High School's varsity football coach, former Cougar Brady Ridenour is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Ridenour tells host Greg Swatek how he got the job at his alma mater. Why did he want the job? What was the interview process like? Did he think he would get the job?
He talks about being a lifelong member of the Thurmont community and what makes that place so special, as well as playing for former Catoctin football coach Doug Williams and the impact he had on his life.
Ridenour discusses winning a state title as a player at Catoctin in 2009 and his fondest memories of that experience. And he shares his feelings about the program he would like to build for the school and the style of play he would like to implement. Plus, he discusses what life is like being a new father.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss his weekend in Boston at the world figure skating championships and all of the star power on the Frederick County softball scene.
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After making a thrilling run to the NCAA Tournament and winning a First Four game, Mount St. Mary's men's basketball coach Donny Lind and junior guard Arlandus Keyes are this week's guests on The FInal Score podcast.
Lind and Keyes reflect on their terrific run to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship and through their first two games of the NCAA Tournament, which included a victory over American in the First Four and a loss to top-seeded Duke in first round game last week in Raleigh, North Carolina.
They tell host Greg Swatek why the team was able to play its best basketball at the most critical time of the season and what they will remember the most about the journey. They also talk about their futures with the Mount program and where the teams goes from here. Who will be back next season? And who has already decided to enter the transfer portal?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about one of the best times on the sports calendar with March Madness in full swing and opening day for the Major League Basketball season, as well as the start of high spring sports in Frederick County.
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After achieving his life-long dream of winning a state title, senior wrestler Josh Arthur of Linganore High School is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Arthur chats with host Greg Swatek about his 9-3 double-overtime victory over Seneca Valley's Isaiah Brewster in the Class 4A-3A state final at 113 pounds. What were his nerves like going into that match? After beating Brewster a week earlier in a regional final, how much did that match help him going into the state final? And what were his emotions like after the final buzzer sounded in double overtime with him ahead by six points?
Growing up in a wrestling family, Arthur talks about why he was so instantly drawn to the sport. He discusses Linganore's team season and how close the Lancers came to winning three consecutive 3A duals titles in a row. And he talks about his future and how wrestling might fit into that.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to chat about March Madness and the latest runs to the NCAA Tournament by Mount St. Mary's and Maryland. They also discuss the start of spring sports in Frederick County and some storylines to follow and whether Urbana High graduate Trey Lipscomb will be on the Washington Nationals' Opening Day roster.
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After winning the girls 115-pound weight class last weekend at the state wrestling tournament, Brunswick High freshman Kate Virgilio is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Virgilio chats with host Greg Swatek about her championship victory — she pinned Liberty's Aubrey Ohler in 5 minutes, 55 seconds after being pinned by Ohler earlier in the season — and the road that led up to it.
She talks about how she got her start in wrestling and what it's been like wrestling and beating boys for most of her young career to this point. She chats about the difference when it comes to wrestling girls. And she talks about the legacy she'd like the leave and the opportunity she hopes to create for other girls in wrestling across the county.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the end of the winter sports season after the Middletown boys and the Oakdale girls lost in the state basketball semifinals. They talk about the Knights' loss to New Town and the Bears setback against South River and how both teams acquitted themselves well against high-powered opponents.
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After accepting his first head coaching job in early February, new Urbana High School varsity football coach Zach Shoemaker is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Shoemaker tells host Greg Swatek why high school football has always been such a big part of his life. He talks about witnessing the birth of the Urbana football dynasty in 1998 at Byrd Stadium. He was 10 years old at the time, alongside his father, Roy, a football coach himself. He talks about why the Urbana program always appealed to him so much.
He also chats about playing quarterback and safety for Boonsboro High School and later safety for Shepherd University. He talks about why defense and playing physical football is such a big part of his philosophy. And he discusses being deployed in Afghanistan in 2012 as part of the U.S. Marine Corps and how that shaped him both as a person and a coach.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy stops in to discuss the state basketball quarterfinals, featuring the Frederick and Middletown boys and the Oakdale girls, as well as Oakdale's second straight championship Maryland Student Hockey League championship.
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After accepting his first head-coaching job last month, new Brunswick High School football coach Nick Rhodes is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Rhodes, 28, chats with host Greg Swatek about why he wanted the Brunswick job after serving as an assistant for the last five years at his alma mater, Boonsboro High School. He served as the Warriors' defensive coordinator last season.
He talks about meeting the players for the first time and laying out his expectations for them and what his first month on the job has been like so far.
Rhodes also discusses how he got into coaching, who influenced his coaching style and the type of program he expects to lead at Brunswick.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to chat about the Central Maryland Conference championship games for boys as girls basketball and what's ahead for these teams in the regional playoffs. They also talk about the Maryland Student Hockey League semifinals, which feature three Frederick County teams, Oakdale, Urbana and Middletown Valley.
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As he steps back into a head coaching job on familiar terrain, new Thomas Johnson High football coach Vince Ahearn is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Ahearn was hired back in late January to take over the Patriots' program, which has fallen on hard times over the last decade. Previously, he was the longtime football coach at rival Frederick High, but had not had a head-coaching position since he left Smithsburg High School in 2021.
He tells host Greg Swatek why he decided to be a head coach again and why the TJ job was such a good fit for him.
What are some of the biggest challenges he faces? What is the state of TJ's feeder program, which folded and is in the process of being restored? What is he most excited about?
Ahearn answers all of these questions and more over the course of the conversation.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about another buzzer beater, the upcoming high school boys and girls basketball playoffs, the state indoor track meet and the state wrestling duals.
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After recently stepping down as Catoctin High's baseball coach, stunning many around the Frederick County sports community, Mike Franklin is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Franklin reflects on his 28 years as a baseball coach at Catoctin, including 25 spent as a head coach, with host Greg Swatek. He talks about why he made his decision, the difficulty that was involved in making it and what reaction he has gotten from others across the county since making it.
He also talks about why he loved coaching at Catoctin so much and stayed with the school for so long, even when he had opportunities to go elsewhere.
Franklin discusses the impact his family had on his decision and some of his initial plans for the next phase of his life. Can he see himself getting back into coaching one day?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to review the Frederick County Public Schools swimming and diving championships from last weekend and the Monocacy Valley Hockey League championship game between Middletown Valley and Oakdale.
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In his first season covering the Frederick High girls basketball team, J.R. Pinnock is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Pinnock chats with host Greg Swatek about his team, the successful season its having, why he wanted the job and his adjustment to coaching girls when his background is working with boys.
He also talks about his extensive playing career and how that shaped him as a person and a coach. Pinnock grew up in a military family, played college basketball at George Washington University, where he was the team's leading scorer for the 2006-2006 season and led the team to the NCAA tournament out of the Atlantic 10.
Pinnock was drafted into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks with the 58th overall (second round) selection of the 2006 draft and then later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was very briefly teammates with Kobe Bryant. After his very short NBA stint ended, he went on to have a long and expansive professional playing career internationally.
He talks about all of this and more.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about a buzzer beater involving the Mount St. Mary's men and look ahead to the high school basketball playoffs here in Frederick County for boys and girls teams.
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Fresh off another win over their chief regional rival, Linganore, longtime Oakdale High girls basketball coach Rob Healy, senior forward Jane Rape and junior forward Layla McFarland are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The win over Linganore this week improved the Bears record to 15-1 this season. Healy and his players chat with host Greg Swatek, not just about the big win over the Lancers and why they seem to have their number in big games, but why they have played so well this season in general.
The Oakdale girls are coming off an appearance in the Class 3A state championship game last March. Healy and his players talked about having that experience and how it could pay dividends for them later this season.
Jane Rape talks about her four years at Oakdale and her decision to play for Army, West Point in college as the Bears' first Division I girls basketball player. McFarland talks about her 30 points against Linganore, which matched a single-game school record, and how she has developed as a player over the course of her winding basketball journey. And Healy talks about how he motivates the team, often through the use of impactful quotes, and keeps it sharp and playing well throughout the season.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the high school basketball scene in Frederick County and how the tragic plane crash in Washington hit close to home.
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With his team bidding to win a third consecutive state duals championship, Linganore High wrestling coach Bill Swaney is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Swaney talks with host Greg Swatek about his long career as a wrestling coach in Frederick County that has almost spanned almost two decades. He discusses taking over the head coaching job at Linganore this season from longtime friend and colleague Ben Arneson and some of the challenges the Lancers have faced as they go after another state title.
He also talks about how the sport has changed over the years and the need to evolve with the times and adapt to what's happening now. And he talks about his beloved Washington Commanders and Capitals having terrific seasons and being squarely in a championship chase.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss a Frederick County girls flag football commitment at Mount St. Mary's, a profile he is working on about longtime Tuscarora coach Mike O'Brien and the local high school basketball scene.
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A few days after officially stepping down as the varsity football coach at Urbana High School, Dean Swink is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Swink explains in detail his decision to step down to host Greg Swatek. What were the biggest factors that drove it? How long had he been wrestling with it? And why was now the right time?
He was the head coach at Urbana for two seasons, going 10-13 overall over that span. Previously, he was the head coach at Tuscorora High School from 2009-11. Is there a future for him coaching football in some capacity, even if he is not the head coach? And what will he miss the most about the job.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the boys and girls basketball pecking order this season in Frederick County.
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With her son having another terrific season and set to play in his first playoff game for the Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Addison's mother, Keisha Jackson, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Jackson chats with host Greg Swatek about watching her son develop into one of the best young receivers in the NFL in his second season with the Vikings. She talks about how she feels when she watches him play and the reactions she gets from fans who may or may not realize that she is Addison's mother.
She also addresses some of the off-the-field challenges her son has faced, including an excessive speeding charge and DUI, how she reacted to those incidents and how Jordan has learned and grown from them.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the local sports scene in a week plagued by weather postponements and how sports are impacted by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and the role they play as the city tries to recover.
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After taking down reigning Class 4A state champion Clarksburg on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win the holiday tournament at Thomas Johnson High School last week, coach Rachael Easterday, senior forward Kayleigh Lake and senior guard Taylor Moran of the Linganore High girls basketball team are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the Lancers' 6-1 start to the season despite coming into it with a largely new cast of players. The big win over Clarksburg is discussed at length, and Taylor Moran shares what it was like to make the game-winning 3 to win that game at the buzzer. Did the sequence unfold in slow motion for her and the team, like it was a movie?
Meanwhile, Kayleigh Lake talks about being the only returning starter on the team and the challenges and rewards that has presented.
The group also talks about why the Lancers have exceeded expectations so far this season and how the fast start might have changed the outlook for the rest of this season. How far do they think the team can go?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about his holiday travel and holiday-tournament basketball. What teams looked the best and have the best outlook going forward?
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With his team off to its best start in more than a decade, Walkersville High School wrestling coach Andre Jackson is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
After years of futility, the Lions came into the week with a 14-1 record and thoughts of contending for the Class 2A state duals championship this season.
Jackson talks with host Greg Swatek about why his team is wrestling so well, what has fueled the turnaround and realistic expectations for a team and group of wrestlers that seems to improve by the match.
He talks about coaching wrestling for almost 40 years in Frederick County after wrestling for Frederick High. How did he come into the job? Why does he enjoy the job so much? What keeps him going? And how much longer might he do it?
Jackson discusses what coaching Frederick High to a state team championship in 1996 was like and what this season's Walkersville team must do to achieve it's ultimate goals.
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As the Frederick Flying Cows prepare for their second season of professional basketball in The Basketball League (TBL), the team's general manager, Chris Jenkins, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Jenkins, a Frederick native, chats with host Greg Swatek about the remarkable amount of success the Flying Cows experienced in their first season of existence. The team went 20-6, playing before good crowds on the campus of Hood College, and was the top seed in the Atlantic Northeastern conference playoffs.
Jenkins tells the story of how the team came to be, the sort of happenstance way of how they landed the winningest coach in TBL history, how they acquire players and the type of living they are able to make, the role it seeks to play in the Frederick County sports community and expectations for Season 2 from an operational and basketball standpoint.
For the last seven years, Jenkins has run the largest high school basketball tournament in the country, the Governor's Challenge, at this time of year in Salisbury. He talks about the rewards and logistical challenges of staging such a tournament, which will feature 144 teams this year.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the upcoming holidays and the overall basketball scene in Frederick County, including the Flying Cows and the top boys and girls high school teams.
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As a new boys basketball season begins across Frederick County, Thomas Johnson head coach John Manley is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Manley is the longest-tenured boys basketball coach in the county, having been the head coach at TJ for 17 years and on staff there for 22. He chats with host Greg Swatek about his longevity, what keeps him going in the job, how he has evolved and become a better coach over the years and how much longer he might keep doing it.
He also talks about his team at TJ this season and whether he feels it can make a run deep into the playoffs. The Patriots share the same region (Class 4A West, Section I) with the reigning state champs in 4A, Frederick High. TJ nearly ended the Cadets' quest for a state title last season. The Patriots led by 14 points early in the fourth quarter before eventually falling in a regional final, 49-45.
Plus, with the holidays approaching, how does a veteran coach handle all of interruptions of routine and habits that this time of year typically presents.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Linganore's 35-7 loss to Arundel in the Class 3A football state final last Saturday in Annapolis and offer a bit of a winter sports preview for county teams, particularly when it comes to boys and girls basketball.
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With the Linganore High football team preparing to play in another state final, assistant coaches Scott Willett and Herman King are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Willett and King chat with host Greg Swatek about their own experiences with Linganore football, but also the remarkable career of head coach Rick Conner, who is wrapping up his 23rd season as the Lancers' head coach with yet another appearance in a state title game, his sixth in the last eight years and 15th overall as a coach.
Linganore faces Arundel High School at for the Class 3A state championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
What makes Conner the coach and the person that he is? How has he been able to have this much success?
Willett has been with Conner for more than 20 years at Linganore, while King has coached with him for more than 30, dating back to their time together on the coaching staff at Thomas Johnson High School.
Not only did Willett play for Linganore and win a state title in 1989, he and his wife, Susie, have raised three sons who have played football and appeared in a state final for the Lancers. What were the odds?
King, meanwhile, shares Conner's passion for football, physicality and weight lifting. Why did he decide to leave TJ to join Conner's staff at Linganore?
The Lancers are trying to snap a four-game slide in state championship games. What would it mean to Willett and King if they were able to claim a seventh state championship to extend their Frederick County record?
Prior to this conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to look at the Linganore-Arundel state final and what some of the keys to the game might be.
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With his team set to play in a Class 2A-1A state semifinal, Middletown High Football coach Collin Delauter is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Delauter chats with host Greg Swatek about the Knights season so far and the formidable challenge that lies ahead. They are 10-2 and will travel to southern Maryland to unbeaten Patuxent (12-0), which knocked them out in the state quarterfinal round last season, 42-7. How is Middletown approaching this year's game, and what will it need to do to win and advance to its first state final since its 2A championship season in 2019?
This is Delauter's eighth season on the job. He previously played for and won a state title at Middletown. How has he grown both as a coach and as a person over that time period? What has he learned? And how much fun is it to still be practicing football on Thanksgiving?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Thanksgiving traditions, favorite foods and, yes, the state football semifinals featuring Linganore and Middletown this week.
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As his team prepares to host Bel Air in a Class 3A state quarterfinal, longtime Linganore High football coach is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Conner chats with host Greg Swatek about a season that has exceeded just about everyone's expectations around the program. The Lancers graduated more than 30 seniors from last year's team that faced Oakdale for the Class 3A state championship. The group includes Frederick County's all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns, Ethan Arneson, and a Division I college quarterback, Christian Petruzzello (Bucknell). Only six starters returned out of 22 on both sides of the ball.
How have the Lancers maintained such a high level with so many new players in key positions? Who or what has been the biggest surprise? What is the team's outlook heading into Friday's state quarterfinal against Bel Air? Conner answers all of those questions and more.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Brunswick's state final in boys soccer last Saturday and to preview the Frederick County state quarterfinal football matchups, which also involve Frederick High, Middletown and Walkersville.
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As they prepare for their third state final in four years, Brunswick High boys soccer coach Shawn Baker and two of his top players, Chase Malone and Graham Putnam, are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The Railroaders (14-2-2) will face Liberty (15-1) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (November 16) at Loyola University in Baltimore for the Class 1A championship. If they win, it will mark their sixth state championship and fifth since 2012.
Baker and his players chat with host Greg Swatek about how the program has been able to create such sustained success. Putnam shares his unique perspective, as he was essentially born into the Brunswick soccer program since his father, Kenny, served as the team's coach. Malone, meanwhile, is the leading scorer in the county his season, and his older brother, Logan, scored game-winning goals for the Railroaders in overtime of the 2021 and '22 state-championship games.
The guys talk about their season, their overtime win over previously unbeaten Mountain Ridge in the state semifinals and what they expect against Liberty in Saturday's championship game.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to wrap up the end of the girls flag football and cross country seasons, including an excruciatingly close call for Frederick High girls cross country, and look ahead to the second week of the high school football playoffs.
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With its team preparing to host its annual tip-off tournament this weekend, Hood College men's basketball coach Chad Dickman is this week's guest on The FInal Score podcast.
Dickman chats with host Greg Swatek about the tip-off tournament, which features Randolph-Macon, nationally ranked in Division III, and its coach Josh Merkel, a Frederick County native, as well as Salisbury and Notre Dame of Maryland.
What are Dickman's expectations for the coming season? The Blazers are coming off their second NCAA tournament appearance in three seasons and return two of their best players in Garrison Linton and Garrett Cox. Is it good enough just to get back to the tournament this season or do the Blazers need to win a game this time to feel satisfied?
Plus, what does Dickman expect from his new players, including freshman like Ivan Quejada and Gage Linton who played their high school basketball in Frederick County?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the fall sports playoffs in Frederick County, including girls flag football championships, state soccer semifinals and the first round of the traditional football playoffs.
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With the start of the season about a week away, Mount St. Mary's women's basketball coach Antoine White is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
White chats with host Greg Swatek about his young team. Nine of the Mountaineers 14 players are either freshmen or sophomores, an intentional move during the recruiting process that will allow the team to grow together. He also talks about the shakeup on his coaching staff and the new people advising him as he begins his fourth season as the head coach of the Mountaineers.
With so much new swirling around the team, has he had to adjust his expectations for the season? The Mount was recently picked to finish seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in a preseason coaches poll. How does he think his team will fare in its third season of MAAC play?
Prior to this conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the state golf championships and the overall state of the falls sports playoffs for the Frederick County teams that are still alive.
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With his first season as the men's basketball coach at Mount St. Mary's about to begin, Donny Lind is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Lind chats with host Greg Swatek about his expectations for the coming season. What have his first six months on the job been like? What style of basketball will the Mountaineers look to play on both ends of the floor? Who will the players to watch be? And how will the team fare in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference?
The Mountaineers were recently picked to finish 11th out of 13 teams in the MAAC in a preseason coaches poll. Does Lind put much stock into that?
He also discusses the renovations going on at Knott Arena right now and how that might impact the team, particularly when it comes to the new court.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Jerry Smith being removed as Brunswick High's football coach and the impact that might have on the team. They also recap Week 7 of the high school football season, look ahead to Week 8 and set the playoff scene for county teams in the other fall sports.
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After recently announcing that he was stepping down following eight years as Urbana's boys track and field coach, Kyle Grimm is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Grimm chats with host Greg Swatek about the difficulty of the decision and why not was the right time to step away from the program. He discusses how he came into the job and why he loved it so much. And he talks about the future of the program under coach Jackie Suarez, a good friend and the Urbana boys cross country head coach who worked closely alongside him during the track and field season.
The discussion then turns to Grimm's influences growing up, his musical inclinations and how he met his wife, as they both work as music teachers. Would Grimm ever return to coaching? He entertains that question as he discusses his future.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Brunswick's momentous victory over Walkersville in football, the tenuous status of Railroaders coach Jerry Smith and how that might affect the team and Linganore's talented girls flag football team. The guys review Week 6 of the traditional high school football season and look forward to Week 7.
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Coming off a couple of important matches against Linganore and North Hagerstown, Urbana High volleyball coach Emily Sexton is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Sexton chats with host Greg Swatek about her background playing volleyball at Urbana and later coaching there. How did the opportunity come about for her? What has she learned about coaching since she has taken the job?
She also discusses her team and how it fits into the great volleyball tradition that Urbana has established. Who are the players that make the team go? What sort of expectations did she have for the team?
In the last week, the Hawks have pulled out a close win over Linganore and dropped a tough one to perennial state power North Hagerstown. What does she hope her team took from those experiences?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to share his thoughts, among other things, on the Urbana volleyball team and its match with Linganore and the Hawks' out-of-state victory in girls flag football over a team from Athens, Georgia.
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Coming off an important victory over arch rival Frederick High, Thomas Johnson boys soccer coach Jonathan Thayil is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Thayil chats with host Greg Swatek about a momentous week for the Patriots soccer program, during which they honored the man that started it 50 years ago, Fred Dayton, and then went out and pulled out a 3-2 victory over the Cadets on a late goal by junior midfielder Jordan Tema to even their record at 2-2-2 on the season.
The coach talked about why his team is so good on set pieces and how they determine playing time for two capable goalies.
Thayil also talks about how he got his starts in soccer and coaching, why he was so bad a traditional American football and how that shaped his future and the professional team overseas that he supports.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the Urbana girls flag football team's upcoming game this weekend against a team from Georgia, his thoughts on the week that was in traditional football in Frederick County and this week's county golf championships at Clustered Spires.
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Now enjoying retired life after 31 years of coaching in Frederick County, former Walkersville golf and basketball coach Bruce Zimmerman is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Zimmerman chats with host Greg Swatek about his lifelong passion for sports and how he got into coaching. Zimmerman recounts how he didn't play golf and knew very little about the sport when he joined Tom Dickman's basketball staff at Thomas Johnson High School, which was contingent on him being willing to take over the Patriots' golf program.
He talks about what it was like coaching those great basketball teams at TJ under Dickman, which won state titles and had some national acclaim, and what the adjustment was like when he took over the boys basketball program at Walkersville.
Zimmerman also talks about how he's always stayed true to the local teams, the Baltimore Colts and then the Washington Redskins/Commanders after the Colts left town, the Orioles, the Capitals, the Wizards/Bullets and the University of Maryland, how much he misses coaching, if at all, and the time he spends refereeing local basketball games.
Prior to this conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg for a power-rankings session of the all the fall sports in Frederick County. Who is No. 1 in each sport? Does your team make the cut?
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Taking time out of his busy schedule to talk sports, not politics, Michael O'Connor, the Mayor of the City of Frederick, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
O'Connor chats with Greg Swatek about his love of sports, particularly his love for the Baltimore Orioles. He talks about his favorite Orioles and his favorite Orioles teams, as well as his hatred for the New York Yankees. He also recounts his experience attending Cal Ripken's record-breaking game for consecutive games played and getting to shake Cal's hand as he made his way along the outfield wall.
The mayor also talks about his background as a radio and television journalist prior to ever getting into politics and his initial desire to be a sports reporter/broadcaster upon realizing that he was never going to be able to play sports on a high level.
The discussion then turns to the Frederick Keys and the stadium renovations the city hopes will eventually bring an affiliated minor league team back to Frederick. What will the new stadium look like? When might another affiliated team be here? And how would the mayor react if it was a Yankees affiliate?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the week that was in Frederick County sports, discuss Week 2 of the high school football season and look ahead to Week 3.
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After recently taking over the athletic director's job at Urbana High School, Mitch Rubin is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Rubin chats with host Greg Swatek about how he is adjusting to his new job. What has the transition been like from coaching to a more administrative role? He talks about why he wanted to take on this challenge at this advanced stage of his career and why Urbana was the right school for him.
He also talks about why he got into education, his passion for coaching and athletics and why he gets so little sleep on a nightly basis.
Prior this discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to recap Week 1 of the high school football season and Week 2 of the girl flag football season across Frederick County. They also preview the week ahead in football and other fall sports in the county as well.
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As the high school football season gets set to kickoff this week across Frederick County, Pat Cadden, the second-year head football coach at Frederick High, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Cadden chats with host Greg Swatek about his team at Frederick High this season, which is once again brimming with talent at the skill positions. The Cadets added a pair of transfers from Walkersville, running back Jordan Bennett and receiver Darius Eubank, to an already talented cast of players.
The coach talks about how far the program has come over the last five to six seasons and what it will take to breakthrough and win a state championship.
He said this team is one of the fastest he has ever coached. So, how will the Cadets utilize it during games? And what sort of difference will it make in their overall success?
Prior to this conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg for a thorough team-by-team look at the high school football season in Frederick County. The guys talk about each team's strengths, weaknesses and overall expectations heading into the season. What teams are poised to make a run at a state championship?
Plus, Alexander shares his thoughts and observations from the kickoff event at Frederick High School for the second season of girls flag football in the county as a varsity sport. What teams are poised to do well? And how will they adjust to playing teams outside of the county this season?
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Fresh off of his wedding weekend and with the start of his team's season looming, Thomas Johnson High football coach Beau Traber is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Traber chats with host Greg Swatek about his wedding in upstate New York. He acknowledges the timing was not ideal with the start of the season so close. But he and his now wife, Kristen, had set the date a few years ago, before he even was a part of the TJ football program. So, they had not originally planned for the schedule to be so compressed.
He also chats at length about the ongoing process of rebuilding the TJ football program and establishing a viable feeder program that could one day propel the Patriots back among the county heavyweights. Traber talks about his expectations for the coming season and why he has such a special bond with his senior class.
Prior to this discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to continue their preview of the upcoming football and girls flag football seasons in the county. Both begin next week. They focus on the Middletown High football team, in particular, as the Knights prepare to begin their 50th season.
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With his first season as the head coach of the Walkersville High football team nearing, Tyler Thompson is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Thompson chats with host Greg Swatek about what he expects for his first season in charge of the program. Walkersville got significantly better over the course of last season and advanced all the way to the Class 2A state semifinals. Thompson takes over after serving as the Lions' defensive coordinator for the last five seasons.
What has the transition been like for him? Who will be Walkersville's players to watch this season? What challenges must be overcome? The discussion answers these questions and more.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to share his impressions from preseason football practices he has visited so far and outline rule changes and expectations for the upcoming girls flag football season.
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As he prepares for his second season as the football coach at Tuscarora High School, Ryan Hines is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Hines chats with host Greg Swatek about the challenges facing the program, particularly coming off a 1-9 season. Is the focus still on making incremental progress or has it shifted to winning more games?
The coach talks about his first season on the job and how much further along he is as he heads into Year Two. What did he learn from his first season? And what players does he expect to lead the way this season?
Plus, it is a bigger challenge to coach boys or girls? Hines would know after coaching the Urbana High girls lacrosse program to within one win of a state championship in the spring. He talks about the memorable run the Hawks made and what he enjoyed the most about the experience.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the first day of high school football practice and the task Frederick County teams face in replacing star players. Plus, the guys talk about the Washington Nationals once again demoting infielder and Urbana graduate Trey Lipscomb to Triple-A and what his future with the team might look like.
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With the start of the high school football season looming on the horizon, the Final Score podcast kicks off its preview with Oakdale High coach Kurt Stein.
Last season, the Bears finished 14-0 for the first time and captured their second state title with a 42-35 victory over Linganore in the Class 3A championship game. It marked the first state football final contested between Frederick County teams.
Stein chats with host Greg Swatek about that epic moment and his team's epic season. They also steer the conversation toward the upcoming season.
What does he expect at Oakdale? Who will be the key players on this year's team? How will the team handle a very challenging schedule and the weight of expectations? Is he enjoying the job as much as he ever has heading into his 14th season as the only varsity football coach the school has ever had?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss covering multiple no-hitters in a span of 23 days, including one in the major leagues, and the future of Urbana native Trey Lipscomb with the Washington Nationals.
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As she swings and climbs her way through life, superhero style, Urbana High graduate Jessie Graff is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
After making her American Ninja Warrior debut in 2013 (Season 5), Graff talks with host Greg Swatek about what keeps bringing her back to the show more than a decade later. She's participating in the current season on NBC (Season 16) and recently qualified for the semifinal round.
Graff also talks about learning to accept less than her best results as she gets older, while still maintaining a strong drive to be better than ever. She discusses swinging through her kitchen on monkey bars to prepare and eat dinner and why she doesn't have a single chair in her house.
Plus, she talks about the personal-growth journey her mother, Ginnie, embarked on, from not being able to do a single pullup at age 60, to participating regularly in ninja events and being the oldest competitor ever to clear an obstacle on American Ninja Warrior.
Jessie will appear in the semifinal round of American Ninja Warrior on NBC on Aug. 12, following Olympic coverage.
The podcast is available at http://www.fnppodcasts.com and via iTunes, Google Play and other podcast apps.
After winning the 103rd Maryland Open golf tournament on July 10 in Easton, former two-time state champion from Middletown High, Alex Hoffman, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Hoffman, now 32 and an assistant pro at Columbia Country Club, talks with host Greg Swatek about winning the prestigious tournament and how he has benefitted as a result, including getting a shout out on ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption" He talks about managing the extreme heat and humidity at Talbot Country Club in Easton and pulling through a five-man playoff that extended to the sixth extra hole.
The conversation draws parallels between his Maryland Open title and state-championship wins, particularly his first at Middletown, and Hoffman talks about his background in golf and why he fell in love with the sport.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about his upcoming interview with Trey Lipscomb and the Urbana grad's future with the Washington Nationals, as well as Brunswick's Little League Softball team in the regional championships and the new EA Sports NCAA football game, which includes five Frederick County players.
How do they feel about playing with a video game version of themselves, and are they happy with all of their ratings?
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As his soccer club enjoys a momentous summer, FC Frederick Executive Director and Director of Coaching Bo Eskay is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Eskay chats with host Greg Swatek about a variety of happenings at the club, including the 16U girls team playing in a national-championship tournament next week in Orlando, Florida, its men's semi-pro team reaching the National Premiere Soccer League Mid-Atlantic Conference playoffs and playing before 8,000 fans in Annapolis and the new soccer facility it is building in the south-eastern part of Frederick County.
He also talks about how much FC Frederick has grown since its inception in 1989 and the achievements he is most proud of.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to preview the second half of the Frederick Keys' season in the MLB Draft League and discuss Brunswick's Little League's run to the Mid-Atlantic region tournament for softball in Bristol, Connecticut. The next stop could be the Little League World Series for softball in Greenville, North Carolina in early August.
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As he prepares for his first season with the stories University of Miami football program, quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, a Middletown High School graduate, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Poffenbarger speaks with host Greg Swatek about what his life has been like since transferring to Miami in January from the University of Albany, where he led the Great Danes to the Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA) national title game last season.
He talks about meeting and building relationships with some of the legendary players that have played at Miami, including Michael Irvin, Jim Kelly and former Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta. And he talks about his relationship and what he has learned from presumptive starter Cam Ward, as well as how he envisions his role in the program going forward.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about coaching changes around Frederick County, the local baseball scene and Urbana High graduate Trey Lipscomb's future with the Washington Nationals.
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As he settles into his new job and begins preparations for his first season as Catoctin's boys basketball coach later this year, Mike Wagner is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Wagner chats with host Greg Swatek and FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy about his interesting life and career, which has taken him to coaching stops in China, Cambodia, Ethiopia, West Hollywood, California and now Thurmont, Maryland and Catoctin.
He talks about how and why he became interested in the Catoctin job and explains why he is so optimistic about the future of the program.
Wagner also shares some of his interesting life stories, such as eloping with his wife, Ann, the head of The Banner School in Frederick, in Prague and selling their home, cars and most of their possessions in California to pick up and move to China in pursuit of careers in education.
Prior to that conversation, Greg and Alexander discuss the summer sports scene in Frederick County, including the Frederick Tennis Series at Baker Park, as well as the major league debut of James Wood, a top prospect for the Washington Nationals.
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As he helps mold the next wave of talented offensive lineman in Frederick County, former Linganore High offensive lineman Shannon Breen in this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Breen chats with host Greg Swatek about how his consulting business for high school age kids who want to become better offensive lineman, Hawg Performance, came about. The program has helped hundreds of lineman across the region earn a chance to play college football.
The business became much bigger than Breen ever imagined. So, he talks about how he manages it, along with the rest of his day-to-day life as a father and fulltime employee elsewhere.
Breen also discusses his own playing career, which took him to the Arena Football League, for which he was named the top offensive lineman in 2015. He also talks about how his best chance to hook on in the NFL was negated by high blood pressure, a condition that caught him by surprise, and all of the heartbreak that came along with it.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the summer sports landscape, which largely consists of baseball on various levels, in Frederick County.
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For the final installment of a state-championship series on The FInal Score podcast, Brunswick baseball coach Roger Dawson, senior pitcher Tyler Lowery and senior right fielder Payden McDonald are this week's guests.
They guys discuss the Railroaders' 22-2-1 state championship season with host Greg Swatek. They talk about the team's 4-1 victory over Patterson Mill in the Class 1A championship game and everything that led up to it.
Lowery talks about being the starting pitcher in the state final and how he felt coming out of the game with one out to go because he hit the designated pitch count of 105.
McDonald talks about the bad rap that right fielders get defensively and how he was able to contribute so much to the Railroaders this season.
And Dawson explains why he felt they were the best 1A team in the state at the start of the season and some of the memorable moments along the way, including picking up his 400th career win in his 32 seasons at Brunswick's coach.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss developments on the county baseball scene, including the opportunity he had to cover Japanese top prospect Rintaro Sasaki of the Trenton Thunder recently at the Frederick Keys' home opener.
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On the heels of a Frederick County Board of Education vote that will nearly double athletic participation fees for Frederick County Public Schools, Kevin Kendro, the head of school system's sports program, makes his annual appearance this week on The Final Score podcast.
Kendro answers questions from host Greg Swatek about the fee increase. After numerous motions and amendments, why did it ultimately go up from $95 to $185 per student, per sport? What sort of impact does he think it will have on FCPS athletics, which have been steadily growing over the past five years? Does he feel fewer kids will play high school sports in the county? Does he appreciate the financial hardship the fee represents for families of FCPS athletes?
The guys move on to other topics over the course of the podcast, which is informally dubbed every year as The State of FCPS Athletics address. They talk about the overall success of the county sports teams, which included another boys state lacrosse title, more state track and field dominance, and baseball state titles in two of the four classifications.
They also talk about the inaugural season of girls flag football as a varsity sport in the county last fall and how that sport could continue to grow and evolve going forward.
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Continuing a state-championship series on The Final Score podcast, coach Andy Baker, senior pitcher/third baseman Hunter Barnes and senior first baseman Brett Lucas from the Middletown High baseball team are this week's guests.
The Knights won the Class 2A baseball championship on May 25 with a 6-5 victory over Glenelg. It was their second state title in baseball and their first since 2017.
Host Greg Swatek talks to the guys about what made this team so close knit and why they were able to pull through in so many close games. Prior to their one-run victory in the state final, they beat Patuxent 2-1 on a suicide squeeze in a 13-inning state semifinal that ended close to midnight at McCurdy Field.
The guys talk about those memorable moments and the future of the program going forward with so many players graduating.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the baseball state titles won by Middletown and Brunswick, Frederick County players currently playing and thriving in minor league baseball and a dramatic increase to athletic fees for Frederick County Public Schools.
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After dethroning nemesis Broadneck to win the Class 4A state championship in boys lacrosse for the second time, Urbana coach Gavin Donahue, leading scorer TJ Harne and standout goalie Zach Thayer are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Appearing for the second time in a month, Donahue once again addresses the question from host Greg Swatek of whether this Urbana lacrosse team was the best ever from Frederick County. The Hawks finished 20-0, averaged roughly 14 goals per game and overcame the Broadneck hurdle after the Bruins had knocked them out in the state semifinals the previous two seasons.
Harne, the leading scorer in Frederick County this season by a huge margin, discusses how he developed such a pinpoint shot. And Thayer, a sophomore, talks about playing such a big role as one of the youngest players on the team and how he was able to stand so tall in such a pressure-packed moment, such as a state final.
With 28 players returning next season, the guys also talk about Urbana's chances of becoming the first lacrosse team from Frederick County to win back-to-back state titles.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to talk about Middletown's state championship in baseball and near misses by the Linganore softball and Urbana girls lacrosse teams in state finals, among other topics.
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After winning the Class 4A team championship for the second consecutive year at the state outdoor meet, coach Bobby Humphries, senior sprinter Christopher Hall and junior pole vaulter Gilberto Ramos of the Thomas Johnson High boys track and field team are this week's guests on the Final Score podcast.
The Patriots scored 92 points, 24 more than second place Paint Branch, at the state meet, winning five of the 18 events, placing in the top three in nine and scoring points in 13 overall.
Humphries, Hall and Ramos talk about what made this TJ team so special, the strong bond that all of the athletes on the team share and the legacy this senior-laden team will leave behind after winning the state team title in back-to-back seasons (three straight counting their team title during the indoor state meet in February).
Hall, a Wagner college recruit, talks about how much better the sprinting scene has gotten in Frederick County over the last four years, and Ramos discusses the always deep and tight-knit vaulting scene in the county.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss a wild and event-filled championship week on the county sport scene that included the Urbana boys lacrosse team winning its second state title, the Urbana girls lacrosse team falling just short against a juggernaut program in a state final and the Middletown and Brunswick baseball teams reaching the state championship game in their respective classifications in very unique fashion.
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After winning the Class 2A West Region I baseball championship on Wednesday with a 4-1 victory over Century, Middletown baseball coach Andy Baker and senior outfield and leadoff hitter Joey Nicholson are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Baker and Nicholson chat with host Greg Swatek about the bond, camaraderie and depth of talent on this senior-laden Middletown team and how that has carried the Knights to a 16-5 record and a trip to the Class 2A state quarterfinals.
Nicholson talks about how his love for the sport was born out of hitting crabapples in his grandmother's yard with a stick. He discusses how he gradually got better and stepping into the leadoff role for Middletown at the start of this season.
Meanwhile, Baker talks about challenging this team to help it reach its potential and what winning another state title, the school's first in baseball since 2017, would mean to him and his players.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the state of the spring playoffs for Frederick County teams in baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse.
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Is this Urbana boys lacrosse team the best ever from Frederick County?
Coach Gavin Donahue and senior long-stick midfielder Aidan Casey are posed that question by host Greg Swatek this week on The Final Score podcast.
Donahue talks about why this Urbana team has been such a powerhouse this season, rolling over a formidable schedule of teams on its way to a 15-0 record and Central Maryland Conference championship so far, and how it compares to some previous great teams, including the 2021 state championship team from Urbana that had five Division I college players on it.
Plus, what makes junior TJ Harne such a prolific goal scorer? How much pressure are the unbeaten Hawks feeling to finish the job and cap an unbeaten season with another state title?
Casey touches on those question, as well as his own career at Urbana and why these Hawks are such a hard-working, close-knit bunch.
Prior to this conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg for their usual discussion of the week that was in Frederick County sports. The guys discuss the CMC title games that were played over the course of the last week, including two more baseball games that ended in a tie as a result of coaching decisions. Are the CMC baseball games even necessary going forward?
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How does a team with high expectations respond to losing the best pitcher in the state to a serious injury right before the season starts?
Find out this week on The Final Score podcast when ace pitcher Taylor Smith and coach Jess Valentine join host Greg Swatek to talk about how the team has held up so well in the face of a lot of adversity.
Smith, a University of Virginia bound pitching recruit, talks about how she tore the ACL in her right knee near the end of basketball season and the immediate thoughts that went through her mind, knowing that her softball season could be in jeopardy. She talks about the rehab process, the support she has received from her family, friends and teammates and what she has learned by just watching and not being able to move as freely as normal.
Meanwhile, Valentine addresses what went through her mind as she watched Smith go down, as well as why the team has been able to hold it together so well in Smith absence on the field. Catoctin improved to 13-3 overall this week and is hitting the ball as well as any team in the county. What is Valentine the most proud of about her team?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about spring sports happenings around Frederick County, including impressive wins for Brunswick baseball, Middletown baseball and Urbana boys lacrosse.
Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more After being officially introduced as the 23rd men's basketball coach at Mount St. Mary's, Donny Lind is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Lind talks with host Greg Swatek about the whirlwind 9-10 day period that led him to getting the job. A former assistant coach at the Mount, he discusses how surprised he was that the job came open and why he was so eager to return to the Mount and become a head coach for the first time.
He talks about how he got his start into coaching, his qualities that make him ideally suited for this opportunity and his memories from previously coaching at the Mount under coach Jamion Christian, in addition to the playing style he plans to employ and why he feels Mount St. Mary's can be a destination for players and not just a stepping stone to a bigger school.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss some spring sports happenings around Frederick County, including the 400th win for Brunswick baseball coach Roger Dawson, former Middletown star Saylor Poffenbarger transferring into the Maryland women's basketball program and Urbana graduate Trey Lipscomb being recalled to the major leagues by the Washington Nationals.
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As he heads down the final straightaway of his standout track and field career at Catoctin High School, senior Furious Trammel is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Trammel chats with host Greg Swatek about the origins of his unique first name and how people generally react to it. He also talks about the unlikely path that led him to track and field and how he became one of the top athletes in his events (the 400-meter dash, the long jump and the triple jump) in the state of Maryland.
How did he react to winning his first state title? What is his most memorable race? What would he like to accomplish before the end of the season? What are his ultimate goals in the sport?
Trammel answers all of these questions and more during this week's episode.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Avery Neuman's incredible stat line for Tuscarora softball, Urbana's powerhouse boys lacrosse team, Trey Lipscomb getting sent back down to Triple-A by the Washington Nationals and other spring sports happenings around Frederick County.
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After announcing her college decision last month and becoming the first Frederick County athlete to earn a college scholarship to play flag football in the process, Urbana High senior Ava Duerr is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Duerr explains to host Greg Swatek how she became so interested in playing flag football and why she chose to play the sport on scholarship at Kansas Wesleyan on the NAIA level.
She talks about the strong team at Urbana, which helped pioneer the sport in Frederick County for girls, and learning the nuances of her positions as a center-receiver on offense and a pass rusher on defense.
Duerr also talks about growing up in a very competitive household, her other athletic pursuits in basketball and track and field and the allergy that forces her to eat nothing but home-cooked meals.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Duerr's overall impact for Urbana girls flag football, power rankings for Frederick County baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse teams and Urbana graduate Trey Lipscomb's continued progress playing major league baseball for the Washington Nationals.
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Hear all about Urbana High graduate Trey Lipscomb's MLB debut with the Washington Nationals this week on The Final Score podcast, as Hawks coach Mike Frownfelter joins host Greg Swatek.
Frownfelter attended both Lipscomb's MLB debut last Saturday in Cincinnati and his home debut Monday at Nats Park. He tells Greg what it was like to witness one of his former players take a major league field and compete on the highest level of the sport. He talks about the emotions of being in the stadium and the thrill of watching Trey make his first defensive play and produce his first major league hit.
He also talks about the young and talented team he has at Urbana this season and the connection that Lipscomb still has to the program.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Lipcomb's MLB debut and the opportunity he had to cover Monday's home opener and the significance it held for him.
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With the Baltimore Orioles set to begin another season this week after a busy and eventful offseason, Geoff Arnold, the team's radio play-by-play voice, is this week's guest on the Final Score podcast.
Arnold chats with host Greg Swatek about his expectations for a young and talented team that won 101 games last season and finished the regular season with the best record in the American League, only to make a quick playoff exit against the eventual World Series champions, the Texas Rangers.
The guys talk about the makeup of the Opening Day roster, the decision to leave top prospect Jackson Holliday off of it and the decision to put top outfield prospect Colton Cowser on it. They discuss what former National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes will bring to the pitching staff, in addition to the sale of the team from the Angelos family to Baltimore billionaire David Rubenstein and what that might mean for the club.
Plus, Geoff reveals his favorite road cities to visit and call a game.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss former Urbana High standout Trey Lipscomb nearly making the Opening Day roster of the Washington Nationals as a 23-year-old, as well as their early impressions of the spring season for Frederick County high school sports.
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After the Frederick High boys basketball team won its first state championship in basketball since 1982 last weekend, coach Emonte Hill Sr., senior forward Gavin Legge and sophomore guard J.J. Addison are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Hill and the players chat with host Greg Swatek about the Cadets' 73-49 victory over Walt Whitman in the Class 4A championship game last Saturday night at the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center. They talk about the journey to get to that championship and all of the adversity they had to overcome, including a very challenging schedule and facing a road game in the state semifinals against Henry A. Wise.
They also talk about the overall togetherness of the team and what made it so special, being honored by the Maryland government at the State House in Annapolis this week and the next steps for the program as it heads into the offseason.
Right before this discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss his impressions of Frederick's victory in the state final and the Cadets' season overall. The guys also touch on the run the Oakdale High girls basketball team made to the 3A state final before losing to Poly last Saturday and look ahead to the spring sports season.
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After reaching the program's first state final since 2015, coach Rob Healy, senior guard Skai Bayless and junior guard Emma Carey are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the team's resilience, not just in overcoming the major injuries it has had this season, but also brushing aside adverse moments, like the 10-point halftime deficit against Oxon Hill in the Class 3A state semifinals.
The group also talks about the team's defensive identity, why it aims to hold opponents under 40 points in games and the expectations for Saturday evening's 3A championship game against Baltimore Poly at the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center in College Park.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the state basketball semifinals, which also featured the Frederick High and Middletown boys, as well as the Catoctin girls. The guys talk about Frederick High's huge, 61-49 victory over Henry A. Wise on its home court Wednesday in a 4A boys semifinal and look ahead to the two state finals involving the Cadets against Walt Whitman for the 4A championship at 8 p.m. Saturday and the Oakdale girls against Poly for the 3A championship at 6 p.m. Saturday.
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Upon being hired by St. John's Catholic Prep as its new varsity football coach, Tyree Spinner is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Spinner chats with host Greg Swatek about what appealed to him at the SCJP job and why his background as a coach and player made him an ideal fit for it. He talks about growing up in a competitive household where staying inside and inactivity were not options for him or his siblings. He talks about getting his start in coaching and having success at places with limited resources.
Spinner also talks about his vision for the SCJP program and how the values of the school line up with his own personal standards.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the high school regional basketball championships and take a look ahead to the state quarterfinals, which involve three boys teams and two girls teams from Frederick County.
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With the state wrestling championships on tap this weekend in Upper Marlboro, Tuscarora High wrestling coach Trey Coates, one of the biggest advocates for the sport in Frederick County, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Coates chats with host Greg Swatek about the tremendous season the Titans have had, advancing all the way to the Class 3A West regional duals final, during which they gave eventual state champion Linganore a tussle, and then sending a large contingent of wrestlers to the individual state championships this weekend.
Coates also discusses in detail how he was able to get a flourishing girls wrestling program going at Tuscarora. The Titans had roughly 18 girls come out for the wrestling team this season, which was easily the most of any school in Frederick County, and will send seven wrestlers to the state girls wrestling tournament this weekend at The Show Place Arena.
How was he able to get so many girls interested in wrestling? Was he surprised by the turnout? What were the challenges associated with coaching girls as a male wrestling coach? What does he feel is the future of girls wrestling in Frederick County now that there are county titles awarded to girls?
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to discuss the basketball playoffs in Frederick County, as well as Oakdale's run to the Maryland state final in ice hockey.
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As the coach of one of the hottest basketball teams in Frederick County, Oakdale High girls basketball coach Rob Healy is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Healy, the only girls basketball coach Oakdale has ever had, chats with host Greg Swatek about why the Bears are playing so well. They had won 13 in a row prior to falling to Frederick High 32-26 this week in a defensive slugfest for the Central Maryland Conference large-school championship.
He talks about the team's defensive mindset and why the 40-point mark is so significant for them. And he talks about how far the program has come over the course of its 15-year history and expectations for the rest of this season now that the playoffs are about to begin.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the CMC basketball large school championship games, both won by Frederick High. They also review the local winners from the state indoor track meet this week in Landover.
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After Linganore wrestling won the state title in the Class 3A duals for the second consecutive year last Saturday in Waldorf, coach Ben Arneson and junior standout Brennan Considine are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Arneson and Considine chat with host Greg Swatek about the 34-31 victory over South River in the 3A championship match and all the moments that made it momentous. South River had won the 4A duals title the previous two seasons before dropping down to 3A this season. So, Linganore was facing a formidable challenge.
The conversation also addresses the workmanlike nature of this Linganore team, the pivot to the individual portion of the wrestling season and the upcoming Frederick County tournament this weekend, which will feature a girls tournament for the first time.
What can we expect over these next two weeks of wrestling leading into states?
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to review last weekend's county swimming championships and some notable results on the Frederick County basketball scene over the last week.
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Back on the sideline after more than a decade out of coaching, Middletown High girls basketball coach Chris Krivos is this week's guest on The FInal Score podcast.
Krivos chats with host Greg Swatek about why he decided to coach again and why Middletown was the right place for him to do it. He talks about how much coaching has changed since he last coached in 2010 at Urbana and how he has had to adapt to the changes.
He also talks about his time at Oakdale, where he served as the athletic director when the school opened in 2010 and hired several coaches that are still working and thriving there. How challenging was it to build an athletic department from the ground up? And what did he learn from the experience?
Plus, championship season has officially arrived for winter sports in Frederick County. Linganore and Middletown repeated as regional duals wrestling champions and are headed to states this weekend, the Frederick County Public School diving championships took place and the county swimming championships are on tap for Saturday. Plus, red-hot Oakdale is set to meet first-place Frederick in a girls basketball showdown. FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about all of that.
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After being named the new varsity football coach at Walkersville High School, Tyler Thompson is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Thompson chats with host Greg Swatek about his new job and how the hiring process unfolded. After serving as the defensive coordinator under former coach Joe Polce for the last five years, he talks about why he was ready to take this step and the expectations he has for the program going forward.
The conversation extends back to Thompson's playing days at Linganore, where he won a state championship on arguably the best football team Frederick County has ever seen back in 2009, and how he got his start into coaching.
Where does the Walkersville football program go from here? What is he looking forward to the most? Thompson addresses those questions as well.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the Thompson hiring at Walkersville and some of the unusual storylines unfolding during this high school basketball season for both the boys and the girls.
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After helping the Thomas Johnson High School boys track and field team win a second consecutive indoor team championship in the Frederick County Public Schools meet, senior Luke Freimanis is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Freimanis chats with host Greg Swatek about his success at the meet, setting a new meet record in the 55-meter hurdles and winning the high jump, and the significance of another team championship.
He also talks about the two track-and-field video games, Sky High and Track Mayhem-Decatholon, he created and are now available to play worldwide on app stores. What inspired the ideas behind them? How long did it take to create them? How challenging was the process? And how did he react when he saw friends and teammates playing the game?
Plus, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the local sports scene here in Frederick County. Is there more clarity in the Player of the Year race for boys and girls basketball?
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With his team battling to win every match that it can, Catoctin High wrestling coach Rick Reeder is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Reeder chats with host Greg Swatek about his small and mighty team. The Cougars can't fill every weight class, which forces them to forfeit four to five matches per dual meet. Yet, in the matches they actually do wrestle, they often win, which keeps them competitive against just about any team.
A graduate of Frederick High School, Reeder also talks about how he got his start into wrestling and coaching, as well as the rise of girls wrestling and what it means for the sport.
He talks about his time spent as a player and head coach with the semi-pro football team, the Frederick Outlaws, and shares how he became the first head coach for the Baltimore Charm in the now defunct Lingerie Football League. Was that job really as great as some people might think?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg, as they always do, to discuss the Frederick County sports scene. This week's topics include a buzzer beater for the Catoctin High boys basketball team and a big win for the Frederick High girls.
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Less than an week after officially stepping down from his long-time job as Walkersville High School's varsity football coach, Joe Polce is this week's guest on The Final Score poddcast.
Polce chats with host Greg Swatek about the timing and difficulty of his decision. He coached football in Frederick County for 29, including 18 at his alma mater, Walkersville and 14 as the head coach of the Lions.
They talk about some of the most memorable moments during that span, including the 2016 state championship and the 12-man-on-the-field touchdown that cost the previously unbeaten 2017 team against eventual Class 2A champion Damascus.
Polce also addresses his future and the future of the program. How much will his miss the job? How will he fill the time? Does he still have a future in coaching? Who does he think should be Walkersville's next coach?
Prior to that discusion, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about Polce's retirement and some of the memorable moments in his coaching career, as well as Frederick's stunning loss to Urbana in boys basketball last week.
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With his team off to a hot start this season, Middletown High boys basketball coach John Keimig is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast, the first of 2024.
The Knights are 9-0 after a 40-point road win over Clear Spring earlier this week. They also have road wins over typically formidable county rivals Tuscarora and Walkersville.
Keimig explains to host Greg Swatek why the team is playing so well and what sort of potential it has as the season goes on.
He talks about how his passion for coaching started and has evolved and what it was like for him to take over the boys basketball program at a school he went to and played for.
Keimig also talks about why basketball has always been such an important part of his life and what his life might look like if he wasn't coaching the sport right now.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the high school basketball landscape in Frederick County and other winter sports.
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On the final episode of 2023 for The Final Score podcast, Frederick Community College men's basketball coach Darryl Whiten is the guest.
Whiten tells host Greg Swatek about how his team was able to overcome a slow start to the season. The Cougars started the season with four straight losses and are now 4-5 as they hit their holiday break.
Now in his second season on the job, Whiten talks about how he has benefitted as a coach from his increased familiarity with his players and the day-to-day operations of the program and why its important for the team to be active and engaged with the surrounding community off the court.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the top sports stories in Frederick County for 2023. What do the guys feel is the Story of the Year for Frederick County sports? And what were some of the other big moments that stood out in their minds?
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With his team off to a hot start this season, Frederick High girls basketball coach Nate Naylor is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Naylor chats with host Greg Swatek about his team this season at Frederick High and his successful track record as coach, which includes stops at South Hagerstown High as the junior varsity and varsity coach and St. James in Hagerstown.
He also talks about why he was hesitant to become a coach and why he was very measured about his approach in coming back to it after leaving the job to start a family.
How does the job suit him in his second season at Frederick High? What sort of potential does this Frederick High girls team have? Naylor answers those questions as well.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the high school basketball scene in the county and Christmas traditions and plans.
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In the wake of their 42-35 victory over Linganore in the fist state football final between Frederick County teams, Oakdale's Big Three, senior quarterback Evan Austin, senior defensive end/tight end Dom Nichols and senior receiver/defensive back Hunter Thompson, as well as coach Kurt Stein, are this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
The guys chat with host Greg Swatek about the significance of playing in the first all-county football state final and the pressure they felt to win after falling in the Class 3A championship game the previous season.
How did they manage that pressure all season, both internal and external, given that they were expected to win all of their games and the championship? How did they feel after they won, more joy or relief? And what they will remember the most about the game and the season?
The guys also address their own futures and the future of the Oakdale football program. All three will be playing Division I football in college, Nichols at Michigan, Austin at UNC-Charlotte as a receiver and Thompson at Ohio University. Nichols and Austin will be graduating early and leaving to begin their college lives at the end of December, forgoing their final basketball season at Oakdale in the process. And Stein will be tasked with trying to replace three of the finest football players to ever play in Frederick County next season at Oakdale. How does he look at that challenge?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Gregto take a swing around the Frederick County sports landscape early in the winter season for high school sports.
As he and the Los Angeles Rams prepare to face the Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore, Rob Havenstein, a Linganore graduate and the starting right tackle for the Rams, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Now a nine-year NFL veteran, Havenstein chats with host Greg Swatek about his longevity in a league in which the average career lasts 3.3 years, with variance by position. How does he prepare differently than when he first came in the league? How is his body holding up? And how much longer does he want to keep playing?
Havenstein also talks about the Rams' struggles over the last two seasons, as they have been riddled by injuries to key players, in contrast to winning the Super Bowl just two years ago, as well as the joys of coming home and playing games with a lot of friends and family present.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss Oakdale's 42-35 victory over Linganore in the first state football final between Frederick County teams last Saturday night in Annapolis. Plus, the guys offer a bit of a winter sports preview.
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As they prepare to face off in the first state football final between Frederick County teams, coach Rick Conner and senior wide receiver Matthew Hauptman of Linganore, and coach Kurt Stein and senior center Sean Tetteh of Oakdale are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
In separate segments, the players and coaches talk chat with host Greg Swatek about the significance of playing in this historic game, the rivalry between the schools and the history the players already share, which includes a youth football championship game.
Prior to those discussions, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about the two teams, how they view they significance of this game and what they are expecting from it.
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In light of winning the first championship for varsity girls flag football in Maryland, co-coach Mike Franklin, quarterback Kaylee and center Riley Kennedy of Middletown High School are this week's guests on The FInal Score podcast.
Coach Franklin and the girls chat with host Greg Swatek about the Knights' upset win over Urbana in the inaugural championship game for girls flag football at the Under Armour facility in Baltimore and what it meant to them to be part of this new varsity sport in Frederick County. They talk about how much the team improved over the course of the season and how "Moody Mondays" helped set the tone going into every game.
They also talked about the steep learning curve everyone faced in a brand-new sport, the uniform-reveal event, getting the chance to meet and interact with some of the Baltimore Ravens and some of the things they'd like to see tweaked or improved heading into the second season next fall.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy shares his feelings on some of the tweaks he'd like to see to make girls flag football even better and the future of the sport going forward across the state. He and Greg also discuss the upcoming state semifinals in traditional football involving Oakdale (Class 3A), Linganore (3A) and Walkersville (2A). Can the Bears and Lancers set up the first state final between Frederick County teams?
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After winning Class 4A state cross titles last Saturday at Hereford High School with some of the fastest times run on the hilly course, Frederick High senior Caroline Gregory and Thomas Johnson senior James Partlow are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
First, Gregory and one of her coaches, Sage Norton, chat with host Greg Swatek about the Cadet's second state championship in three years. Gregory passed the reigning 4A champion in the final 300 meters of the race and posted her best time of 18 minutes, 30.71 seconds to claim the championship. Her victory also helped the Frederick girls place second in the 4A team standings. How was she able to pull off the victory? What was her approach to the race? How will she look back on her time as a cross-country runner at Frederick High School? All of that and more is discussed.
Then, Partlow returns to the podcast to talk about capping his dominant season for TJ with his first state title. His winning time was a personal-best 15:39.28, which is more than a two-minute improvement over the times he was running two years ago. How was he able to improve so much? What did it mean to him to finally claim a state title? And how much pressure was he feeling going into the race as a heavy favorite to win it? Those questions and more are answered.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to recap recent Frederick County fall playoff action and help set the scene for this week's state football quarterfinals. How might the seven teams still alive from Frederick County fare?
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Leading into this week's tip-off tournament at BB&T Arena, Hood College men's basketball coach Chad Dickman is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Dickman chats with host Greg Swatek and FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy about his team and the upcoming season. He talks about why more players from Frederick County are popping up on the team's roster, as four of the Blazers' 17 players are from the local area, and why it's important to shoot as many 3-pointers as possible during the game.
The coach reflects on his long tenure at Hood, which is about to enter its ninth season as the head coach, after taking over the program from his father, Tom, and how far the team has come during that time. Dickman also talks about what it will take for the Blazers to have a successful season in 2023-24.
Prior to that, Greg and Alexander talk about the local sports scene in Frederick County with multiple teams headed for the state quarterfinals and even the state semifinals in a variety of different sports.
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With another season set to begin, Mount St. Mary's women's basketball coach Antoine White is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
The Mountaineers are set to begin their second season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). White chats with host Greg Swatek about what he knows know about the league that he didn't know last year going into their first season. He talks about how his recruiting methods have changed and how recent renovations to the on-campus facilities will benefit the program.
White also talks about the upcoming season, which begins Nov. 9 at Howard University in D.C., and the makeup of his roster, which has a distinctive new look and has turned over quite a bit since they last played in the NCAA tournament after winning the Northeast Conference in 2021.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about the championship game for the inaugural season of girls flag football in the county and how it unfolded, in addition to the future of the sport going forward. They also run down where things stand for the rest of the fall playoffs regarding Frederick County sports teams and athletes.
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As he prepares to enter his sixth season as the men's basketball coach at Mount St. Mary's, Dan Englestad is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Engelstad chats with host Greg Swatek about the upcoming season, which begins Nov. 7 in College Park against Maryland. He talks about expectations for the Mount's second season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the schedule, which has a decidedly local flavor to it.
He also discusses returning players and new additions to the roster, as well as upgrades Mount St. Mary's has made to its on-campus facilities to help attract recruits.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the week that was and is still ahead for Frederick County sports as it pertains to the fall sports playoffs. The guys discuss the MPSSAA golf championships, which took place this week in College Park, and look ahead to the final week of the regular season for high school football.
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With his team riding a two-game winning streak and playing some of its best football of the season, St. John's Catholic Prep football coach Nate Marr is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Now in his second season on the job, Marr chats with host Greg Swatek about the challenges of coaching at a small private school in a football-rich area like Frederick County. He talks about how it compares to his previous jobs as a college coach since he has to recruit and the expectations he has for his players once they come into his program.
Marr also talks about the Vikings current season and why they seem to be playing so well at the moment, as well as the record setting performance by his senior running back, Zion Ntemi, in last week's 34-0 win at Annapolis Christian.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to review the week that was in Frederick County sports, as they always do. What happened in Week 7 of the high school football season? What is on tap for Week 8? Who will be playing in this weekend's Central Maryland Conference championship games at Tuscarora and Smithsburg high schools. The guys fill you in on all of that.
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With Walkersville High having one of its best field hockey seasons ever, Lions coach Kelly Ditrick is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Ditrick chats with host Greg Swatek about the team's signature victory so far over perennial power Liberty, 2-1 on Sept. 22. It's not often that Walkersville beats Liberty, which plays in field-hockey rich Carroll County and has won three state titles in the last seven years. Ditrick discusses the significance of that win and how it propelled her team going forward.
She also talks about how the team has overcome the loss of twin sisters Oliva and Hannah Miller, the Offensive and Defensively Player of the Year, respectively, to gradation and how it shook off a season-opening loss to Francis Scott Key and hasn't loss since.
Ditrick also talks about her own background in the sport, playing for a highly ranked college team at Kent State, and how she got into coaching. She also discusses the challenges of taking over the Walkersville program only a few weeks prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about the latest happenings on fall sports scene in Frederick County, including a look back on Week 6 of the high school football season and a look ahead to Week 7.
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Arguably the top defensive end in the state and playing on an unbeaten team, Oakdale defensive end Dom Nichols is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Nichols chats with host Greg Swatek about his size (6-foot-6, 250 pounds), how it shaped his sports career growing up and why it's such a conversation piece pretty much everywhere he goes. Does he prefer to play football or basketball? What are his expectations for himself and the Oakdale football team this season? And what is coach Jim Harbaugh like after Nichols was recruited to play next season for one of the top college football teams in the country, the University of Michigan? What was the recruiting process like?
All of those questions are answered during the course of their conversation.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to look back on Week 5 of the high school football season in Frederick County, look ahead to Week 6 and discuss the unusual situation going at Brunswick High School with its head football coach, Jerry Smith.
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With his team still unbeaten near the midpoint of the season, Walkersville High girls soccer coach Paul Bryan is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Bryan chats with host Greg Swatek about the strengths of his team and if it has legitimate hopes of winning the program's first state championship in Class 2A.
The two discuss some of Walkersville's great girls soccer teams in recent years, including the team that made the run to the 2A championship game in 2018, and where this season's team ranks by comparison.
Plus, Bryan explains why he doesn't get carried away with expectations or future results.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to look back on Week 4 of the high school football season here in Frederick County, including the big showdown between Oakdale and Linganore, and look ahead to Week 5.
They also talk about other prominent headlines during the county's fall sports season.
With his girls team in position to challenge for a state title, longtime Frederick High cross country coach Frank Strakonsky is this week' guest on the Final Score podcast.
Strakonsky chats with host Greg Swatek about growing up in Frederick County and how his coaching career, now in its 25th year, got started. They talk about why Strakonsky decided start coaching cross country and the mentors he had to help show him the ropes, such as Jack Griffin and Don Boyer.
Then, they talk about his girls team at Frederick High this season, what makes it so strong and why it is well positioned to challenge for a state title.
Plus, Strakonsky reflects on all of the growth and change in Frederick County that has taken place during his 25 years as a high-school coach, and why it's important for he and his wife to be present for and to support the other sports programs at Frederick High.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the high school sports scene in the county. They look back on Week 3 of the high school football season and look ahead to Week 4, which includes the big matchup between Oakdale and Linganore.
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As he helps usher in a new era for Frederick County athletics, Tuscarora High School girls flag football co-coach Mike O'Brien is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
O'Brien chats with host Greg Swatek about his lengthy coaching career in the county, which has included multiple schools and multiple sports and now involves the county's brand new varsity sport, girls flag football.
He talks about why he decided to coach girls flag football and how he and Jess Valentine manage Tuscarora' team as co-head coaches. He discusses the Titans' 25-0 win over Brunswick, where he previously served as the athletic director, in the big kickoff event last week at Frederick High and talks about his expectations and the excitement around the sport going forward.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the past week that was in Frederick County sports, including their thoughts and impressions on the first week of traditional high school football.
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With the high school football season starting this week, Oakdale High football coach Kurt Stein is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast
Stein chats with host Greg Swatek about the keys to the season for his team, which returns most of its top players after falling to Damascus in the Class 3A championship game last season. What will it take for the Bears to get over the hump and win the title this season? How will they manage their extremely challenging schedule? In what ways might they be even better this season?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to comprehensively preview the high school football season and share their thoughts on the first varsity girls flag football games to be played in the county.
The guys offer a team-by-team breakdown of the 10 public school and two private school teams that play football in Frederick County. They also share their initial impressions of girls flag football and where they feel that sport is headed after the historic first night of games.
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With a week to go before the Sept. 1 season opener at Rock Ridge, Virginia, Brunswick High football coach Jerry Smith is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Smith tells host Greg Swatek why he feels this could be his best team at Brunswick as he heads into his seventh season at the helm at his alma mater. The Railroaders bring back most of a team that reached the Class 1A state semifinals last fall.
He talks about the development of junior quarterback Ethan Houck, now a three-year starter at the position, and how senior running back Ben Wells has gotten bigger and improved over the course of the offseason.
Smith also addresses what could be one of the most underrated parts of the team, which is their offensive and defensive lines, featuring 6-foot-7, 330-pound senior Andrew Racosky.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to share his early observations from preseason football practices. The two discuss the FNP's Preseason Top 5, as well as next week's big debut for girls flag football as a varsity sport in Frederick County.
With the start of the first varsity girls flag football season in Frederick County two weeks away, Catoctin High coach Lizzie Dougherty is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Dougherty chats with host Greg Swatek about the excitement for the upcoming season and the challenge of fielding a team with only 13 players. She talks about how and why she took the coaching job and being at the Baltimore Ravens' facility on Monday for the official uniform unveiling.
She also addresses the health issues that she and her brother, Charles, a football player at Catoctin, deal with and have overcome to a large extent, as well as the impact that playing sports at Catoctin has had on her life.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the uniform unveiling with the Ravens, which included head coach John Harbaugh and prominent players like quarterback Lamar Jackson and receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and the upcoming flag-football season in the county.
With the start of the first varsity girls flag football season in Frederick County two weeks away, Catoctin High coach Lizzie Dougherty is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Dougherty chats with host Greg Swatek about the excitement for the upcoming season and the challenge of fielding a team with only 13 players. She talks about how and why she took the coaching job and being at the Baltimore Ravens' facility on Monday for the official uniform unveiling.
She also addresses the health issues that she and her brother, Charles, a football player at Catoctin, deal with and have overcome to a large extent, as well as the impact that playing sports at Catoctin has had on her life.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the uniform unveiling with the Ravens, which included head coach John Harbaugh and prominent players like quarterback Lamar Jackson and receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and the upcoming flag-football season in the county.
As the start of practice gets underway, Walkersville High football coach Joe Polce is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Polce chats with host Greg Swatek about coaching at his alma mater for an extended period of time and how much longer he might do it, considering all of his children have graduated from high school. He also talks about what makes Walkersville such a formidable program year after year, as well as expectations for the coming season.
The guys run down the Lions' challenging schedule and who is likely playing where. They also discuss their keys for having another successful year.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss his recent vacation to Southern California, which included a trip to Petco Park in San Diego for a Dodgers-Padres game, as well as some expectations for the coming fall sports season across Frederick County.
A week away from the first practice of the upcoming season, Catoctin High football coach Mike Rich is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Rich chats with host Greg Swatek about why he is so excited about the coming season and why he is so perpetually positive and energetic. He talks about what he has learned about being a head coach heading into his fourth season on the job and the various challenges that come along with it.
The guys run through the Cougars' projected lineup and schedule and discuss what reasonable expectations are for this team. They also discuss the new turf field being installed at the school and how that might impact things.
With the start of the season approaching and having just made their college commitments, Oakdale High School football players Evan Austin and Hunter Thompson are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Austin and Thompson chat with host Greg Swatek about their college decisions. Austin, a senior quarterback for Oakdale, recently committed to the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where he will be a wide receiver, while Thompson, a senior receiver for the Bears, just committed to play at Ohio University. The guys talk about why they chose the schools that they did and what the recruiting process was like in general.
They also discuss the upcoming season at Oakdale and how they will manage the high expectations after the Bears advanced to the Class 3A championship game last fall. What do they expect and what are some of the biggest challenges they anticipate facing?
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Francis Scott Key Post 11's run up to the state American Legion baseball tournament, for which it served as the host team.
With the start of the season approaching and having just made their college commitments, Oakdale High School football players Evan Austin and Hunter Thompson are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Austin and Thompson chat with host Greg Swatek about their college decisions. Austin, a senior quarterback for Oakdale, recently committed to the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where he will be a wide receiver, while Thompson, a senior receiver for the Bears, just committed to play at Ohio University. The guys talk about why they chose the schools that they did and what the recruiting process was like in general.
They also discuss the upcoming season at Oakdale and how they will manage the high expectations after the Bears advanced to the Class 3A championship game last fall. What do they expect and what are some of the biggest challenges they anticipate facing?
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Francis Scott Key Post 11's run up to the state American Legion baseball tournament, for which it served as the host team.
With the soccer club's 15U girls team competing for a national championship this week in Florida, FC Frederick president Jeff Sill is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Sill chats with host Greg Swatek about the 15U girls run to nationals, as they are just the second FC Frederick team to qualify for the championships in the 20-plus year history of the club, and what makes them such a strong team.
He also talks about the tremendous impact FC Frederick has made on the local soccer scene in its relatively brief history.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss summer developments, including the Major League Baseball Draft and how it impacted the career trajectory for Catoctin High ace Joey McMannis, who will now head to the University of Maryland to pitch.
With the first varsity girls flag football season approaching in Frederick County, coach Rob Dixon, the head coach at Frederick High, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Dixon, who is also the head track and field coach at Frederick High, chats with host Greg Swatek about his expectations for the coming season. What made him interested in coaching girls flag football? How many players are coming out for the team at Frederick High? And what is their familiarity with playing football?
The two also discuss the potential impact girls flag football as a varsity sport in Frederick County will have across the state and across the region and how it might impact the other varsity sports.
What is a Ghost Hound? And what is the plan to bring affiliated minor league baseball back to Frederick?
Andrew Klein, the general manager of the Frederick Keys and the Spire City Ghost Hounds, answers those questions and more on this week's episode of The Final Score podcast.
Klein chats with host Greg Swatek about the addition of the Ghost Hounds, who play in the independent Atlantic League, to the baseball scene in Frederick. Why did Attain Sports, which owns and runs the Keys and the Ghost Hounds, feel that an additional team was needed? And what has the general fan reaction been to the Ghost Hounds so far?
He also discusses the future of professional baseball in Frederick. What are the current plans to renovate Nymeo Field? Are their ongoing discussions to bring an affiliated team to town? And when might that happen?
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about Urbana High graduate and Washington Nationals prospect Trey Lipscomb playing in Double-A Harrisburg and Catoctin High ace pitcher Joey McMannis potentially being drafted next week.
This week's guest on The Final Score podcast is Chuck Foreman, the former three-sport star for Frederick High School and football great for the Minnesota Vikings.
Foreman chats with host Greg Swatek about the most recent honor he received, as he will be inducted into the ring of honor at his college alma mater, the University of Miami, in October, alongside coaching greats Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson. Foreman talks about why he chose to go to Miami when he had many other offers and the impact playing for the Hurricanes had on the rest of his career and his life.
Foreman, the 12th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft, also talks about his candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and why he thinks he has not gotten the call yet. He rushed for almost 6,000 yards, caught 350 passes for more than 3,000 yards and scored 76 touchdowns over the course of an eight-year career with the Minnesota Vikings (seven seasons) and the New England Patriots (one season).
Still residing in Minneapolis, Foreman also discusses the Vikings' recent draft choice of Tuscarora High graduate Jordan Addison, who is the highest NFL draft choice (No. 23 overall) from Frederick County since he was selected in '73.
Foreman talks about the impact he thinks Addison, a wide receiver, will have with the Vikings and the advice he would share when he gets a chance to speak with him.
After winning a share of $1 million for playing in The Soccer Tournament earlier this month, former Urbana High soccer star William Eskay is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Eskay played for the Newtown Pride, which won the $1 million, winner-take-all The Soccer Tournament on June 4 in Cary, North Carolina. Newtown outlasted 32 teams in the four-day, World-Cup-style tournament that was televised on Peacock and some of the NBC networks.
Eskay chats with host Greg Swatek about being part of the winning team and what he plans to do with his share of the money, half of which was split evenly among the 18 players on the Newtown team.
Eskay talks about how he became involved with the Newtown Pride and why the team was so dominant throughout the tournament. He also touches on his professional career with the St. Louis Ambush of the Major Arena Soccer League and all of the momentous ways his life has changed in recent months.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about some summer sports happenings in Frederick County.
After winning the state softball championship in Class 4A, star players Delaney Reefe and Maggie Hummer and coach Frank Husson are this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the 8-2 win over Delaney in the 4A championship game that earned the Hawks their second state title, with the first one coming in 2011. They discuss how the team grew over the course of the season, turning an 0-2 start into one of the finest seasons in school history.
Reefe, a University of Maryland recruit, talks about his transition during the high school season from being a standout catcher to a top-notch pitcher. Hummer, Urbana's every-day catcher, chats about why she loves playing softball so much. And Husson discusses why he felt this particular team had so much potential.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Urbana's softball championship, the summer sports landscape in Frederick County and some of the baseball feature stories he is working on.
With the 2022-23 school year now over, the supervisor of athletics and extra curricular activities for Frederick County Public Schools made his annual appearance on The Final Score podcast this week.
Kevin Kendro chats with Greg Swatek about the year that was in FCPS athletics. The discussion centers heavily on the school system adding girls flag football as a varsity sport in the fall. How challenging was the process? What sort of response has the school system gotten about adding the sport? What will the games look like? What are the rules? How are points scored? What sort of blue print will the sport create for other school districts across the state? All of those questions are addressed.
Kendro also talks about the state of the Central Maryland Conference eight years into its existence. Clear Spring was added in the last school year to give the sports league 16 teams, including the 10 from Frederick County. Kendro discusses some structural changes the CMC is making to its divisions and the way championships are awarded.
He also discusses some of the challenges that high school sports are facing on the state level, namely a shortage of game officials.
Fresh off of the Thomas Johnson boys track and field team winning its first state team title in more than a decade, coach Bobby Humphries and team captain and top distance runner James Partlow are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Humphries and Partlow chat with host Greg Swatek about how the Patriots were able to claim the Class 3A boys teams championship without winning a single event. They scored 56 points and held off nemesis Frederick High (51.75) to win their first state title since their three-peat in 2009-11.
Partlow talks about how the Patriots overcame a poor first day of the meet to achieve a season-long long, and Humphries addresses his transition from coaching football to coaching track and how he has become better at the job in the process.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about the end of the spring sports season in Frederick County, which featured Urbana softball winning a state title, the Catoctin boys and Urbana girls track teams defending their titles, championship-game appearances for Middletown girls lacrosse, Catoctin softball and Urbana baseball and the first tennis state championship in the history of Brunswick High School.
As they prepare to face Manchester Valley in the Class 2A state championship game, senior midfielder Ellery Bowman and coach Tyler White are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Bowman and White chat with host Greg Swatek about the significance of the Middletown girls playing in their second lacrosse state final in three seasons and what it would mean to become the first girls lacrosse team from Frederick County to win a state title.
Bowman, the leading scorer in Frederick County by a wide margin, talks about how she got started in playing the sport and her future playing it at the U.S. Naval Academy and beyond.
White, meanwhile, talks about how is able to maintain such a positive outlook most of the time, why it is so important to his coaching philosophy, the importance of remembering that playing lacrosse should be about having fun above all else, and how he might celebrate a state-championship win for the Knights.
Prior to that discussion, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the four state championship games this week involving Urbana softball and baseball, Catoctin softball and Middletown girls lacrosse. What are each teams chances of bringing home the title?
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With his team set to play in another state semifinal, first-year Linganore girls lacrosse coach Dean Coccia is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
After suffering a heart-breaking loss in the final minute to Severna Park last spring in the state semifinals, the Lancers are back in the final four of Class 3A and set to take on top-seeded Towson at Paint Branch High School. Coccia chats with host Greg Swatek about taking over a team with a mix of veterans from last season's experience and new players
The two also discuss Coccia's backgound in the sport, how he got the job at Linganore and what his expectations are moving forward.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about state semifinals and quarterfinals for Frederick County teams in baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse.
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As their team prepares to begin the softball playoffs as the top team in the region, Catoctin star softball pitcher Taylor Smith and catcher Meghan Gray are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Smith and Gray chat with host Greg Swatek about what makes them such an effective combination. They discuss their backgrounds in the sport, what makes Catoctin such a strong softball program year after year and what winning a state title would mean to them.
How much guts are required to catch a power pitcher like Taylor? What makes Meghan such an effective hitter? Those questions and more are answered.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the recently played Central Maryland Conference championship games for baseball and softball and the regional playoffs in a variety of spring sports.
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One week after seeing her son fulfill a lifelong dream of being drafted into the NFL, Jordan Addison's mother, Keisha Blackman, is this week's guest on the Final Score podcast.
Addison, a wide receiver and Tuscarora High graduate, was selected at No. 23 overall in the first round of the NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings, making him the second player from Frederick County to be drafted into the NFL's opening round, following former Frederick High great Chuck Foreman, who was selected by the Vikings at No. 12 overall in 1973.
Blackman shares with host Greg Swatek what it was like watching this entire process unfold for her son and how she felt once he was drafted. She talks about how Jordan's love for football started and his rise through the ranks into one of the top college wide receivers in the country.
She also talks about the various challenges he has overcome along the way, such as dealing with a lot of negative blowback after he transferred from the University of Pittsburgh, and what some of the next steps are as his NFL career begins.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about where things stand as the regular season for spring sports in Frederick County comes to and end and with the playoffs set to begin next week.
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On a momentous night for Frederick County sports, Tuscarora graduate Jordan Addison, a playmaking wide receiver, and Urbana native Bryan Bresee, a disruptive defensive tackle, were taken in the first round of the NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints, respectively.
On this week's episode of the Final Score podcast, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join host Greg Swatek to discuss this major news, as Addison and Bresee join former Frederick High star Chuck Foreman as the only Frederick County natives to be drafted into the NFL in the first round. Foreman was the 12th overall pick by the Vikings in the 1973 draft.
Following that conversation, in a prerecorded interview, one of Addison's former coaches with the Gaithersburg-based Montgomery Village Chiefs, Rob Robinson, joins Greg to discuss the beginnings of Addison's football career and what made him such a dynamic player at such an early age. Why did Addison need to be the team's quarterback? How did the rest of the Chiefs take their cues from such a quiet leader? Robinson explains.
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With his team in the midst of a good season, first-year Urbana High School girls lacrosse coach Tom DeMaio is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
DeMaio chats with host Greg Swatek about growing up as a huge sports fan in Boston and going to Super Bowls that his beloved Patriots played in and won. He talks about how he transitioned from being a solid defenseman in hockey into a lacrosse player and later a coach. And he talks about raising six kids, all of whom play lacrosse, including his oldest son, Anthony, who was a standout midfielder on two national championship teams at the University of DeMaio.
The conversation eventually shifts to DeMaio's team at Urbana this season, its thrilling last-second win over Middletown and where it stands in the Frederick County girls lacrosse pecking order with the playoffs approaching.
Prior to that, Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss at length his upcoming and ambitious tryout with Frederick's new Atlantic League baseball team. What is he expecting, for better or for worse?
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As the spring sports season nears its midpoint, Tuscarora High girls lacrosse coach Bradley Gray is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Gray chats with host Greg Swatek about how he came to be a lacrosse coach after never playing the sport himself. He talks about the evolution of the game here in Frederick County since he came onto the scene right around the time the game was incorporated as a varsity high school sport in the area. And he also talks about the challenges of coaching his daughters, choosing teaching and coaching over a more financially lucrative career in law and how his love of sports began.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss where this stand in spring sports across Frederick County. Plus, the guys tease a big endeavor that Alexander has coming up.
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Off to a strong start this season, Catoctin pitching ace Joey McMannis and the Cougars' longtime coach Mike Franklin are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
McMannis, who committed to play at the University of Maryland as a freshman, is receiving lots of attention from Major League Baseball scouts. He and Franklin chat with host Greg Swatek about dealing with that process and handling the pressure and scrutiny that comes along with it. McMannis talks about how he developed and maintains his powerful right arm, which can deliver mid-90's fastballs on the radar gun. He also talks extensively about his friendship with Catoctin track phenom Brody Buffington and how they have helped each other manage both the recruiting process and the small-town celebrity status that each now enjoys.
Meanwhile, Franklin discusses what makes McMannis such a dominant pitcher and why is team is off to such a strong start.
Plus, we've got power rankings, as FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the Frederick County teams that have looked the strongest so far in each of the spring sports.
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As a new Major League Baseball season gets underway, Baltimore Orioles play-by-play voice Geoff Arnold is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Arnold, the former director of broadcasting and public relations for the Frederick Keys, chats with host Greg Swatek about whether the O's can take the next step and make the playoffs this season after being the best team in the American League to not make it last year. He shares some impressions from spring training and his thoughts on top pitching prospects Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall not being in the majors to start the season. How long might it be before we see them in the big leagues?
Plus, Arnold shares his thoughts on the pitch clock, which seems to be wildly popular so far and has drastically reduced the lenghth of games in spring training. Has he had to adjust his broadcasting style as a result?
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to share their thoughts on Opening Day and the fortunes of the Nationals and Orioles. Plus, the guys discuss spring sports in Frederick County and some of the best teams that have emerged so far.
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As a new season gets underway, Walkersville softball coach Randy Hinkelman is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Hinkelman chats with host Greg Swatek about the outlook for his team this season after it made a run to the Class 2A state semifinals last season. He also talks about the challenge of coaching his daughters, life growing up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, how he became a softball coach and how he became a world-class archer.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers join Greg to discuss the start of the spring sports season in Frederick County, and Alexander shares details of the story he is working on about the very successful Esports team at Mount St. Mary's, which leads to a broader discussion about Esports in general.
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After winning 26 out of 27 games during a remarkable season advancing all of the way to the Class 3A state semifinals, coach Emonte Hill, junior guard Elwyne Wordlaw and junior forward David Dorsey are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Coach Hill and the players chat with host Greg Swatek about what made this team and this season so special. They talk about the bitter disappoint of losing to arch rival Thomas Johnson three times during the previous season and how that provided the fuel for all the work and preparation everyone put in over the summer and during the fall in preparation for the season. The guys also talk about helping to restore pride in Frederick County athletics and what is on tap over the offseason as they prepare to chase a state title again next season.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to share their thoughts on Frederick High's boys basketball season and help preview the upcoming spring sports season in Frederick County.
A couple of weeks after being named the new varsity football coach at Urbana High School, Dean Swink is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Swink chats with host Greg Swatek about why he wanted to be a head coach again after being away from such a position for more than a decade. He previously served as the head coach at Tuscarora High from 2009-11 and Walt Whitman prior to that. In the ensuring years, he was an assistant coach at both Damascus and Urbana, serving as the Hawks' defensive line coach last season.
Swink talks about coaching NFL Draft prospect Bryan Bresee at both Urbana and Damascus. He discusses all of the nuances and added responsibilities that come along with his new job, his general disdain for social media and the overall vision he has for the Urbana football program.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about the sudden end to the winter sports season in Frederick County. They discuss about the half-court heave that sank the Urbana girls basketball team, a terrific effort by the often-overlooked Oakdale girls, the first blemish for the Frederick boys and a difficult circumstance that ended the season for the Walkersville boys.
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After taking the helm of the Thomas Johnson High School varsity football team in late January, Beau Traber is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Traber chats with host Greg Swatek about his unlikely path to the job, from observing a practice on a walk with his dog, to joining the team as a volunteer assistant, to taking over as defensive coordinator at midseason last fall to becoming the head coach, all within the span of five months. He talks about how he was able to squeeze the most out of his athletic ability as an undersized high school middle linebacker in Oklahoma and later at Bucknell University. And he discusses what it will take to get the TJ football program back on a winning track.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the high school basketball playoffs, which have now reached the state quarterfinal stage for four Frederick County basketball teams (Frederick and Walkersville boys, Oakdale and Urbana girls). What are their chances of advancing even farther?
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After his sensational state record in the 55-meter dash and a wild last month that earned him some national recognition, Catoctin High sprinting star Brody Buffington and his coach, Dave Lillard, are this week's guests on the Final Score podcast.
Buffington chats with host Greg Swatek about how much his life has changed over the last month, starting with the 6.25-second 55 dash he ran in mid-January that vaulted him to the best time in the nation, at the time, to the 6.19-second 55 dash he ran Tuesday at the state indoor meet to set the Maryland Public School record for all classifications. What has it been like handling all of the attention?
He also talks at length about the controversial disqualification he suffered in the 300 dash at the 1A regional meet that knocked him out of a race he was the defending champion in and states and prompted nationwide calls of support on social media, including from numerous Olympians.
How do Buffington's teammates handle all of his success? Lillard talks about that and about all of the noteworthy athletes and performances that can get lost in the very large shadow cast by Buffington's dynamic performances.
And what's on tap for Buffington as he prepares to run at the New Balance Indoor National meet in Boston in two weeks and during the outdoor track season in the spring?
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about the Central Maryland Conference championship games for both boys and girls basketball, as well as state and regional playoff happenings for swimming and wrestling.
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Fresh off Linganore High's wrestling team winning its first state duals championship last Saturday, coach Ben Arneson and senior middleweight Ben Lawn are this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Arneson and Lawn chat with host Greg Swatek about how the profile of the sport has risen at Linganore to the point where the Lancers are now one of the most respected teams in the state. They talk about the team's relentless and never-quit attitude, which carried them to the Class 3A duals championship over North Point, and they talk about how the wrestlers were able to come together for the purpose of achieving that common goal.
Plus, they offer a little preview of the Frederick County Public Schools tournament this Friday and Saturday at Frederick High School, as the individual portion of the postseason is set to begin.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the end of the basketball regular season in Frederick County and what team can possibly contend for a state title on the boys and girls side, as well as the FCPS swimming and diving championships over the weekend.
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Following a dramatic and tense come-from-behind win at Linganore this week, Urbana boys basketball coach Dave Crawmer and sophomore forward RJ Roche are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Crawmer and Roche chat with host Greg Swatek about the Hawks' season. They are 13-5 with three challenging games remaining in the regular season. They also discuss the qualities of the team that allowed it to rally from an early 13-point deficit to beat Linganore on the road by three, surviving a potential game-tying 3-pointer by the Lancers at the buzzer.
Roche talks about how his game has evolved over the course of the season. And Crawmer discusses his day job as the head golfing pro at Lakewood Country Club in Rockville. What his lowest score ever? What is the most famous course he has ever played? The answers may surprise you.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about the the controversial disqualification of Catoctin sprinting star Brody Buffington in the 300 dash over the weekend in the Class 1A West regional indoor track meet in Hagerstown. They also discuss the prominent storylines on the boys and girls basketball scenes in Frederick County, and share the story of Zion Ortiz, a star athlete at Maryland School for the Deaf.
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On the heels of girls flag football becoming a varsity sport in Frederick County, new Tuscarora High football coach and Urbana assistant principal Ryan Hines is this week's guest on the Final Score.
Hines played a prominent role in helping girls flag football carve out a foothold in the area through Frederick County Parks and Recreation and the high school league last fall. He chats with Greg Swatek about the significance of it becoming a varsity sport in Frederick County Public Schools and the opportunities it will create for young girls interested in playing sports.
He also talks about his desire to get back into coaching after roughly a decade of holding administrative positions at Urbana and why Tuscarora was the right opportunity for him, despite the Titans' struggles in recent seasons.
How is he balancing and managing both jobs at the moment? Why would he be willing to take such a significant pay cut? How long will it take to turn the Tuscarora program around? He answers those questions and more.
Prior to Hines coming on, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to discuss girls flag football as a varsity sport, the contributions of Frederick High's deaf boys basketball player, Keanu Boren, and Hood College's newly formed men's volleyball team.
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After helping lead the Thomas Johnson High boys track and field team to its first county indoor title since 2012 last week, standout distance runner James Partlow and coach Larry O'Hara are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Partlow explains to host Greg Swatek how he overcame a weeklong illness to not only participate in the meet but to provide valuable points for his team by winning the 3,200-meter run and placing second in the 1,600. He also talks about how a tremendous cross-country season in the fall generated a lot of confidence and belief heading into the indoor track season.
O'Hara talks about how he has built the Patriots into a county champion over the course of his six seasons on the job. It has not been a fast or easy process. But he's gradually convinced more good athletes to come out for the team, which created has created the depth TJ needs to win the championship without a lot of event wins.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about the winter sports scene in Frederick County. They touch on the county track meet, boys and girls basketball and some wrestling.
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Less than a week after being named the varsity football coach at his alma mater, Frederick High football coach Pat Cadden is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Cadden chats with host Greg Swatek about how the opportunity came about for him. He served for the last six seasons as Frederick's defensive coordinator under former coach Kevin Pirri and has helped resurrect the program from one of its lowest points ever into one of the top ones in the state.
Cadden also talks candidly about his 20 years of military service in the U.S. Army, which is approaching its end, and how that shaped his life and his coaching career.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to discuss the new high school football coaching hires at both Frederick and Tuscarora, as well as some notable results and upcoming matchups on the Frederick County basketball scene.
The guys also touch on Catoctin's Brody Buffington posting the fastest time in the nation in the 55-meter dash last week, as well as Linganore wrestling's big win over Middletown.
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After leading Linganore to a last-second, one-point win over Urbana to achieve status as the only unbeaten team in Frederick County this season in girls basketball, Lancers junior guard Trinity Lindblade and her coach, Rachael Easterday, are this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Lindblade chats with host Greg Swatek about the nothing-but-net 3-pointer she hit to beat the previously unbeaten Hawks by one point (63-62) in the final seconds of what could be the girls basketball Game of the Year in the county this season. What was she thinking and feeling leading into that shot? What gave her the confidence to take it and make it from so far behind the 3-point line? What has her adjustment been like to the Linganore team after transferring from Thomas Johnson last season? Lindblade answers all of those questions.
Easterday discusses what makes Lindblade such a special player and what makes these Lancers such a special team. Did she unbeaten and state-championship potential in her team prior to the season starting?
Prior to this discussion, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about the winter sports season in Frederick County, with the girls and boys basketball scenes being a particular point of emphasis. What has stood out to these guys so far this season?
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After scoring his second game-winning goal in a state final in November, Brunswick boys soccer player Logan Malone and his coach, Shawn Baker, are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Malone recounts to host Greg Swatek his storybook scenario of scoring not just one, but two game-winning goals in overtime of state championship games against the very same opponent, Fallston. What was the liklihood of that happening? What were his emotions like? What sort of reaction did he get from his teammates and the community?
Plus, Baker shares his pride in leading his alma mater to back-to-back state titles as a coach and what made this Brunswick team so strong once again.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy chats with Greg about winter sports in Frederick County and a very early candidate for Game of the Year, as unbeaten Linganore and unbeaten Urbana played in girls basketball. Learn how the game lived up to the hype.
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On an informal holiday edition of The Final Score podcast, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins host Greg Swatek to discuss their holiday travel adventures and the winter sports scene in Frederick County.
Alexander also reflects on his first nine months on the job in the FNP sports department.
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After signing his National Letter of Intent this week to make his college commitment to play football at Army official, Middletown running back Carson Smith is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Smith chats with host Greg Swatek about the recruiting process and why he ultimately settled on Army. Did he ever envision himself at a military academy?
The guys also discuss his sensational last two seasons at Middletown, during which he rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 50 touchdowns and led the Knights to the Class 2A state semifinals in November. They talk about his various interests outside of football and what he sees in the eyes of defenders who attempt to tackle him.
Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss the winter sports scene in Frederick County. What boys and girls basketball teams have separated themselves from the pack so far?
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After making his college decision this week, Frederick High football star Travon Neal is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast, along with his coach, Kevin Pirri.
Neal explains to host Greg Swatek why he chose Monmouth University as his next football destination. He talks about the recruiting process and the things he enjoyed and did not enjoy about it. He also discusses how he has grown as both a person and a player and what playing football at Frederick High over these last four years has meant to him.
Pirri shares his feelings on Neal's decision and the impact he has had on his program. He talks about some of the nuances of the recruiting process that he noticed and the type of person and player that Monmouth is getting in Neal.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to discuss Neal and his college choice, as well as their early impressions of the winter sports season in Frederick County, particularly how it relates to high school basketball and wrestling.
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Now in his second season as the men's basketball coach at Frederick Community College, Darryl Whiten is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Whiten chats with host Greg Swatek about taking the job at FCC after serving many years as a high school boys and girls basketball coach in the county. He talks about learning how to recruit and the process of bringing players. He addresses how he and the team have evolved from his first season on the job to now, and he talks about his relationship with well-known college coaches John Calipari and Shaka Smart.
Plus, Whiten addresses his extensive work with Frederick native Aje Hill and his I Believe in Me foundation.
First, though, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss Oakdale's loss to Damascus in the Class 3A football state-championship game and the conclusion on the high school football season in Frederick County in general.
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After winning the school's first state championship in volleyball, Urbana High volleyball coach Jerry Burge and two of his daughters who are on the team, Charis and Logan, are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.The Burges chat with host Greg Swatek about the Hawks' dramatic five-set win over Arundel in the Class 4A championship match. They discuss why their season was so successful and how Urbana managed to knock off a team riding a 30-match winning streak in the state final.Jerry Burge talks about raising six daughters, who were all volleyball players, and how that sport became such a huge part of their family. Charis and Logan also share their perspective on why they love playing the sport so much and being coached by their father.Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy stop by to talk about the state football semifinals and Oakdale's upcoming 3A championship game against Damacus in Annapolis this weekend. What are the Bears' chances of winning their second state title?
Following their 3-0 victory over Centennial in last week's Class 3A championship game to cap a dominant season, Tuscarora boys senior captain Tony Lombardi and coach Todd Knepper are this week's guests on The Final Score podcast.
Lombardi and Knepper chat with host Greg Swatek about why the Titans were so dominant this season and what sort of legacy the team will leave. They talk about the state championship game, the team's first since its breakthrough victory in 2008, and why they weren't that nervous or feeling much pressure. They also discuss the team's dynamic playmakers, such as senior striker Erick Rodriguez, and some of the unsung heroes that made the Titans as good as they were.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to discuss the state playoffs for Frederick County high schools. They talk about Brunswick's dramatic overtime victory over Fallston in the Class 1A championship game for the second straight season in boys soccer. They also talk about the state quarterfinal round in the football playoffs and look ahead to this week's state semifinals.
After Urbana's volleyball team and Tuscarora's boys soccer team each won state titles this week, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joined host Greg Swatek to discuss that and more on this week's episode of The Final Score podcast.
The guys discuss Urbana's remarkable five-set win over reigning Class 4A state champion Arundel, which was riding a 30-match winning streak heading into the state final. Alexander shares his thoughts on why Urbana was able to win this match to claim their first state title and what players led the way.
The guys also touch on the total dominance of the Tuscarora boys soccer team this season, which was capped by a 3-0 victory over Centennial in the Class 3A championship game. What made the Titans so special and how will they be remembered all-time on the Frederick County boys soccer scene?
The state cross country championships and the ongoing football playoffs are also discussed on this episode.
With Hood men's basketball set to tip off another season as the reigning Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth champions, the team's coach, Chad Dickman, is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
The Blazers will host the annual MMI Tip-Off Tournament at BB&T Arena this weekend, a four-team event that includes defending NCAA Division III national champion and No. 1 ranked Randolph Macon, coached by Walkersville native Josh Merkel.
Dickman chats with host Greg Swatek about his longtime relationship with Merkel and hosting the top-ranked team in the country in a season-opening event.
He also talks about how his team will transition away from two of its greatest players ever in Mason and Evan Wang, now that they have graduated, and why mid-range jump shots are considered bad shots.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about the fall sports playoffs in Frederick County for high school sports. They discuss the upcoming state semifinals for boys and girls soccer, as well as the regional semifinals for football, the state-championship meet for cross country and the regional finals for volleyball.
With the women's basketball team at Mount St. Mary's set to begin another season, coming off back-to-back trips to the NCAA tournament, the team's coach, Antoine White, is this week's guest on the Final Score podcast.
White chats with host Greg Swatek about the trip to the Big Dance last March and what the team can take from it. He also talks extensively about playing in a new league this season, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and the impact it will have on his program.
Who are the players to watch this season for the Mountaineers? What are their expectations for the coming season? Those questions are addressed over the course of the conversation.
Plus, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to talk about fall sports in Frederick County, as the high school playoffs head toward regional finals and state quarterfinals. The guys discuss the remaining county playoff teams in field hockey and soccer and look ahead to the upcoming playoffs for football and volleyball.
With Mount St. Mary's set to begin its first season of men's basketball in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, coach Dan Engelstad is this week's guest on the Final Score podcast.
Engelstad chats with host Greg Swatek about the MAAC and how the Mountaineers figure to fit into their new league in their first season of play. He talks about how the Mount can benefit from the raised profile the league offers and the impact it could have on recruiting. He also talks about this season's roster, which features several returning players, and what he is looking forward to the most heading into the Nov. 7 season opener at West Virginia.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to discuss fall sports in Frederick County. John and Greg touch on the state golf tournament, the Central Maryland Conference championship games for soccer and field hockey and the final week of the regular season for high school football.
After collecting a string of individual honors in his first season as the starting quarterback at the University of Albany, Middletown High graduate Reese Poffenbarger is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Poffenbarger was named this week as the Stats Perform FedEx Ground National Freshman Player of the Week. That follows four consecutive weeks of being named the Rookie of the Week in the Colonial Athletic Association.
He chats with host Greg Swatek about squaring these individual honors with the Albany's struggles this season, as the Great Danes are 1-5 overall after a series of very-close, high-scoring games.
He also talks about the process of becoming the starting quarterback at Albany after transferring over the summer from Old Dominion University, facing a nationally prominent program like Baylor in his first game as a starter and what his daily routine is like as a Division I college football player.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss fall sports in Frederick County, as they near the end of the regular season. They look back on Week 7 of the high school football season and look ahead to Week 8.
As fall sports in Frederick County reach the midpoint of their seasons, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join host Greg Swatek to discuss the latest developments and look forward to what's ahead on this week's episode of the Final Score podcast.
The guys take a look back at Week 5 of the high school football season and chat about the significance of some eye-opening results. They also discuss some of the key matchups ahead in Week 6.
In addition, they discuss the success of the Frederick High girls cross country team, which has already won five meets this season and has one of the top runners in the state in junior Caroline Gregory.
With his team authoring a remarkable turnaround season, Linganore boys soccer coach Kirk Meehan is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Meehan chats with host Greg Swatek about why is team is playing so well and how its been able to pull out five one-goal wins so far. He talks about the difficulties of going through a winless season in 2021 and how he kept his players interested and motivated to contribute to the program despite not being rewarded for their time and efforts with victories.
He also discusses his own playing career at Tuscarora High School and how he got into coaching and teaching special education at Linganore.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about fall sports for Frederick County high schools. Among other topics, they review Week 4 of the high school football season and look ahead to Week 5.
As his team prepares to face the No. 1 team in college football on Saturday, former Oakdale quarterback Collin Schlee is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Schlee is now the starting quarterback at Kent State University after a terrific career at Oakdale High School, where he led the Bears to an unbeaten season and the Class 2A state championship in 2018. At noon Saturday, the Golden Flashes will face top-ranked and defending national champion Georgia on ESPN-plus, following matchups with Power 5 teams Washington and Oklahoma earlier in the season.
Schlee chats with host Greg Swatek about his career at Kent thus far and preparing for a high-powered team like Georgia. He talks about learning the ropes as a backup in his first three years in the program prior to taking over the starting job and the value of having two more years of eligibility beyond this one since he was red-shirted and received two extra years from the NCAA due to the pandemic. He also discusses the nuances of his daily life as a Division I quarterback, balancing his football responsibilities with his school work and outside life.
Prior to this discussion, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about high school sports in Frederick County. They discuss Week 3 of the football season and look ahead to Week 4.
Longtime Middletown High School boys soccer coach Jeff Colsh is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Colsh chats with host Greg Swatek about how he got into coaching at his alma mater, his own playing career at Middletown and why he is still so passionate about living and working there.
He also talks about the team he has this season at Middletown, why his players work so well together and facing a challenging schedule that doesn't provide many breaks.
Prior to that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to discuss Week 2 of the high school football season, look ahead to Week 3 and share other observations about fall sports in Frederick County.
On this week's episode of The Final Score podcast, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join host Greg Swatek to discuss the first week of the fall sports season in Frederick County.
The guys discuss the first week of the high school football season and look ahead to Week 2. They also share their early thoughts and impressions on the other fall high school sports, including boys and girls soccer, volleyball, golf and field hockey.
The podcast is available at http://www.fnppodcasts.com and via iTunes, Google Play and other podcast apps.
With the high school football season set to kick off in Frederick County this week, Oakdale High School football coach Kurt Stein is the guest on the Final Score podcast.
Stein chats with host Greg Swatek about his team this season, which he feels is as talented as any he has coached in his 13 years at Oakdale, including the 2018 state-championship team.
He shares his feeling on why so many kids are playing football in Frederick County, including a record number at Oakdale High School, and what it will take for the Bears to be left standing as not just one of the best teams in the county, but one of the best teams in the state prior to the end of the season.
First, though, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy stop in to offer a comprehensive, team-by-team breakdown of the 10 public schools and two private schools that play football in Frederick County. Which teams will rise to the top? The guys share their thoughts and insights.
The Final Score podcast continues it look at the upcoming high school football season in Frederick County with Catoctin High School football coach Mike Rich.
Coach Rich chats with Greg Swatek about the huge challenges he has faced in his three years on the job, including replacing a legend in Doug Williams and dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
They also talk about the team the Cougars have this season with nine starters returning on each side of the ball and the expectations for the program this season.
Plus, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy stops in to discuss the upcoming season with Greg, including the FNP's preseason top 5 for high school football.
The Final Score podcast continues to preview the upcoming Frederick County high school football season with Frederick High coach Kevin Pirri.
Pirri chats with host Greg Swatek about how the Cadets are managing high expectations for the first time in nearly two decades. He also talks about some of the lean years after taking over the program in 2015 compared to now when more than 100 kids are registered in the program a season after Frederick reached the state semifinals for the first time since their only previous appearance in 1985.
What will it take for the Cadets to advance another step or two father this season and claim their first state championship? Pirri responds.
Plus, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy drops by to share some of his early observations from various Frederick County football practices.
As he prepares for his 37th season of coaching football and 21st at Linganore High School, Rick Conner is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Conner chats with host Greg Swatek about the start of the new season and his love of practice. He reflects on the last four full seasons that have seen his Linganore team reach the state-championship game in Class 3A and the team he expects to have this season.
He also talks about if he'll ever stop coaching and how the game has changed during his time on the sideline.
Plus, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy weighs in on the start of fall sports practice in Frederick County and a good week for minor league baseball players from Frederick County.
After getting selected by the Washington Nationals in the third round (No. 84 overall) of last week's Major League Baseball draft, Urbana High graduate Trey Lipscomb is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Lipscomb chats with host Greg Swatek about the moment he got drafted and what it meant to him and his family. He also talks about the significance to him and his family about getting drafted by a team that's less than an hour's drive from where they live.
He also talks about moving from shortstop to third base at the University of Tennessee, sitting behind two All-Americans with the Volunteers and what that did to his mindset, what his first purchase might be after signing a lucrative first contract with the Nats and what he's up to these days training at the team facility in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Plus, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy weighs in on Lipscomb's future with the Nationals, plus Francis Scott Key Post 11's state legion baseball championship.
Upon their recent retirement from the long-time careers as athletic directors for Frederick County Public Schools, Mike DeSimone (Middletown High) and Mike Mummert (Walkersville High) are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Mummert served for 39 years at Walkersville High, including 20 as the school's athletic director, while DeSimone worked for 26 years at Middletown High, including nine as the school's A.D.
Together, they chat with host Greg Swatek about their long careers, how they came into their jobs, some of their fondest memories and why Frederick County has become such a hotbed for high school sports.
They also share their concerns about school's being able to attract quality coaching candidates going forward and if they will be able to stay away from the high-school sports scene in the county.
As the draft approaches in the Frederick Keys' second season in the Major League Baseball Draft League, the team's broadcaster, Gareth Kwok, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Kwok chats with host Greg Swatek about the challenge of bringing the stories of the teams players, many from obscure towns and little-heard-of colleges, to the listeners of his broadcasts.
He talks about his initial impressions of his team — what players have been making their mark so far? — and the caliber of baseball in the Draft League.
The Arizona State graduate also charts his own path as a young baseball fan growing up in the Bay Area in California to a small broadcast booth in Frederick, Maryland.
With the Major League Baseball Draft approaching in mid-July, Frederick Keys pitcher Luke Pryor and infielder Jake Plastiak are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Pryor, a Middletown High School graduate who now pitches for Mount St. Mary's, and Plastiak, a University of Kentucky product who hails from Chicago, chat with host Greg Swatek about their experiences in the Major League Baseball Draft League.
Pryor talks about what it means to be wearing a Keys uniform, having grown up watching the team, playing close to home and how he has evolved as a right-handed pitcher.
Plastiak, meanwhile, discusses playing a second season for the Keys this year, going to college instead of turning pro after he was drafted by the San Diego Padres out of college in 2018, and how he learned to juggle.
The two players also share what it would mean to hear their names called in the MLB Draft on July 11-13 in Denver, Colorado, just prior to the MLB All-Star Game in the same city.
With hopes of making girls flag football a varsity sport in Frederick County high schools, the founder of and participants in the first all girls flag football team for Frederick County Parks and Recreation are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
The originator of and the coach of that first team, Nick Damoulakis, explains to host Greg Swatek how the concept came to fruition during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and his vision for bringing girls flag football into the local high schools and expanding it across the state.
Two of the players on that first team, Damoulakis' daughter, Dana, and McKenna Patterson, also share their experience of why they wanted to play flag football, beating up on some boys teams in the rec league and getting to play at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore during halftime of a Ravens' preseason game last August.
In his first season as manger of the Frederick Keys, Joe Oliver is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Oliver was a catcher for seven Major League teams over the course of a 19-year professional career. He chats with Greg Swatek about his time with the Cincinnati Reds, which included winning a World Series in 1990.
He recounts his game-winning hit in Game 2 of that World Series off of Dennis Eckersley, the Hall of Fame closer for the Oakland Athletics, the toll of playing a grueling position like catcher took on his body and what it was like to play for an eccentric owner like Marge Schott of the Reds.
Oliver also share why he wanted to get into managing after a lengthy absence away from the game to be with his family and what he likes about this current Keys team.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about his love of baseball.
With high school sports in the 2022-23 school year now concluded, Frederick County Public School's supervisor of athletics and extracurricular activities Kevin Kendro makes his annual appearance on the Final Score podcast this week to discuss the various happenings over the last year.
Kendro chats with host Greg Swatek about the school system's handling of COVID-19 and why this past year felt the most normal since the pandemic began. He also addresses the tremendous success of FCPS athletes and teams on the state level, the loss of the county tennis tournament this spring, recent changes to the regional and state playoff formats and the recent retirements of Middletown athletic director Mike DeSimone and Walkersville athletic director Mike Mummert.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy chats with Greg about covering Linganore softball's remarkable come-from-behind victory over Chopticon in the Class 3A state championship game.
On the heels of Catoctin High School winnings its first state team championship for outdoor track and field, Dave Lillard, the boys coach for the Cougars, and Brody Buffington, the team’s star sprinter and jumper, are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Lillard and Buffington chat with host Greg Swatek about how Catoctin was able to break through and win the Class 1A team championship for the boys. Buffington, who accounted for 30 of the team’s 73 points, talks about his jaw dropping times in the 100 - and 200-meter dashes and what it feels like to be able to run that fast. He also talks about giving up playing lacrosse in high school to focus strictly on his blossoming track-and-field career.
How is his summer shaping up in terms of training and competing in the outdoor national meet? How shocked is he by the times that he runs? And how much faster might he get next season with more experience and better health? Those topics are addressed as well.
Following his team’s third state semifinal appearance in the last four seasons, Thomas Johnson baseball coach Billy Gross is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Gross chats with host Greg Swatek about his team’s remarkable ability to play its best baseball at the most important time of the season. He also talks about coaching at TJ as a Frederick High graduate, the special qualities of his team this season and why it was the last team standing in a region and a county with tremendous pitching talent and depth.
Later in the conversation, Gross chats about stepping away from coaching after nine seasons at TJ to accept an administrative position as the school’s assistant principal and what the next chapter of his career and life will entail.
Also, FNP sports writers Alexander Dacy and John Cannon join Greg to talk about Linganore’s remarkable run to the Class 3A state final in softball, as well as the rest of the state playoffs involving Frederick County teams.
With the start of the Frederick Keys’ second season in the MLB Draft League approaching, the team’s general manager, Andrew Klein, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Klein chats with host Greg Swatek about the crazy year of 2020 that saw the Keys lose their entire season due to the pandemic as well as their long-time affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles. Klein answers questions about the MLB Draft League and how its been received in Frederick so far, the team’s new ownership group, the stadium situation and the team’s desire to become an MLB affiliate again.
He also talks about how he got his start in the business, scraping gum off the bottom of stadium seats, how he fooled in daughter in a Baby Shark costume, the rejection letter he received and still has from a custodial job and how he managed the long and tedious days as a toll taker.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to review the high school spring sports playoffs for Frederick County teams, which is full of teams in the state quarterfinals and semifinals for baseball, softball and boys and girls lacrosse.
One of the longest-tenured high school coaches in Frederick County, Andrea Poffinberger of the Linganore softball team, is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
Poffinberger chats with host Greg Swatek about her two decades at the helm of the Lancers’ softball team. She talks about how she got the job, what she enjoys the most about it, how much longer she might do it and why Linganore always seems to put itself in contention for a state title. Plus, she talks about coaching the Lancers’ volleyball team and the learning curve she endured in her early days of doing that job.
Prior to that, though, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy drop in to discuss the recent Central Maryland Conference championship games, as well as the upcoming playoffs for baseball softball and lacrosse.
Pitching depth for high school baseball in Frederick County is about as good, if not better, than it has ever been before.
There are nine Division I recruits from five different county schools taking the mound this season, and each have had their moments of dominance.
On this week’s episode of the Final Score podcast, two of the nine pitchers, Brendan Yagesh and Keegan Johnson of Urbana, as well as their coach, Mike Frownfelter, join host Greg Swatek to talk about this golden era of pitching in the county.
Yagesh and Johnson, both tall, left-handed pitchers, discuss their journeys to this point of their baseball careers and how they keep pushing each other to get better. They explain why they chose the colleges they will pitch for. Yagesh will stay nearby and attend Mount St. Mary’s, while Johnson will maintain a family connection with Ball State in Muncie, Indiana.
Meanwhile, Frownfelter talks about what makes them both special pitchers and when he realized what potential they had.
Plus, News-Post sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to discuss pitching, a team that is flying under the radar with its stud pitchers and the latest power rankings for Frederick County spring sports.
With the Linganore girls lacrosse team having its best season in years, Lancers coach Brooke Wilson is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Wilson chats with host Greg Swatek about the growth of the program in her five seasons on the job and why the team is playing so well this season. She also talks about growing up playing the sport in Frederick County, the expectations she has for her players, working for the Washington Nationals and why giving back to others is so important.
First, though, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to talk about all of the elite pitching in Frederick County this spring.
With his young team off to a good start this season, Oakdale boys lacrosse coach Dale Kowatch is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Kowatch chats with host Greg Swatek about managing expectations for a team with nine sophomores, including many holding down prominent positions.
He talks about his love of helping other people and how that led him into coaching, racing BMX bikes with his brother and riding motorcycles with his father, why he turned down numerous Division I offers to play at a Division III school in college and his fondest memories from his playing days at Thomas Johnson High School.
Plus, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join Greg to discuss power rankings for the various spring sports in Frederick County.
On March 10, Oakdale High School became the first boys basketball team from Frederick County to win a state title in 23 years.
On this episode of The Final Score podcast, hear from coach Brandon Long and two of the star players on the team, seniors Alex Hawkins and Cameron Dorner, as they chat with host Greg Swatek about their run to the title, capped by a wire-to-wire 61-40 victory over Huntingtown in the Class 3A championship game at the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center.
Learn what it meant to end such a lengthy drought for boys basketball teams from the county, how the Bears overcame adversity over the course of the season, how they were able to pull out so many last-second wins in the playoffs and the other players that helped make it all possible.
With Opening Day in Major League Baseball upon us, the radio voice of the Baltimore Orioles, Geoff Arnold, is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Entering his third season on the job, Arnold chats with host Greg Swatek about the strangeness of his first two seasons at Major League broadcaster due to the coronavirus pandemic. He shares the moment he felt he belonged as a big-league broadcaster and how he deals with the grind of a 162-game season.
Plus, the guys discuss the MLB lockout, some of the new rule changes, expectations for the Orioles and their top prospects and how the American League East might shake out.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy joins Greg to share his second installment of Frederick County high school baseball power rankings and the story of a wonderful person tragically lost in Urbana’s Kayley Milor.
With his team vying to defend its state title, Urbana High boys lacrosse coach Gavin Donahue is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Donahue chats with host Greg Swatek about his team’s dominant run to the Class 3A championship last season, which capped an unbeaten season and marked the program’s first state championship. He also talks about managing expectations this season with a much different team and new cast of scorers on offense.
Donahue also discusses how he fell in love with the sport and with coaching, growing up on Long Island in New York and why he isn’t always the easiest coach to play for.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy stops in to unveil his initial power rankings for high school baseball in Frederick County.
As spring sports get underway across Frederick County, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Alexander Dacy join host Greg Swatek to discuss their initial impressions from the first week of the season and some of the teams to watch in baseball and softball, as well as boys and girls lacrosse. Dacy talks about settling into his new job and his first impressions of the county sports scene.
With Opening Day in Major League Baseball right around the corner, the guys launch into a discussion about their favorite teams, uniforms and their general expectations for the season.
With March Madness getting into full swing, Linganore graduate and UNC-Charlotte women’s basketball coach Cara Consuegra is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
The 49ers won the Conference USA Tournament championship to earn their first bid to the NCAA tournament since 2009. They are the 14th seed in the Bridgeport Region and will take on No. 3 seed Indiana on the Hoosiers’ home court at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.
Consuegra chats with host Greg Swatek about UNC-Charlotte’s run to the Big Dance, how the program has progressed in her 11 seasons on the job and the all-consuming nature of it.
Prior to that, new FNP sports writer Alexander Dacy stops in to talk about his first days on the job and life as a Washington sports fan for the Silver Spring native.
After leading their team to the NCAA Division III tournament, Mason and Evan Wang are this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
The identical twins chat with host Greg Swatek about the Blazers’ 74-71 victory at Eastern University last Sunday in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth championship game and how they turned the tide on the Eagles after they lost to them twice during the regular season.
They talk about the celebratory moments after the win and how the team had to cut down the nets back at Hood since Eastern wouldn’t allow them to do it on site. They also talk about their time at Hood, where they will be remembered as two of the best players to play at the school, and their lives as identical twins. In what ways are they different, if at all?
Hood plays Oswego State of New York at 3 p.m. Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It will be the Blazers first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2007. How do they think they will feel when they take the court? What type of game do they expect?
As the high school basketball playoffs get underway in Frederick County, Frederick High boys basketball coach Emonte Hill is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
Hill tells host Greg Swatek what it means to be coaching at his alma matter. He shares his experience playing basketball around Frederick growing up, why he was naturally suited to be a point guard, leaving home to play college basketball and why he always wanted to be a coach one day.
He also chats about establishing a culture of hard work and accountability with his team, and what it will take for the Cadets to make another deep run.
First, though, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops in to share his feelings on this week’s Central Maryland Conference championship games at Hood College and the upcoming playoffs for boys and girls basketball.
After becoming the first Frederick County football player to be part of a Super Bowl winning team, L.A. Rams right tackle and Linganore graduate Rob Havenstein is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Still basking in the glow of the Rams’ 23-20 victory on their home field last Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals to claim Super Bowl 56, Havenstein chats with host Greg Swatek about many of the details and experiences that made it possible.
What were his emotions as the game ended? What did he think when he got his hands on the Lombardi Trophy? How did the Rams orchestrate the final, game-winning drive? And did he think he might have cost his team with a late holding call? Havenstein shares these details, as well as what it meant to play the Super Bowl on the Rams’ home field and what his preliminary offseason plans are.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to discuss Havenstein’s victory in the Super Bowl, other notable big-time achievements for Frederick County athletes and to look ahead to the upcoming playoffs for girls and boys basketball.
In Tim Abercombie Jr.'s first season at the helm of the Linganore boys basketball, the Lancers have been the most consistent team in Frederick County this season and also boast the best record.
On this week's episode of The Final Score podcast, Ambercrombie chats with host Greg Swatek about what has made Linganore so successful this season. He also talks about his own background with county basketball and having a front seat as a young kid to some of the best basketball that has ever been played in the Frederick area by coach Tom Dickman's teams at Thomas Johnson. Abercrombie Jr's father, Tim, served as an assistant to Dickman. So, how did all of that regular access to those great teams shape Abercombie Jr.'s life in terms of basketball?
First, though, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops in to talk about the Frederick County sports landscape with Greg. On Friday, Thomas Johnson is scheduled to name its basketball court after Dickman. What are some of John's fondest memories of covering the TJ teams that Dickman coached? The guys also discuss how the current playoff picture shaking out as the end of the regular season approaches for all of the winter sports.
As the coach of the only undefeated high school basketball team in Frederick County, Urbana girls coach Joe Blaser is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Blaser chats with host Greg Swatek about how he got his start in coaching and what makes this particular Urbana team so talented.
Plus, why was he such an instrumental part of women's basketball practice at Virginia Tech? Is he capable of actually sitting still? Who's the most competitive person in his family? And what sport did he think he initially was going to coach?
Up first, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops by to discuss the latest happenings in Frederick County sports with Greg. How good do they think this Urbana girls team really is? What other teams could be primed to make a run in the playoffs?
With his team playing well as it heads into an important stretch of games, Tuscarora boys basketball coach Lasan Scott is this week's guest on The Final Score podcast.
Scott chats with host Greg Swatek about his first season as the head coach of the Titans and why they are playing so well at 8-2 overall. He talks about playing basketball on the New York City playgrounds growing up, his love of the Knicks, managing his time with a large family and how he sort of fell into coaching basketball.
He shares why he wasn't ready for the first job he interviewed for, how the opportunity at Tuscarora came about and why he generally doesn't give referees a hard time during games.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops by for his weekly chat about the Frederick County sports scene with Greg. The two discuss, among other things, last weekend's county indoor track and field championships and why the Urbana girls and Oakdale boys have been so dominant in recent years. They also talk about some of the high school basketball teams that are playing well, including the Middletown girls and the Maryland School for the Deaf boys.
Oakdale High School boys track and field coach Ronnie Beard is this week's guest on the Final Score podcast.
Beard chats with host Greg Swatek about his evolution from being a standout athlete at Frederick High School, where he won numerous state titles in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, as well as the triple jump, into a head coach, a position he has held at both Tuscarora and Oakdale high schools.
What were his most memorable experiences as an athlete? Who was the fastest guy he ever raced? What was his favorite meet? How did he react when one of his state records was taken down? And what does he miss the most about competing?
Plus, what made him interested in being a coach? And what are his expectations for his team as it begins an important, month-long stretch with the county meet, the conference meet, the regional meet and the state meet.
Still basking in the glow of his life-changing opportunity to compete in the Olympic games, Brunswick High School graduate Luke Campbell is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Campbell shares his experience competing in the Tokyo Olympics last August for Germany's track and field team with host Greg Swatek. What were his emotions? How did his friends and family react? How annoying were all of the COVID-19 protocols? And how frustrating was it that fans could not attend? How has his life changed since the experience? And how does he typically feel after he runs his race, the 400-meter hurdles, which is one of the most grueling on the track?
Campbell explains how and why he is able to compete for Germany despite growing up here in Frederick County, and he talks about the meets he is training for now, including the world championships this July in Eugene, Oregon.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops in to chat about the Frederick County sports scene with Greg. The guys talk about the big high school basketball matchups of the last week and the big ones on tap for later this week.
As he trains for an upcoming fight against an undetermined opponent, Urbana graduate Matt Semelsberger of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is the first guest of the new year on The Final Score podcast.
Semelsberger chats with host Greg Swatek on how he got into the wild world of cage fighting. So far, he has a 9-3 record in professional fights, including a 3-1 mark as a UFC welterweight. What goes through his mind and what is he feeling as the octagon door shuts, and it is just him, his opponent and a referee inside an eight-sided cage with a battle for physical survival looming?
He candidly shares details of his interesting life story. How did he wind up working on the back of a garbage truck? Plus, what it is like to legally be able to punch someone in the face? And can his mother watch his fights?
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops by to talk with Greg about the winter sports season in Frederick County.
Heading into Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Linganore graduate and Los Angeles Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Now seven seasons into his NFL career, Havenstein chats with host Greg Swatek about his longevity in the league and how he and his life have changed since being drafted in the second round in 2015. They talk about what a typical week is like for Havenstein as the Rams prepare for their next opponent and what he is looking for when he watches film.
Plus, Havenstein discusses dealing with COVID-19, his favorite things about SoFi Stadium, one of the fanciest venues in the NFL, how his job has changed with fans back in the stands and his trip back to Baltimore to play the Ravens in front of family and friends. Is it more special to play in Baltimore, in the shadow of his backyard? Or is it just another business trip?
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With his basketball team playing well and on holiday break, Hood College men’s coach Chad Dickman is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
The Blazers are currently riding a five-game winning streak as they prepare to resume play Dec. 29. Coach Dickman chats with host Greg Swatek about why they are playing so well, how they are trying to stay sharp during the holiday break, his concerns about the current COVID-19 outbreak and his dynamic leading scorers, twin brothers Mason and Evan Wang.
Chad is the son of legendary Frederick County basketball coach Tom Dickman. How closely did Chad want to follow in his father’s footsteps? What was in like playing, working for and later succeeding him in his current job? How do their philosophies line up in terms of coaching the game? And, with all of the stylistic transitions over the years, does Tom Dickman hate the way basketball is played today?
Early in his first full season at the reigns of a program that has won three consecutive state titles, Frederick High girls basketball coach Tony Murray is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Murray chats with host Greg Swatek about how the opportunity came about to coach the Cadets. He shares stories about his extensive background as a basketball referee in Frederick County and why it's not such a thankless job after all. And he talks about his love of Kobe Bryant and the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons as well.
What are his expectations for his team this season? Does he jump on referees as a coach, considering he used to officiate games? And does he still view the Cadets as reigning state championships since there was only a very abbreviated season with no championships awarded earlier in 2021?
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops in to discuss the first few weeks of the winter sports season in Frederick County with Greg.
As the winter sports season gets under way across most of Frederick County, Walkersville boys basketball coach Mike Mathis is this week's guest on the Final Score podcast.
Mathis chats with host Greg Swatek about his career of almost 30 years coaching girls and boys basketball at Walkersville. He shares how he got the job and why he has never been inclined to leave almost three decades later. He also discusses his feelings on the current boys basketball landscape in Frederick County and where his Lions fall in the pecking order.
Up first, however, News-Post sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to discuss Linganore foortball's 28-23 loss to Northern-Calvert last Saturday in the Class 3A state championship game in Annapolis. John also shares some thoughts on the upcoming winter sports season in the county and what he is looking forward to the most.
Heading into Saturday's Class 3A state football semifinal and the start of the winter sports season next week, Linganore running back Ethan Arneson and his father, Ben, are the guests this week on the Final Score podcast.
Ethan was the leading rusher in Frederick County as a sophomore this season. He's amassed more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, even though he was not the starter in the Lancers' first two games.
Host Greg Swatek asks him how surprised he was by that, especially considering he was pulled up to the varsity team this season to play defense. Ethan also talks about how he is feeling heading into the state final after spraining his ankle last week against Frederick and what it would mean to hoist the trophy with his teammates on Saturday.
Ben Arneson, the junior-varsity football coach at Linganore and varsity wrestling coach, shares his impressions of his son's remarkable season and also talks about how his wrestling team is shaping up heading into next week's season opener against Frederick High. How is the team preparing without members of the team that also play football?
Heading into the first state football semifinal between Frederick County football teams in more than 20 years, Linganore coach Rick Conner is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
Conner joins host Greg Swatek to talk about Friday's Class 3A semifinal clash between his top-seeded and unbeaten Lancers and the fifth-seeded Cadets, who are making their first appearance in the state semifinals since 1985. He talks about his love of practicing on Thanksgiving and what makes his team so special. Have the Lancers ever run the ball better during his long tenure at the school? Plus, can he ever see himself not coaching? And what prompted him to buy a motorcycle?
First up, though, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops in for his weekly chat about the county sports scene. He and Greg take a look back at last week's state football quarterfinals involving Linganore, Frederick, Urbana and Brunswick. They also preview and share insights on the semifinal clash between Linganore and Frederick.
With his team set to play in the Class 1A state championship game, Brunswick boys soccer coach Shawn Baker is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Baker chats with host Greg Swatek about growing up in the Brunswick soccer program and how it shaped him as a person and a coach. He also shares what it would mean to lead his alma mater to its fourth state title and first since 2014.
Plus, does he still have the strongest leg in the Railroaders soccer program? What is it like having two very competitive siblings on his coaching staff? And what legendary sports icon inspired him to shave his head many years ago?
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg for their weekly segment on the Frederick County sports scene. This week, they discuss the state cross-country titles for the Brunswick boys team and Caroline Gregory of Frederick, as well as preview the two state soccer finals featuring the Brunswick boys and girls teams and the state football quarterfinals that involve Linganore, Frederick, Urbana and Brunswick.
With her team set to play in a state semifinal Saturday, Oakdale High girls soccer coach Annie Schwarzenberg is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
Schwarzenberg chats with Greg Swatek about coaching at the school she once played for and what it means to have her alma mater in position to win another state title. The Bears play Mount Hebron at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Linganore High School.Schwarzenberg also talks about the evolution of the Oakdale program into more of an offensive-minded team and how her playing and teaching careers were shaped by family and coaching mentors.Prior to that conversation, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops in to chat with Greg about all of the regional and state playoff action going on with Frederick County sports.
They discuss the state soccer semifinals, which also include the boys and girls teams at Brunswick High and the boys team at Tuscarora. They also talk about the seven county football teams alive in the regional semifinals, Saturday's state cross country meet at Hereford High School and Urbana and Oakdale volleyball in the regional finals.
With the season opener at Villanova less than a week away, Dan Engelstad, the men’s basketball coach at Mount St. Mary’s, and redshirt senior forward Nana Opoku are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Engelstad and Opoku chat with host Greg Swatek about winning the Northeast Conference championship last season and how the experience of playing in the NCAA tournament in a strange, COVID-19 year shaped them heading into this season.
Opoku shares his story of coming to Mount St. Mary’s out of Woodbridge, Va., becoming a leader on the team and how his jaw-dropping athleticism can impact the game for his team. Engelstad, meanwhile, talks about the challenge of coaching college basketball in an era where the transfer portal is overcrowded with players. The Mountaineers have lost and gained players through the transfer portal. Whether it’s a good thing or bad thing for the sport, Engelstad shares his views on the portal and how it has fundamentally changed his job as a coach.
Plus, what will it take for the Mount to repeat as NEC champs and return to the Big Dance in March in a more traditional season?
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg for their weekly chat about the county sports scene. The two discuss regional playoff action in football, soccer, and field hockey and set the stage for the upcoming state playoffs.
Fresh off her team’s Central Maryland Conference championship last weekend, Urbana field hockey coach A.J. Stuart is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
Stuart chats with host Greg Swatek about who and what makes her team so success and what she enjoys most about a job she has been doing for close to three decades. She also talks about why the level of play has risen in Frederick County in recent years and if any county teams, including her own, are getting closer to capturing that elusive state title. The last Frederick County field hockey state championship was won in 1993.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg for their weekly look at the county sports scene. John and Greg review the four CMC title games that were played last Saturday in boys and girls soccer, field hockey and volleyball and take a look ahead to the final week of the high school football regular season.
With the college basketball season approaching, Mount St. Mary’s women’s basketball is front and center on this week’s episode of the Final Score podcast.
New head coach Antonine White and forward Kendall Bresee, an Urbana High School graduate and the reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Year, chat with host Greg Swatek about the team’s run to the NCAA tournament last season and how it plans to make a return trip this season during more normal times. White talks about taking over a program he has served as an assistant for the last five years, and Bresee shares how the decision to transfer to Mount St. Mary’s impacted her life.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg for their weekly look at the high-school sports scene in Frederick County. They discuss the upcoming Central Maryland Conference championship games for fall sports and preview Week 8 of the high school football season.
In mid-August, Western Ville CF 1892 began its inaugural season as a men’s semi-pro soccer team in Frederick County. The coach and owner of the team is Joel Ramirez, who graduated from Tuscarora High School in 2016 and serves in the Maryland National Guard. On this week’s episode of the Final Score podcast, Ramirez talks with host Greg Swatek about what inspired him to start the team, how he attracted players, his own background in soccer and passion for the sport and how much work and cost is involved in starting a semi-pro team from scratch. He also talks about how the organization plans to expand with indoor soccer during the winter months. Prior to that, News-Post sports writer John Cannon joins Greg for their weekly look around the county sports scene. With the regular season winding down in high school football, they preview this week’s big matchups between Linganore and Frederick and Middletown and Brunswick. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts and Google Play
During a week that tested his team’s mettle, Tuscarora boys soccer coach Todd Knepper is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
The Titans remained undefeated, but not before settling for a 1-1 tie in a weather-shortened game against Liberty and rallying from their first deficit of the season for a 2-1 overtime win overtime win at Urbana.
Knepper joins host Greg Swatek to talk about his team’s poise, patience and how it is managing a season of high expectations, as well as the overall health of the sport in Frederick County.
Prior to that, sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to take a look at the county sports landscape. They discuss the intriguing football matchup between Walkersville and Frederick, which highlights the Week 6 high school football schedule, and some recent results that could help shape the girls soccer and volleyball seasons in the county.
Not that long ago, Dara Demich played on an experienced, high-scoring girls soccer team at Brunswick High School that challenged for a state title. Now, she is at the helm of one in her second season as the head coach at her alma mater.
On this week’s episode of the Final Score podcast, Demich joins host Greg Swatek to talk about her talented team and what it means to her to be coaching at the school that she played for. They discuss how she got her start in the sport, how she has grown into her role as a coach and the parallel track her soccer career shared with her twin brother Drew’s.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to discuss the expansion of the high school football playoffs and review Week 4 of the season, including the epic overtime thriller between Linganore and Oakdale. They also take a look ahead to Week 5 and talk about other matters on the Frederick County sports scene.
With his team fresh off of a big victory at the Bull Run Invitational at Hereford High School, site of the state cross country meet, Urbana cross country and track and field coach CJ Ecalono is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Ecalono chats with host Greg Swatek about the big win at Bull Run, how his team has navigated the pandemic over the past 18 months, what makes his programs so successful year after year and what keeps him motivated in his 13th season on the job.
Also, to take a look back at the week that was in Frederick County sports and to preview the week ahead, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg for their weekly segment. Among the topics discussed are the plethora of new coaches across Frederick County this season and an upcoming MPSSAA vote to allow all public-school high school football teams into the playoffs this season. They also review Week 3 of the high school football season in Frederick County and take a look ahead to Week 4.
Now in his eighth season on the job, Troy Bowers has built the Tuscarora girls soccer program into a budding juggernaut.
Already this season, the Titans have outscored the opposition 16-0 in their first four victories. That’s after winning the Central Maryland Conference championship during the spring season with an incredibly young roster (eight freshmen).
Bowers chats with Greg Swatek about taking over a program that already had an established pedigree when he took the job in a community where he lives. He also talks about how he keeps his players motivated and how they manage expectations.
Tuscarora also has a very talented boys soccer team, and sports writer John Cannon stops in to talk about that, as well as the latest high school football happenings. Who looked good in Week 2? What’s on tap for Week 3? And how about this new MPSSAA proposal that will allow every public-school team in Maryland to make the playoffs?
After his team’s convincing win last Friday, Frederick High School football coach Kevin Pirri is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Pirri and host Greg Swatek chat about how far the program has come in the coach’s seven years on the job. They discuss some of the players that have helped raise expectations and change the culture of the program, such as Chris Metevia and Travon Neal, and they also discuss what lies ahead for the Cadets this season.
Later in the conversation, Pirri shares why he binged on chocolate milk to boost his power-lifting endeavors.
Assistant sports editor John Cannon also stops by to talk about the opening week of the high school football season and what lies ahead for the first busy week of the fall sports season.
With the fall high school sports season ready to go into full swing in Frederick County, The Final Score podcast relaunches with Frederick County Public School Supervisor of Athletics and Extracurricular activities as the guest.
Kendro chats with host Greg Swatek about how the school system has navigated the pandemic over the last 18 months in terms of sports. What has worked? What have been the most difficult moments? What restrictions and protocols are in place with a full season set to begin? How close to normal are we?
Over the course of the conversation, Kendro also talks about the important role that high school sports play in the community and what he is most looking forward to once the games begin.
Prior to that, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to discuss the opening week of the high school football season and some of his expectations for the coming fall sports season.
With the spring sports season and the state basketball semifinals still hanging in the balance, Kevin Kendro, the supervisor of athletics and extracurricular activities for Frederick County Public Schools, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Kendro chats with host Greg Swatek about the tremendous impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the county’s high school sports scene. Will there be a spring sports season at all? Will the state basketball semifinals, involving three Frederick County basketball teams, be played? What is his job like on a day-to-day basis during this crisis?
Kendro answers these questions to the best of his ability, knowing that nothing is certain at the present time and how rapidly things can change.
One day before it was scheduled to play in a state semifinal at the University of Maryland, the Oakdale boys basketball team found out that its season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On this week’s episode of The Final Score podcast, Bears coast Brandon Long talks with host Greg Swatek about the fallout from that decision. How did his players, especially his seniors, react to the news? What are they doing to stay ready in case the game is eventually played? What are the chances that it might be played? How would he and his players feel if the season was over?
The Frederick High and Middletown girls basketball teams are also in the same boat, having reached the state semifinals in their respective classifications.
FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro also stops by to share his thoughts about the pandemic and how it is impacting the world in unprecedented ways.
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Fresh off of her second state championship in wrestling, Middletown’s Kalin Bower and her father, Chris, are the guest’s this week on The Final Score podcast.
Karin talks with host Greg Swatek about her dramatic 2-1 victory over Saint Charles’ Taylor Stone in the girls state championship match at 138 pounds that was secured with a two-point reversal with two seconds remaining in the bout. She talks about how she got interested in the sport and the inroads females are making in the sport.
Chris Bower then talks about his daughter’s accomplishment and how he came to start his current business, Bowerhouse Academy, which offers mixed-martial arts classes to youth and adults in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, judo, wrestling, MMA and group functional fitness here in Frederick.
Plus, Greg chats with FNP sports writer John Cannon about the coronavirus and how it is impacting the local sports scene, including the postponement of the state basketball semifinals that included three county teams, the Frederick High and Middletown girls and the Oakdale boys.
After serving five years as the director of broadcasting and public relations for the Frederick Keys, Geoff Arnold got his call to the big leagues.
Arnold is one of the new members of the Baltimore Orioles’ broadcast team for the upcoming season. He will be the lead voice on most of their radio broadcasts.
On this episode, he chats with Greg Swatek about how this opportunity came about. How did he react when he learned he had the job? Who was the first person he called?
Arnold also shares insights and details about the new makeup of the Orioles’ broadcast crew, as well as his impressions of the team so far in spring training.
First, though, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro helps to set the scene for this weekend’s state basketball quarterfinals.
After leading his team to a Central Maryland Conference championship earlier in the week, Linganore boys basketball coach Chris O’Connor is this week’s guest on The Final Score Podcast.
O’Connor chats with host Greg Swatek about his team’s 54-51 victory over three-time defending CMC champion Oakdale on Tuesday night at Hood College, during which the Lancers rallied from an early 10-point deficit. He talks about the makeup of his roster and how Linganore relies on most of its players to pull through as opposed to counting on one or two star players. And he talks about what the Lancers believe they are capable of achieving as the playoffs get under way.
Then, O’Connor talks about growing up in a sports-oriented family with two older sisters, the influences that legendary Frederick County coaches Dave Carruthers, Rick Conner and Terry Connolly had on his own coaching career and coming to grips with teaching and coaching at Linganore after attending and playing sports for arch rival Urbana.
In addition, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro shares his thoughts on Linganore’s win over Oakdale in the CMC title game and helps set the scene with Greg for the upcoming boys and girls basketball playoffs.
In a special, bonus edition of the Final Score podcast this week, coaches and athletes from the Urbana girls and Oakdale boys track teams discuss their state indoor team championships.
First, Urbana coach C.J. Ecalono and two of his senior athletes, Piper Jons and Lydia Robling, chat with host Greg Swatek about winning the Class 4A team championship at the state indoor meet by more than 40 points over the second-place team. It marked the third consecutive state team title for the Urbana girls, counting their indoor and outdoor championships last year. How were the Hawks able to score points in 10 of the 11 events they competed in? What were some of the most memorable performances?
Then, Oakdale coach Dave Lillard and two of his seniors, Kyle Lund and Jonah Childress, come on to discuss the Bears’ second consecutive Class 2A team title at the state indoor meet and fifth overall, counting outdoor team championships in 2018 and ’19. Lund talks about winning four events at the meet, including a state record time for all classifications in the 800-meter run (1:52.56), and Lillard explains the significance of his athletes signing the back of the state team trophy in black sharpie every time they win one.
With her team sitting in second place in the Northeast Conference and riding a six-game winning streak, Maria Marchesano, the women’s basketball coach at Mount St. Mary’s, is a guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Now in her third season on the job, Marchesano chats with host Greg Swatek about the strides her program continues to make. From winning nine games two seasons ago, to winning 16 this season with five games still to play in the regular season, including two against first-place Robert Morris.
Marchesano talks about her top players, including Urbana High School graduate Kendall Bresee, and the team’s goal of securing a top seed and hosting a game in the upcoming Northeast Conference Tournament.
Later in the week, there will be a special edition of the Final Score, highlighting the state team championships for both the Urbana girls and Oakdale boys track teams. The head coaches and top athletes from both teams will be on to talk about it.
With the start of the playoffs approaching, Oakdale boys basketball coach Brandon Long is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Coach Long chats with host Greg Swatek about the highly competitive region the Bears play in, the Class 2A West, as Oakdale, Middletown and Williamsport have been trading victories with each other all season.
He also talks about his deep roster and the challenge of finding enough playing time for all that deserve it, as well as getting his players to buy into the defensive mindset that has defined the Oakdale program.
First, though, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops by to provide an update regarding the situation with the Frederick High girls basketball team. The three-time defending Class 3A state champions have lost five players since Feb. 4 for undisclosed reasons. What is the latest?
Having just won another regional team track and field title, Urbana coach C.J. Ecalono and two of his top athletes, twin sisters Ezri and Oni Scott, are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Ezri and Oni share with host Greg Swatek how their track and field careers began and what has made them such strong and versatile competitors. Ezri is a former state runner-up in the high jump, while Oni is a state place winner who competes in a unique combination of events during the indoor season, the shot put, high jump and 55-meter hurdles.
The twins also talk about their relationship, what makes them different and their upcoming college careers at New York University.
Coach Ecalono, meanwhile, shares his feelings about the Scott twins and what they bring to his team, as well as why the Hawks are such strong contenders again to win a second consecutive state indoor team title on February 18 in Landover.
Plus, sports writer Joe Ferraro stops by to discuss a busy National Signing Day for Frederick County athletes.
As the Catoctin girls basketball team enjoys one of its finest seasons, the team’s coach Amy Entwistle, is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Entwistle tells host Greg Swatek why her small (10 players) but talented team has taken off this season. She talks about her players and how their togetherness and willingness to embrace things such as playing defense has translated into a lot of success this season.
The coach also talks about how she came into a job she has now held for 16 seasons as a 22-year-old, fresh-out-of-college kid. And she explains how her positive mindset continues to shape her life and influence her coaching to this day.
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro stops in to discuss the county basketball scene.
Doug Williams and Paul DuMars, two coaches who were together every step of the way during a 29-year tenure as football coaches at Catoctin, are the guests on the Final Score podcast this week in light of Williams’ announcement last weekend that he was retiring as the Cougars’ varsity head coach.
Williams and DuMar share details with host Greg Swatek about the first time they met, an encounter that took place in an off-beat location and ended with DuMars landing an assistants’ job with Williams a few weeks prior to the start of the 1991 season.
They talk about why they worked so well together for nearly three decades, what they will miss the most now that they are stepping away from the Catoctin football program and what the next chapter of their lives might look like.
Lots of great stories and memories, even a few laughs, are shared.
As the season reaches the halfway point, boys basketball coaches Kyle McFadden of the Frederick Force and Brian Burdette of Catoctin High School are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
First, McFadden shares with host Greg Swatek what his first season has been like as a head basketball coach. What has surprised him? What has he learned? How did it feel to earn his first victory? What type of team do the Force have this season?
Then, Burdette joins the show to chat with Greg about his team’s recent upset of Middletown, which marked Catoctin’s first win over the Knights in at least 18 years. Who are the key players for the Cougars this season? How far can they advance in the playoffs? How has Burdette’s experience as a referee influenced his coaching career?
Heading into the heart of the winter sports schedule following the holidays, Linganore wrestling coach Ben Arneson is the guest on this week’s episode of The Final Score podcast.
Arneson chats with host Greg Swatek about the challenges of dealing with the holidays during the course of a season season and the interruptions to routines and schedules that come about. They also talk about the wrestling scene in Frederick County, including Linganore’s run to the state duals finals and county team titles last season, as well as the Lancers’s outlook this season with a much different and much younger team.
The coach is also asked about his 10-year run riding bulls in various places around the country.
In addition, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro drops in to discuss the high school basketball landscape in the county.
Dean Rose, a long time assistant coach and observer of boys basketball in Frederick County, is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Rose chats with host Greg Swatek about his deep-rooted passion for basketball in this area. He shares a number of good anecdotes, including taking his wife to a high school game on what was their second date.
He also talks about his long tenure as an assistant coach, first at Urbana and then at Oakdale under coach Terry Connolly, and coaching talented players such as Zach Thomas and Collin Schlee.
Then, Rose and Greg break down the boys basketball scene in Frederick County this season. Who are the top teams? Are any capable of challenging for a state title?
On this week’s special edition of the Final Score podcast, the Catoctin football team discusses its state championship victory.
Coach Doug Williams, senior receiver Eli Frei and senior running back and defensive lineman Jake Baker join host Greg Swatek to talk about the Cougars’ 31-8 victory over Dunbar in the Class 1A championship game on Dec. 7 in Annapolis. Coach Williams and the players talk about what the victory meant to them and what made the team so special.
Coach Williams talked about the ways the team improved over the course of the season. Frei talked about why the offense was so explosive after it average more than 40 points per game over the course of the season, and Baker explained why the defense improved so much over the course of the season and why in was able to make so many impactful plays in the playoff victories over Fort Hill and Dunbar, a pair of perennial state powers in 1A.
After Middletown’s 34-15 victory over Potomac last Saturday in the Class 2A football championship game, senior quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, senior receiver Brian Walker and coach Collin Delauter share their feelings about the state championship on this week’s edition of The Final Score podcast.The trio chats with host Greg Swatek about the Knights’ remarkable journey from the fourth week of the season when the team was 1-2 to Saturday’s championship, which was Middletown’s fourth state title overall and first since 2013.What changed? How was the team able to come together so well? In what areas did it grow the most?The discussion covers a wide variety of subjects, including Walker’s emergence as a big-time high school receiver, and Poffenbarger’s remarkable three-year tenure as Middletown’s starting quarterback, which concluded with him throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 45 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for nearly 500 yard and 13 touchdowns.
With the Catoctin football team set to play in its first state final in roughly a decade, the team’s star running back, Carson Sickeri, and his father, Jamie, an assistant coach, are the guests this week on The Final Score Podcast.
The Sickeris chat with host Greg Swatek about the Cougars’ big shutout win over perennial Class 1A power Fort Hill last week and what makes their offense so dynamic. Catoctin is averaging more than 40 points per game this season. Jamie shares his back story growing up as a high school running back in a small, Western Pennsylvania football town and the family lineage at the position. Carson has reached even greater heights this season with more than 2,000 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns.
They also talk about what lies ahead, as Catoctin is set to face another perennial state power in Dunbar in the 1A championship game Saturday afternoon, and what they feel it will be like taking the field at Navy’s Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
Up first, though, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Joe Ferraro join Greg to discuss the historical milestone, as Frederick County placed three teams in the state football final in the same year for the first time. They share thoughts and insights about Linganore’s game with Damascus in the 3A final, Catoctin’s game with Dunbar in the 1A championship game, as well as Middletown’s game with Potomac in the 2A final.
As the Middletown girls basketball team prepares to begin a season with state-title expectations, the team’s coach, Amy Poffenbarger, is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
First, Poffenbarger chats with host Greg Swatek about what she appreciates most about the Middletown football’s team trek to Friday’s Class 2A state semifinal since her son, Reese, is the team’s quarterback.
Then, she talks about the season ahead for her basketball team and the recruitment process that saw her daughter, Saylor, fulfill a dream of accepting a full scholarship to the University of Connecticut to play for the dominant program in women’s college basketball.
Plus, what does an athletic, health-concisous sports family like the Poffenbargers do on Thanksgiving?
With the potential demise of the Frederick Keys generating conversation around the area this week, Adam Pohl, a former Keys broadcaster and currently the Director of Broadcasting for the Bowie Baysox, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Pohl responds to the list that circulated through various media channels over the weekend that named the Keys as one of 42 minor league baseball teams that Major League Baseball was proposing to fold after the 2020 season. He states his beliefs about why MLB wants to chop so many minor league teams, including a financial reason that is not often reported and talked about. He also talks about why he feels the idea is so ill-advised and the likelihood of it ever coming to fruition.
Then, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro stops by to share his thoughts on the matter and discuss this weekend’s high school football playoff games, as Catoctin, Middletown and Linganore complete in the state quarterfinals.
As they prepared to face LaPlata in a state volleyball semifinal, Oakdale volleyball coach Jim Dorsch and the four senior members of his team were were the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Coach Dorsch and seniors Sydney Katz, Jess Twilley, Jen Chomiak and Cora Wasilko chatted with host Greg Swatek about their season, the injury to Katz during the playoffs that completely changed the dynamic of their team and returning to states at the University of Maryland’s Ritchie Coliseum.
FNP sports writers John Cannon and Joe Ferraro also stopped by to recap the busy playoff weekend for Frederick County teams in five different sports (football, volleyball, soccer, cross country and field hockey) and to preview what’s ahead.
Heading into an incredibly busy weekend for Frederick County sports, Linganore girls soccer coach Paige Pohopin is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
The Lancers are getting set to take on defending state champion Northern Calvert on their home field at 5 p.m. Saturday in a Class 3A state semifinal. Coach Pohopin chats with host Greg Swatek about his passion for the Linganore soccer program, why her team has advanced this far and the job being thrust into her lap at the start of the season. What has been her biggest challenge so far adapting as a varsity head coach? What does she appreciate the most about this season?
But before that, FNP sports writers John Cannon and Joe Ferraro drop in to discuss the busy weekend ahead for county sports teams. There are two county field hockey teams playing in state finals for the first time in a long time, three soccer teams playing in state finals and eight county football teams playing in the playoffs, not the mention the state cross country championships.
The guys discuss all of it and share their insights on what is ahead for these teams and athletes.
As Mount St. Mary’s prepares to begin its men’s basketball season next week, the team’s leading scorer last season, Vado Morse, and its coach, Dan Engelstad, are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
First, Morse sits down with host Greg Swatek to talk about his expectations for the coming season. Morse grew up in Suitland and played high-school basketball at Bullis Academy. How nice is it to have so many family members and friends able to come watch him play in college on a regular basis? How will he raise his game to another level after averaging 14.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists and being named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year last season? Any why is he so committed to playing basketball at the Mount?
Then, Coach Engelstad comes on to talk about how much further he and the program are along this season compared to last, which was his first season on the job. What are his expectations for his team this season? How will being more experienced help the team? Last season, there was not a junior or senior on the roster? And how does he feel about the schedule, which features road games against Georgetown, Washington and Kentucky, and the rest of the NEC?
Presiding over one of her best teams ever, Urbana field hockey coach A.J. Stuart is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Hawks are 14-1 after winning the Central Maryland Conference championship game last Saturday at Hood College and aiming to win their first state title. Coach Stuart explains to host Greg Swatek why she believes they have to the talent to do it and the qualities that make the team so special.
She also talks about starting the program from scratch when the school opened in 1995, her coaching mentors on staff at Urbana and her own upbringing in a competitive Baltimore household.
FNP sports writer John Cannon also drops in to chat about the depth of talent on the Frederick County volleyball scene and touch on the upcoming fall sports playoffs.
With his team about to play in its first Central Maryland Conference championship game, Tuscarora coach Todd Knepper is the guest this week on the Final Score podcast.
Knapper shares with host Greg Swatek the significance of his team reaching the conference championship game and why it is playing its best soccer at this late stage of the season. The Titans are unbeaten in their last eight games. He also explains why the Titans will defer home playoff games if it gives them the chance to play on a turf field.
The coach also talks about growing up the son of a professional baseball player, his own soccer career and why coaching was such a natural career progression for him. His first season at Tuscarora was spent as an assistant coach for the Titans' state championship team.
With a big showdown against Catoctin looming this week, Walkersville football coach Joe Polce is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Lions are off to a 4-1 start this season with wins over Tuscarora, Liberty, Seneca Valley and Thomas Johnson and a loss to Linganore last week. Coach Polce shares his assessment of the season to date with host Greg Swatek. What is going well? What needs to get better? He also shares his feelings on the resumption of the Catoctin-Walkersville rivalry, which hadn’t been played for the last two seasons. What type of game does he expect on Friday?
Then, Frederick News-Post sports writer Joe Ferraro drops in to discuss the county football scene just past the midpoint of the season. What teams have made the biggest impressions so far? How deep is the running back position in the county? Is there a clear frontrunner heading into the postseason?
With questions swirling around the present and future of the Thomas Johnson varsity football program, coach Bobby Humphries and athletic director Mike Chavez are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
On Monday, the school decided to pull the plug on the rest of its varsity football season, citing a lack of numbers and player safety. Humphries and Chavez explain to host Greg Swatek why that decision was made and the various factors that went into it. They also share their personal feelings about having to make a decision like that and the reaction of the players to it.
Humphries and Chavez talk about why the TJ football program has fallen so far and what it will take to get it turned around. While TJ’s junior varsity team will continue on with its season, what is the future of the varsity program?
Longtime Middletown girls soccer coach Heather Kline is the guest on this week’s Final Score podcast.
Coach Kline shares with host Greg Swatek how she got her start in both soccer and coaching, and why coaching the varsity girls team at Middletown High School was always her dream job.
She talks about the ways she has changed and the adjustments she’s had to make in 28 years of coaching soccer at Middletown, and she talks about her own team, which is off to a good start at 6-1, and the parity of girls soccer in Frederick County this season. Could her Knights be the team to beat?
Plus, News-Post sports writer John Cannon stops in to discuss the high school football scene and Urbana’s high-powered volleyball team. Can the Hawks win states this season?
With his team off to an encouraging start this season, Thomas Johnson boys soccer coach Jim Reigel is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Patriots are 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the Central Maryland Conference Spires Division so far this season. Coach Reigel chats with Greg Swatek about what he likes about his team and walking the fine line as a coach of allowing his players to be themselves while keeping them focused and on task.
Reigel also shares stories about his own playing days. He didn’t start playing the sport until he was 12 years old and went on to be a college goalkeeper. And he talks about the natural progression he made to becoming a coach.
When athletes stop playing, the transition into the next phase of their life is often uncertain and difficult. That’s where Aliya Hulse is trying to help.
Hulse, an entrepreneur and personal coach from Germantown, is attempting to start a non-profit business designed to help athletes begin the next chapter of their lives.
She chats with host Greg Swatek about the difficulties that some of these athletes face and how specifically she is trying to help. There is an upcoming event in northern Virginia that she will be apart of on September 23 designed to assist athletes on the high school, college and professional levels.
Then, News-Post sports reporter Joe Ferraro drops by to talk about the first week of the high school football season in Frederick County and touch on the local boys soccer scene.
As the high school football season in Frederick County gets underway, Urbana football coach Brad Wilson is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Wilson tells host Greg Swatek why he is so excited and optimistic about this year’s team. With 33 returning players, including 24 seniors, Wilson feels the Hawks can compete with everyone on their schedule and be significantly better than his first two seasons on the job when they went 5-15 overall.
The coach talks about the team’s significantly improved commitment in the weight room during the offseason and the advantages of having a three-year starting quarterback and five seniors starters returning on the offensive line.
Then, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops by, as he and Greg offer a synopsis of all 12 high school football teams in the county. The guys share their feelings on who the best teams will be by the end of the season.
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With the start of the season less than a week away, The Final Score continues its Frederick County high school football preview with Catoctin head coach Doug Williams.
Williams is entering his 42nd year as a high school football coach and 29th as the head coach at Catoctin. He chats with host Greg Swatek about how players have changed since he started coaching and how he’s had to modify and adapt his style.
The Cougars return seven starters on both sides of the ball from a team that finished 10-2 last season and reached the Class 1A West regional final. Williams shares what he hoped his players took away from the experience and why he is so encouraged about this year’s team.
With two weeks to go until the start of the season, the Final Score podcast continues its preview of the 2019 high school football season in Frederick County with Tuscarora coach Vince Ahearn.
Entering his fifth season as the coach of the Titans, Ahearn chats with host Greg Swatek about how he has modified the way he coaches, including an increased emphasis on rest and recovery periods for his players. He talks about making his team as versatile as possible, even at the expense of rhythm and continuity for his players at the same position. And he talks about how Tuscarora held things together through an injury-riddled 6-4 season last fall.
The Titans have a heavily recruited receiver and defensive back in Jordan Addison, who verbally committed to play at the University of Pittsburgh over the summer. They have an easily overlooked weapon in punter Ryan Barrick, who also doubles as lineman on offense and defense. What they don’t have is a proven running back, which has been a hallmark in the relatively brief history of their program.
How will this all mesh together on the field? How does Ahearn feel about the nine-game regular season?
The Final Score podcast continues to preview the upcoming high school football season in Frederick County with this week’s guest, Middletown coach Collin Delauter.
Practices are now underway across the county, and Coach Delauter reminisces with host Greg Swatek about the days when players were in pads on the first day. While Delauter wishes that was still the case, he understands it’s a precautionary measure to help keep the players safe. Delauter talks extensively about his concern for the dwindling numbers of players in youth football and why he feels the game is about as safe as it can be today.
He also talks about the heightened expectations swirling around his team with a three-year starter at quarterback and why his players are so good at holding themselves accountable. He talks about the pain of missing the playoffs the last two seasons with winning records and why he feels the new playoff format is beneficial for most of the teams in Frederick County.
Before heading to Italy to being the next phase of his professional basketball career, Oakdale High graduate Zach Thomas stopped by The Final Score podcast to talk about his eventful last year and a half.
Thomas chats with host Greg Swatek extensively about the process of trying to establish a career in professional basketball. The all-time leading scorer for boys basketball in Frederick County talks about his successful summer league stint with the Houston Rockets that recently finished and how the opportunity in Italy came about. He also discusses what he learned from the season he spent playing in Belgium.
What have been the coolest moments of the journey so far? Who are some of the well-known people he has gotten a chance to meet or play with? How does he keep himself and his game in shape?
Plus, what does he enjoy the most about getting the chance to spend time at home in Maryland? And what did he say to the referee to receive a technical foul on his way to fouling out of his final college game at Bucknell in the NCAA tournament?
As the Final Score podcast continues its look at the upcoming high school football season in Frederick County, Brunswick football coach Jerry Smith is the guest this week.
Smith talks with host Greg Swatek about his first two years on the job, as Brunswick grew from a winless program to one with legitimate playoff aspirations. Has it been more difficult than he expected? What is he the most proud of?
Plus, how will the Railroaders replace some of their top players from last season’s 7-3 team? How does he feel about the nine-game schedule and the new playoff format? What would he say to critics of the team’s independent schedule?
Coach Smith talks about all of this and more, and explains why a small school like Brunswick has been able to sustain a football program for more than 50 years.
The Final Score podcast continues its look at the upcoming 2019 high school football season in Frederick County with this week's guest, Kurt Stein of Oakdale High School.
The head coach of the Bears recalls his fondest memories from last season's unbeaten run to the Class 2A state championship with host Greg Swatek. He talks about how far the program has come since it was started from scratch in the fall of 2010 and what challenges lie ahead?
Who will be the key players to watch this season? Will Oakdale adjust its style of play after losing 26 seniors to graduation? Have expectations changed at all? What are the feelings about the new nine-game regular season and the adjusted playoff format?
Stein answers all of these questions and more on this week's episode.
This week’s Final Score podcast pays tribute to the life and career of longtime Middletown track and field and cross country coach Don Boyer.
Boyer, one of the most influential coaches in Frederick County history, passed away Saturday after a years-long battle with Lewy body dementia. He was 75.
On this episode, three of Boyer’s closest confidants, Hal Grau, Tom Stevens and Dale Drum, reflect on his momentous life with host Greg Swatek.
They share some of their favorite stories about Boyer and explain why he was able to shape and influence thousands of lives, including their own, over a period of 50 years.
They talk about Boyer’s renowned competitiveness and how he balanced that with compassion and benevolence for just about anyone he crossed path’s with.
They also talk about the important role that his wife, Sharon, played in life and career, and why they were both so beloved in the Middletown community.
With the start of practice about a month away, the Final Score podcast begins its look at the 2019 high school football season in Frederick County.
The first guest is a coach who had his team on the precipice of a Frederick County record seventh state title last November before falling just short due to a last-second field goal.
Rick Conner of Linganore High School talks with host about the pain and the lessons learned from that 17-14 loss to Franklin High in the Class 3A title game last November. Typically someone who likes to keep moving forward, how long did an agonizing loss like that stay with him? What play does he want to have back the most?
Coach Conner also provides a glimpse of this season’s team at Linganore, which will feature new faces in several of the key positions, and why the Lancers plan to stay true to their identity. He also shares his feelings on the new state playoff format and why he is as passionate about his job right now as ever before.
In the midst of his finest season as a professional, Keys starting pitcher Cody Sedlock is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Orioles’ first-round pick in 2016 chats with host Greg Swatek about dealing with injury issues through his first three professional seasons and how he feels to finally be pitching at 100 percent health.
Sedlock talks about the experience of being drafted in the first round and the pressures and expectations that come along with it. He also talks about growing up in a small town in Illinois wanting to be a big-league pitcher and the process of making that dream come true.
Zach Jarrett, an outfielder for the Frederick Keys and the son of NASCAR legend Dale Jarrett, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Jarrett talks candidly with host Greg Swatek about his relationship with his famous father, and why he has no problem being asked about him or talking about his family. He talks about life growing up around the track, and some of the famous drivers and people he has met. He also explains why he is playing professional baseball instead of racing cars.
Zach also answers: Can he change a tire? How fast has he ever driven? How many speeding tickets has he received? What type of music does he like?
Some of his answers may surprise you.
Carolina League All-Star Steve Klimek of the Frederick Keys is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
Klimek talks with host Greg Swatek about the influence basketball had on his life growing up in upstate New York and his love for the NBA champion Toronto Raptors. He also talks about going to Rochester Red Wings games a kid when they were the Triple A minor-league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and watching players such as Ryan Minor, his current manager with the Keys play for the Red Wings.
He also talks about how he always stays ready as a relief pitcher and why he has pitched so well for the Keys lately. During the month of May, he earned four victories. He also put together a recent scoreless of streak of 19 2-3 innings. Plus, he touches on what it means to him to be a Carolina League All-Star.
After being named a Carolina League All-Star this week, Frederick Keys utility infielder Willy Yahn is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Yahn tells host Greg Swatek how he became obsessed with baseball while growing up in a small Connecticut town and what it was like to play baseball at a basketball school (UConn).
He also shares why he takes such good care of his bats, tales from the road in the minor leagues — What are his favorite towns? Where does he like to eat? — and why he would have better off being born in 1985 with his old-school taste?
Frederick County Public Schools supervisor of athletics Kevin Kendro and longtime Brunswick High baseball coach Roger Dawson are the guests this week on the Final Score podcast.
First, Kendro reflects with host Greg Swatek on the year that was for high school sports in the county during the 2018-19 school year. In the fourth year for the Central Maryland Conference and the second in partnership with Washington County Public Schools, what is the overall health of the league? What is going well? What can be going better? Are there any plans to expand or make changes? How did the changes to the football and tennis playoffs come about? And how were they received?
Then, Dawson stops by to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of his older brother, Ricky, setting the state record with 24 strikeouts in Brunswick’s 10-inning loss to Southern Garrett in the District 1 B-C championship game at McCurdy Field on June 7, 1969. How did Brunswick manage to lose a game in which its pitcher was so dominant? What type of player and person was Ricky?
As the 2018-2019 school year draws to a close, The Final Score podcast welcomes the two state team champions from the county for the spring season, the Urbana girls track team and the Oakdale boys track team.
The Hawks and the Bears were two of the most dominant teams in the county all season, winning just about every big meet in the state, often in convincing fashion. Last Saturday at Morgan State, the Urbana girls and the Oakdale boys followed their state indoor team titles by winning the same championships at the outdoor meet. The Urbana girls scored 41 points over the last hour of the meet to win the Class 4A team championship with 68.5 points, while the Oakdale boys rolled to the 2A team title with 85.
On this week’s episode, coach C.J. Ecalono and sophomore Ella Auderset of Urbana and coach Dave Lillard and junior Kyle Lund of Oakdale share with host Greg Swatek their stories of success, perseverance and determination.
How did Auderset rebound after suffering a terrible fall in closing stretch of the 400-meter dash that cost her championship and a possible record? And how was Lund feeling after running 6,400 meters on his way to three titles and a second-place finish over two days in the state meet?
And how do Ecalono and Lillard manage their large teams and put their athletes in the best positions to succeed?
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
As they get set for their second state final in three years, Middletown baseball coach Andy Baker and senior pitcher/shortstop Graham Brown are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Knights will take on LaPlata High School in the Class 2A championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. Middletown, the 2017 2A champion, earned that right after defeating Fallston 5-1 Tuesday night at Montgomery Blair High School.
Coach Baker and Graham share with host Greg Swatek why the team is so cohesive and tends to play its best in the big games. How did their dog-pile celebration come about, and what’s it like to be in the middle of one? Coach Baker also talks about some of his coaching philosophies, which included a 4 a.m. bootcamp session at the start of the season. Plus, what do the Knights expect from LaPlata, their opponent in Saturday’s championship game?
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro stops in to share his thoughts and insights on the Middletown baseball team and help wrap up the rest of the spring sports season in Frederick County with Greg.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With his team vying for its first regional championship in softball, Brunswick softball coach Kevan Rabat is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Rabat shares with host Greg Swatek why he gets emotional when talking about his team and how it has put itself on the brink of a regional championship despite having one of the smallest rosters (10 players) in the state. With a rich tenor to his voice, Rabat does commercial voice overs for radio and television. Has anyone asked him to record the voicemail message for their phone before?
Plus, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops in to discuss significant changes to the format of the high school football playoffs, as well as the sudden end to lacrosse season in Frederick County and the regional softball and baseball championship games.
More than 20 years after stepping in for Cal Ripken Jr. when his record consecutive games streak came to an end on September 20, 1998, Frederick Keys manager Ryan Minor still fields questions about doing so on a regular basis.
On this week’s episode of The Final Score podcast, Minor talks with host Greg Swatek about when he learned that he would be stepping in for Cal and how he reacted to the news. What was it like with all eyes on him at third base?
Minor also talks about choosing Major League Baseball over the NBA, growing up in Oklahoma with a competitive twin brother who also played professional baseball, and some of the top prospects on his Frederick Keys team this season, including 2017 first-round draft pick DL Hall. Minor shares why he enjoys living and working in Frederick.
Then, Geoff Arnold, the Keys’ Director of Broadcasting and Public Relations, returns to the podcast to share his impressions of the first month of the season. What has he noticed about the Orioles’ emphasis on analytics with the Keys? And how are preparations coming along for the Carolina League All-Star Game in Frederick on June 18?
With her program steadily improving and on the verge of several milestones, Urbana girls lacrosse coach Ann Lewis is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Now in her fifth season on the job, Lewis has a roster that is loaded with talented players. This week alone, three different players are closing in on personal milestones for total points, goals scored and career saves. Lewis share with host Greg Swatek how she has cultivated such talent and depth in her short time as the team’s coach. She also talks about her own experience playing lacrosse in Long Island, New York and at Washington College (Md.) and how she landed in such a great spot professionally at Urbana.
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro drops by to preview the upcoming Central Maryland Conference championship games in various sports.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
Fresh off of making his major-league debut with the Baltimore Orioles last Saturday, Thomas Johnson graduate Branden Kline is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Kline is a 27-year-old right-handed relief pitcher for the Norfolk Tides, a Triple-A affiliate of the Orioles. When rain washed out games for the Tides and the Orioles last Friday, an opportunity of a lifetime presented itself.
Kline shares with host Greg Swatek what he was doing and how he reacted when manager Gary Kendall called him into his office to tell him he was getting called up the big leagues. He talks about why it was such an emotional moment for him and his family and what it was like reporting to work at Camden Yards last Saturday morning.
What was it like putting on the Orioles uniform for the first time? What advice did fellow Orioles give him? How did it feel to run out of the bullpen and hear his name being called over the public-address system at Camden Yards? And how did he feel about his big-league debut, which included a 1-2-3 first inning of work and a bumpier second inning that saw him surrender a pair of home runs?
Plus, he shares his feeling on the first round of the NFL draft for his Baltimore Ravens and the recent national championship in men’s basketball for his Virginia Cavaliers.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
After a week of heavyweight battles for his girls lacrosse team, Middletown coach Tyler White is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Coach White shares with host Greg Swatek the significance of last Thursday’s one-goal victory over fellow Frederick County heavyweight Oakdale, as well as the tournament the Knights played in over the weekend against a pair of state titans in girls lacrosse, Glenelg and Marriotts Ridge. He also talks about why he feels its important for his players to get away from the game and the fun he tries to incorporate into the daily grind over the course of the season.
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro comes on to share some observations and insights about baseball and boys lacrosse in Frederick County.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With his team off to another good start, Urbana softball coach Frank Husson is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Husson tells host Greg Swatek why this season’s team reminds him of Urbana’s state championship team in 2011. He shares how his coaching career got started and why he has held on for 21 years as a softball coach in Frederick County.
Plus, FNP sports writer John Cannon shares some of his early observations on the spring sports season.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
As the Frederick Keys prepare to begin another season, Geoff Arnold, the team’s director of broadcasting and public relations, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Arnold chats with host Greg Swatek about how he prepares for such a long season with few days off over the next fives months, even for broadcasters. He talks about some of the team’s top prospects, including starting pitcher DL Hall, the No. 2 prospect in the Orioles’ organization, and his expectations for the coming season. He also discusses some of the promotions the Keys have on tap, including appearances by legendary wrestler Jake “The Snake” Roberts and actor Leslie David Baker, who played Stanley Hudson on the hit sitcom, “The Office.”
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro shares his observations and insights from Keys media day, including a conversation he had with DL Hall.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
Following the third consecutive state title for the Frederick High girls, an unprecedented feat for a Frederick County basketball team, seniors Makayla Daniels and Hannah Layman are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Daniels and Layman chat with host Greg Swatek about the team’s calling card, its suffocating defense, and how an adjustment to that defense helped the Cadets prevail over Baltimore Polytechnic in the Class 3A championship game at Towson’s SECU Arena. The players talk about the challenge of winning three state titles in a row and what that accomplishment means to them. They also describe the bus ride home following the championship victory, as the team received a police escort back to Frederick High School.
Plus, with the spring season underway, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro drops in to share his early impressions of the high school baseball and boys lacrosse scenes in the county.
Who are some of the teams to beat and players to watch for?
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With the spring sports season officially underway, longtime Catoctin baseball coach Mike Franklin is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Coach Franklin tells host Greg Swatek about his young team this season and how it plans to live up to the typically high standards set by the Catoctin baseball team. He also talks about why Frederick County is such a coaching hot bed in many sports, the coach bond that the baseball coaches in the county share, his time as a player, the players he grew up admiring and how he wound up working at Catoctin High School.
Plus, FNP sports writer John Cannon drops by to wrap up the high school basketball season. John and Greg discuss the third consecutive state championship for the Frederick High girls, an unprecedented feat for a Frederick County basketball team, as well as the state-finals appearance for the Middletown girls.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
As they prepare to lead the Middletown girls basketball team into its first state semifinal since 2013, Knights coach Amy Poffenbarger and her daughter, Saylor, are the guests on The Final Score podcast this week.
Why are the Middletown girls playing their best basketball at the right time of the season? How do Amy and Saylor balance their relationship as both a mother and daughter and coach and player? How is Saylor managing the process as a highly regarded Division I recruit? Amy and Saylor chat with host Greg Swatek about these topics. Plus, learn more about some of the other players that make Middletown’s team so successful.
Also, with four state semifinals on tap involving Frederick County teams, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro stops by to preview the games. Can the Frederick High girls become the first county team to win three state titles in a row in basketball? What sort of chances do the Oakdale boys, the Thomas Johnson boys and the Middletown girls have of claiming championships?
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
After delivering on expectations over the weekend, state wrestling champions Earl Blake and Michael Bromley of Linganore and Kevin Makosy of Urbana are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Blake won the Class 4A-3A 132-pound weight class for his third state title, becoming just the fourth Frederick County wrestler to win that many. Makosy, meanwhile, won his second consecutive state title at 195 pounds in 4A-3A, while Bromley broke through and won his first state title at 170.
All three wrestlers share their experiences with host Greg Swatek and talk about what the championships meant to them. They also discuss their distinguished high school careers, what meant the most to them and why Frederick County wrestling has improved so much.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With the high-basketball playoffs set to begin early next week, Oakdale boys basketball coach Brandon Long is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Coach Long chats with host Greg Swatek about taking over a very successful program from a legendary coaching figure in the county, Terry Connolly, and how he goes about establishing a legacy of his own. Long talks about growing up in Brunswick, why he was initially hesitant to play basketball and what he has learned about himself as a coach. He also discusses his talented team, which enters the playoffs with an overall record of 20-3, and what it will take for the Bears to return to the state semifinals in College Park this season.
Plus, sports reporter Kyle McFadden joins the podcast to discuss his own foray into coaching basketball as well as the upcoming high-school playoffs.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
After leading their teams to state indoor track and field championships earlier this week, Oakdale boys coach Dave Lillard, Linganore boys coach Bill Eckard and Urbana girls coach CJ Ecalono are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Bears won a state team title for the second consecutive season — they also won the state outdoor title last spring — while the Lancers took the team title at the state indoor meet for the second year in a row. The Urbana girls, meanwhile, broke through and claimed their first overall championship at the state indoor meet.
The coaches share with host Greg Swatek what made those victories possible and all of the ties that bind Frederick County as an outstanding community for track and field.
Plus, on the heels of the Central Maryland Conference championship games for boys and girls basketball, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro drops by to discuss the county sports scene as the playoffs draw nearer.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
For almost two decades, Scott Mogar ran the Frederick County Public Schools wrestling tournament that is scheduled to take place this weekend at Walkersville High School.
On this week's episode of The Final Score podcast, Mogar chats with host Greg Swatek about his passion for wrestling, the thankless job of being a referee, how he's maintained such a strong relationship with all of the coaches in the county while being a longtime referee and why and how he keeps all of the postseason records as the unofficial historian of Frederick County wrestling.
Plus, News-Post sports writer John Cannon drops by to talk about the recently completed Frederick County Public Schools swimming championships. How were the Linganore girls able to break through for their first team championship? Why were the Oakdale boys able to maintain their dominance? What is the outlook for the regional and state meets? John explains.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With the start of the high school basketball playoffs quickly approaching, Thomas Johnson boys basketball coach John Manley is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
The Patriots are looking to return to the state semifinals this season on the strength of their three senior leaders, Bennett Commander, JR Powe and Richard Rivas. Coach Manley chats with host Greg Swatek about what they learned from last year’s experience and what it will take to get back to states this season.
Plus, FNP sports reporter Joe Ferraro weighs in on the rugged Class 3A West region that TJ plays in and helps to set the table for the upcoming boys basketball playoffs in Frederick County.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With the end of the regular season approaching, the Oakdale girls basketball team remains undefeated at 15-0 and 13-0 in the Central Maryland Conference. The Bears’ coach, Rob Healy, is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Will defense help the Oakdale girls win a championship this season? Coach Healy explains to host Greg Swatek why the Bears are so good on that end of the floor, holding the majority of their opponents to 42 points or less. He also shares how he got into coaching, what it was like starting the Oakdale girls basketball program from scratch and why he has never been issued a technical foul.
Plus, sports writer John Cannon stops in to share his observations about the Oakdale girls and the overall girls basketball scene in Frederick County. He also offers his thoughts on Linganore graduate Rob Havenstein playing in the Super Bowl for the Rams, becoming the first Frederick County player to play in the big game since 1977.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
On a star-studded edition of The Final Score podcast, Linganore graduate Rob Havenstein of the Super Bowl bound Los Angeles Rams and the Lancers’ two-time state wrestling champion Earl Blake are the guests.
First, Big Rob shares with host Greg Swatek what it was like to be on the field for the game-winning field goal in Sunday’s NFC Championship game, a 26-23 overtime win for the Rams over the host New Orleans Saints. Has it sunk in yet that he will be playing in a Super Bowl? What is he looking forward to the most?
Then, Earl Blake talks about the fuel that drives him as a state-champion wrestler and why he loves the sport so much. How does he keep himself motivated when there aren’t a lot of wrestlers that can push him on the mat? What are his goals for the season? How are the Lancers able to pull out so many heart-stopping wins?
The Finals Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
With the county indoor meet on tap for today, Chris Lewis, a longtime track and field and cross county coach in the Frederick area, is this week’s guest on The Final Score podcast.
Lewis tells host Greg Swatek what his life is like since giving up responsibilities as the head coach for Oakdale girls track and field and staying with the program on a part-time basis. He shares why he is so passionate about the sport and running in general and why he is so pleased the team has transitioned to one of his former athletes, Adell Remsburg, as coach. He also provides his insights and outlook on the county indoor meet.
Plus, Duncan Slade offers his perspective on the Frederick County sports scene as a student photographer and videographer for the News-Post.
The Finals Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
Linganore girls basketball coach Rachael Easterday is the guest this week on The Final Score podcast.
Coach Easterday tells host Greg Swatek what it’s like to now be coaching at the school where she played and won a state championship. She talks about the profound influence the late Brian Matthews had on her life and her career and how the girls basketball landscape in Frederick County has changed since her playing days.
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro stops in to talk about how the Tuscarora wrestling team is taking aim at a second consecutive regional championship with a lineup that is dramatically different from last season, as well as the highly competitive Class 3A West region in boys basketball, which includes returning state semifinalist Thomas Johnson.
The Finals Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
Tuscarora boys basketball coach Darryl Whiten is the guest on the first Final Score podcast of the new year.
Whiten shares insights and expectations with host Greg Swatek about his team this season. He also explains how is background and upbringing shaped him to be the coach that he is today. How close was he to playing tennis in college instead of basketball? And who are some of his high-profile connections in the basketball world?
Plus, FNP sports writer John Cannon stops in to talk about the compelling girls basketball scene in Frederick County.
On this week's edition of The Final Score podcast, Oakdale High boys track and field coach Dave Lillard stops in to talk about his talented team.
Lillard chats with host Greg Swatek about the various nuances of the indoor track season, why his team was able to win its first state outdoor championship in the spring, his star 800-meter runner Kyle Lund, who has one of the fastest times in the nation, how he became a track-and-field coach and his expectations going forward.
Plus, Greg swings around the Frederick County sports landscape with FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro with a particular emphasis on boys basketball.
The Final Score is presented by PFP (Players Fitness and Performance).
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Longtime Frederick County basketball coach Bill Miskell is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
After coaching basketball in the county for more 15 years, including stops at his alma mater, Middletown, and Thomas Johnson, where he is currently the head coach of the girls varsity team, Miskell has plenty of stories to share with Greg Swatek about his career. He talks about how his life-long love affair with basketball began and the individuals that helped and influenced him along the way. He also shares some great stories about his time as a college-basketball referee and playing drums as well as being one of the lead singers in his band, The Relics.
Plus, state sports guru Kyle McFadden stops in to take a look at the Frederick County basketball scene.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
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Less than a week removed from winning their first state title, Oakdale High School football coach Kurt Stein and senior linebackers Maurio Goings and Ethan Martin reflect on their remarkable season this week on The Final Score podcast.
The trio shares with host Greg Swatek the high points of the season, including momentous victories over Linganore, Damascus and Glenelg in the Class 2A championship game. They talk about how the team came together and what made it so special. Stein talks about the relatively short-but-challenging journey from starting the program from scratch in 2010 to the pinnacle moment less than a decade later. The group also talks about what the team might look like going forward.
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With the Oakdale football team closing in on its first state championship, senior quarterback Collin Schlee and his father, Chris, are the guests this week on The Final Score podcast.
Collin and Chris share with host Greg Swatek the qualities that make this Oakdale football team truly special. The unbeaten Bears will face unbeaten Glenelg in the Class 2A championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. The Schlees explain how and why the Bears have gotten this far.
In addition, they talk about Collin’s background as a restless kid who loved sports, the person most responsible for all of the athletic prowess in the Schlee household and Collin’s elite arm strength, which dazzles coaches, teammates, fans and reporters alike. How far can he throw a football? Find out here.
A Division I college prospect in two sports, Collin and Chris talk about the trails and tribulations of the recruiting process, how difficult it was for Collin to choose playing football in college over basketball and why he ultimately decided to play quarterback for Kent State University.
Plus, FNP sports writer Joe Ferraro drops by to preview this week’s state football championship games for Linganore and Oakdale and offer some reflections on the fall sports season.
The Final Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
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With a state boys soccer champion and a football team in the state semifinals, Oakdale High School is in the spotlight on this week’s episode of the Final Score podcast.
First, state football guru Kyle McFadden chats with host Greg Swatek about the Bears’ momentous 24-7 victory at Damascus last week that secured their first regional championship and snapped the Swarmin’ Hornets 53-game winning steak, which was the longest in the nation. McFadden offers his outlook on the rest of the state football playoffs, including Linganore’s chances of winning a second consecutive state title in Class 3A.
Then, Oakdale boys soccer coach Mitch Rubin and senior captain Anthony Kocan stop by to discuss the Bears upsetting nationally ranked River Hill in penalty kicks last Saturday in the Class 2A championship game to win their third state championship. Rubin and Kocan talk about the most satisfying part of the journey to the championship and why the team held up so well under pressure throughout a season full of low-scoring, closely contested games.
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With his team set to play for a state title, Thomas Johnson girls soccer coach Adam Weinstein is this week’s guest on the Final Score podcast.
The Patriots will take on Northern of Calvert County in the Class 3A championship game, vying for their third state title and first since 2001. Weinstein tells host Greg Swatek why he felt his team was up for the challenge from the very start of the schedule. He also talks about navigating the highs and lows of a long season, the perils and the benefits of facing a Frederick County schedule and the qualities that make this particular TJ team special, namely its togetherness.
Plus, state football guru Kyle McFadden joins the podcast to discuss the three regional football championship games involving Frederick County schools. Kyle and Greg take a long look at the highly anticipated Class 2A West championship game between Oakdale and Damascus. They also discuss if Catoctin has a shot at upsetting Fort Hill in the 1A West and if Linganore will roll over Westminster in the 3A West final. Plus, Kyle offers his predictions on how the other regions across the state will shake out.
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After a stunning 2-1 overtime victory over Oakdale in the Class 2A West regional championship game, the Walkersville girls soccer team will be making its first appearance in the state semifinals.
On this week’s Final Score podcast, Lions coach Paul Bryan tells host Greg Swatek all about his team’s surprising run and why it is playing its best at the right time of year. After being blown out by Oakdale during the regular season, how was he feeling heading into the regional final. How did he and the team react when Kasi Ogwulu scored the game-winning goal in overtime? What type of game does he expect against Fallston in Saturday’s state semifinal at River Hill? And why does he love coaching so much?
Plus, FNP sports writer John Cannon joins Greg to talk about the Lions’ surprising win, the rest of the state playoff picture for soccer and volleyball and the three regional semifinal matchups in football involving Linganore, Oakdale and Catoctin.
The Finals Score is presented by Players Fitness and Performance (PFP).
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